Helpdesk

How Do I Get Access?

Access to MSI resources is available to Principal Investigators (PIs) and their research groups. PI's without current MSI access can apply for MSI accounts for themselves and their group members. If you are a member of a research group and want access to MSI you will need to gain it though your PI. If your PI has access to MSI they can add new users to their group and complete yearly renewals using the myMSI interface. 

For PIs who are University of Minnesota affiliated

Select: Request an MSI Account and your account can be created from your UMN InternetID (formerly called x500).

For PIs who are not University of Minnesota affiliated

You will need to acquire a UMN Person of Interest ("POI") identifier. Send an email to help@msi.umn.edu, requesting access to MSI’s resources as a faculty researcher at an accredited institution of post-secondary education in the State of Minnesota and include the following information:

1. Name
2. Address, this can be a business address
3. Phone number, this can be a business phone
4. Email address
5. Your title
6. Institution name
7. Date of birth
8. Attestation: the PI requesting the POI account (either for themselves or another member of their home institution) must attest if the person receiving the POI account does or does not meet one or more of the Minimum POI Inclusion Criteria below. These criteria determine if the POI must be assigned the UMN Preventing Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination and Retaliation training. If you attest that this POI does not meet any of these criteria, the requestor is responsible for notifying MSI of any changes in the future that would align this POI with one or more criteria, and thereby require them to take the training.
   • Minimum POI Inclusion Criteria
     Any POI who meets one or more of the following criteria is required to complete the educational module on Preventing Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, and Retaliation:
     • POIs who are responsible for coaching, mentoring, advising, supervising, or instructing University of Minnesota members--or who otherwise hold a position of authority over University of Minnesota members-- as a part of their POI role.
     • POIs who have regular one-on-one interactions with UMN students as a part of their POI role, whether in-person, virtually, or via email.
     • POIs who have a significant presence on campus or at a University of Minnesota facility as a part of their POI role. At a minimum, POIs who spend more than an estimated 40 hours/year on campus or at a University of Minnesota facility will be considered to have significant presence and must complete the educational module.

MSI will use this information to request a UMN account for you, from which your MSI account can be created. MSI will contact you when your UMN access is approved and with instructions on how to activate your new UMN account. 

Who Can Get Access?

University of Minnesota PIs and organizations which have purchased time on the MSI systems are eligible to initiate accounts for themselves and their group members. 

Complete Eligibility Information

A faculty member may request accounts for students in a course they are teaching. These requests should be made at least two weeks before the class begins. 

Applying for Class Accounts

What Are Your Allocations?

New MSI PIs are allocated by default 150 GB of high performance storage. Larger storage allocations can be requested when you become a MSI user and during your yearly account renewal. 

More Information about Storage Allocations

What Do I Do After I Get Access? 

Our Quick Start Guides are a good way to learn how to connect to and navigate within MSI systems. MSI also has Tutorials that offer training beyond what is covered in the Quick Start Guides.