Terms

Terms of Services

These terms of service regulate relationships between the University of Tartu High Performance Computing Centre (hereinafter UTHPC) and the customer in connection with the use of service and set out the conditions for exercising relevant rights and performing obligations.

The terms of service will apply from the moment the customer orders the service.

1. Definition

  • 1.1. In the Terms of Service, terms are used in the following meaning:

    Helpdesk Service centre for managing requests submitted by the customer.
    IaaS service Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) which provides an opportunity to use, as a service, computing resources of virtualised hardware – processors (vCPU), memory (RAM) and hard disk drive (HDD) storage capacity.
    Incident Situation in which the customer cannot use the service as agreed in the Contract, incl. unplanned interruptions or interference of the service, IT systems, devices or applications. Interruptions and interferences are two separate forms of an incident.
    Information request The customer’s request for receiving or delivering any information concerning the service.
    Main user User who has access to the self service environment and the right to order resources from the service catalogue, set and manage project settings and the project team composed of users.
    Office hours From Monday to Friday 9:00 to 17:00, except Estonian national holidays.
    Response time Time from receiving a message about an incident until the UTHPC commences their action.
    Rules of the Science Cloud Document specifying the general terms related to the use of the science cloud service.
    Self-service The web based environment at the address minu.etais.ee where the client can monitor the current status of requests and paths of problem solving.
    Service interruption Situation in which the service as described in the Contract or the operation of IT systems or devices or applications cannot be continued (is interrupted).
    Service interference Situation in which the service as described in the Contract or the operation of IT systems or devices or applications is restricted (is interfered).

2. Description of the Service

  • 2.1. The IaaS service is a virtualised set of resources which a client can use through the self service portal minu.etais.ee for human use or through an API for a machine interface.

  • 2.2. The IaaS service is provided through the cloud operation platform OpenStack. The clients can:

    • • Activate virtual machines with various configurations prepared by the service provider;
    • • Manage data storage capacity (virtual disks);
    • • Manage the snapshots of virtual disks;
    • • Magage public IP addresses;
    • • Manage private networks;
    • • Manage the security rules of a network of virtual machines.

  • 2.3. The IaaS service is physically located in the server rooms of the University of Tartu in Lossi 3 and in the UT Delta academic building.

  • 2.4. The IaaS service has been audited and complies with the requirements corresponding to level M of the IT Baseline Security System ISKE.

  • 2.5. The IaaS service is provided by means of physically discrete resources in which the computing load is divided between separate physic­al devices. The science cloud does not provide guaranteed resources, but the intention is to provide the best possible resources fo­r all clients.

  • 2.6. The implied storage resources of the IaaS service are available as multi-tier packages, from which the first tier accessible for the client (tier 1) provides a SSD technology based fast-access resource and the second (tier 2) includes a shared SAS disk array.

  • 2.7. The availability of the IaaS service is 99.9% on the basis of one location. Network devices may be duplicated between locations. The availability of the self service is 99.6%.

  • 2.8. The administrator has the right to install software in the resources made available to the client. If the resources are covered by a chargeable licence (e.g., Microsoft Windows server), the client shall pay the licence fees of the installed software. A corresponding notice will be published in the self service catalogue and revealed before the installation.

  • 2.9. The resources created within the IaaS service are not backed up or duplicated by default. The client is responsible for backing up their information systems and data and for ensuring high performance. To this end, the client can purchase resources from several locations in the science cloud and use different extra services for their backup.

  • 2.10. The provider of the IaaS service is monitoring the service round the clock. Monitoring does not include the client’s applications and systems stored in the resources. Their monitoring is the responsibility of the client.

3. Arrangement of the Service

  • 3.1. Resources can be ordered by entering into a service contract with the University of Tartu and appointing the main user by the client who will represent the interests of the client in issues regarding the use of service.

  • 3.2. The client can use the IaaS service as they wish or need, but following the Rules of the Science Cloud and these terms of service.

  • 3.3. The main user orders the resource package (VPC) through the self service environment. The client may use the functions specified in Clause 2.2 within the limits of the ordered resources.

  • 3.4. The administrators of the science cloud appointed by the main user shall install necessary software systems and data within the limits of the VPC. The fee for using any licensed software (e.g, Microsoft products) will be added to the service fee on the basis of a current price list. Acquiring all necessary rights of use for any priced licences that are not included in the science cloud service catalogue is the responsibility of the client.

4. Terms of Service Provision

  • 4.1. Service level agreement (SLA):

    Criticality level Description of situation Maximum time of response Maximum allowed interruption of the service in a month
    None The service works as planned. Information requests, help requests. Up to 3 business days. -
    Low The service is not directly disrupted, but there are minor anomalies. Up to 8h within office hours. Up to 16h within office hours.
    Medium The service is partially disrupted. Up to 4h within office hours. Up to 16h within office hours.
    High Service outage, large number of customers affected. Immediate and big impact, especially information security problems, usability problems. Up to 3h within office hours. Up to 8h within office hours.

  • 4.2. If the performance of pertinent obligations is not possible or practical (e.g., the initial diagnosis proved wrong), the parties agree through their contact persons on the future action and the time of fixing any failures.

  • 4.3. The service is not deemed to be interrupted or interfered and the response and recovery times do not apply in cases when the incidence is caused by the client’s action or failure to act, by scheduled works or force majeure.

  • 4.4. The parties shall refrain from any action that interferes (or may interfere) or limits (or may limit) or causes (or may cause) damage to the security of the other party’s system, infrastructure or communication network. The parties shall also ensure that the current software of their infrastructure is up to date and secure.

  • 4.5. The availability of the science cloud extranet depends on the extranet service providers. Implicitly, the extranet connection is established through the data transmission network for state agencies (state network). If necessary, special solutions for the extranet connection can be agreed on between the parties.

5. Retention and Security of Data

  • 5.1. When using the science cloud service, the client shall ensure the security of any services provided by them through the public network (incl. any data). For that, the client shall take all relevant organisational and infotechno­logical security measures. The measures can, among others, include:

    • • Everyday management, incl. regular security patches of the operation system and applications;
    • • Regular backup and recovery;
    • • Ensuring high performance;

  • 5.2. The service provider does not back up any of the client’s data stored in the science cloud, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

  • 5.3. In all circumstances, the client is solely responsible for the implementation of security measures to protect the systems stored by the client in the science cloud and any parts of the systems under its management.

6. Maintenance Work

  • 6.1. The UTHPC shall inform the client of all scheduled works three (3) days in advance through the self service environment and/or by an e-mail addressed to the main user.

  • 6.2. The UTHPC shall perform any maintenance works with minimal interference in the service.

  • 6.3. During maintenance works, the operation of the service may be interfered, but any interference caused by maintenance is not considered as non-compliance of the service (it is regular maintenance).

7. Notification of Incidents, Faults and Requests

  • 7.1. The client shall immediately notify the UTHPC through the self service environment of any problems with the use of service.

  • 7.2. If the self service environment does not function, the client shall contact the UTHPC control centre by a notification to the following address: support@hpc.ut.ee.

  • 7.3. The client informs the UTHPC through self-service portal or the email address support@hpc.ut.ee about requests and observations that have arisen when using the service.

8. Invoicing

  • 8.1. The IaaS resources are used and invoiced as package resources (VPC – Virtual Private Cloud). By using any VPC services, the client agrees to pay the fee for employing the resources. All fees for using any licensed software (e.g., Microsoft products) will be added to the service fee on the basis of a current price list.

  • 8.2. VPC settings can be determined by the main user and the fee for using the service depends on the settings.

  • 8.3. VPC settings can be changed in the self service environment and the number of changes made each day is not limited. The price is calculated per day and the largest package used each day is invoiced.

  • 8.4. The client can monitor the actual volume and expense of the IaaS resources and the expected total amount for the month in the self service environment.

  • 8.5. The invoice is issued at the beginning of the month following the use of the service.

9. Termination of Service

  • 9.1. The science cloud IaaS service can be terminated by removing the used resource package (VPC) in the self service environment or by informing the UTHPC of the client’s intent to terminate the Contract through the self service environment; mere deletion of data and the systems will not terminate the Contract.

  • 9.2. The notice period for service termination is 30 days.

28 June 2024

Our team will be on university holiday break from December 23rd to December 29th. Regular HPC support services will be limited during this time, and our responses may be delayed. Please be aware that on December 31st, our services will be available until 12:00 PM. Additionally, our office will be closed on January 1st.

Have a joyful holiday season!