Terms Of Use

This document highlights our expectations for reasonable and fair use of the CIPRES REST API. We expect everyone using these services will abide by these rules/behavioral guidelines.

If you are registering to use an existing application that makes use of CIPRES REST Services:

  • Keep your username and password private.
  • Create a single account for yourself. If you use more than one CIPRES enabled application, use the same CRA account with each of them.
  • Please respect that this is a shared resource, and your usage impacts other users. Be conservative in your use until you understand the system well. For example, run small "test" jobs before running larger jobs.
  • The limit for input data is 50 MB per job. If you need to process larger files, contact us before proceeding.
  • The application you are using probably polls the CRA to find out when jobs are finished. Do not change the polling frequency.
  • Do not change the application ID.
  • For individual users, the usage limits are as follows:
    • Users in the US are permitted up to 50,000 core hours per account.
    • Users in other countries are permitted up to 30,000 core hours per account.
    • In the absence of knowledge of the user's home institution, the lower amount will apply.
  • Further job submissions will be halted when the sum of potential resource consumption by all running jobs reaches the user's individual limit. As the jobs complete, if actual usage is lower than the user's limit, submissions may resume.
  • Please do not abuse the system or circumvent the rules. Because the rules are the rules: if they are broken routinely it will threaten existence of the CRA.

If you will be writing your own code (or using curl or wget) to access the CRA, or if you are modifying code that someone else wrote:

  • Keep your username and password private.
  • Register each application you create. Don't use a single application ID for multiple applications and don't use multiple application names/IDs with the same application. We realize that deciding what constitutes a separate application can require a judgment call: just do your best.
  • Be conservative in your use until you understand the system well.
  • When you are comfortable, please respect that this is a shared resource, and your usage impacts other users.
  • The limit for file size uploads is currently 50 MB. Please restrict your applications uploads to that limit.
  • There is currently no limit to the frequency at which you may submit jobs and poll for job status, so please be considerate about your usage. Otherwise we will have to impose limits.
  • All usage is monitored on per user and per application basis to evaluate performance, troubleshoot, and monitor compliance.
  • For individual users, the usage limits are as follows:
    • Users in the US are permitted up to 50,000 core hours per account.
    • Users in other countries are permitted up to 30,000 core hours per account.
    • In the absence of knowledge of the user's home institution, the lower amount will apply.
  • Further job submissions will be halted when the sum of potential resource consumption by all running jobs reaches the user's individual limit. As the jobs complete, if actual usage is lower than the user's limit, submissions may resume.
  • If you run a web application that distributes CRA services to a registered user base, each of your users will receive access to the same number of core hours per year as individual users, provided they can be uniquely identified.
  • If you wish to create such a web application, please contact us to discuss your application, and our current requirements.
  • Please do not create tools that encourage abuse of the system, or to circumvent rules. Because the rules are the rules: if they are broken routinely it will threaten existence of the CRA.