Requesting a Cloud Account

Requesting a Cloud Account#

Now that you’ve chosen a platform, the next step is requesting a Northwestern Cloud account.

Benefits of a Northwestern-Affiliated Cloud Account#

Northwestern data policies require that research data produced at Northwestern be stored in University-approved systems, so a Northwestern-affiliated cloud account is required if you plan to use cloud for research. These accounts also provide direct benefits that are not available through personal or unaffiliated cloud accounts:

  • Discounted pricing: Reduced rates compared to standard pay-as-you-go accounts, helping stretch your research budget further (see Provider Discounts below for rates by provider)

  • Waived egress fees: No charge for most data transfers out of the cloud (normally billed per GB moved), which can represent significant savings when working with large datasets

  • Enterprise support: Access to higher support tiers with faster response times, so issues that could block your research get resolved quickly

Provider Discounts#

Discount rates vary by provider and funding source. Northwestern’s institutional agreements provide a baseline discount for all researchers, and NIH-funded projects can qualify for larger discounts through the NIH STRIDES Initiative.

Provider

Institutional Discount

NIH STRIDES Discount

AWS

4.5% on most services

9% on most services; 14% on Amazon S3, excluding Glacier Deep Archive

Azure

Discounted Dev/Test subscriptions for non-production workloads

Additional discounts for NIH-funded biological sciences research

GCP

5% on most services

25% on compute and standard storage; 19% on managed services such as BigQuery; 10% on coldline and archive storage

All three providers also waive most data egress fees under these agreements, on top of the discounts above.

Rates and eligibility can change. See the Northwestern IT Knowledge Base for full, current details: AWS Discounts , Azure Discounts , and GCP Discounts .

Who Can Request a Cloud Account?#

Any Northwestern researcher, including students and postdocs, can request a cloud account. The request form requires a valid chartstring, which is Northwestern’s internal account code used to route expenses. AWS and GCP accounts also require a Blanket Purchase Order (PO), a pre-approved funding commitment that covers recurring or estimated expenses. Azure subscriptions need only a chartstring. If you do not have direct access to funding, work with your PI, department finance administrator, or department to obtain a chartstring (and, for AWS or GCP, a Blanket PO) before submitting your request.

How To Request a Cloud Account#

To create a new Northwestern-affiliated cloud account or affiliate an existing account:

Consider a Research Cloud Consult First

Before requesting an account on your own, consider requesting a Research Cloud Consult . RCDS can help you confirm your platform choice and refine your cost estimate before your request goes to the Cloud Enablement Team, who provisions the account.

Account Setup Takes Time

The account setup process typically takes about 1 business day once all required information is submitted: a chartstring for Azure, or a chartstring and Blanket PO for AWS and GCP. Getting a Blanket PO approved through your department can take longer, so plan for that time as well. If you have a project deadline, start this process as early as possible.

  1. Estimate your costs. Cloud costs typically include compute time (running virtual machines or analysis jobs), data storage, and data transfer. Use your provider’s pricing calculator to estimate your expected usage. An exact number is not required, and it is best to overestimate rather than underestimate. A step-by-step AWS example covering a virtual machine and object storage is available in the Estimate Costs Before You Start section, or request a Research Cloud Consult

  2. AWS and GCP only: Obtain a Blanket Purchase Order (PO) that aligns with your estimated costs. Your department’s financial administrator or PI can help you obtain one. Azure subscriptions are billed directly to a chartstring, so skip this step if you are requesting Azure.

  3. Submit the Public Cloud Account Request form.

    • The Cloud Enablement Team will follow up by email to confirm the purpose of your account and request your cost estimate and chartstring. For AWS and GCP, provide the chartstring associated with your Blanket PO. Your department’s financial administrator or PI can provide the chartstring.

When in Doubt, Round Up

Overestimating your monthly cost is safer than underestimating it. If actual spending comes in under the estimate, unused Blanket PO funds are simply released back to your department at the end of the fiscal year, no action required. If actual spending comes in over the estimate, you will need to work with your department’s financial administrator to increase the PO.

The Cloud Enablement Team projects your monthly estimate through the remaining months of the fiscal year (ending August 31) and requests a vendor quote for that total, which becomes your Blanket PO amount. For example, a $500 per month estimate with six months remaining in the fiscal year results in a quote for approximately $3,000.

Azure subscriptions are billed directly to your chartstring, so the Blanket PO details above apply only to AWS and GCP accounts.

Once approved, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access your new cloud platform, add users to your account, and access other supplemental services. If you have not received an update within 2 business days of providing your funding source (chartstring or Blanket PO), reach out to RCDS via a Research Cloud Consult or contact the Cloud Enablement Team directly at servicedesk@northwestern.edu with #cloudops in the subject line.

Next Steps#

Once your account is set up, continue to Picking Cloud Services for an overview of the core cloud services most research projects use.

See Getting Support for help with your cloud account, architecture design, cost management, and more.