Computer Cluster Policy (effective July
1, 2007)
Included on this page:
·
Making repairs
to an existing cluster
·
Expanding an
existing cluster with or without multiple funding sources (also known as “add
costing”)
NOTE: This policy became effective July 1,
2007.
High
performance computer clusters have emerged as an extremely cost-effective tool
for addressing large problems in scientific disciplines. A computer cluster is made of up of many
individual computers (“nodes”), functioning together to address a specific
problem. Typically, these individual
computers are standard systems which may individually fall below the
University’s established ‘capitalization’ threshold (currently $2,000). The cluster will be treated as a single
equipment asset – that is, if charged to a sponsored budget, no indirect
charges will be made against the individual components – provided that all of
the requirements listed below are met.
In
order to capitalize computer units (nodes) individually costing less than $2,000
but more than $2,000 when combined together as a cluster (single asset), all of
the following criteria must be met:
1.
The combined units
(nodes) are interconnected and work together to serve a specific purpose;
2.
The combined units (nodes)
of a cluster are physically located together, rather than distributed throughout
a building (i.e. they are not located in separate offices or labs);
3. A clear reason for the use and acquisition as a cluster exists. If a cluster is being purchased on a sponsored budget, the reason for use and acquisition needs to be documented in the grant proposal budget justification. If funds are being rebudgeted after an award has been made to purchase the cluster, then the reason for use and acquisition needs to be documented either in a rebudgeting request to the funding agency or in the grant file maintained within the department. For more information on regudgeting, see GIM 18 and GIM 26.
4.
The intent of the
combined units/nodes is to operate as a cluster for a minimum of four years (the
current useful life of a computer);
5.
The budget authority and in the
case of a sponsored budget, the PI (Principal Investigator), accept
responsibility for meeting the cluster criteria. To show this, the purchaser (with the approval of the budget authority or PI) needs
to include a comment in the comment
section of the PAS purchase requisition stating:
·
For
a non-sponsored budget - “This purchase meets the criteria of the University’s
cluster policy.”
·
For
a sponsored budget – “This purchase meets the criteria of the University’s
cluster policy and the reason for the cluster’s existence is documented in the grant
or contract budget justification.”
Clusters
meeting the above criteria should be purchased using the appropriate computer
cluster object code (06-14, 06-15, 06-16, or 06-17). Please see the object code listing at http://www.washington.edu/admin/finacct/obcodes/#06
for further details.
Note: All purchases using the cluster object codes
will require a comment in the PAS purchase requisition as detailed in #5 of the
cluster criteria. Object codes 06-16 and
06-17 will also require an additional comment for the Machinery & Equipment
(M&E) Exemption. Please see M&E
guidance at http://www.washington.edu/admin/eio/tax.exemption.html
for further details.
Note: Capitalized equipment (06-XX object code
purchases) is not subject to indirect cost (F&A - Facilities and
Administrative Costs).
1. The entire cluster will have a single inventorial tag assigned to it, which must be visibly affixed to a central component of the cluster (such as an equipment rack, head-node, or interconnect switch). This tag number and all of the required information should be entered into the University's OASIS (fixed asset) system.
2. Each individual unit or component of the cluster (nodes, switches, racks, etc.) should have a smaller "cluster-component" tag affixed to it. These smaller tags will be provided by the Equipment Inventory Office (EIO), and will not require any additional entry into the asset system. They are simply a method for identifying a component as a part of the cluster.
Upon review and approval of a cluster requisition, EIO will work with the departmental inventory contact to prepare the cluster component tags. This will require that an unused inventorial asset tag be pre-assigned and set aside for the cluster, and the asset number communicated to EIO. EIO will also work with the departmental contact to determine the total number of cluster components.
EIO will then generate and send the cluster-component tags to the departmental inventory contact. These tags will identify the units as University of Washington property, and include the department name and the inventorial asset tag number of the cluster. They should be affixed to each and every component of the cluster - visibly, if possible. The only exception is that a smaller cluster component tag is not required for the component with the “primary” inventorial asset tag.
Making repairs to an
existing cluster:
If any component of the cluster needs replacement due to damage or failure, the replacement (regardless of cost) should be purchased as an 05-99 object code expense. Repairs and replacements do not add to the life of the asset and should be expensed regardless of cost. Coding these properly helps ensure that the appropriate total value of the cluster is being used for accountability and depreciation expense purposes.
Additional
computing units (nodes) and related components that are purchased to add to an existing
cluster (and that are not replacing a computer that already exists within the
cluster), can be “add costed” to the existing cluster if ALL of the following criteria
are met:
1.
The total cost of the
expansion is $2,000 or more;
2.
The addition contains at
least one computer unit (node);
3.
The addition meets the original
cluster criteria detailed above;
4.
The fund sources have similar title vesting of equipment (i.e. If the original cluster is
University titled, the expansion must also be University titled).
The expansion to the cluster should be purchased using the
appropriate cluster object code (06-14, 06-15, 06-16, or 06-17). A note
must be included in the purchase requisition identifying the asset tag
number of the cluster that will be expanded by this acquisition (this is also
known as “add costing” to an existing asset).
There may be situations where
one or more of the cluster criteria are not met, but where the intent is still
consistent with the cluster policy. In
those cases, the purchaser or PI (if on a sponsored award) may apply to the
Office of Sponsored Programs for an exemption to the criteria, so that the
acquisition may be treated as a cluster for accounting and inventory
purposes.
If you would like to request
an exemption, please email Sinh Simmons, Associate Director, Office of Sponsored Programs,
at ssimmons@u.washington.edu and
include the reason you are requesting the exemption. Note: Lack of adequate funding is not an acceptable
reason for an exemption to be granted.
Links to specific examples
and FAQs are included below.
If you have general questions about the Computer Cluster Policy, please call the Equipment Inventory main line at 206-543-4663, (3-4663 on campus) or email eio@u.washington.edu .
