When your Ursa Major project has been set up, Research Computing sends the PI and named lab members a welcome email with the project ID. This guide covers the first steps.
1. Open your project
Sign in at the Google Cloud console with your @ucr.edu account (not a personal Gmail account), then choose your project from the project picker.
- Dashboard: an overview of the project.
- IAM and admin: who has access. The PI approves changes to project membership.
2. AI model access
Tier 1 AI model access is arranged by Research Computing, with a per-lab allowance, and your welcome email explains how to connect. If you create API keys for Google Cloud AI services directly in a recharged project, that usage is billed to the project.
- Treat any key like a password. Do not put it in code you share or commit to a repository.
- See KB005: Ursa Major service tiers for what is campus-supported and what is recharged.
3. Watch your spending
Every Ursa Major project has a budget. It sends alerts, and work stops when it is reached. On Tier 1 projects Research Computing sets it as the project's limit; on recharged (Tier 2) projects Research Computing sets or changes it on request, to match the lab's funding. See Ursa Major project budgets.
4. Getting help
For billing questions or quota increases, reply to the ticket from your welcome email, or contact research-computing@ucr.edu.