ESnet Site User Cost Policy

The Office of Science (SC) contributes to the broader DOE mission by extending the reach of ESnet services to non-SC partners.  The cost policy provides a holistic framework for determining whether a Site User should pay ESnet User Connection Costs, and for calculating those costs in a transparent way. The policy is updated annually in June.  

ESnet and ASCR manage user governance of ESnet operations at the site level (not the individual user level), and use the following definitions to differentiate between users:

Site User: An ESnet Site User is an institution with access to the ESnet wide area network (WAN).  ESnet Site Users enjoy membership in the ESnet Site Coordinators Committee (ESCC). 

Endpoint User: An ESnet Endpoint User is an individual user of ESnet who sends or receives data over ESnet; endpoint users are also dependent on the Local Area Network services. There is no formal agreement between ESnet and an Endpoint User, and ESnet does not track individual Endpoint Users.

This cost policy applies to Site Users; the policy is not relevant to Endpoint Users.

ESnet Site User Cost Policy (last updated June 14, 2021).  » Download the PDF