---
title: "Get started with TIR Parallel File System"
description: "Create a PFS in Delhi, watch it reach OK, and mount it on a TIR Instance for fast, shared, parallel storage."
content_type: "get-started"
product: "tir-pfs"
platform: "TIR"
url: "/tir/tir-pfs/get-started/"
---

# Get started with TIR Parallel File System

Create a Parallel File System (PFS) and mount it on a TIR Instance at a path you choose. PFS is
available in Delhi, so work in a TIR project there with an instance already running. To create
one, see [Get started with TIR Instances](/tir/tir-instance/get-started/) first.

## Create the PFS

1. In TIR, open your Delhi project. In the side menu, under **Storage**, select **Parallel File
   System**.
2. Select **Create Parallel File-System**.
3. In **Parallel File-System Name**, type a name. It must start with a lowercase letter, end with a
   letter or digit, use only lowercase letters, digits, and hyphens, and be at most 30 characters.
4. Set **PFS Size** to the number of TB you need, from 1 TB up to your account's limit, 250 TB by
   default. Use the slider or type the number.
5. Select **Create**.

The new PFS shows **Pending** while TIR sets it up, then **initializing**. It reaches **OK** and is
ready to mount in about 80 seconds for 1 TB. TIR emails you when it reaches **OK**. Billing
starts at that point and runs until you delete the PFS; see
[How is a PFS billed?](/tir/tir-pfs/faq/#how-is-a-pfs-billed).

## Mount the PFS on an instance

Mount the PFS once it reads **OK**.

1. Open your instance's page and select the **Parallel File-System** tab.
2. In the PFS's row, type a mount path.
3. Select **Mount**. Mounting restarts the instance, so the **Mounting PFS** dialog asks you to
   confirm. Tick the box, then select **Continue**.

The instance restarts, and the PFS is then available at the mount path you typed.

## Check the mount

Once the instance is **Running** again, open a terminal in JupyterLab or over SSH and list the mount
path, replacing `/mnt/pfs` with the path you typed:

```bash
df -h /mnt/pfs
```

The output shows the PFS with its size. Anything you write there is now shared with every other instance
or cluster that mounts the same PFS. For the other mount choices, including read-only, see
[Mount a PFS on an instance](/tir/tir-pfs/how-to/mount-a-pfs-on-an-instance/). For help with any mount
message, see [Troubleshooting TIR Parallel File System](/tir/tir-pfs/troubleshooting/tir-pfs/).

## What to do next

- [Create a PFS](/tir/tir-pfs/how-to/create-a-pfs/) explains every choice on the create form,
  including asking for a higher size limit.
- [Mount a PFS on a training cluster](/tir/tir-pfs/how-to/mount-a-pfs-on-a-training-cluster/) to use
  a PFS from a training cluster or a Slurm cluster instead of an instance.
- [Increase the size of a PFS](/tir/tir-pfs/how-to/increase-the-size-of-a-pfs/) when you need more
  space.