Connecting the dots

Everything starts somewhere, and we start here! You will need:

  • a computer
  • on that computer, an ssh client
  • a reasonable internet connection
  • an account (username, password, verification app) on garrison (just passing through)
  • an account (username, password) on the computer you want to connect to (usually the HPC)
  • some data, some objectives, hypothesis etc.

Hopefully the guide below should help with orientation. If not, suggestions go here


what programme to use

To be decided / explored, but for some quick web-based suggestions for ssh connections on Windows, click the arrow:
check:
  • Windows terminal (windows 11+) - finally bringing windows up to the mac/linux level for basic functionality. If it’s there, give it a go (it’s free), but maybe check out a quick guide on youtube or face Microsoft documentation.
  • solar-putty - an expansion of the popular, robust, but simple client (putty). Apparently good and also free.
  • MobaXTerm - should do all the things we need, especially sending/receiving files more easily. Also free.


Quick guide:

Details aren’t given here, but the four steps are:


# 0th step: do check that you have internet access...

# 1st step: connect to garrison
  - need garrison password
  - need authentication code

# 2nd step: connect from garrison to your cluster's *head* node
  - need cluster password

# 3rd step: connect from cluster's head, to a *compute* node
  - dont need a password, but still use ssh

Authentication code should be via your phone ; passwords will have been set by you, and might be the same for garrison and cluster.


1st Step

The network is partitioned separately from the Internet to make sure that no-one’s hard drive fills up or is late for work. To enter, we connect to garrison, which allows us connect to computers within the university.

To cross the network to garrison, use your computer’s terminal or ssh window (e.g. terminal in OSX/linux, powershell in WinOS, or separate programmes like MobaXTerm, WinSCP, fileZilla, putty, etc.) to the server where you do your work.


Any of these ways work - use whatever suits you best:

connecting to the college network (from anywhere)

connecting to the college network (from anywhere)


2nd Step

The HPC is partitioned from rest of the network so that people don’t use it too much.

connecting to the HPC server

connecting to the HPC server

## 3rd Step

speed things up

Now that you know how to connect, there are some ways to speed things up. Very not necessary.

  • connect with a single command: set an alias in bash (linux) or zsh (mac), or in powershell (windows)
  • connect garrison-HPC without a password - get the HPC to “trust” your garrison account and allow direct login - ssh-copy-id