Login to the Bianca remote desktop environment website

There are multiple ways to log in to Bianca.

This page describes how to log in to Bianca using a remote desktop that is accessible from a webbrowser.

1. Get inside SUNET

As Bianca is an HPC cluster for sensitive data, one needs to be within SUNET to be able to access her.

Forgot how to get within SUNET?

See the 'get inside the university networks' page here

Bianca does not support any so-called X forwarding (unlike Rackham), so instead UPPMAX maintains a website that uses ThinLinc to get a full remote desktop environment. All you should need is a rather modern browser on any platform.

How does it look like to try to access a remote desktop from outside of SUNET?

When accessing the Bianca UPPMAX login website from outside of SUNET, nothing will appear in your browser.

Will a local ThinLinc client work too?

No.

One really can only access Bianca remote desktop environment via a website

When inside SUNET, one can access a remote desktop environment using a website:

2. Go to https://bianca.uppmax.uu.se

When inside SUNET, in your web browser, go to https://bianca.uppmax.uu.se.

How does it look like when outside of SUNET?

Here you can see how this looks like when outside of SUNET.

Spoiler: quite dull, as nothing happens until these is a timeout.

3. Fill in the first dialog

Fill in the first dialog.

Do use the UPPMAX 2-factor authentication (i.e. not SUPR!)

How do I setup 2-factor authentication?

See the guide at 2-factor authentication to setup an UPPMAX 2-factor authentication method.

You really need to use the UPPMAX 2-factor authentication, i.e not the SUPR one, to login to Bianca.

Screenshot of a two-factor authentication app. Use the 2-factor authentication called 'UPPMAX' to access Bianca

How does that web page look like?

The first page of https://bianca.uppmax.uu.se

Sometimes a webpage will be shown that asks you to wait. Simply do that :-)

How does that web page look like?

No Thinlinc Web Access active The login node for your project cluster is probably asleep. Boot initiated. The startup can take from 2 to 8 minutes.

This page will attempt to automatically reload. If nothing happens even after multiple minutes, you can do so manually. It is a bit more controlled in text mode.

When this takes long, your original second factor code might expire. In that scenario, you'll be redirected to the first login page again.

This is the webpage that is shown when a login node needs to be created.

4. Fill in the second dialog, using your regular password

Fill in the second dialog, using your regular password (i.e. no need for two-factor authentication).

How does that web page look like?

The second Bianca remote desktop login dialog. Note that it uses ThinLinc to establish this connection

5. Picking a remote desktop flavor, but not KDE

When picking a remote desktop flavor, pick GNOME or XFCE, avoid picking KDE.

How does that look like?

Here you are told you will need to pick a remote desktop flavor

Here you are asked to pick a remote desktop flavor, with Xfce as the default. Pick any, except KDE.

Avoid choosing KDE

Avoid choosing the KDE desktop, as it gives problems when running interactive sessions.

Instead, we recommend GNOME or XFCE.

6. You are in

Enjoy! You are in! You are on a Bianca login node.

How to behave on a login node

On a login node, one can and should do simple things only: it is a resource shared with all other users on that node.

If you need to do more intense calculations, use the Slurm job scheduler.

If you need to do more intense calculations interactively, use an interactive node.

How does the remote desktop look like?

The Bianca remote desktop

Video: using VPN and access the remote desktop

This video shows how to use an installed VPN, after which the UPPMAX Bianca login website is used to access the Bianca remote desktop environment: YouTube

Under the hidden tab in the left edge of the screen, you can find a clipboard, icons of some special keys and the disconnect button:

• the clipboard is needed to be able to copy-paste text to/from Bianca.
• the icons of some special keys are needed for some users, as not all keyboard keys reach Bianca as expected.
• the disconnect button disconnects your session

What is the difference between 'disconnect session' and 'end session'?

'disconnect session' will save the current state of your session. When you connect again, you will get the remote desktop back in exactly in the same place you left the system. For example: if you were editing a file before disconnecting, your prompt will be in the same place you left it.

'end session' will not save the current state of your session. Instead, you will start with a clean slate at the next login.

Bianca has a automatically disconnect after 30 minutes of inactivity. In the future it is possible that we implement some kind of "automatic log out from active graphical session".

flowchart TD

    subgraph sub_inside[IP inside SUNET]

      user(User)

      subgraph sub_bianca_shared_env[Bianca shared network]
        bianca_shared_remote_desktop[Bianca remote desktop login]
        subgraph sub_bianca_private_env[The project's private virtual project cluster]
          bianca_private_remote_desktop[Bianca remote desktop]

          %% Ensure the innermost square gets big enough
          END:::hidden
        end
      end
    end

    %% Inside SUNET
    user-->|Bianca website, UPPMAX password and 2FA|bianca_shared_remote_desktop

    bianca_shared_remote_desktop --> |UPPMAX password| bianca_private_remote_desktop

Troubleshooting

Access denied

How does that look like?

Contact support.

Authentication failed

How does that look like?

Contact support.