File transfer using FileZilla¶
Learning outcomes
- Practice using the documentation of your favorite HPC cluster
- Can install FileZilla
- Can transfer files using FileZilla
For teachers
Teaching goals are:
- Learners have practiced using the documentation of their favorite HPC cluster
- Learners have installed FileZilla
- Learners have transferred files using FileZilla
Prior questions:
- Who has heard of FileZilla?
- Who has already used FileZilla?
- What are features of FileZilla?
Feedback questions:
- Q: What are features of FileZilla?
- A: visual
- A: intuitive to use
- A: can save passwords
- A: can use
.ppkfiles
- Q: What are weaknesses of FileZilla?
- A: cannot transfer between two remote locations
- A: an interrupted file transfer means a new transfer from the start

FileZilla being able to do file transfer to/from UPPMAX's Rackham HPC cluster.
Why use FileZilla¶
Fairly sure you'll want to upload or download files to your HPC cluster. Here we do so.
We use a free and open-source graphical tool to do this, called FileZilla. It works under Linux, Mac and Windows.
Exercises¶
Need a video?
Here are videos that do this exercises for the different HPC clusters:
| HPC Cluster | YouTube video |
|---|---|
| Alvis | YouTube video |
| Berzelius | Cannot: is not a NAISS cluster |
| Bianca | YouTube video |
| COSMOS | YouTube video |
| Dardel | YouTube video |
| Kebnekaise | Cannot: is not a NAISS cluster |
| LUMI | YouTube video |
| Pelle | YouTube video |
| Rackham | YouTube video |
| Tetralith | YouTube video |
| Vera | Cannot: is not a NAISS cluster |
How difficult will this be?
This depends mostly on your HPC cluster:
| HPC Cluster | Difficulty | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Alvis | Hard | Need .ppk files |
| Berzelius | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| Bianca | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| COSMOS | Medium | No specialized documentation yet |
| Dardel | Hard | Need .ppk files |
| Kebnekaise | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| LUMI | Hard | Need .ppk files, CSC refuses to document this, however there is specialized documentation at UPPMAX |
| Pelle | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| Rackham | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| Tetralith | Easy | Simple procedure, specialized documentation |
| Vera | Medium | No specialized documentation yet |
Exercise 1: transfer a file¶
Use the documentation of your HPC cluster for help.
- For maximally 5 minutes, search for the procedure on how to transfer a file to/from your HPC cluster using FileZilla. Take a look at the answer if you cannot find it: sometimes there is no documentation
Where is that documentation?
| HPC Cluster | Documentation |
|---|---|
| Alvis | None. Documentation that is closest. Use the UPPMAX documentation instead |
| Berzelius | Documentation |
| Bianca | Documentation |
| COSMOS | None. Documentation that is closest. Use this documentation instead |
| Dardel | None. Documentation that is closest, under 'Data management -> File transfer'. Use this documentation instead |
| Kebnekaise | Documentation (Linux and Mac) and documentation (Windows) |
| LUMI | None. CSC refuses to document this. Use the UPPMAX documentation instead |
| Pelle | Documentation |
| Rackham | Documentation |
| Tetralith | Documentation |
| Vera | None. Documentation that is closest |
- Follow that procedure to transfer a file
- Use the file explorer to verify that files indeed are transferred