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Login to a remote desktop

Learning outcomes

  • Practice using the documentation of your HPC center
  • Understand what a remote desktop environment is
  • Can log in to a remote desktop environment using a website
  • (optional) Can log in to a remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client
For teachers

Teaching goals are:

  • Learners have practiced using the documentation of their HPC cluster
  • Learners understand what a remote desktop environment is
  • Learners can log in to a remote desktop environment using a website
  • (optional) Learners can log in to a remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client

Teaching non-goals are:

  • Explain that the website used uses ThinLinc

Prior questions:

  • What is a remote desktop environment?
  • TODO

Feedback questions:

  • Q: What is a remote desktop environment?
    • A: a typical graphical environment to interact with your computer
  • Q: TODO

What is a remote desktop environment?

  • TODO: add image of remote desktop environment using website
  • TODO: add image of remote desktop environment using local ThinLinc client

You are very likely to be using a desktop environment of your local computer right now. All NAISS HPC clusters provide such a desktop environment, yet remotely.

Why login to a remote desktop environment?

A remote desktop environment is more a more familiar way to work with computers (and HPC clusters) for most people.

A remote desktop environment, especially via a website, is perfect for introducing your low-tech-savvy colleague to the NAISS HPC clusters.

Two ways to access a remote desktop

Method Features
Website Requires no installation, clunkier to work with
A local ThinLinc client Need to install ThinLinc, works more smoothly

Exercises

Need a video?

The solution of these exercises can be found:

HPC cluster Login method YouTube video
Alvis Local ThinLinc client TODO
Alvis Website YouTube video
Bianca Local ThinLinc client Impossible, hence no video
Bianca Website YouTube video
COSMOS Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
COSMOS Website TODO
Dardel Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
Dardel Website TODO
Kebnekaise Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
Kebnekaise Website YouTube video
Pelle Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
Pelle Website YouTube video
Rackham Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
Rackham Website YouTube video
Tetralith Local ThinLinc client YouTube video
Tetralith Website TODO
How difficult will this be?

This depends only on your HPC cluster:

TODO: revise this table

HPC Cluster Difficulty Reason
Alvis Medium Uses SSH keys, must be in SUNET
Berzelius Easy Uses password
Bianca Medium Uses password, must be in SUNET
COSMOS Easy Uses password
Dardel Medium Uses SSH keys
Kebnekaise Easy Uses password
LUMI Medium Uses SSH keys
Pelle Easy Uses password
Rackham Easy Uses password
Tetralith Easy Uses password
Vera Easy Uses password

Here, we log in to your HPC cluster's remote desktop environment.

Exercise 1: login to your HPC cluster's remote desktop environment using a website

Go to the documentation of your HPC center, then answer these questions:

  • Find the page about how to login to your HPC cluster's remote desktop environment using a website
I cannot find it. Where is it?

HPC cluster Login method Documentation
Alvis Website Documentation
Bianca Website Documentation
Dardel Website TODO
Kebnekaise Website Documentation
Pelle Website Documentation
Rackham Website Documentation
Tetralith Website TODO
  • Log in to your HPC cluster's remote desktop environment using a website

(optional) Exercise 2: login using a local ThinLinc client

Go to the documentation of your HPC center, then answer these questions:

  • Find the page about how to login to your HPC cluster's remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client
I cannot find it. Where is it?

HPC cluster Login method Documentation
Alvis Local ThinLinc client TODO
Bianca Local ThinLinc client Documentation
COSMOS Local ThinLinc client Documentation
Dardel Local ThinLinc client Documentation
Kebnekaise Local ThinLinc client Documentation
Pelle Local ThinLinc client Documentation
Rackham Local ThinLinc client Documentation
Tetralith Local ThinLinc client Documentation
  • Log in to your HPC cluster using a local ThinLinc client