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Log in to a remote desktop environment

Learning outcomes

  • Practice using the UPPMAX documentation
  • Can log in to the Pelle remote desktop environment using the website
  • (optional) Can log in to the Pelle remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client
For teachers

Teaching goals are:

  • Learners have practiced using the UPPMAX documentation
  • Learners haved logged in to the Pelle remote desktop environment using the website
  • (optional) Learners have logged in to the Pelle remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client

Lesson plan:

gantt
  title Login to remote desktop via website
  dateFormat X
  axisFormat %s
  section First hour
  Prior : prior, 0, 5s
  Present: present, after prior, 2s
  %% It took me 5 mins, here I do that time x2
  Challenge: crit, challenge, after present, 10s
  %% Here I use the same time it took me to give feedback
  Feedback: feedback, after challenge, 5s

Prior questions:

  • What is a desktop environment?
  • How does a desktop environment look like?
  • What is a remote desktop environment?
  • How does a remote desktop environment look like?
  • Who has already logged in to a remote desktop environment?
  • Why would one use a remote desktop environment?
  • What are disadvantages of a remote desktop environment?

Feedback questions:

  • When would you recommend a colleague to use a remote desktop environment?

The Pelle remote desktop environment

The Pelle remote desktop environment.

Why?

You want to use an HPC cluster with a visual and familiar user interface.

The UPPMAX clusters provide for a remote desktop environment. It is a remote environment, as we need to log in to a cluster remotely, i.e. we do not plug in our keyboard and monitor to a node.

There are two ways to access the remote remote desktop environment of Pelle:

  • use a website
  • use a program

In this session, we will at least access the Pelle remote desktop environment using a website, as this is easier to do.

Exercises

Need a video?

Watch the YouTube video Intro to UPPMAX Day 1: Log in to a remote desktop environment.

Pelle works the same a Rackham in these contexts.

There are two exercises, of which the second is optional.

Exercise 1: login via website

This method does not work yet on Pelle

This method does not work yet on Pelle

Go to the UPPMAX documentation at https://docs.uppmax.uu.se, then answer these questions:

  • Find the page where it is documented to log in to Pelle's remote desktop via a webbrowser.
Answer

The 'Log in to Pelle's remote desktop via a webbrowser' UPPMAX page.

  • Follow the procedure

(optional) Exercise 2: login via a program

Go to the UPPMAX documentation at https://docs.uppmax.uu.se, then answer these questions:

  • Find the page where it is documented to log in to Pelle's remote desktop using a program. What is that program called?
Answer

It is hard to search for which program that is. However, using the 'log in to Pelle' page shows the login via 'a local ThinLinc client'.

That is the program's name: ThinLinc

How to log in to Pelle's remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client is documented at the 'Log in to Pelle's remote desktop environment using a local ThinLinc client' UPPMAX page

  • Follow the procedure