SGI Altix 3700 High Performance Computer

Connecting to the SGI Altix

Connecting to the SGI Altix
Logging In
Logging Out

Connecting to the SGI Altix

Access to the SGI altix is through secure shell (ssh) to altix.rcc.uga.edu (note that connection via telnet is not safe and it is therefore disabled). If you have a local system that runs an X Window client or server, you can run X applications remotely.

To connect via ssh, you must have an ssh software and a connection to the UGA campus network. An ssh software is included in recent releases of Unix based operating systems (including Linux and Mac OS X). An SSH Secure Shell Utility is available for Windows on the UGA Sitesoft page (you will need to enter your UGA myID and password to download the software).

Open a connection to host:

altix.rcc.uga.edu

Examples of usage on Unix/Linux/MacOSX:

To open a connection to altix.rcc.uga.edu, first open a terminal and at the command prompt type

ssh username@altix.rcc.uga.edu

or

ssh -X username@altix.rcc.uga.edu

where username is your username on altix. The -X option might be necessary to allow X Window applications running on altix to be forwarded to your local machine. If your username on your local system and on the altix are the same, you can simply type

ssh altix.rcc.uga.edu

To run X Window applications remotely on your local machine:

If you have a local machine that runs an X Window client or server, you can forward X Window applications running on altix to your local machine. Recent releases of Unix based operating systems (including Linux and Mac OS X) come with an X windows client. For Windows OS, a free X windows server is Xming. More information on how to install Xming is available on the RCC FAQ page.

Your ssh may be configured to allow you to run X Window application on your local machine automatically. If it does not, try including the -X flag when connecting to the altix (ssh -X username@altix.rcc.uga.edu). Depending on your system, you may have to first connect to altix.rcc.uga.edu via ssh as described above and tell the remote X server where to send the X applications:

csh/tcsh: setenv DISPLAY yourhostname.dept.uga.edu:0

sh/ksh: DISPLAY=yourhostname.dept.uga.edu:0 ; export DISPLAY

You must then tell your local computer to allow connections from altix.rcc.uga.edu. This will vary according to the software that you are running, but on unix, you would type (on your system):

xhost + altix.rcc.uga.edu

Now you can issue commands to start up X applications on altix.rcc.uga.edu, such as xterm.

Logging in

When your ssh connection is established, you will be prompted for your password. The first time you login to altix, please change your initial password with the passwd command. This command can be used afterwards as well, to change your password.

Logging Out

To leave the system, be sure that all your open files are closed and all stopped jobs have been terminated then enter:

exit