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Connecting

Each cluster uses your KU Online ID and password.

  • SSH: Terminal window accepting only keyboard input using the command line. The best and preferred way to use the cluster.
  • X11 Forwarding: Allows graphics using the X11 window system over SSH.
  • ThinLinc: Uses compression to display graphics over SSH resulting in better performance off-campus.

For testing performance of GUI rendering speeds, use the command glxgears after connecting.

Hostnames

KU Community Cluster/Bigjay: hpc.crc.ku.edu

Hawk: hawk.crc.ku.edu

Campus

If you are connecting from any of the University of Kansas campuses, you may connect as the instructions below show.

Off-Campus

If you wish to connect to any of the CRC clusters from off campus, you must connect to KU Anywhere (VPN) before attempting to connect to the cluster. After a successful connection, you should be able to load the site https://grafana.crc.ku.edu.

If you can not see that site, then ensure you have selected at least one VPN Entitlment from the myidentity site. If there are no entitlements listed, then please contact crchelp@ku.edu.

SSH

Typical way of connecting to the cluster. Brings up a command line interface.

Windows

MobaXterm

There are several SSH client applications for Windows that you can use. We recommend using MobaXterm. This tool combines Terminal sessions with file transfer (scp/ftp) and X Window Server.

After installing MobaXterm, a SSH session needs to be configured.

  • Click Session in the top left corner MobaXterm

  • Under SSH

    • Remote Host: hpc.crc.ku.edu or hawk.crc.ku.edu
    • Click Specify username and then enter your KU Online ID
  • Advanced SSH settings
    • Select SCP (enhanced speed) under SSH-browser type:

MobaXterm

  • This creates a session which is stored on the left side under Sessions

MobaXterm

MobaXterm

Royal TS

On KU managed workstations, you can install Royal TS via Software Center

Create a Document and Folder

Before creating a connection, organize your Royal TS workspace:

  1. Open Royal TS.
  2. Select File → New Document.
  3. Give the document a name (for example, KU Connections) and save it.
  4. In the navigation pane, right-click the document and select Add → Folder.
  5. Name the folder (for example, KU HPC).

Create the SSH Connection

  1. Right-click the folder you created and select Add → Terminal Connection (SSH).

  2. Configure the connection:

  3. Display Name: KU HPC

  4. Host: hpc.crc.ku.edu
  5. Port: 22
  6. Protocol: SSH

  7. Username: your KU Online ID

  8. Save the connection.

Connect

  1. Double-click the KU HPC connection.
  2. When prompted:
  3. Enter your KU password.

Example Configuration

Host: hpc.crc.ku.edu
Port: 22
Username: KUOnlineID

First Connection

The first time you connect, Royal TS may prompt you to trust the server's SSH host key. Verify the fingerprint if required and select Trust to continue.

Verify Connection

After authentication, you should see a Linux shell prompt similar to:

[KUOnlineID@login1 ~]$

Mac/Linux

Use the system program Terminal to connect to the cluster's submit nodes.

Run the following command in a terminal. Open an SSH connection to the submit host:

$ ssh <KUOnlineID>@hpc.crc.ku.edu
Password:

Info

Usually there is no indication of typing when entering your password (not even asterisks or bullets). That is intended. Just enter your password and press enter.

X11

Easy way to use graphical interfaces on the cluster.

Windows

MobaXterm is an application that allows SSH, X11 Forwarding, and SCP all in on. Same instructions used for connecting via SSH are used for X11 forwarding.

Mac

OS Version

Check the OS version of your Mac

  • If <10.8, then in the terminal 
    $ ssh -Y <KUOnlineID>@hpc.crc.ku.edu
Password:
  • If >10.8, you will need to install XQuartz. After installation: 
    $ ssh -Y <KUOnlineID>@hpc.crc.ku.edu
Password:

Linux

Linux comes natively with X11 support. In the terminal window: 

$ ssh -Y <KUOnlineID>@hpc.crc.ku.edu
Password:

ThinLinc

Uses compression to display GUIs on the cluster. Great for slower internet connections. Requires the ThinLinc application to be installed on your desktop.

Windows and Mac users, find the respective installer for the ThinLinc Client for your OS.

  • Server: hpc.crc.ku.edu
  • Username: KUOnlineID

This will automatically launch a terminal with GUI capabilities. 

$ module load matlab
$ matlab

Submit Nodes

Connections to hpc.crc.ku.edu resolve to either of the following login nodes:

login1.hpc.crc.ku.edu
login2.hpc.crc.ku.edu