Computing Core Services
What is UNIX?
UNIX systems are characterized by various concepts: the use of
plain text for storing data; a hierarchical file system; treating devices and
certain types of inter-process communication (IPC) as files; and the use of a
large number of small programs that can be strung together through a command
line interpreter using pipes, as opposed to using a single monolithic program
that includes all of the same functionality.
Unix Computing Support
The CSDE UNIX environment provides a variety of Linux and Solaris hardware for use by Affiliated faculty, staff, and research affiliates
UNIX/Linux Systems available for your use
Learning UNIX
Hardware Specifications:
More information on CSDE Computing
Getting An Account
You must have a CSDE Unix account to use the CSDE Unix and Mosix computers. This account
is a seperate entity from your CSDE Windows Domain account.
The following individuals qualify for a CSDE UNIX account:
- Faculty who are listed as current CSDE affiliates.
- UW graduate students who work with a CSDE faculty affilate.
- A participant in the Unix computing cluster Co-op
- Off-campus population scientists sponsored by a CSDE faculty affiliate.
Qualified individuals may request an account via the "New Accounts" tab in the Navigation bar
at the top of the page.
If you dont qualify for a CSDE UNIX account, but still want to use UNIX, your University of Washington affiliation
qualifies you for a Central Computing UNIX account (C&C) for more information see the following page:
http://www.washington.edu/computing/unix/
Getting a UWNetID
Access to many University of Washington services requires you have a UWNETID. Creating
a UWNETID is also a method of officially recognising your relationship with the University.
To request a UWNETID, go to
https://uwnetid.washington.edu/newid/ and sign up for new UWNetID account.
For UWNetID changes and sponsoring UWNetID accounts for visiting
researchers go to https://uwnetid.washington.edu/manage/
Connecting to CSDE Unix systems
All CSDE Unix systems allow incoming connections exclusively via Secure Shell (SSH) v2.
- Connecting from Windows:
The
Secure Shell 2 client from SSH.com is available with the
U-WICK
connectivity kit .
See the CSDE Windows page for UWICK
SSH FTP
Note that once you have made the connection with SSH FTP, use the "WINDOW" menu and choose "New Terminal"
from the pull down menu. Now you have an SSH v2 terminal to your remote Unix host.
- Connecting from Unix systems:
Connecting to CSDE Unix systems is accomplished via
the command line Secure Shell (SSH) client.
- Syntax: ssh <user@hostname>
For example: "ssh ncosgray@mosix.csde.washington.edu"
A list of CSDE Unix hosts is available here
Using X11 (X-Windows) with CSDE Unix systems
X11R6 (X-Windows) is allowed if securely tunnelled over SSH.
- From a Windows system:
Use the StarNet Xwin32 program
As a member of the University of Washington community, you are entitled to have this software installed
on your computer as part of the Starnet Xwin32 Site license.
You are welcome to log in with your UWNETID and download/install Xwin32 software from the following URL:
http://theseus.mcis.washington.edu/xwin
If you have Xwin32 installed already, use "Start Menu-> Programs -> StarNet -> Xwin32
to start your connection. You should see a small "X" in the lower Right hand toolbar area.
Left click on this icon for a list of hosts or use the XConfig program to create new
sessions to your favorite Unix hosts. Note that new sessions must be configured to use the "StarNetSSH" connection method so that X Tunnelling is used. In the "command" section of the "new session" window, type "xterm", and fill in the other fields appropriately.
- From a Unix system:
Use a tunnelled SSH connection from the
command line to connect to your remote host. Whereas in a non-X session,
you would use "ssh @" - now you must specify that you want
to tunnel X11 with the "-X" (upper case X) option to SSH.
Connect with the following syntax: "ssh -X @" once you
have a terminal window connected to the remote host, then you may start
programs that require X, such as "xterm" or "xeyes". Start X commands with
a trailing Ampersand to avoid blocking the IO on the terminal window you
are using. For example: "ssh -X user@nova.csde.washington.edu" then in the
new window, type "xterm &" - now you have an xterm and a regular shell window
and can use both.
- Advanced, mobile method for using X11 via CSDE-TS3:
Another way to do this is to use linux or windows from home, connect to
CSDE-TS4, and from TS4, run the "start Menu -> programs -> StarNet -> Xwin32"
(blue X icon) and once that comes up - you'll see a little X down in the lower
Right toolbar, left-click that X and you'll see various CSDE Unix hosts which
you can connect to to run X11 stuff - an Xterm should pop up after you authenticate.
One of the most compelling reasons to use X11 on TS4 to host your UNIX session is that you
can start an X job, disconnect from TS4 at home, come in to work, reconnect
to TS4 and youre X11 job is still running, and your GUI is exactly how you
left it from home.
Learning UNIX & Getting Help
It is certainly possible to talk generally about UNIX... how it accels at manipulating
data and text files, how it is many small programs that you can string together
to accomplish a bigger task... but what is most useful is to start with a
specific task you are trying to accomplish and to discuss with someone the many
possible ways to accomplish that task. The Computer core encourages you to
contact us with such questions and challenges so that we may support you in an
individual, tailored-to-your work manner.
To contact UNIX suuport, please use csde_help@u.washington.edu or contact someone in the Computing core at the phone #'s on the services/computing page.
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