UNIX Computing in the Department of Physics & Astronomy

I. SUMMARY: Hardware

NOTE: This is all hopelessly out of date. I'm tweaking it now, but it will soon be replaced by a new web site...

We are rapidly adding to our UNIX computing capability in the Department. Things are changing rapidly, so refer frequently to this document. The latest news:

  1. We have 2 linux machines on the cluster now, too!
  2. We are running netscape 7 now. I will be deleting old versions soon. SSH has been upgraded, so you might need to rm -r .ssh on your home directories to avoid problems.
  3. Telnet and FTP have been permanently disabled. Use ssh and sftp instead!
  4. We have 2 new 30 GB disks. These are known as /data4 and /data6 on all the machines, though they physically reside in coolstar and hotstar. /data2 and /data3 are currently being used by the GRB group. /data4 is the primary software disk for the cluster. /data6 is primarily used for astronomical data. If you need space on any of these disks, let Dr. Neff know.
  5. The RAM has been doubled in hotstar, coolstar, and weather, and more than doubled in mycroft.
  6. hotstar and weather both had disk problems. They have had a fresh copy of Solaris 7 re-installed in them.
  7. The DAT drive has been returned to Dr. Lindner. Let him and Dr. Neff know if you need/want to use it. You may still use the exabyte (8mm) drive, but you should log onto mycroft in order to use it. We can arrange to use the DAT drive on galaxy if there's a strong need.
  8. All of the Sun's have security enhancements installed. Of primary interest to most users, you can now use ssh and sftp to connect to remote machines. Please use them whenever possible, as telnet and ftp are NOT secure!
  9. All of the unix machines listed below are now connected through a pair of fast ethernet (100 Mb/s) switches, one in 145 SCIC and the other in the equipment room. This keeps our traffic inside the switch and enhances speed and security.
  10. All of the Sun machines are now serving their /export/home directories to all of the others using NFS. On each machine, you will see a /remote directory that includes the available exported disks from all the other machines. We are now truly a cluster.
  11. There is a new and improved network printer in 145 SCIC. It is the default printer for the Sun machines.
Here's a summary of the unix-based machines in the department:
  1. weather: Sun Ultra 10 running Solaris 2.7 located in 145 SCIC. 256 MB RAM, 333 MHz processor speed, 30 GB internal disk. Principal usage: McIdas weather station. Secondary usage: general student and faculty use.
  2. mycroft: Sun Sparcstation 5 running Solaris 2.7 located in 145 SCIC. 128 MB RAM, 133 MHz processor, 2 GB internal disk + 3 external disks with a total of 8 GB, 8mm tape drive. Principal usage: astronomy student research. Secondary usage: general student and faculty use.
  3. hubble: Sun SparcClassic running Solaris 2.6 located in 145 SCIC. Bare-bones machine. Primary usage: xterminal to the faster machines. Secondary usage: none.
  4. shapley:Sun Ultra running Solaris 2.7 located in 145 SCIC. Principal usage: Neff (privately owned). Secondary usage: network terminal.
  5. watson: Dell PC running Linux (also Win XP in dual-boot mode) located in 145 SCIC. Principal usage: UVI telescope operations (Neff & Giblin). Secondary usage: Remote control of 16" telescope on roof.
  6. compton: Dell PC running Linux and Win XP in dual boot mode located in 145 SCIC. Principal usage: GRB group. Secondary usage: general astronomical computing and network "terminal".
  7. coolstar: Sun Ultra 10 running Solaris 2.7 located in 144 SCIC. 256 MB RAM, 333 MHz processor speed, 9 GB + 30 GB internal disks. Principal usage: Neff.
  8. hotstar: Sun Ultra 10 running Solaris 2.7 located in 130 SCIC. 256 MB RAM, 333 MHz processor speed, 30 GB internal disk. Principal usage: Penny.
  9. mars: Sun Sparcstation 20 running Solaris 2.4 located in 143 SCIC. Usually off-line. Principal usage: Lindner.
  10. galaxy: PC running Linux located in 100 SCIC. Serves cluster of other linux pc's (4 of these, m51, m81, m82, and m101 are located in 145 SCIC). Principal usage: Preyer.

III. SUMMARY: Software

All of the newer machines are loaded with Solaris (except galaxy) and with all of the useful usability tools. You will find a summary of the additional software that has been installed by reading the file /usr/local/AN.UPDATE.LOG on each machine. Your path should include /usr/local/bin in order to access this software.

Major software packages include:

Minor software found on most machines includes:

II. USER ACCOUNTS

User accounts are available on the "public" machines (weather, mycroft, hubble) for departmental faculty and students with a legitimate interest. If you are interested in using any of these machines, you will need to contact Prof. Neff in 144 SCIC (953-5325).

Accounts currently are specific to each machine. You will have to change your password on all of the machines independently, and your "home" directory will vary depending on which machine you log into. You can forward all your mail to whichever machine you consider your "home" machine by placing a .forward file in your home directory.

You can use any machine as a "terminal" to the other machines. It might be faster, for example, to run software on weather while you are logged in over the network from hubble. When you log into one of the "consoles" you have the option of selecting either Sun's OpenWindows x-window manager or the "Common Desktop Environment" or a REMOTE LOGIN session to one of the other machines. There are advantages to either window manager, and all software should work on either.

Your default login "shell" (unless you request otherwise) is the c-shell. You can modify your environment by editing your .cshrc and .login files. Your "home" directory will be /export/home/username on each machine. Mycroft has 3 "data" disks for extra storage space. See Prof. Neff if you need space on any of these disks (they are intended for temporary storage of data).

All machines are configured with the HP LaserJet 4050 in 145 SCIC (known as "hpprinter145") as their default printer. Alternative printers are hpprinter104 (in the student lab) and hpprinter101 (not yet available). In an emergency, they can all print to the HP LaserJet 4MV in Prof. Lindner's office, but you'll have to ask him to turn it on first. To print to his printer, type lp -d hpprinter143 filename.

IV. POLICIES & PROCEDURES

You will be briefed on the general etiquette when you are issued your account and initial password. UNIX has 3 levels of "security": user, group, and other. You are the user. Group privileges extend to other similar users (e.g. "students", "faculty"), while "other" privileges extend to anyone logged into the machine. If you do not like the system defaults, you will have to change the protection using the chmod command. Do not change the protection on your home directory. It is a good idea to keep related items in subdirectories, which can have any protection level you desire. Disk quotas are not enabled, so you need to be careful not to hog the disk space. Clean out your cache files, remove unused files, and compress files that aren't being used. The df and du commands are useful for monitoring disk space.

Each machine has a slightly different purpose. McIdas use takes priority on weather, astronomy research on mycroft, and faculty use on the faculty machines. Hubble, if we ever get it plugged in, will be first come first serve. If you are going to be away from the machine for a short period, please use the "lock screen" capability (under the "Utilities" section of the root menu). If you are going to be away for more than a short period, please log off the machine. When you are finished working, log out and turn the monitor power off. NEVER TURN OFF ANY OF THE SUN WORKSTATIONS!!!.

Please keep room 145 clean. Do not eat or drink around the keyboards. Do not put finger prints on the monitor screen. Do not leave CD's or floppy disks in the drive bays.

V. DOCUMENTATION and MORE INFORMATION

Nothing is officially supported, so you are essentially on your own. There is some general documentation on unix and on some of the software packages on the shelves in 145 SCIC. Prof. Neff and Prof. Preyer have "superuser" capability on all the machines and can help you if anything goes wrong.

On-line help is available through the "AnswerBook" utility accessable from the "programs" menu (click right mouse button anywhere on the "desktop"). Many of the software packages also have on-line help. Usually this is found with the package in /usr/local or /opt (look in /usr/local/doc first).

last modified... 9 October 2003 by James E. Neff
send comments or suggestions to neffj@cofc.edu