Logging in, using a PC
The CCB cluster is accessed using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). A connection via RDP to the CCB servers will create a virtual desktop allowing you to run graphical and command-line tools. If you are familiar with using a command line interface you can also access the servers via a terminal.
Instructions on setting up RDP can be found below or can be downloaded: Accessing the CCB Cluster.
LOGGING IN
IMPORTANT: To protect your research, access is restricted to University networks. Make sure that, if you are not working on the University network, you have connected to the University Virtual Private Network (VPN). If you try to connect from the internet it will not work.
Open the Start menu and type “Remote”, then click “Remote Desktop Connection”:
Press ”Show Options” on the bottom left:
Enter “cbrglogin1.molbiol.ox.ac.uk” and your CCB user name under “Username”.
If you prefer not to type your password every time, tick the box “Allow me to save credentials”:
Press “Connect”. When prompted, enter your password and press “OK” or “Enter”:
For additional documentation, see:
IMPROVING RDP PERFORMANCE
If you have problems with RDP performance, there’s a few things you can change to make it faster.
On your remote desktop:
- Turn off display compositing:
- Applications > Settings > Window Manager Tweaks > Compositor > (Untick "Enable display compositing”)
- Use a plain desktop wallpaper:
- Applications > Settings > Desktop > Background > Style: > None
SUSPENDING AND RESUMING YOUR SESSION
If you have a long-running job you need to monitor, or a rich environment with lots of open programs, it’s a pain to have to log out one day, log in the next and get everything set up just right. Thankfully, you don’t have to.
To suspend your session and leave everything as it is on the cluster for another time (up to a maximum of ten days), click the cross on the top right of the blue menu bar and then choose “OK” from the pop-up dialogue:
If you need simple terminal access then connections to the server can be made using SSH.
We recommend using PuTTY as the SSH client - this can be downloaded from:
Once installed on your PC the set-up is simple. Open PuTTY and enter the following options:
-
Host Name: your username, followed by @cbrglogin1.molbiol.ox.ac.uk
(for example -ajsmith@cbrglogin1.molbiol.ox.ac.uk). To connect to our alternative login server, 'cbrglogin2', simply replace 'cbrglogin1' with 'cbrglogin2' (eg,ajsmith@cbrglogin2.molbiol.ox.ac.uk). -
Port:
22 - Connection Type: SSH
- Saved Sessions: Add a name for this session to be used as a shortcut in the future, eg 'cbrglogin1'
- Click Save
- then click Open - when prompted to accept the host key, click: Yes.
A connection with the server will be established and you will be prompted for your password.
On your next use of PuTTY the settings are already saved. To open a connection to the server:
- click the shortcut to cbrglogin1 (or to our alternative login server, 'cbrglogin2')
- click Load
- click Open
[Alternatively, simply double-clicking the shortcut to cbrglogin1 will also open the connection!]
