Computing in the Stat-OR Department

Introduction

This document provides an overview of the computing resources available in the Stat-OR department.

Contents

· Hardware

o Setting Up Accounts

o Logging On

· The AFS File Storage System

o Accessing Your AFS Space

· Software

· Email

· Computer Room Protocol

· Printing

· Asking for Help

Hardware

There are three computer labs: Howell 103 is the main lab and the ones on second floors in Howell and Smith are rather smaller. In Howell 103, you can use a duplex printer (printing on both sides of paper). We recommend for you to use duplex machine in case of printing out a large number of papers, lecture notes, etc. (It is also easy to carry on!)

Servers mantained by the High Performance Computing group:

· Emerald (emerald.unc.edu), the statistical applications server of UNC, Research Computing manages a cluster of dual-CPU hosts running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.0 for use by the research community at UNC-Chapel Hill. The compute nodes include both AMD Athlon nodes (1.6 GHz) and Intel Xeon IBM BladeCenter nodes (2.4, 2.8, and 3.2 GHz). Communication is through a Gigabit Ethernet network. Job management is handled by [ http://help.unc.edu/?id=4484 ] LSF (Load Sharing Facility). See emerald documentation at http://help.unc.edu/?id=6020

· Baobab (baobab.unc.edu), the ITS Linux Beowulf cluster for scientific computing. Currently configured with 352 CPUs! More details at this page.

Sun machines in the department (maintained by OASIS):

· savage (savage.or.unc.edu), a Sun-Blade-1000 with sparcv9 processor at 750MHz, and 512MB of memory.

· seymour (seymour.or.unc.edu), an Ultra-80 with dual processors sparcv9, each at 450MHz, and 1024MB of memory.

· tucker (tucker.or.unc.edu), an Ultra-80 with dual processors sparcv9, each at 450MHz, and 1024MB of memory.

Debian GNU/Linux machines in the department (mantained by Brian Lopes blopes@email.unc.edu):

· bayes (bayes.or.unc.edu), an Intel P4 at 2.8GHz, and 1G of memory.

· laplace (laplace.or.unc.edu), an Intel P4 at 2.8GHz, and 1G of memory.

Setting Up Accounts

The following is information on how to set up accounts in each of the Unix servers. It is assumed you already have an ONYEN.

Emerald, Baobab:

To subscribe to these services, go to https://onyen.unc.edu. Scroll down to the section ``Other Services''. Click on the button ``Subscribe to Services''. Enter your ONYEN and password and then subscribe to the services you need.

savage, seymour, tucker:

Request access to these servers at http://oasis.unc.edu/remedy (you will be asked for your ONYEN and password).

bayes, bose, maxwell:

Send email to Brian Lopes, blopes@email.unc.edu.

Logging On

You must connect to the Unix servers using the secure shell (SSH) protocol. If you use SecureCRT make sure to specify SSH2 as the protocol in the "Session Options Window". More details at http://help.unc.edu/?id=4182

The AFS File Storage System

"AFS is a file system used by UNC to provide personal and group disk storage to anyone with an Onyen. Graduate students, faculty and staff get 250MB of disk space." More details at http://help.unc.edu/?id=142.

Note: Save all of your work in your AFS space! Why?

You can access your AFS space from anywhere
Files stored in your AFS space are backed up nightly
It is not safe to store files in the local hard drives of the computer labs: OASIS may clean the local hard drives.

Accessing Your AFS Space

· PCs: Your AFS space is typically mapped to the H: drive. The university network is typically mapped to the J: drive. If you want to access AFS from your home computer (high speed connection needed) you need to install the AFS Client Software (OpenAFS 1.2.x) at https://shareware.unc.edu/software.html.

· Unix: Your AFS space is your home directory, you can also access it as /afs/isis.unc.edu/home/o/n/onyen.

· Debian/GNU Linux: Your AFS space is linked through /home/username/afs/.

Software

Software installed by default on the CCI machines

· Software available through UNC (http://www.unc.edu/atn/software/available.html)

· Applications available in Emerald: See http://help.unc.edu/?id=6020.

· Applications that can be run directly from AFS: J:\isis.unc.edu\pc-pkg

Email

The email server of UNC is isis.unc.edu. You can access your email with several email clients, such as:

pine:

pine is the safest (low risk of getting a virus) and the fastest (text-based). To use pine, login to isis.unc.edu. If you have the menu enabled, choose option 2. If you do not have the menu enabled, just type pine at the prompt. For more information see http://help.unc.edu/?id=98

Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Mail, Mulberry. Mozilla Thunderbird:

Documentation for configuring these email clients is available at http://help.unc.edu/?id=760

Webmail:

See http://help.unc.edu/?id=89. Remember that:

UNC Webmail is designed as a supplement to, and not a replacement for, your desktop email client (such as Outlook, Thunderbird, Mulberry, etc.). Webmail should be used in situations in which you don't have access to your usual desktop email program—when traveling or using computer labs, for example.

Computer Room Protocol

Do not play games, cruise/surf the "leisurenet" or send personal e-mail while the computer lab is busy.
Close and lock the lab room door all the time.
Do not remove manuals/books from the labs.

Do not go away while leaving your jobs running. Long time simulations should be done using remote servers.

Keep the A/C on above certain level of temperature as noted on the A/C.

Log out at the end of every session. This can be done by Start-Shutdown-Close all programs and log on as a different user. For Unix logouts, make sure there are no applications still running, as they can continue and clog up the system. Although the software on these machines is fairly tamper-proof, do not attempt to circumvent the normal operation of the software or operating systems. This can cause unforseen problems far into the future. Although your home directory on AFS is the safest way to store your files, you may also use the local D: drives to store material, by making a directory for yourself, giving it your name for easy identification, and storing your files there. You will be notified in advance if it is necessary to remove files in the D: directory to make more space.

The order in which to reset frozen processes is generally

1. Use the applications software to kill frozen processes or correct glitches.
2. Use the Task Manager (<ctrl><alt><del>) to shut down windows that are not responding.
3. Log out and log back in.
4. Reboot (shut down and restart).
5. Turn the machine off and back on.

Do not turn off the PCs in computer labs unless there is a problem, since they take a long time to reboot. If you must turn the machine off, try to use the Start-Shutdown route before turning off the computer.
Never, under any circumstances, should you shut off the workstation. It is handling many users and services on a continuous basis. Only authorized personnel should shut down this machine. You can effectively kill any frozen workstation application remotely (see Workstations below).

Keep the computer lab neat. Put manuals away when you are finished and dispose of all paper and other trash in the appropriate receptacles.

Printing

· Any person who sees that toner is low, here is what to do:

1. Turn off that printer. (Do not leave it queued up on the printer.)
2. Put a little note that "Toner will be replaced."
3. Pick up a toner from Lynn (gunter@email.unc.edu) and replace it.

· We recommend for you to print on both side of papers in case of printing a large number of papers, lecture notes, etc. (It is also easy to carry on!)

· Any person who sees that printer/computer is out of order please go to oasis.unc.edu and sumbit
a remedy ticket.

Asking for Help

· Ask the person next to you or next door.

· Search help.unc.edu

· For software requests, hardware problems, and any problem related to the CCI machines, make a service request at oasis.unc.edu

· For questions related to the Debian/GNU Linux machines, send email to <stat-linux@listserv.unc.edu>. To subscribe to this list send subscribe stat-linux as the body of your email message to listserv@unc.edu, leaving the Subject: field blank.

· There are many useful computing books provided by the department. These can be found in the Howell 103 lab. These books are for reference, and should not be removed from the lab for any reason!

- Francisco Chamú, Brian Lopes, Chihoon Lee
Last updated: 08/17/2007