University Information Services Managed Cluster Service (MCS) and Desktop Services
Thursday 9th October 2014
Computer Laboratory
Introduction • Brian Simpson •
Desktop Services Manager
•
Portfolio of DS brands
•
Liaise with differing depts and Colleges
• Dr. David McBride •
Unix Specialist in Information Services
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Responsible for MCS Linux
Ask Questions at any time
History
• University Information Services - 2014 • Previously University Computing Service – founded in 1937 • Part of the CL until 2001
• Separated teaching and research from computing services • Now merging/merged with MISD (administrative computing) • Centre of IT support and computing services • Based at both the Roger Needham Building and also the New Museums site ( satellite service desk and training rooms)
Managed Cluster Service • Available for all staff and students of Cambridge University • Networked PCs (Windows/Linux) and Macs • Applications (only in MCS rooms), printers, scanners • DS-Filestore – mapped drive and accessed by unmanaged machines • DS-Files – access outside the CUDN • DS-Print – managed and unmanaged printing (print from own device) • UCS Training runs on the MCS – NMS, RNB, depts
Operating System and Applications • Windows 7
• Over 150 applications – browsers, office packages, statistical packages, departmental software • MCS Linux, based on Ubuntu 14.04 (64-bit) • Mac OSX 10.9 • Differing software dependent on OS, but versions try to stay the same across differing systems.
Where is the MCS? • 19 departments – across the University including the CL • 26 Colleges
• UCS public rooms – Titan teaching rooms, Phoenix Teaching rooms • Continuing to expand • Centralised cohesive approach • Available 24/7 - 99.5% uptime
Access to the MCS • All CL students are given Desktop Services accounts automatically • Access credentials and password early this year! • Common UIS password (Hermes and Raven) • http://www.ucs.cam.ac.uk/accounts/passwords
DS-Filestore • We host network-accessible storage space for all MCS users: • U: on MCS Windows machines • /home/crsid on MCS Linux and Apple Macs • 3GB standard – CL students may get more space • Shared space – CL run applications and use pigeon holes
DS-Filestore – access from outside • You can also access this space from non-MCS machines: • CIFS: //filestore.ds.cam.ac.uk/ (inside cam.ac.uk only), • SFTP: sftp.ds.cam.ac.uk • DS-Files: https://dsfiles.ds.cam.ac.uk/ • DS-Web: Publicly-accessible personal webpages.
• Just put what you want to go online into your public_html/ folder. • Immediately accessible here: http://people.ds.cam.ac.uk/crsid/ • We back this data up regularly.
• … but you should keep your own backups of stuff you really care about.
DS-Print • Printing facilities from any computer connected to the CUDN • DS-Print Printers are available in all MCS rooms • Print from your own machine via a print client – Linux in development
• Common balance - CL • Self serve print credit – e-credit • Printers overtaken by MFDs (print/copy/scan)
MCS Linux — Specifics!
• All of the PCs in the Intel lab dual-boot Linux.
• /home is served across the network via CIFS from the DS-Filestore •
Some peculiarities! (It's a Windows server behind the scenes)
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Permission bits don't work quite as you'd expect.
• You may be used to running, “sudo apt-get install …” •
This won't work. (You don't have administrative access.)
•
… however, if you'd like something added, just ask.
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You can also install tools and applications in your own home-directory.
• Hopefully you won't need to, as we've already spent lots of effort trying to ensure that everything you're likely to want is already included.
MCS Linux — Remote login servers • We also supply a number of remote-login servers accessible via SSH. •
These have virtually identical configurations to MCS Linux desktops.
• Dedicated physical hardware • Two general-access login servers, SNAP and PUFF •
Use: ssh
[email protected]
• We also provide CL users their own dedicated remote-login machine, RYATH. •
Use: ssh
[email protected]
• If your network connection is fast enough, you can run graphical applications on our servers. •
… provided you have an X server running on your local machine.
Future Developments • Remote Access to a desktop - applications • Extra storage space – “dropbox” style sync • Printing enhancements – Linux • New UIS Desktop services
Contacts • Support and help • UIS webpages – www.uis.cam.ac.uk • UIS Service Desk -
[email protected]
• Management or development queries • DSG Manager –
[email protected]
Questions
