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Linux Resources

Secure Connections

Your Linux distribution should have OpenSSH prepackaged and, quite likely, already installed. This should make ssh and scp availabe on the command line. You may also want to check rsync, which is a command line utility to copy or synchronize entire directory trees, while transferring only the difference in file contents.

Filezilla is a GUI program for both SSH File Transfer or SFTP. Install using your distribution's software manager or download from filezilla-project.org. Lauch the program, choose File > Site Manager > New Site. Configure SFTP connection to gauss:

Host: math.dartmouth.edu
Servertype: SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol
Logontype: Ask for password
User: your username on gauss

Click OK to save configuration or Connect to save and connect at once.

Some file managers in Linux — Dolphin, Konqueror, Nautilus … — can (persistently) mount remote directories using sshfs.

VPN

Dartmouth VPN

Search for VPN on IT Services' website.

Math VPN

Math VPN uses OpenVPN technology.

  1. Install OpenVPN and Network Manager's component for OpenVPN.
    (openvpn, network-manager-openvpn packages in Debian/Ubuntu).
  2. Download DigiCert root certificate.
  3. Add Math VPN connection in Network Manager:
    1. VPN Connections → Configure VPN.
    2. Add → OpenVPN → Create....
    3. Connection name: Math VPN.
    4. Gateway: 129.170.28.58.
    5. Authentication Type: Password.
    6. User name: your Math username
    7. Password: choose Always Ask
    8. CA Certificate: point to downloaded DigiCert certificate
    9. Apply.
  4. To connect click on Network Manager's applet, VPN Connections → Math VPN.
  5. To disconnect use Disconnect VPN in the same applet.

Math Email (and the DND)

If you have Math Dept. user account (also known as “gauss” account), you also have a corresponding email account. Your Math email arrives at (and can be sent from) math.dartmouth.edu server. It can be accessed instantly and globally via Webmail — this does not require any configuration! As for email applications, all of them, including mobile, can be configured to use your Math account using these generic settings:

  • Incoming server: math.dartmouth.edu, type: IMAP, port: 143
  • Connection type/encryption: TLS
  • Username: your Math username
  • Password: for the username above
  • Outgoing/SMTP server: math.dartmouth.edu, port: 587, protocol: STARTTLS; authenticate with Math username and password

Darmouth Name Directory lookups in Thunderbird

Edit → Preferences → Composition → Addressing
Click Edit Directories, Add:

General tab:
Name: Dartmouth Directory
Hostname: oud.dartmouth.edu
Base DN: dc=dartmouth, dc=edu
Port number: 636
Use secure connection (SSL): yes
Back in the Preferences window select “Dartmouth Directory” for Directory Server.

Vacation Autoreply

Autoreply message text for your Math mail is in .vacation.msg in your home directory on gauss.

Autoreply is enabled by uncommenting the following two lines in .procmailrc:

#:0c
#|/usr/bin/vacation username
To stop autoreply, comment both lines out again, by inserting # as the first character on each line.

.vacation.msg and .procmailrc can be edited with any text editor while on gauss terminal or with a variety of GUI tools from Linux desktop, for example, Filezilla, Nautilus, Dolphin etc.

Backups

Your workstation can be backed up to Math Dept. network storage. Contact help@math.dartmouth.edu for assistance.

HTCondor Installation

HTCondor is available as standard packages in Debian, Fedora and Ubuntu: 

    apt-get install htcondor
or 
    yum install condor
Adjust local configuration file /etc/condor/condor_config.local by adding: 
CONDOR_HOST=math.dartmouth.edu
DAEMON_LIST=MASTER, SCHEDD
Start HTCondor: 
    service condor restart
Check communication with the pool: 
    condor_status
The response should be similar to this: 
Name               OpSys      Arch   State     Activity LoadAv Mem   ActvtyTime

slot1@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Owner     Idle      0.690 2013  0+19:15:14
slot2@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013  0+00:55:06
slot3@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013  0+04:15:12
slot4@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013  5+06:56:18
slot5@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013  6+06:56:27
slot6@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013 14+03:13:18
slot7@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013 35+00:27:45
slot8@abel.dartmou LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 2013 35+00:27:38
slot10@doob.dartmo LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 5373  0+00:25:05
slot11@doob.dartmo LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 5373  0+00:25:06
slot12@doob.dartmo LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 5373  0+00:25:07
slot13@doob.dartmo LINUX      X86_64 Unclaimed Idle      0.000 5373  0+00:25:08
... ... ...
If firewall is in use, configure HTCondor to use port range of 9600-9700 and then open firewall for incoming and outgoing TCP and UDP in that port range. Add to condor_config.local: 
LOWPORT = 9600
HIGHPORT = 9700

Joining HTCondor pool as an “execute” node

Instructions above are for configuring HTCondor as a submit-only node. With only minor changes in configuration this can be changed into submit and execute node. Please consider adding your workstation as an execute node, especially if it's a fairly new machine. In your local configuration file condor_config.local replace 

DAEMON_LIST = MASTER, SCHEDD
with 
DAEMON_LIST = MASTER, SCHEDD, STARTD
ALLOW_WRITE=*.dartmouth.edu, 127.*
ALLOW_READ=*.dartmouth.edu, 127.*
Restart HTCondor. After a few moments your workstation should appear in condor_status listing. If you have Mathematica, Maple, Matlab or GP/PARI installed, add the following lines to condor_config.local: 
HAS_MATH = TRUE
HAS_MAPLE = TRUE
HAS_MATLAB = TRUE
HAS_GP = TRUE
STARTD_EXPRS = HAS_MATH HAS_MAPLE HAS_MATLAB HAS_GP

Connecting to eduroam Wireless Network

Use settings below with your username as NetID@dartmouth.edu and password:

 
Security: WPA & WPA2 Enterprise
Authentication: Protected EAP (PEAP)
Inner auth. (EAP method): MSCHAPv2
Username: d12345x@dartmouth.edu

NB: Sometimes wireless connection can't be established without using a CA certificate. In such case choose the DigiCert Root CA certificate from /etc/ssl/certs on your computer.