View source for Howto::Access rlogin service

== Introduction ==
Rlogin is our primary teaching resource.  It allows faculty and students to work and develop software in a consistent Linux software environment.

== Account ==
Access is controlled by a Computer Science specific account.  Accounts for Non-CS students are disabled after each semester.

* New or returning students can create a CS account online at https://admin.cs.vt.edu/create/
* Students can reset their password online at https://admin.cs.vt.edu/reset/

== Primary Access ==
The primary way of accessing rlogin is using an SSH client.  Linux and Macs usually come with SSH client already active.  Windows users can install the client following these directions: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/troubleshooting#_installing-a-supported-ssh-client
* Access a general computing node:
** <code>ssh <username>@rlogin.cs.vt.edu</code>
* Access a GPU enabled node:
** <code>ssh <username>@glogin.cs.vt.edu</code>

== Access a Specific Node ==
Using the primary access will load balance users across all the nodes.  Sometimes a user needs to access a specific node, such as running a tmux session.  There are several ways you can access a specific node.
* List of node names: http://rlogin.cs.vt.edu/nodes.txt

=== Piggy Back ===
One of the easiest and quickest way to access a specific node is to simply SSH to rlogin.cs.vt.edu and use the SSH client there to directly connect to the specific node name.
* <code>ssh <node>.rlogin</code>

=== Portal ===
There is an additional SSH host that will give users a menu that allows access to a specific node.
* <code>ssh <username>@portal.cs.vt.edu</code>

=== IPv6 ===
Each specific node has an IPv6 hostname of the format: <code><node>-rlogin.cs.vt.edu</code>.  If you have IPv6 access you can directly SSH to the node's IPv6 hostname.  Note, that VT blocks port 22 at the border, so you will need to be on-campus or connect to the VT VPN to be able to connect.
* <code>ssh <username>@<node>-rlogin.cs.vt.edu</code>

=== SSH Bastion ===
With some client side configuration, portal can be used as a SSH bastion and allow access directly to a specific node name.
* Locate or create your client SSH config file, the location is OS specific.  On Linux it is generally: <code>~/.ssh/config</code>
* Edit the SSH config file and add the following block
<pre>
Host *.rlogin
  ProxyCommand ssh -W %h:%p portal.cs.vt.edu
</pre>
* Now directly SSH to a node name from your machine
** <code>ssh <username>@<node>.rlogin</code>

== Another way to Access ==
We have a new additional way to access rlogin/glogin through a web browser.  This is still considered experimental, so some errors may occur.  It allows both command line and graphical interfaces.
* https://portal.cs.vt.edu