Remote access to CSIL can be helpful for completing projects. However, successfully logging into CSIL in a way that provides a consistent environment is trickier than it may appear. This is made more complicated by our current VPN+MFA configuration. These Linux focused instructions have two steps:
I recommend using openfortivpn.
In Ubuntu, you can simply install the openfortivpn package.
To connect to the VPN, you can then run:
sudo openfortivpn vpn.its.sfu.ca:10443 --username=<YOUR USERNAME>It will ask you for your username, password, and your MFA code. After you enter them, the VPN will be running, and you can connect to a machine in another terminal. To close the VPN, you can just use CTRL+C to kill it.
Officially, remote CSIL access is provided via the CSIL CPU servers. You may select one of the available CPU servers and log in using
ssh -p 24 <sfu username>@<name of a CSIL Linux CPU server>If this works for your task, it is the simplest way to log into CSIL remotely.
Unfortunately, many students encounter issues with proper permissions for course materials in shared locations when running on the CPU servers. In addition, some tasks should not be run on the server as a matter of courtesy. Tasks like performance benchmarking may monopolize the server. Tasks that may require a system restart (while questionable remotely) should not run on the server. Instead, you can remotely log into a physical machine within the CSIL lab.
You may do this by first selecting a physical machine as specified in one of
the CSIL lab maps
(Burnaby,
Surrey),
e.g. asb9820-a03, and then logging in as normal.
Note that specific machines may be unavailable, e.g. if they are booted into
Windows at the time.
You can get more detailed information about which machines are available on the
SFU keyserver.
ssh -p 24 <sfu username>@<lab machine name>.csil.sfu.caIf the CPU server works and is appropriate for your task, you should prefer it, but remotely logging into physical machines is quite feasible.