- Introduction
- Prerequisite
- Installation
- Connecting to XSEDE Systems
- SFTP session
- Proxy Details
- Advance Configuration
- FAQs
With the diverse set of high-performance resources available at NCSA and
across XSEDE, it has become common for users to have accounts on multiple
HPC systems. When using a standard SSH utility, users have to
remember login and password pairs for each system, and also, unless
they are using SSH keys, may have to type in a password every time they connect
to a system.
Here we provide a solution via a Java SSH client that
allows you to:
- Connect to remote machines at NCSA and across XSEDE
- Transfer files between NCSA/XSEDE machines and your local
desktop
only requiring you to authenticate once for some period of time (by default the
duration is 12 hours, but this can be customized [see the
FAQ for information]).
This Java client is a modified version of the
Java GSI-SSHTerm Application created by UK's National Grid
Service (NGS) that has been customized for XSEDE using
GSISSH and
MyProxy functionality. You have two choices: a Java
Web Start version that installs on your desktop and an applet version that runs
inside your browser.
In summary, the benefits are:
- Easy to install and use
- Works on all platforms (modulo a Java version prerequisite)
- Need only to remember a single password for connecting to multiple systems
at NCSA and across XSEDE
- Need only to authenticate once and connect to multiple
systems seamlessly
- Choice of application to install locally or applet within a browser
- Facilitates the use of Grid software and tools such as uberftp,
MPICH-G2, etc. on the NCSA/XSEDE systems.
Java JRE 5.0 with Update 10 or better is required.
| Platform |
Notes |
Download |
| Microsoft Windows |
Windows OSes do not have Java installed by default |
Java JRE Download from Sun |
| Unix/Linux |
While some Unix/Linux distributions come with a default version of
Java (Example: GNU Java 'gcj'), the information on this page is
based on GSI-SSHTerm running using Sun Java JDK 5.0 (or better).
|
| Mac OS X |
Version 10.4 is required. |
Special
Java Download for Mac OS X from Apple.
|
Manual Registration of Java JRE Plugin for Mozilla, Netscape, Firefox,
Opera
The following instructions apply to the manual registration of the Java JRE plugin
for Mozilla, Netscape, Firefox, and Opera browsers.
Note: We have noticed that Internet Explorer and Firefox on MS Windows
machines seem to require no configuration after a Java Runtime Environment(JRE)
installation. For users who are using other browsers such as Mozilla/Seamonkey,
Firefox (on Linux), Opera, etc. (regardless of the OS), if you are having
trouble launching the local application installation or running the applet,
additional configuration may be required.
- Windows (Not applicable for Firefox)
- Go to the Edit menu and select Preferences at
the bottom of the list.
- Under Navigation, select Helper
Applications.
- Click New Type.
- Fill in the following fields:
MIME Type: application/x-java-jnlp-file
Description: JNLP(Java Network Launching Protocol) File
Extension: jnlp
- Select the Open it using the default application radio button.
- Click OK.
Alternatively, try the Windows Java enable
instructions.
- Unix\Linux
If you are still having trouble with your web browser's Java capabilities, please
visit that browser's web page for information on enabling Java within your
browser.
The GSI-SSHTerm software is by default set to retrieve your grid
credentials from the XSEDE MyProxy Server, which requires you to
use your XSEDE User Portal username and password. However,
only the standalone GSI-SSHTerm application allows you to alternatively
retrieve your grid credentials from the NCSA MyProxy Server * using
your NCSA kerberos username and password.
| Description |
 |
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Users can authenticate to the MyProxy Server of their choice. *
|
NCSA MyProxy Server (myproxy.ncsa.uiuc.edu) |
XSEDE MyProxy Server (myproxy.xsede.org) |
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Local Installation
A one stop point and click installation that installs
GSI-SSHTerm Java application on your local machine,
with just one click of the mouse.
|
Application*
|
| Web Page Java Applet
Runs GSI-SSHTerm as a Java applet in your web browser. Only a few configuration
files are stored locally on your machine. |
Applet
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Step 1. Security
When launching GSI-SSHTerm you are first prompted with two security
questions. Essentially you are being asked if you trust the providers of
this software.
Checking the Always trust this content from this publisher. box will prevent these boxes from popping up the next time that you launch GSI-SSHTerm.
After GSI-SSHTerm starts, follow the steps below to connect to a XSEDE Site.
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Step 2.
New Connection
From the menu item select File => New Connection or press keys ALT+N
Additionally, the first icon  button on the
icon bar can be used to create a new connection.
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Step 3.
Specify a Host
You will be prompted to enter the NCSA/XSEDE host to which you want to connect.
For example: in the
Host to Connect to box enter: login-forge.ncsa.xsede.org
You can get the hostnames of the machines from the XSEDE Hardware Resources page. You will need to chose a resource that you have an account on.
Click the Ok button.
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Step 4. Authentication
Option 1: Using a MyProxy Server
Note: If you have previously installed grid client
software on your local machine, please see directions for Using
Your User Certificate below in this section.
By default, GSI-SSHterm will present the option to use a myproxy server to
generate your proxy given that you have not previously installed other grid
client software that generates proxies using your
X.509 Certificate
(i.e. you do not
have a user certificate installed in your "home directory/.globus" directory).
You will be prompted for the following:
Account Name: <LoginID> -
*You may have to change this field to match your MyProxy username.
Passphrase: .... <your NCSA Kerberos Password>
Click the Use MyProxy button.
Option 2: Using Your User Certificate
If you have previously installed and have been using other grid client
software packages to do grid computing from your local
machine to the various XSEDE sites, then you may already have a way to
generate a proxy using your X.509 Certificate.
Even though setting up your grid user certificate is not required, the
default behavior of GSI-SSHTerm is to use the user certificate file pair
(usercert.pem and userkey.pem) if it is installed/located in your "home directory/.globus"
directory to generate your proxy.
Windows <home directory\.globus>
%USERPROFILE%\.globus
(Ex. C:\Documents and Settings\jdoe\.globus)
Linux/Unix <home directory/.globus>
$HOME/.globus
(Ex. /home/jdoe/.globus)
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In which case, you will be prompted for the following:
Grid Certifcate Passphrase: .... <User Certificate Password>
Click the Ok button. Otherwise, click the Use Another
Method button to get a proxy through a MyProxy server.
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This authentication step (#4) is only required once, for the life of your grid
credential (SSO).
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Step 5.
Additional Connections
For additional connections to the same system, click Tools => Terminal Session
or click the "Open a terminal session" icon  button
on the icon bar.
For connections to other systems, first select File => New Window or
press keys ALT+W,
to create a new window or click the "Create new window" icon  button
on the icon bar, and then follow the instructions in Step
2 to
create a new connection.
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Please see the Frequently Asked Questions page if you encounter problems.
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Step 1. Starting the SFTP Session
You can begin a SFTP session with GSI-SSHTerm after you have
connected to a resource. To start an SFTP session from the menu
bar select Tools ==> SFTP Session, or you
can click the "SFTP Session" icon  button
on the icon bar.
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Once your SFTP session starts, you should see a window that resembles
the image below.
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Step 2. File Transfer
| Uploading Files
To upload files from your local machine to the remote machine,
on the menu bar select File => Upload Files or
press keys CTRL+V.
Additionally, the "Upload Files" icon  button
on the icon bar can be used to add files to the remote filesystem.
When the Select files to upload window opens, select
(hi-lite) your files and then click the Upload button.
Note: [Windows & Mac OS X Clients Only] Drag and drop
functionality works from your explorer/finder
window to the SFTP session window.
Downloading Files
To download files from the remote machine to your local machine,
on the menu bar select File => Download or
press keys CTRL+C after highlighting the files,
directories, etc. in the GSI-SSHterm SFTP window.
Additionally, the "Download" icon  button
on the icon bar can be used to download files from the remote filesystem.
When your Select destination location window opens,
choose the location on your local machine where you would like to place
your downloaded files and click the Copy button.
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To get information on your locally stored proxy you can use the hot
keys Alt + I or select the Proxy Info option
from the Proxy menu in the menu bar.
To destroy your locally stored proxy you can use the hot
keys Alt + D or select the Destroy
Proxy option from the Proxy
menu in the menu bar.
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Users can configure which MyProxy server to use by editing the file "GSI-SSHTerm.properties".
To use the XSEDE MyProxy server, update the following line:
TeraGrid: sshterm.myproxy.defaults.hostname=myproxy.teragrid.org
NCSA: sshterm.myproxy.defaults.hostname=myproxy.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Windows file location
C:\documents and settings\<user name>\.sshterm\GSI-SSHTerm.properties
Linux/Unix file location
$HOME/.sshterm/GSI-SSHTerm.properties
Uninstalling GSI-SSHterm
- Start your "Java Application Cache Viewer" by typing the command "javaws" at your command prompt.
- Select the GSI-SSHTerm application(s) and the JCE JDK 1.3 library.
- Click the Remove Selected Entries button.
- Remove config files and directories:
* Remove your .globus\certificates directory
* Remove your .sshterm directory
* Remove your x509up_* file
Windows Locations
%USERPROFILE%\.globus\certificates
%USERPROFILE%\.sshterm
%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temp\x509up_*
Unix/Linux Locations
~/.globus/certificates
~/.sshterm
/tmp/x509up_*
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Please check the
Frequently Asked Questions page for solutions to common issues.
