ALIs
kommt nochDetailed step-by-step procedure for first-time users
1. Install TurboVNC on your client PC
The TurboVNC software is needed to relay the graphics from the remote visualisation system to your client PC (VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing and is needed for the so-called 'remote desktop'; to get the best graphics throughput over the internet, we use TurboVNC). TurboVNC is free software and you can download it here (there is a .dmg for Mac OS, .rpm, .deb and .tgz for Linux, and .exe for Windows). Under Windows, run the executable as administrator to install TurboVNC (you only need to install "TurboVNC Viewer"). (For the advanced user: Yes, there are many different VNC servers and VNC viewers out there. TurboVNC, however, is best suited for heavy graphics throughput.)
2. Connect to the remote visualisation system
There are dedicated remote visualisation servers for both HLRB-II and the Linux-Cluster.
HLRB-II users: The name of the server is rvs1.hlrb2.lrz-muenchen.de
Linux-Cluster users: The name of the server is gvs1.lrz-muenchen.de.
If you are using Mac OS or Linux, open a terminal and type
client:> ssh <server-name>
3. Set a VNC password
The first time you log-on to the remote visualisation server, you have to set a password for VNC. To do this, type
rvs1:> vncpasswd
at the command prompt. Type a password and verify it by entering it a second time. This password is needed in step 7 and every time you want to connect to the remote desktop on the remote visualisation system! You will then be asked
Would you like to enter a view-only password (y/n)?
If you answer yes ("y"), you will be asked for another VNC password. You can give this password to co-workers, so that they can log-on to your VNC session, e.g. to discuss new results over the phone. Your co-workers will see what you see, but their inputs will be ignored. If you don't know "what sharing a VNC session" means, we recommend that you answer no ("n").
4. Start the remote desktop
At the command prompt of the remote visualisation server, enter:
rvs1:~> rvnc
After 1-2 minutes, you will see output on the console that will look similar to this:
You can now connect to your vncserver
running on display rvs1.hlrb2.lrz-muenchen.de:51
This tells you that everything is fine and you can now connect to the remote desktop from your client. Make sure to write down the so-called 'display number', which can be either 51, 52, 53 or 54 (since every remote visualisation server at the LRZ has 4 graphics cards). You will need this number in the next step to tell your client PC where to connect to.
Important note: Typing the command "rvnc" is the most simple way to try out the remote visualisation service. You will get a remote desktop for one hour and with a desktop size of 1000x700 pixel. If you work on GVS1 or GVS2 and want to work for more than one hour or have a bigger desktop, you can use a command similar to this: rvrun -d 6:0:0 -v GEOMETRY=1600x1100 tvncserver (if you are working on RVS1, the command would be rvrun -d 1 'tvncserver -v GEOMETRY=1280x1024'). This would give you a remote desktop for six hours with a desktop size of 1600x1100 pixel (of course, you can vary the duration using "-d hours:minutes:seconds" or desktop size using "-v GEOMETRY=widthxheight"; please note that Linux is sensitive to white space: there must be a space between "-d" and "6:0:0", but not in between the value "6:0:0").
5. Start the TurboVNC viewer on your client PC
After you know your display number, you can start the TurboVNC viewer on your client machine. Linux users can type vncviewer into a terminal window and will get something like that:
If you are using Windows, you will get this:
Enter the host name of the remote visualisation server followed by a colon and your display number in the following form: rvs1.hlrb2.lrz-muenchen.de:56 and press enter or click 'Connect'. Next, you will be asked for your TurboVNC password. If your password is correct, you should see a window appear that shows your desktop on the remote visualisation system.
(You can even give this string to a co-worker, who can then connect to the same session to work collaboratively on the same data set!)
6. Visualize your data
Finally, you can do what you came here for! The remote desktop you just connected to will be yours for the next 1 hour. There are icons on the desktop for all the major available visualisation applications. Clicking once will start the application (please be patient, it will take 10-30 seconds, before the application appears - this is due to the underlying reservation system that has to check for available licenses and system ressources first).
Be sure to check out the section on installed visualisation applications available and ready-to-use on the remote visualisation servers.
Note: The method described here is intended to be as easy as possible to allow any user to try out the remote visualisation service at the LRZ. As a compromise, we limited this type of session to one hour. If you decide to use the remote visualisation servers on a more regular basis, you should dig a little deeper and read about the reservation system. It's not so hard and will allow you to work more efficiently with the remote visualisation server.
Very important note: ("Time flies when you're having fun") After one hour, the remote desktop will stop responding and you will lose any un-saved data! So it is a very good idea to remember when you started and finish ahead of time, because there won't be any warning when the time comes! So, save often! (Unfortunately, it is not possible to 'just extend' your current session - you would have to save your data, quit your application, and start a new session by typing 'rvnc' again.)
Want to work longer or have a bigger desktop? Typing the command "rvnc" is the most simple way to try out the remote visualisation service. You will get a remote desktop for one hour and with a desktop size of 1000x700 pixel. If you work on GVS1 or GVS2 and want to work for more than one hour or have a bigger desktop, you can use a command similar to this:
rvrun -d 6:0:0 -v GEOMETRY=1600x1100 tvncserver.
This would give you a remote desktop for six hours with a desktop size of 1600x1100 pixel (of course, you can vary the duration using "-d hours:minutes:seconds" or desktop size using "-v GEOMETRY=widthxheight"; please note that Linux is sensitive to white space: there must be a space between "-d" and "6:0:0", but not in between the value "6:0:0"). If you are working on RVS1, the command would be rvrun -d6 'tvncserver -v GEOMETRY=1600x110'.