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techstaff:phd_orientation_2017 [2017/09/19 11:11] – [Interactive login servers] kauffmantechstaff:introduction [2018/09/24 11:59] – rdb
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 ======Techstaff====== ======Techstaff======
 =====Who===== =====Who=====
-Techstaff is a team of three:  Bob Bartlett, Colin Hudler, and Phil Kauffman.  The current team has been together for 5 years.+Techstaff is a team of four:  [[https://computerscience.uchicago.edu/people/profile/bob-bartlett1/|Bob Bartlett]], Colin Hudler, Phil Kauffman, and Tom Dobes.  The most of the current team has been together for 6 years with Tom being our newest member.
 =====What===== =====What=====
-Techstaff supports all aspects of technical  needs for the CS department – from top to bottom.  All of us have years of experience in various aspects of technology.  The department itself has centered around Linux and Mac OSX for many years, and these are the operating systems that we currently support.  Our infrastructure consists of almost 400 linux systems (both bare metal and virtual) and about 20 Macs.  The linux systems include all of our central servers, instructional lab machines, instructional resources, and student desktops.  The Macs are desktops for staff, faculty, and some students.+Techstaff supports all aspects of technical  needs for the CS department – from top to bottom.  All of us have years of experience in various aspects of technology.  The department itself has centered around Linux and Mac OSX for many years, and these are the operating systems that we currently support.  Our infrastructure consists of almost 400 linux systems (both bare metal and virtual) and about 20 Macs.  The linux systems include all of our central servers, instructional lab machines, instructional resources, and student desktops.  The Macs are used as desktops for staff, faculty, and some students.
 However, we also provide other assistance including printer, A/V, and just about anything that comes along.  We answer staff, student, and faculty questions and try to anticipate and address their needs. However, we also provide other assistance including printer, A/V, and just about anything that comes along.  We answer staff, student, and faculty questions and try to anticipate and address their needs.
 =====Where===== =====Where=====
-We are located in Ryerson 154.  Our hours are 9:00-5:30, though we are often around outside of those hours.+We are located in JCL 157.  Our hours are 9:00-5:30, though we are often around outside of those hours.
 =====Contact===== =====Contact=====
 Email: techstaff@cs.uchicago.edu  (this goes to our ticketing system and is emailed to all three of us) Email: techstaff@cs.uchicago.edu  (this goes to our ticketing system and is emailed to all three of us)
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 Techstaff has distributed a number of community printers around the department. There are 4 color printers distributed throughout Ryerson: Techstaff has distributed a number of community printers around the department. There are 4 color printers distributed throughout Ryerson:
  
-  * sassafras.cs.uchicago.edu located in Ry 160b +  * sassafras.cs.uchicago.edu located in JCL 214 
-  * basswood.cs.uchicago.edu located in Ry 160b +  * basswood.cs.uchicago.edu located in JCL 235 
-  * persimmon.cs.uchicago.edu located in Ry 257 +  * persimmon.cs.uchicago.edu located in JCL 314 
-  * chinkapin.cs.uchicago.edu located in Ry 162+  * chinkapin.cs.uchicago.edu located in 362
  
 [[techstaff:printer_locations|More printer information]]. [[techstaff:printer_locations|More printer information]].
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 There are also black and white printers available in the larger student offices.   There are also black and white printers available in the larger student offices.  
 These printers are all available on all Techstaff managed linux systems.  You will need to add them to any personally managed system. These printers are all available on all Techstaff managed linux systems.  You will need to add them to any personally managed system.
 +
 +Note: We will be adding them to all student rooms.
  
 ======Instructional servers====== ======Instructional servers======
 =====Linux.cs.uchicago.edu=====  =====Linux.cs.uchicago.edu===== 
-Previously described in the [[techstaff:phd_orientation_2017#interactive_login_servers|Interactive login server]] section.  These larger systems are configured to support instructional computing, though they are also general use.  Their main purposes include:+Previously described in the [[techstaff:introduction#interactive_login_servers|Interactive login server]] section.  These larger systems are configured to support instructional computing, though they are also general use.  Their main purposes include:
   * a place for students to work on assignments outside of the lab   * a place for students to work on assignments outside of the lab
   * a place for TA’s to test course assignments and grade assignments   * a place for TA’s to test course assignments and grade assignments
   * a place for general computing that will not compromise the performance of the lab machines   * a place for general computing that will not compromise the performance of the lab machines
 The systems support many users and should be respected. Please follow the following guidelines: The systems support many users and should be respected. Please follow the following guidelines:
-Resource intensive activities (utilize large amounts of RAM, excessive disk I/O, multiple CPUs, or long execution times) should be directed to your desktop or elsewhere (see [[techstaff:slurm|SLURM]] for internal options, or RCC (https://rcc.uchicago.edu/) for external options)+Resource intensive activities (utilize large amounts of RAM, excessive disk I/O, multiple CPUs, or long execution times) should be directed to your desktop or elsewhere (see [[techstaff:slurm|SLURM]] for internal options, or [[https://rcc.uchicago.edu|RCC]] for external options).
  
 Programs requiring significant disk I/O should not use your home directory as a data repository.  The home directory is convenient but it is slow.  Please create a directory in the /local directory and use that directory for your data source.  /local is a local disk and is orders of magnitude faster than NFS. Programs requiring significant disk I/O should not use your home directory as a data repository.  The home directory is convenient but it is slow.  Please create a directory in the /local directory and use that directory for your data source.  /local is a local disk and is orders of magnitude faster than NFS.
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 =====Course specific===== =====Course specific=====
-Some courses have course specific machines.  These may be bare metal or virtual.  For certain courses, we have reconfigured a server to support the course exclusively.  This is rare.  A number of courses have moved to virtual machines.  There are two types – personal and server-based.  The personal ones are VirtualBox images that are originally configured by Techstaff for general use by courses.  They are a baseline systems with a minimal software install to keep the size small for distribution.  These systems are further configured with software for the course and are distributed to students for installation on personal systems.  The other type of virtual system is a customized VM that is running on one of Techstaff’s hypervisors and is managed by Techstaff.  It is configured explicitly for a particular course, but provides services (database, web, etc.) required by the course. +Some courses have course specific machines.  These may be bare metal or virtual.  For certain courses, we have reconfigured a server to support the course exclusively.  This is rare.  A number of courses have moved to virtual machines.  There are two types – personal and server-based.  
-(Information is available at https://howto.cs.uchicago.edu/vm:index.)+
  
-=====SLURM===== +The [[vm:index|personal ones]] are VirtualBox images that are originally configured by Techstaff for general use by courses.  They are a baseline systems with a minimal software install to keep the size small for distribution.  These systems are further configured with software for the course and are distributed to students for installation on personal systems.
-The SLURM cluster was originally constructed to support Hank Hoffmann’s OS course.  SLURM is a job scheduling system that allows users to submit requests for resources and allows them to execute jobs using those reserved resources.  (Information about SLURM and its use is available at https://howto.cs.uchicago.edu/techstaff:slurm.)   +
-The cluster can also be rather than linux.cs.uchicago.edu for larger jobs.  Additionally, we have a couple of GPUs that can be utilized on the cluster.+
  
-=====Hadoop===== +The other type of virtual system is a customized VM that is running on one of Techstaff’s hypervisors and is managed by Techstaff.  It is configured explicitly for a particular course, but provides services (database, web, etc.) required by the course. 
-We are experimenting with an Apache Hadoop cluster for use by several big data courses.  Contact us directly for additional information. (Information is available at https://howto.cs.uchicago.edu/bigdataetc.)+=====SLURM===== 
 +The [[techstaff:slurm|SLURM cluster]] was originally constructed to support Hank Hoffmann’s OS course.  SLURM is a job scheduling system that allows users to submit requests for resources and allows them to execute jobs using those reserved resources.   
 +The cluster should be used for larger jobs, rather than than linux.cs.uchicago.edu. Additionally, we have a couple of GPUs that can be utilized on the cluster.
  
 ======Labs====== ======Labs======
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 =====CSIL===== =====CSIL=====
-CSIL is located in Crerar Library and is composed of 4 pods of computers along with additional Macs external to the pods and a staff of student aids known as “tutors”. The pods have collapsing walls that allow them to be reconfigured into larger spaces.  Two of the pods each contain Linux boxes that are configured and managed by Techstaff.  They are configured using a template similar to  linux.cs.uchicago.edu or student desktops. The linux systems are rebooted each morning at 4:00 AM in order to clean up processes and to make them less desirable platforms for long term execution which would impact performance for the seated user. The other two pods each contain 20 Macs which are configured and maintained by CSIL tutors. +[[http://csil.cs.uchicago.edu|CSIL]] is located in Crerar Library and is composed of 4 pods of computers along with additional Macs external to the pods and a staff of student aids known as “tutors”. The pods have collapsing walls that allow them to be reconfigured into larger spaces.  A fifth pod is under construction. 
-These pods are reserved for a number of courses for labs, class, or TA sessions. The software on both architectures supports the needs of many courses allowing students to have access to reliable systems that will work consistently for course assignments. (Information at http://csil.cs.uchicago.edu.)+ 
 +Two of the pods each contain Linux boxes that are configured and managed by Techstaff. They are configured using a template similar to  linux.cs.uchicago.edu or student desktops. The linux systems are rebooted each morning at 4:00 AM in order to clean up processes and to make them less desirable platforms for long term execution which would impact performance for the seated user. The other two pods each contain 20 Macs which are configured and maintained by [[http://csil.cs.uchicago.edu|CSIL]] tutors. 
 + 
 +These pods are reserved for a number of courses for labs, class, or TA sessions. The software on both architectures supports the needs of many courses allowing students to have access to reliable systems that will work consistently for course assignments.
  
 =====MPCS===== =====MPCS=====
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 =====Getting help===== =====Getting help=====
 ====Techstaff==== ====Techstaff====
-We are here to help and will do so.  Please contact us by stopping by the office (Ryerson 154), writing us (techstaff@cs.uchicago.edu), or calling us (773-702-1031).+We are here to help and will do so.  Please contact us by stopping by the office (JCL 357), writing us (techstaff@cs.uchicago.edu), or calling us (773-702-1031).
  
 ====http://howto.cs.uchicago.edu ==== ====http://howto.cs.uchicago.edu ====
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 =====Quotas===== =====Quotas=====
-We place quotas on the home directory.  The starting quota is 2.5GB.  Most users do not exceed this limit and it is mostly in place to prevent runaway log files or similar inadvertently large files.  We will increase it upon reasonable request.+We place quotas on the home directory.  The starting quota is 5GB.  Most users do not exceed this limit and it is mostly in place to prevent runaway log files or similar inadvertently large files.  We will increase it upon reasonable request.
  
 =====Self Management===== =====Self Management=====
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   * Techstaff will assist as we can if there are questions or problems, but the amount of time that can be spent is limited.   * Techstaff will assist as we can if there are questions or problems, but the amount of time that can be spent is limited.
   * You will have to use other systems to perform TA duties.   * You will have to use other systems to perform TA duties.
 +  * You will be required to install an SSH allowing Techstaff root access.  This is a new requirement.  The purpose of this access is for emergency situations (systems have been hacked) or to acquire system hardware configuration information for inventory purposes.  
  
 The reported hacked systems that we have had have all been student-run systems. Therefore, it is very important to note the following: The reported hacked systems that we have had have all been student-run systems. Therefore, it is very important to note the following:
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