Connection

Direct connection from the end-user devices to SDE2 is restricted. Instead, users are expected to establish a connection to the secure SDE Desktop and only then authenticate to SDE2. The SDE Desktop serves as a secure Windows-based gateway to the Linux-based SDE2 HPC environment.

STEP 1: From a Local Device to the SDE Desktop

Web Browser

Navigate to https://rdweb.wvd.microsoft.com/arm/webclient on your computer's web browser. You will be prompted for UChicago credentials and a second factor of authentication:

Add "AVD Host" workspace. You should then be able to launch the SDE Virtual Desktop in the browser:

After logging in, you will arrive at the SDE Virtual Desktop where you can launch various applications. Note this is not the SDE2 system, but rather a secure intermediate gateway:

STEP 2: From the SDE Desktop to the SDE2 System

There are several ways to connect to SDE2 from within the SDE Desktop.

Command Line Interface (SSH)

Open Powershell and run "ssh @midwayr2.rcc.uchicago.edu" or configure and save session in PuTTy:

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

ThinLinc is a remote desktop server application. It is recommended to use ThinLinc when you run software that requires a graphical user interface, or "GUI" (e.g., Stata, MATLAB). To use ThinLinc to connect to SDE2, please take the following steps on the SDE desktop:

1. Open a browser of your choice within the SDE Desktop. This browser will be running on the SDE Desktop which itself is nested into your local browser running on your end-user device. Inside this nested browser, enter the SDE2 ThinLinc URL: https://midwayr2.rcc.uchicago.edu in the address bar.

2. Enter your CNetID credentials and complete two-factor authentication on the ThinLinc login page:
   
   
   
   

3. If the login process is successful, you will see a Linux desktop environment. To access the command-line shell, select the Applications menu, then the Terminal icon:
   
   
   
   

4. After selecting the Terminal icon, a Terminal window will appear. The console prompt shows the name of the login node you are connected to. To exit ThinLinc, type exit in any Terminal window, then select the top-right icon, choose "Log Out", and follow the instructions. Finally, close the browser window.
   
   

Warning

Once logged off, any data stored in your AVD user-space will be purged.