Announcements for the IT users of the Geosciences Department ============================================================ Announcements for Users of the, * Geosciences PC network * Geosciences SUN network * AGL Beowulf Cluster * Geosciences Beowulf Cluster(s) * IMAQS Beowulf Cluster(s) * Web/FTP services * Thinanywhere services Geosciences PC network ====================== ------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2005 15:20:58 -0500 ------------------------------------- 1. Software upgrade on PCs 2. Semester end notifications 1. Software upgrade on all PCs in the lab ----------------------------------------- We have upgraded all of the ADOBE software suite over the last few weeks. Specifically ADOBE, - Writer 6.0 to 7.0 - Illustrator 10 to CS2 - Photoshop 7 to CS2 Additionally all patches and updates to the above software have been also installed. We have also upgraded, SMT 7.4 to SMT 7.6 and installed Basinmod. All of these software can be accessed by the usual method of "start-programs-application name" 2. Semester end notifications ----------------------------- This is a good time to make sure all folks who have semester ONLY accounts (NOT GRADUATE STUDENTS!!), make sure they backup their data at the end of the semester, since these accounts will be deleted january next year some time. ** FOR all users -- reminder ---------------------------- Also make sure you store all your data directly on the Z:\ and NOT on the desktop or in your "My Documents" folder etc. This increases login times and the data in these locations WILL get deleted. ------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2005 15:20:58 -0500 ------------------------------------- 1. Upgrade of PCS to Windows XP - impact on users 2. Wireless connection in the lab. we have just completed an upgrade of all our PCs (about 30) to windows xp with a host of additional software - MS Office 2003 - Adobe writer 6 - ArcGIS 9.1 - Kingdown SMT 7.4 - Envi 4.1 etc .. due to the upgrade, all of the users profiles will have to be recreated, this would mean sometime this weekend/monday, all users profile will be moved. This would mean that if you are having any files on your desktop etc, it will be relocated to Z:\oldprofile\Desktop and Z:\oldprofile\My documents directories. the new profile will be then automatically created as you login to any of the PCs in the lab, upon starting MS-OFFICE or any software for the first time, you may see a slight delay, please let it complete or else there could be problems. Other items to note: (IMPORTANT) ------------------- Henceforth, DO NOT STORE ITEMS DIRECTLY ON THE DESKTOP OR IN THE MY DOCUMENTS FOLDER, AS THESE WILL GET DELETED!!! Storing items in these locations causes longer login times, network traffic etc. Ideally store stuff directly under Z: Additionally, we now have wireless connectivity in the computer labs (both rooms), use a laptop with b/g wireless capable adapters for connectivity. ------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 29 Mar 2005 15:01:22 -0600 ------------------------------------- 1. The Support site, http://support.geosc.uh.edu has been completely revamped - documentation updated etc (thanks to Joel for providing some documentations). Please check it out 2. All pc users can now setup their own website, this is part of their pc account and will have a web address of http://garnet.geosc.uh.edu/~your-pc-username , check out http://support.geosc.uh.edu/docs/myweb.htm for more information. 3. Pc users can access their files from home or from a unix network, check out http://support.geosc.uh.edu/docs/pc_access1.htm for more information. 4. Please DO NOT move the computers/keyboards in 230 for listening to music, attaching key drives etc. This causes the cables to go bad/loose, if you need to do this, then use the computers in room 232 where the computers are on a desk and much easier to access. 5. We will be upgrading all PCs to windows XP in the coming weeks, but we would be doing that one PC at a time to cause minimum disruption. Please send me comments or any other additions that would help users for the support site etc. Geosciences SUN network ======================= ------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2006 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ Due to security concerns, remote login to geossun1 directly from the console of workstations in the lab has been discontinued. Hence forth login to any workstation and then use ssh to login to geossun1, like so ssh +x geossun1 (you may be asked to answer 'yes' in full the first time only and then enter your password, the +x option automatically sets the DISPLAY back) then if you want to set the DISPLAY to the second monitor, run the command after you login to geossun1 as setenv DISPLAY geossun5:0.1 (if you login from geossun5 or else substitute the appropriate workstation name) detailed help is available at : http://support.geosc.uh.edu/docs/login_g1.htm ------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ Sun Microsystems has recently donated 16 SUN Blade 150 workstations to the department. These systems are equipped with dual video cards, 512 mb memory, dvd-rom drives etc. They are meant as a replacement for the existing ultra 10 workstations (which are getting older). Over the next few weeks we will be replacing and supplementing the workstations in the lab with these newer systems - we will make sure there is little or no disruption to users work. ------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ FOCUS 5.2, Stratimagic, Geodepth, VoxelGEO etc have been installed, the required patches applied and are ready to use. Please visit http://support.geosc.uh.edu for information on launching focus and other applications, the relevant direct links are http://support.geosc.uh.edu/docs/pgeo.htm http://support.geosc.uh.edu/docs/focus.htm If you see any application crashes or other issues (not howtos, read the manual for that), please bring them to my attention ------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------- There has been some new software installed, 1. Seplib 6.3.19 2. SU - release 38 3. Acrobat 5 The paths have been automatically updated, you may have to logout of the sun system and log back in. AGL Beowulf Cluster =================== ------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ 1. The Cluster is in the process of a major upgrade to Fedora core 2 Operating System. 2. The First 2 towers have been completed and all of the application software has been upgraded. - Seismic UNIX (SU Release 38) - Seplib (Release 6.3.19) - Portland Group Compilers (5.2) - Seisup (release 2004) - FFTW (2.1.5) Paradigm Geophysical Software , EPOS3 has been installed and is still being configured for the cluster (I will send out a seperate email regarding this) 3. All the old software is available under /viper101/software/old_stuff 4. If you find any of your software is broken as a result of this upgrade, please let me know Geosciences Beowulf Cluster(s) ============================== ------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 4 Dec 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ The first of the two Department Clusters - margaret.geosc.uh.edu is operational. All folks who have accounts on sheriff.agl.uh.edu, have automatically been given accounts on margaret. Currently the system has the following software, - Seplib - SU - FFTW - Portland Compilers at some point we will have FOCUS also on there. Seisup is not likely to be on the system so continue to use sheriff for that. Items to note: -------------- - you have been given an account on the system - margaret.geosc.uh.edu, same userid and password as sheriff. - Note the list of the software on the system (check above). - More information can be obtained from reading the docs in /usr/public directory on margaret, specifically look at the machines_file as it is different from sheriff. - The following file systems are available on margaret - /seismic, /fracture, /atlas, /store, /gfclass and /fred (but ONLY on the master node). - You only have 5 GB of quota in your home directory, so if you run jobs make sure all your data and code are in your home directory since the other file systems are not visible from all the nodes. - We are in the process of obtaining more storage for the cluster. IMAQS Beowulf Cluster(s) ======================== Web/FTP Services ================ ------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:23:54 -0600 (CST) ------------------------------------------- The new IMAQS Anonymous FTP server has been setup, please access http://geossun2.geosc.uh.edu for more details, read through the instructions and send me any questions etc. I have attempted to make it as easy as possible for IMAQS users and outsiders to use it. If you have any other needs please let me know. note: please move all files from geossun3.geosc.uh.edu /Home/ftp/homes to the new FTP server, since the ftp on geossun3.geosc.uh.edu will be going away. Thinanywhere services ===================== ------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 17:58:34 -0600 ------------------------------------ A new client version of Thinanywhere is available; you can download it from the Support site (http://support.geosc.uh.edu) software download section. This version is 7.22, you will have to first uninstall the existing version from your PC/Laptop before you install this new version. It is recommended that you upgrade your version since at some point I will be upgrading the Server version as well. ---------- that's all folks ----------