Visualization server

CÉCI users have the possibility to launch a VNC session in a dedicated server, with hardware acceleration, to run 3D visualisation applications.

Note

This service is only available in Hercules cluster

Start a VNC session

Connect to the cluster, execute the sviz command and answer the questions.

ceciuser@hercules:~$ sviz

Visualization node

    [1] - her2-i002 (default)

Please select a visualization node: 1

Waiting for a slot on a visualization node...

VNC server ready!

Connection information:

    VNC server: XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:PPPP
    Password:   session_password
...

You will get the connexion information: the IP address XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX, the port number PPPP and the session password.

Connecting to the visualisation node

Connecting from Windows

First install MobaXterm as in indicated in the connexion setup page

Click on the Session icon session icon, then in the VNC icon vnc icon and select Network settings tab session icon

Set the IP address XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX and the port PPPP you get with sviz command. Tick the Connect through SSH gateway box and add the ssh gateway address of your university and in User add the login name to connect to the gateway.

  • UCL: gwceci.cism.ucl.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • ULB: gwceci.ulb.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • UMons: dragon2.umons.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • UNamur: gwceci.unamur.be with UNamur eID
  • ULiège: gwceci.uliege.be with CÉCI login name

Tick the Use private key box and click on the icon session icon to browse and locate your id_rsa.ceci ssh key file.

mobaxterm vnc session setup

Press the OK button and you should be prompted for your vnc session password.

mobaxterm vnc session password

You should now be connected to the vnc session

mobaxterm vnc session

Connecting from Linux

Download TurboVNC from sourceforge and install last version of the deb package or the rpm package (2.2.5 when writing this doc). If java is not installed in your computer, you will need to install it.

For example:

On Redhat/Centos like use:

# if needed install java
sudo yum install java-1.8.0-openjdk
# then install turbovnc
wget https://netcologne.dl.sourceforge.net/project/turbovnc/2.2.5/turbovnc-2.2.5.x86_64.rpm
sudo yum localinstall ./turbovnc-2.2.5.x86_64.rpm

On Debian/Ubuntu like use:

# if needed, install java
sudo apt-get install default-jre
# then install turbovnc
wget https://netix.dl.sourceforge.net/project/turbovnc/2.2.5/turbovnc_2.2.5_amd64.deb
sudo apt-get install ./turbovnc_2.2.5_amd64.deb

Connect to your VNC session with the command:

/opt/TurboVNC/bin/vncviewer XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:PPPP -password 'session_password' -via gwusername@gwceci.server.be -SSHKeyFile /home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.ceci

Replace the IP address, the port and the session password you get with sviz command. Replace gwusername@gwceci.server.be by your login and university gateway

  • UCL: gwceci.cism.ucl.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • ULB: gwceci.ulb.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • UMons: dragon2.umons.ac.be with CÉCI login name
  • UNamur: gwceci.unamur.be with UNamur eID
  • ULiège: gwceci.uliege.be with CÉCI login name

and set the user the path to your ssh CÉCI key.

You will be asked for your ssh CÉCI key passphrase

Linux set passphrase

Then you are connected to your VNC session, you can launch yours visualisation applications.

Linux set passphrase