This page is meant as a primer for initiating remote access session to hutch laser controls systems. If the desire is to access accelerator-side controls systems such as those for the LCLS-I and LCLS-II photoinjectors, the following page is also recommendable: Remotely connecting to S20 laser controls and diagnostic (for on-shift QLOs)

TLDR

When working off-site, it may be important access the critical controls and computing architecture needed to support hutch activities. NoMachine, an application-based tool, and FastX, a browser-based utility, are two different ways to get this access. This brief tutorial walks through some of the basic steps of use. 

Note also that MobaXterm is another well-recommended remote access platform that, while not shown in this tutorial, is often preferred above NoMachine for its stability and added conveniences. 

Before getting started: remote access permissions

If this is your first time ever accessing SLAC's networks, you may need to review the procedure for securing the correct access permissions to the networks needed: Unix account permissions for accessing SLAC networks and remote machines

NoMachine

  • Before doing anything, make sure you start with a machine on the SLAC network (you may need to VPN using Cisco AnyConnect) 

  • Open NoMachine, start with settings circled in blue


  • Make sure you’ve chosen ‘password authentication’


  • Select the one called PSNXSERV and then ‘Connect’


  • Enter your UNIX password


  • Select the session called PSNXSERV and then ‘Connect’


  • You will be presented with a terminal window.

    Type the following to tunnel and connect to psdev, which is the main hub for connecting to hutch machines:

    ssh psdev

    Wait until you've connected, then connect to the computer you want (e.g. mec-monitor) using ssh:

    ssh mec-monitor

    From there, for example, you can run MEC Home, MEC Python, VNC Viewer, or whatever!
    (Note that instead of tunneling through psdev to an LCLS machine, it may occasionally be important to access mcclogin and and physics@lcls-srv01 instead for e.g. supporting work at the LCLS-I photinjector.)



FastX

  • Open a web browser and go to the following website: https://fastx3.slac.stanford.edu:3300/


  • Log in using your Unix account credentials



  • Close the pop-up message


  • Start a new session by clicking the ‘+’ sign



  • Select 'Terminal'


  • Click “Launch” in the bottom-right corner


  • You will be presented with a terminal window.

    Type the following to tunnel and connect to psdev, which is the main hub for connecting to hutch machines:

    ssh psdev

    Wait until you've connected, then connect to the computer you want (e.g. mec-monitor) using ssh:

    ssh mec-monitor

    From there, for example, you can run MEC Home, MEC Python, VNC Viewer, or whatever!
    (Note that instead of tunneling through psdev to an LCLS machine, it may occasionally be important to access mcclogin and and physics@lcls-srv01 instead for e.g. supporting work at the LCLS-I photinjector.)



Editing your alias shortcuts in your .bashrc file

If it’s your first time using the terminal line under your own log-in credentials (whether using FastX, NoMachine, etc.), you'll need to define some commands in order to run the utilities you want.

To do so, from your terminal type gedit ~/.bashrc (or otherwise open the .bashrc file in another favorite text editor like emacs or vim). This will bring up a new window.

Copy the text below and paste it into the file you’ve opened. [Note: the NoMachine windows share the same clipboard as your desktop, though this may be trickier using FastX.] Once successful, click ‘save’ and exit the text editor. Now from the terminal, you should be able to do things like launch MEC Home, mecpython, VNC, etc.

If you're still having trouble, try typing source ~/.bashrc or try exiting your session completely and starting with a fresh terminal to make sure it sees the new definitions.

WARNING: THERE MAY BE SPECIAL CHARACTERS PROBLEMS WHEN COPYING AND PASTING – WATCH OUT FOR PROBLEMS!!

SEE ALSO: https://github.com/pcdshub/shared-dotfiles and https://github.com/pcdshub/shared-dotfiles/blob/master/on_site/bashrc !!


-------------------Copy everything below this line into your .bashrc file-------------------

# .bashrc

# Source global definitions

if [ -f /etc/bashrc ]; then

  . /etc/bashrc

fi

#### PATH definitions starts ####
# clear the path before assigning relevant values
export PATH=$PATH
export PATH=/reg/common/package/python/2.7.2/bin:$PATH # commented out by Zhou
export PATH=/reg/g/pcds/package/epics/3.14/base/current/bin/linux-x86/:$PATH
export PATH=/reg/g/pcds/epics-dev/screens/edm/cxi/current/:$PATH


#snelson: added what we have in xpp

export PATH=/reg/neh/operator/mecopr/bin:${PATH}

export PATH=/reg/common/tools/bin:${PATH}

export PATH=/reg/g/pcds/engineering_tools/mec/scripts:${PATH}

export PATH=/reg/g/pcds/pyps/apps/iocmanager/latest:${PATH}

#### PATH definitions ends   ####

###################################################

### Basic PCDS environment setup for all logins ###

###################################################

source /reg/g/pcds/setup/pathmunge.sh

if [ -f "${HOME}/.pcds_setup.sh" ]; then

    source "${HOME}/.pcds_setup.sh"

fi

source /reg/g/pcds/setup/epics-ca-env.sh

source /reg/neh/home/sioan/setupEpics &> /dev/null

source /reg/g/pcds/setup/epicsenv-cur.sh &> /dev/null

export PSPKG_ROOT=/reg/g/pcds/pkg_mgr

export PSPKG_RELEASE="sxr=3.0.0"

PATH="$PATH:/reg/common/tools/bin"

Final note:

This page is also mirrored here on the LCLS Laser Confluence: How to remotely connect to the EPICS control system for lasers

4 Comments

  1. Cunningham, Eric Flint

    Gate, Greg found out that not everyone necessarily has access straightaway to psdev or psnxserv. If not, there are two things to try: 1) tunnel to rhel6-64.slac.stanford.edu instead, and/or 2) email pcds-it-l@slac.stanford.edu to get your username added to the list of approved users for the different machines you need to access (psnxserv.slac.stanford.edu, psdev.slac.stanford.edu, any of the hutch groups you might normally use (such as mec-*), etc.). Thanks again Greg for the input (and Chengcheng Xu for the expertise (big grin))!


  2. Cunningham, Eric Flint

    See also: Remotely connecting to S20 laser controls and diagnostic (for on-shift QLOs)

  3. Silke Nelson

    You need to be a member of ps-users to have access to psnx (or psdev) - that is what you'll get when you email pcds-it. To see which groups you are a member of use the 'groups' command from a terminal (on a linux machines). I cannot image how used rhel6-64 instead of nx will get to you the controls machines you want to reach in the end if you are not a member of ps-users. If you work in S20, your experience may differ.

    Other important notes: FastX is not  for users, only SLAC staff.

    Do not source the analysis environment in your .bashrc if you want NoMachine to work. I would recommend to add an alias and only source it (or any other environment!) when you need it (analysis env for analysis, controls environment if doing controls, ...)

  4. Cunningham, Eric Flint

    (Converting off-line conversations about .bashrc files to a Jira ticket... ECS-4427 - Getting issue details... STATUS )