Table of Contents
Announcements 2021
Python 3.10 Available
The latest version of Python is now available on Centos7 Openlab hosts. It contains many improvements and new features.
Use modules command to add the the new version to your environment::
module load python/3.10 python3
The module can be permanently added to your shell by using the initadd command:
module initadd python/3.10
Rstudio 2021.09 Jupyterlab Available
An Rstudio Jupyterhub environment is available at https://rstudio-hub.ics.uci.edu
The Rstudio Hub currently runs Rstudio 2021.09
For more information about Jupyterhub please visit Openlab Jupyterhub @ ICS
Send email to helpdesk@ics.uci.edu if you would like a site setup for a specific use case that needs a dedicated site with restricted access.
ICS "scratch" directories and Backups
Most data servers in ICS are backed up using a couple of different strategies. For details, please visit Types of Backup at ICS.
Almost everything in your /home or /extra directories is backed up to tape. If you have temporary files that do not need to be or should not be backed up to tape, please store them in a folder called scratch. This may be good for when you're running scripts that create a lot files that you do not need long term. The folder and its content will still be available via snapshots (short term backup) but will not go to tape (long term storage).
Items that are not backed up to tape include:
- Anything in a folder named scratch (case sensitive)
- Anything in a folder named .snapshot
- Any files with the extension *.vdi
VLAN changes
VLAN 6, 12, and 25 were moved to ICS' core switches. This will allow servers on subnets 128.195.6.x, 128.195.12.x, and 128.195.25.x to be accessible even when OIT's 302 Gateway switch becomes unavailable. Prior to this, servers on those subnets lose network connection until the connection to the 302 gateway is restored.
Kubernetes @ ICS Refreshed
ICS Computing Support has refreshed its Kubernetes infrastructure. The cluster is running Rancher v2.60 usuing Kubernetes v 1.21.4
The following services are publicly available:
- ICS Speedtest measure the speed from your home to our data center.
- Password Utility based on the Linux tool box container
- Go Harbor local docker container repository
Send mail to helpdesk@ics.uci.edu if you would like to use our container repository, have additional microservices you would like to see, or have questions about running your own Kubernetes cluster.
Ugrad and Grad Scratch Space
Undergraduate scratch space and graduate scratch space have been relocated to the new all-flash ICS fileserver, codename: Tardigrade
This space is provided without quota restriction for graduate and undergraduate students to use as scratch space for their instructional projects. Twenty four hours of snapshots are available but the space is not backed up to tape.
NFS Access
This space is shared via NFS to any ICS managed Linux compute node.
In order to access this space, simply change to the directory /auto/grad_space
cd /auto/grad_space
or
cd /auto/ugrad_space
Windows/Mac and Unmanaged Clients
This space is also available via samba and fuse/sshfs with your ICS shell account.
Use the following samba share to mount this space:
\\samba.ics.uci.edu\grad_space
or
\\samba.ics.uci.edu\ugrad_space
Jupyterlab@ICS Update
ICS Instructors, researchers and students are invited to connect to Jupyterlab@ICS https://hub.ics.uci.edu.
Jupyterlab@ICS turns any web browser into a personal Linux server offering a Linux terminal, Jupyter Notebook, an X11 desktop and other web-based apps such as Rstudio, VSCode. ICS home directories are mounted to provide persistent storage.
Fall Quarter Improvements
- A larger, faster flash storage backend.
- Self managed package installation (`sudo apt`)
- Longer run times (idle nodes are removed after 7 days)
- More hardware behind the cluster
- Specialized research group and course offerings.
- Larger pods with up to 8 cores and 16GB RAM.
- Updated versions of VSCode web app and the X11 desktop.
- Jupyterhub has been updated to 1.4.2 and kubernetes 1.19
Jupyterlab@ICS is built on donated equipment in the openlab cluster for research and instructional computing.
Key features and benefits:
- Nothing to configure, no VM to run, no modules to load.
- Prior sessions can be reopened from the Running Terminals and Kernels pane.
- Persistent storage in your ICS home directory.
- Students and instructors work in the same cloud IDE.
- Works for any OS and any browser.
- Customizable per course of per research group.
Sharing Google Drive Files with UCI Workplace Accounts
We're working on creating some groups to enable sharing between ICS and UCI Google Workplace accounts and we're creating some Google groups that can help you accomplish that from your ICS Workspace Google Drive.
Current share group offerings:
| Group Name | Members |
|---|---|
| all-faculty-share@ics.uci.edu | Documents shared to this group are shared to all ICS faculty using at either ICS and UCI Google Workspace account. |
| all-staff-share@ics.uci.edu | Documents shared to this group are shared to all ICS Staff using at either ICS and UCI Google Workspace account. |
Send requests for additional google groups, such as staff or research group lists, to helpdesk@ics.uci.edu.
Sharing Using a List
Start by opening the document that you would like to share and clicking on the “share” button in the upper right corner:
In the window that pops up, start typing the name of the group you would like to share to and then choose the name from the list:
Unclick “Notify People”. All messages to this list are discarded anyway, so you don't need to worry about accidently sending mail to these groups.