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There is also now a virtual host name, edupod.cns.utexas.edu, that acts as a front-end, redirecting requests to specific back-end compute server based on server load. This virtual hostname can be used to access SSH, R Studio and JupyterHub servers unless a specific host is required (e.g. if a tmux or screen session is desired).
Software
The Edu POD will have all standard POD utilities and bioinformatics software installed. In addition, instructors wish to make use of both web-based application servers: JupyterHub server with Python3 and R Studio server, so those will be installed on all EDU Edu compute servers.
Instructors may also request that additional software be installed. Such requests should be made at least two weeks before the start of a class. However, since users cannot install Python packages in the JupyterHub server environment, requests to install of Python packages into the JupyterHub environment will generally be handled within one or two business days.
Note that the system and JupyterHub server Python3 installations are separate. All add-on JupyterHub server Python3 packages and many add-on system Python3 packages are installed explicitly, but there are a number of pre-installed system Python3 packages. As a result, there may be a few differences between the available system and JupyterHub server Python3 packages. Instructors should be aware that such difference can exist, and request package installations where needed.
Maintenance
Edu POD application software should, to the extent feasible, remain stable while the class is in progress. This means that general software upgrades will not be performed during the semester unless needed due to a security update.
Maintenance windows will still be scheduled (generally once day per month on the last Thursday), during which time POD resources will not be available. Dates for maintenance are posted in advance on the BRCF Users wiki home page. Instructors may request variances from the posted dates/times, and these will be honored to the extent possible.
Security updates (required by UT's Institutional Security Office (ISO)), will be applied during maintenance windows using the unattended-upgrades package, configured in manual mode, then using sudo unattended-upgrade -d to apply. Note that if the security updates modify the kernel, updating all dependent software via sudo apt-get dist-upgrade may be required. It is known that such updates can break Python and R packages. If this occurs, the BRCF support team will address these issues in a timely manner.
Use of EID accounts
Since the Edu POD will be used to support official UT courses, UT EIDs are used for student accounts rather than the standard BRCF accounts tied to TACC accounts. Likewise, authentication is performed using UT EID authentication protocols rather than central password storage and deployment.
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- /stor/home
- will contain user home directories (as ZFS file systems)
- directory permission 700 (instructors & TAs can view via sudo)
- set and enforced by Puppet even if changed by user
- directory group will be the user's default Unix group (usually a course offering group)
- there are no quotas applied to home directories
- snapshots are not enabled for home directories
- /stor/work
- will have a class directory ZFS for each class ID (e.g. /stor/work/Bio369i)
- intended for resources common to many course offering semesters
- owned by the instructor and class group
- permission 2750 (writable only by owner; readable by class)
- set but not enforced by Puppet
- each class will have a nested semester directory ZFS for each course offering (e.g. /stor/work/Bio369i_Fall2018)
- intended for resources specific to a particular class/semester, as well as multi-user projects at the instructor's discretion
- owned by the instructor and course offering group
- permission 2770 (writable by anyone in the group)
- will have a class directory ZFS for each class ID (e.g. /stor/work/Bio369i)
- /stor/scratch
- will have a class directory ZFS for each class (e.g. /stor/scratch/Bio369i)
- intended for temporary/externally downloaded resources
- owned by the instructor and class group
- permission 2770 (writable by anyone in the group)
- set but not enforced by Puppet
- will have a class directory ZFS for each class (e.g. /stor/scratch/Bio369i)
SSH access
Instructors, TAs and active students can use SSH to access command-line computation resources, either using the edupod.cns.utexas.edu virtual hostname or by specifying a specific EDU POD compute server (e.g. educcomp01.ccbb.utexas.edu).
SSH access from outside the UT campus network requires either the use of UT VPN service, or public key encryption as described at Passwordless Access via SSH.
Desktop file system access via Samba
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Once a class is over, the instructor may request that student Home directories and Work class/semester directories be archived to tape at ranch and removed from Edu POD storage. Before removal occurs, instructors may request that specified directories be retained on the POD. Additionally, Home directories for students that are still enrolled in other classes will not be affected.
Software
The Edu POD will have all standard POD utilities and bioinformatics software installed. In addition, instructors wish to make use of both web-based application servers: JupyterHub server with Python3 and R Studio server, so those will be installed on all EDU Edu compute servers.
Instructors may also request that additional software be installed. Such requests should be made at least two weeks before the start of a class. However, since users cannot install Python packages in the JupyterHub server environment, requests to install of Python packages into the JupyterHub environment will generally be handled within one or two business days.
Note that the system and JupyterHub server Python3 installations are separate. All add-on JupyterHub server Python3 packages and many add-on system Python3 packages are installed explicitly, but there are a number of pre-installed system Python3 packages. As a result, there may be a few differences between the available system and JupyterHub server Python3 packages. Instructors should be aware that such difference can exist, and request package installations where needed.
Maintenance
Edu POD application software should, to the extent feasible, remain stable while the class is in progress. This means that general software upgrades will not be performed during the semester unless needed due to a security update.
Maintenance windows will still be scheduled (generally once day per month on the last Thursday), during which time POD resources will not be available. Dates for maintenance are posted in advance on the BRCF Users wiki home page. Instructors may request variances from the posted dates/times, and these will be honored to the extent possible.
Security updates (required by UT's Institutional Security Office (ISO)), will be applied during maintenance windows using the unattended-upgrades package, configured in manual mode, then using sudo unattended-upgrade -d to apply. Note that if the security updates modify the kernel, updating all dependent software via sudo apt-get dist-upgrade may be required. It is known that such updates can break Python and R packages. If this occurs, the BRCF support team will address these issues in a timely manner.
Course management UI
There is a web-based UI for managing courses and enrollment, accessible by the Admin, by Instructors and by TAs:
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