Accessing the Clusters

Overview

There are two parts to accessing the cluster: 

• Getting Access
• Logging In
  • Log in with SSH if you want command-line shell access.
  • Log in with OnDemand if you want a graphical interface.
  • GA Account Recovery if you need access to the QR code for your ISUHPCClusters setup again.

Getting Access

There are several ways of obtaining access to the clusters:

1. Research groups can purchase nodes and/or storage on the clusters.  A form for requesting a purchase is available here.  Once the purchase is confirmed, the group's PIs are then assigned an access list for their group.  The PIs can add or delete members as necessary.  

   Users outside of the LAS College can use the following page to manage lists:   
          https://asw.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/acropolis/list/members 
   LAS users use this form to manage lists:
          https://diy.las.iastate.edu/listman/manage

2. Research groups can also request a community allocation which has fewer resources available than for purchased access but is adequate for testing and proof-of-concept efforts.  The request can be submitted by the PI or by a group member. In the latter case the PI will still need to approve the request.  After the group has been added to Nova, the PIs can add or delete members as necessary at: https://asw.iastate.edu/cgi-bin/acropolis/list/members
3. Class instructors may request access to the clusters for students in their class.  Students are given resource limits adequate for class assignments.
4. Students performing research outside of a faculty-led project may request access to the cluster selecting research use, listing academic advisor or department chair as sponsor and providing details on the objectives and goals for the project. Undergraduate students performing personal research will have access only to scavenger partition and short-term storage.

Logging In

Log in with SSH

Once you have been given access, log in using the steps below:

1. First, you must be on-campus or connected to campus using via the VPN (https://vpn.iastate.edu).
    
2. Use an SSH client program to connect to the appropriate head node:
   Nova Head Node:  nova.its.iastate.edu
   Nova VS Code users:  vs-code.its.iastate.edu
    
3. The first time you connect to the Nova head node using SSH, you will be sent instructions for setting up MultiFactor Authentication (MFA).   The Nova cluster uses a time-based key that works with MS Authenticator or similar applications that support one-time verification codes. This key is different from the one used to authenticate to https://login.iastate.edu .
   NOTE: if you had access to Condo cluster, you already have GA account needed to ssh to Nova, and no email with the QR code will be sent after ssh-ing to Nova for the first time. See GA Account Recovery section for instructions on how to get QR code.
   1. You will need to use an app like MS Authenticator, or Google Authenticator to generate the codes needed for login.  You probably already have the MS Authenticator app which you use for other ISU Services.
   2. Adding Nova authentication to MS authenticator. (Other apps should be very similar)
      1. Open MS Authenticator and click the + upper right
         
      2. Click Work or school account
         
      3. Click "Scan QR code"
         
         1. You may be asked to give permission to use the camera so it can scan the QR code, you don't have to allow it, but it is quicker and more accurate to use the QR Code.
         2. Scan the code from the email or enter the seed code manually.
         3. You should now see the 6 digit authentication codes Nova will be asking for.
            

      4. You should now be able to login to nova using Nova MFA code and ISU password. Note that neither your Verification code or password will print out.

         $ ssh your-netid@nova.its.iastate.edu
         (your-netid@nova.its.iastate.edu) Verification code:
         (your-netid@nova.its.iastate.edu) Password:
         Last login: Fri Sep 27 13:19:50 2024 from 129.186.XX.XXX

Log in with OnDemand

OnDemand is a graphical interface for logging in to the clusters.  See log in instructions in the Nova OnDemand web interface guide.

GA Account Recovery

Users may need to recover access to their GA accounts when switching or reinstalling their mobile devices that have GA application installed.

If you need to recover your ISUHPCClusters GA account, you can do so in Nova OnDemand. Login to nova-ondemand.its.iastate.edu using your regular ISU credentials and select the MFA Recovery option under Clusters menu option.

 (If you need help with resetting your iastate.okta.com GA account, please contact IT solution center: https://www.it.iastate.edu/help.)

It is also possible to ransfer MFA accounts to the new device if you still have access to the old one: Open the Google Authenticator on the old device, click on menu and select Transfer accounts. There you will have an option to create a QR code to export your account to the new device.