RT Guide: Chapter 3, Accessing and Launching Workstations

Owned by Pallavi Mehta
Last updated: 12 Sep 2024
5 min read

Accessing and Launching Workstations

Users are assigned cloud-based workstations to perform research and analysis. This section
provides a description of how to launch and use these workstations.

Launch Workstations

  • Users can see the assigned workstations by clicking on WORKSTATIONS from the top
    menu. By default, all the workstations are in an stopped state.

  • Click on Start to start the workstation.

  • The workstation should become available within five minutes; you may not see any change immediately. A message will appear when the workstation has been successfully started.

  • Now click Launch for the workstation. Note: the Launch button does not start your workstation. You must start it before you can log in.

  • This will provide a user access to their workstation within the browser. The workstation may take a few minutes to initialize. When complete, a login screen will appear. You will be prompted to enter the following:

    1. SDC Username - Enter your SDC credentials (provided in your welcome email)

    2. SDC Password - Enter your SDC credentials (provided in your welcome email)

    3. Login.gov Email - Enter your Login.gov email id

    4. Login.gov Password - Enter your Login.gov password

    5. Login.gov One-time Authentication code - Download, install and setup with Login.gov an authentication app to your device and enter the one time authentication code and hit “ enter.”
      Some popular options include:

  • Android options: Google Authenticator, Authy, LastPass, 1Password.

  • iOS options: Google Authenticator, Authy, LastPass, 1Password.

  • Windows apps: 1Password, OTP Manager.

  • Mac apps: 1Password, OTP Manager.

  • Chrome extensions: Authenticator.

Installed Software

By default, users will have the following installed on their workstations:

  • Python 3.9

  • VSCodium

  • Cyberduck

  • 7-zip

  • Notepad++

  • Git

  • Git Extensions

  • Meld

  • Google Chrome

  • JRE (Java)

  • LibreOffice

  • Putty

  • R

  • RStudio Desktop

  • DBeaver

  • Anaconda3

  • KeePass

Manage Workstations

After launching their workstations, users can manage resizing CPU/RAM and scheduling uptime for a workstation by clicking on its Manage button as shown below.

A dialogue window appears with two checkbox options:

Selecting each option renders the appropriate tabs in the dialogue window. The icon shown next to each option provides an informational tooltip on their functions.

Resize Workstation

  1. To resize the workstation, select the checkbox for Resize Workstation and then Next to continue.

  2. A message is shown at the bottom of the screen indicating that the workstation will be stopped before applying the resize.

  3. The Resize Workstation tab allows users to select desired CPU/RAM for their
    workstation. Current configurations will be grayed out and unavailable. Users can also
    explore pricing details using the link provided under “click here.”

  4. Select the “Please start my workstation after resizing to the new configuration” checkbox
    to automatically start the workstation with the new configuration after saving changes.

  5. Select Submit after all details are entered.

  6. A Recommended List of instances will appear. Select the desired instance and then the
    Next button.

  7. On the Schedule Date tab, users are prompted to enter a date range for how long the
    resize should last for the workstation instance. Enter the From and To dates and then
    select Submit.

8. Users will be returned to the Workstations tab with updated CPU and memory information. They will also receive a success email message from the system confirming the resize expiration date.

Schedule/Extend Uptime

  1. By default, all workstations are shut down at 11 pm EST. If you want to schedule your
    workstations to be up for a longer period to accommodate analysis runs, select the
    checkbox for Schedule Workstation Uptime and then Next to continue.

     

  2. The Schedule Workstation Uptime tab allows users to enter a date range for how long the
    workstation uptime should last to skip shutdown. Enter the From and To dates and then
    select Submit.

     

  3. To extend any currently scheduled uptime for the workstation, select the Workstations
    tab and then select Manage again for the workstation. A new tooltip is now shown for the
    Schedule Workstation Uptime checkbox on mouse hover that indicates previously
    scheduled uptime.

     

  4. Repeat steps 1-2. For step 2, the From date will already include the date from the
    previously scheduled uptime. Add a new To date later in the calendar and then submit the
    update. The previously scheduled uptime goes inactive while the new one becomes
    active.

  5. After selecting Submit, return to the Workstations tab and then select Manage for the
    workstation. The tooltip shown on hover for the Schedule Workstation Uptime checkbox
    now displays the extended uptime.

Stop Workstations

Users can see the assigned workstations by clicking on the workstations tab on the top right corner of the page. By default, all the workstations are scheduled to stop every day at 11 PM EST. Users can stop the workstations manually by clicking on the Stop button as shown below. A message will appear when the instance is successfully stopped.