MVZ Systems and Network Support

General Information

To access the network resources at MVZ, you need a valid server account. These accounts support roaming user profiles and roaming home directories across PC, Mac and Unix computers. This allows you to login to the network at different computers with the same account and your data and preferences follow.

To obtain an MVZ account, send a request through the support forum or contact Billy Dunaway directly.

Users are responsible for ensuring that all of their data are backed up. Accounts will remain active for 3 months after a person leaves the Museum, at which time the account will be deleted.

Xserver Accounts

This is the primary user account for the MVZ. With it, you get 5 GB storage, access to printers, access to software and installers, access to shared group folders, LDAP login authentication, PostgreSQL account, GNU developer environment, and remote login (ssh, sftp).

To access the xserver from a Windows environment via SSH, follow these steps:
1) Open Secure Shell Client (available as free download from WSSG Software).
2) Go to File and then Connect.
3) Host Name = support.mvz.berkeley.edu; User Name = your xserver login (usually your first initial and last name).
4) Enter connect, then your password.
5) Once you have the prompt (support:~ username$), go to Window and New File Transfer.
6) Your local files will be on the left window panel, your remote (xserver) files will be on the right window panel.
7) To access a Group, change the directory (just above right window panel) by deleting everything except /Volumes/ at the start. Group folders are in the ServerData1/MVZgroups directory.

To change your xserver password, type "passwd" at the prompt (support:~ username$). You will be asked to type your old password, then your new password twice.

Beowulf Accounts

This account is for users who wish to execute DNA analysis software across a distributed Linux Beowolf cluster. The cluster supports full parallel processing across 22 hyper-threaded nodes, all connected with a Gigabit Ethernet switch.