How do I connect to the RCE using SSH?

Your RCE account includes a command-line shell which you can access through SSH, in addition to the standard graphical RCE desktop accessible through NX. Refer to Accessing the RCE for instructions on graphical desktop access.

To make an SSH connection to the RCE, follow the instructions below for your operating system (Windows, MacOS, or Linux).

For Windows:

Install a secure shell (SSH) client application.

An SSH client application enables you to set up an SSH tunnel to an RCE server and to use your session securely on that server. HMDC supports use of the SecureCRT application, which is available at the FAS software URL (if you are an FAS affiliate):

http://downloads.fas.harvard.edu/download

If you don't have access to fas downloads, you can download and install putty.exe from http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/

To configure a new connection to the RCE server, launch the SSH client you installed.

If you launch SecureCRT, the Connect window is displayed (Figure 1).

Figure 1. New SecureCRT Connect Window

Note: The first time you launch a program like SecureCRT you might receive a Windows Security Alert, such as the example shown in Figure 2. Click the Unblock button to enable SecureCRT to function as required.

Figure 2. Windows Security Alert Message
Click the New Session button.

The New Session Wizard appears (Figure 13).

Figure 3. New Session Wizard
Use the Protocol pull-down menu to select the SSH2 protocol, and then click Next.

The wizard prompts you to enter the RCE server hostname to which you choose to connect (Figure 4).

Figure 4. New Session Wizard - RCE Server Hostname
Enter the RCE server hostname to which you choose to connect, and then click Next.

When your RCE account was first created, you received email from HMDC with this server hostname. This is the machine name to which you are granted access. Usually, you connect to one of the rce.hmdc.harvard.edu servers.

The New Session Wizard prompts you to name the session (Figure 5). The session name defaults to the server hostname that you just entered.

Figure 5. New Session Wizard - Session Name
Accept the default session name, and click Finish.

The Connect window is displayed, and your RCE server connection appears in the list of options (Figure 6).

Figure 6. SecureCRT Connect Window with New Entry
Select the RCE server connection, and then click the Connect button.

The system prompts you with a New Host Key warning (Figure 7).

Figure 7. New Host Key Warning Message
Click the Accept & Save button to save the host key in your local system cache.

Note: If you click the Accept Once button, the system prompts you to accept this key again the next time log in to this server.

The Enter SSH Username window is displayed (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Enter SSH Username Window
Type your RCE account username, then click OK.

The Enter Secure Shell Password window is displayed (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Enter Secure Shell Password Window
Type your RCE account password, then click OK.

The connection window contains an active connection, as shown in Figure 10. You now are logged in to the RCE server through SSH.

Figure 10. Active SSH Connection in Connect Window

For Mac or Linux:

Open a terminal window and use the SSH client built into the MacOS/Linux to connect to the VNC server. Type the following:
```
ssh username@hostname
```
Replace username with your RCE account username, and replace hostname with the name of the RCE server you want to connect to. When your RCE account was first created, you received email from HMDC with this server hostname. This is the machine name to which you are granted access. Usually, you connect to one of the rce.hmdc.harvard.edu servers.

The first time that you connect to the RCE server, your system prompts you with a warning message about the host.
```
The authenticity of host 'hostname (address)' can't be established. 
RSA key fingerprint is fingerprint.
Are you sure that you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? 
```
Type yes, and then press Enter to continue.
The system notifies you that you added the host permanently to the list of known servers on this machine, and then prompts you to enter your login account password.
```
Warning: Permanently added 'hostname (address)' (RSA) to the list of know hosts.
username@hostname's password:
```

Type your RCE account password and press Enter to continue.

A welcome message is displayed, followed by the system prompt.

*******************************************************************************
*                   Welcome to rce-2.hmdc.harvard.edu                         *
*                                                                             *
*  For information about this and other HMDC servers:                         *
*      http://support.hmdc.harvard.edu/kb-983/research_support_overview       *
*                                                                             *
*  Please note that you are governed by the IT standard uses and practices    *
*  of Harvard University while using this machine. See the following URL for  *
*  more information:                                                          *
*      http://support.hmdc.harvard.edu/kb-930/hmdc_policies                   *
*                                                                             *
*******************************************************************************

<hostname:username> [~]>

You now are logged in to the RCE server through SSH.

Research Computing Environment (RCE)

For social science intense computing

How do I reset my RCE password?