Overview

Are you interested in using Linux for your research?
Do you already use Linux, but don't want to have to manage every system in your research group yourself?
We can help!

You can use your Linux workstation or server for workflows like machine learning/AI training, an RStudio web server, data analysis with Python, a remote coding workspace with VScode, on-boarding research data into the NCSA campus cluster, or anything else that would be useful to you or your group's research workflow.

Ubuntu Linux for Research

Features:

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
• NetID campus login integration
• Access your system remotely via SSH using your NetID
• Automatically access to your Campus Cluster research network share
• Self-Service research group management via the My.ACES Portal
• Automatic weekly security updates
• NVIDIA drivers automatically installed for systems with NVIDIA GPUs
• Campus mandated security software (Crowdstrike)

Core Software:

Some examples of the software that is installed on every managed Ubuntu system includes:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• LibreOffice
• VLC Media Player
• Filezilla
• Citrix Workspace (Illinois AnyWare)
• Visual Studio Code
• Git
• GNU Octave
• TeX Studio
• MySQL Workbench
• Python 3
• R Studio / R Studio Server
• QGIS
• Zotero
• Compilers and tools like gcc, g++, fortran, cmake, etc.
• Support for AppImage, Flatpak and Snap packages

Extra Software

If you require any extra software for your research, please let us know.

A Note on Matlab

The new Matlab University licensing announced on Sept. 17th 2024 changes how the Matlab software installers are accessed. Matlab version R2024b requires that the user sign in to the Matlab site with their NetID to access the installer downloads. It also requires a user enter their NetID during the installation phase of Matlab.

See the Matlab webstore page for more information

However, we can install Matlab on your Linux system for you and provide the correct license key and network license file to bypass the user login requirement.

Minimum System Requirements:

• Desktops and Servers only - We cannot manage Linux laptops at this time
• Must have wired ethernet networking - We cannot manage systems via WiFi
• 4 CPU Cores
• 8 GB RAM
• 100 GB Hard Drive
• A graphics card

Recommended System Requirements:

• Desktops and Servers only - We cannot manage Linux laptops at this time
• Must have wired ethernet networking - We cannot manage systems via WiFi
• 16 CPU Cores or greater
• 32 GB RAM or greater
• 1 TB SSD or greater
• NVIDIA RTX series card or Quadro card with 8 GB of VRAM or greater

A Note on Linux laptops

We are unable to provide the full management suite and application management for Linux laptops at this time.

However, if you require a laptop with Linux on it, we can provide the following:

• Manual installation of Ubuntu Linux on the laptop
• Required local ACES IT admin account
• Campus mandated security software (Crowdstrike)
• Local admin account for the PI and other required research group members

Remote Desktop

Interested in accessing your system remotely with a graphical desktop?

We can install XRDP or FastX for you.

Headless Servers

Don't need a graphical interface on your system?
We can set up your system as a headless server that you can access via SSH.

Contact Us:

To inquire about managed Ubuntu Linux for your research group, contact us:

Email: aces-it-help@illinois.edu

Phone: 217-244-0477