To open up a 'terminal' session to a CS LINUX server from a computer running the unix or linux operating system, you must use a 'secure shell' (ssh) client. Secure shell is built into most unix and linux systems, but can be downloaded and installed onto your unix/linux system if it is not already there(see www.openssh.com for more information on downloading and installing secure shell server and client software). All UML CS servers have the ssh client and server software packages installed on them.
Click HERE for instructions on how to transfer files from unix/linux computers via scp/sftp.
To use ssh on the unix/linux platform, type at the command prompt:
ssh -l user_name server_name
(i.e. ssh -l cs_user_name cs.uml.edu)
This will contact the ssh server on the remote unix host and will attempt to log you in after prompting you for your unix/linux password.
If you are attempting to log into a CS unix/linux host from another CS unix/linux host, you do not need to use the "-l" option to ssh, as ssh will contact the server with the same username as which you are logged in with.
When 'ssh' connects to a remote server, it will check the authenticity of that host by looking at the server's public 'signature/key'. Therefore, the first time you connect to a specific ssh server, the ssh client will display the remote host's key and ask you if you wish to connect/accept it. Answering 'yes' to this will continue the connection (see below for example):
Example of first time connection to mercury.cs.uml.edu via unix-based ssh client :
$ ssh -l cs_user cs.uml.edu
The authenticity of host 'cs.uml.edu can't be established.
RSA1 key fingerprint is ce:c3:1t:45:c2:5b:bh:cc:b0:1d:5c:0e:e0:6d:d3:0e.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Warning: Permanently added 'cs.uml.edu' to the list of known hosts.
cs_user@cs.uml.edu's password: