Using Debian Accounts for CS552

I Initial connection (for Linux or for CM)S from on campus

A CMS

1 Start a TN3270 session to tjw.cc.binghamton.edu

2 Login as tjwxxx (I will assign xxx and the passwords in class)

3 When you see "VM Read" in the bottom right corner, just press the "Enter" key". This causes the PROFILE EXEC to run

B Linux

1 After the PROFILE EXEC completes and you reach the Ready prompt, enter “bootdeb”. BOOTDEB is another EXEC file on yourA-disk. You will receive a prompt to enter any character to STOP the boot. Just wait for 10 seconds. Do NOT type anything. Several screens worth of information will have to be cleared(press the "esc" key to do so) as Debian comes up. You will also be prompted to determine WHICH Debian you want. Just do nothing again.

2 When the Linuxlogin prompt finally appears, enter “#cp disc”, to close, but not kill the terminal session. You should now be able to connect to the virtual Debian machine, as follows.

II How to connectto Linux or CMS from off campus

A Get a terminal client program

1 For a connection you will need a program called Mtn3270 (or any other 3270 client). Putty won't do it for the CMS sessions. The BU computer downloads page has this program at:

but it is only for Windows and Mac. If you are using Linux as your personal system, you'll need another program.

B Tunnel in to the campus

1 Open a browser.

2 Go to

3 Click on the "remote connect" link. This will use the Network Connect facility to "tunnel" into the BU network. Enter your PODS or BGM system ID and the associated password. NOT your Linux or VM id.

4 If you logout, you are STILL "tunneled" (as long as you are logged in on your personal computer) and do NOT need to do it again.

5 Open either a TN3270 (for VM) or SSH Client program and connect to the desired system.

C Login to VM/CMS

1 Your userid will be tjwxxx and you will connect as described in I A 1 above

2 Use xedit to edit your code

3 Use the ha exec (from my website) to assemble it

4 Modify my "frprep exec" for your own program and install it on your 222 drive

5 Ipl 222. To return to CMS, type:

#cp i cms

III Debian Access (from ON-Campus)

Once a virtual Debian machine has been booted,youcan connect to it using anysshclient. (I have found Putty to work very well.) The name of the Debian machine derives from the associated VM account. For example, the Debian machine associated with VMaccount tjw101 is tjw101.cc.binghamton.edu. Be sure to use the account assigned to YOU.

Each Debian machine has two accounts: root and joeuser.

The initial passwords for both will be announced in class.

You should change the passwords on these accounts to prevent unauthorized access. There is no way for us to recover root’s password if you forget it. In that case we would have to rebuild youraccount and all data would be lost.

You may login now and you will be in a linemode session. To setup for the Gnome Desktop, continue to the next step.

IV Setting up and running the Debian GUI (Gnome)

Background: Access to the GUI is available via VNC (Virtual Network Connection). The GUI available is GNOME. The recommended VNC software is theTightVNCclient (for compatibility reasons).. TightVNC is available for download at:

A Starting the VNC Server

1 login to Linux as"joeuser" with your Linux password, and type vncserver. If the access password has not been set, you will be prompted to create one. This password will be used to connect to the Gnome Desktop. If you enter the command more than once, multiple VNC displays will be created. You can have more than one display running, but I don’t see why. It’s just more overhead.

  • All the VNC info is stored in a directory called .vnc, under the user’s home directory. It has a log file for each display process, a file containing the PID of each display process, a file containing the password (passwd), and a startup file (xstartup). If you delete the password file, you will be prompted for a new password the next time you invoke VNC. The startup file is set to invoke GNOME.
  • When you start the VNC server it provides a number for the display. This begins at 1, and is incremented for each additional display. To stop a given display, type

vncserver –kill :n

where nis the display number. For example, vncserver –kill :1

Now just close the Window.

B Connect to your Gnome Desktop

1 Start the VNC Client

2 Connect to tjwxxx.cc.binghamton.edu:1. When you connect, you provide the name of the server and the display number. For the password, use the password you created in step III A 1 above

C To disconnect, simply close the window. Note, in closing the window you are just disconnecting from the display, what is running in the display will continue to run.

V Logging out/terminating Linux & the VNC Server

A I think they can leave the VNCserver running. We'll take a look at performance once the class becomes more active, and I'll let you know if we're having problems and need to change procedures.

B If you logoff your virtual machine (from CMS) it will kill your Debian machine. However, it's always best to do a shutdown of Debian first.

C Unfortunately, there's no way to shutdown Debian and execute a logoff (from inside Debian). Once Debian is down, you tn3270 to the disconnected machine to issue a logoff, the last bit of "cleanup". From a performance standpoint, it shouldn't hurt to leave the disconnected machine up, but doing the final logoff is probably a good practice.

VI HELPDESK

A The HelpDesk does not have access to the TJW mainframe, and will not be able to directly help you with problems. However, it is still best to open a call with the HelpDesk when they encounter problems. Such calls will be routed to Systems Programming.

VII Debian information

A Info on Debian can be found at the Debian website:

B Notes:

1 There exists a file that allows you to specify which kernel is the file associated with which version number at boot time.

/etc/zipl.conf

(that’s an “ell”, not a “one” after “zip”). It’s a plaintext file.

You might also check out

"Device Drivers, Features, and Commands - SC33-8289-04"

see Chapter 32 zipl - zSeries initial program loader

and Appendix: Booting Linux

at the links below:

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