Sensitive Data Research Environment (SDRE) Gateway User Guide
Introduction
This article serves as a guide to connecting and using the Sensitive Data Research Environment (SDRE) Gateway.
Applicability
This document is applicable to anyone who uses or supports the SDRE Gateway service.
Details
The SDRE Gateway is a web portal used to access a hosted SDRE Desktop that IST Manages. This desktop has a number of tools and University of Alberta required applications that are needed to access high performance compute resources in the Sensitive Data Research Environment (SDRE) and Research Data Storage Service (RDSS) environments.
PREREQUESITES
GETTING STARTED
WORKING WITH THE SDRE DESKTOP
APPLICATIONS
WINDOWS SUBSYSTEM FOR LINUX
PREREQUESITES:
-
You must be connected to VPN, using the @SDRE context in order to be able to reach the SDRE Gateway web portal
- Your CCID must also be enabled to access the SDRE Gateway site, please submit a ticket at: https://universityofalberta.freshservice.com/support/home
- A Citrix client used to access the SDRE Desktop - There are two types available, and can be obtained int he Getting Started section below.
- Citrix Workspace App - Offers the best performance, has the most features to interact with your client machine. This client is generally recommended if you need to copy data to/from the SDRE Desktop.
- HTML5 Client - This opens the SDRE Desktop in a web browser, it isn't as feature rich, but is convenient in that you don't need to install a client.
GETTING STARTED:
- Start by connecting to VPN (using the @SDRE context)
<insert screenshot and link to KB on using VPN>
- Open a web browser, and browse to https://sdregateway.ualberta.ca
- Login with your CCID.
- If this is the first time connecting to the SDRE Gateway, you'll be asked what client you want to use. The preferred method is to download and install the Citrix Workspace App, which can be obtained by clicking on Detect Workspace, otherwise for a lighter experience you may choose to open the SDRE gateway within a web browser. This option can be changed later in the Account Settings.
- On the desktop selection screen you'll see the SDRE Desktop icon, click on it.
- The SDRE desktop will now be available.
WORKING WITH THE SDRE DESKTOP
The SDRE Desktop essentially runs as an application on your physical machine. As such, you can minimize the desktop, resize it, go back to it, or even disconnect (leaving your session still running in the datacenter, with your apps or documents open). To interact with the desktop, there is a black drop down menu along the top. This is the Citrix toolbar, and it allows you to interact with the desktop in a variety of ways including toggling between full screen mode and windowed mode, setting session preferences like how you will interact with your client devices and peripherals.
This is the toolbar for the Citrix Workspace App client. The HTML5 toolbar will look a little different.
If you need to move data in/out of the SDRE Desktop, you may see the popup when you first connect to your session as it attempts to communicate with your local hard drive. Make sure to click on "Do not ask me again for this virtual desktop" to avoid having it popup every time you login. Then select the level of access you wan the SDRE Desktop to have to your local hard drive(s).
In File Explorer, you will then see your local drive(s) available. In the example below only the C: drive is passed through.
APPLICATIONS
There are a handful of applications included on the SDRE Desktop primarily used to connect and interact with the high powered compute servers available in SDRE and RDSS environments. The SDRE Desktop generally will not do any processing of data, and is designed as more of a "jump server" to get into the higher compute resources.
WINDOWS SUBSYSTEM FOR LINUX (WSL)
WSL version 1 is installed and is available for users to add to their profile if they need it. There is some light setup should you find the need to use it.
To get WSL working:
Open Terminal from the Start Menu
Set the default distribution to version 1:
wsl --set-default-version 1
Now you can install a distribution:
wsl --install -d <distribution name>
Example:
wsl --install -d Ubuntu
After it installs, it'll ask for the unix user account you want to use, as well as the password you want to assign to it.
You can find the distribution in the Start menu
Upon launching Ubuntu, it'll open in a new terminal window
