IRSC offers its students enrolled in CGS 2760 a variety of options available to gain access to Linux software as described one the page entitled Linux Software - Options for Access and Use. One of these is to remotely access an account (provided for each student in the course) on an IRCC server running Linux. These accounts are typically setup within the first week of classes, near the end of the drop/add period. This option relieves students from having to download or install any distribution of Linux, however they must use a secure (SSH/Telnet protocol) remote login client installed on their computer to access our server.
You can download and install a popular freeware package named PuTTY from
[http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/]
To download the latest version of PuTTY for any modern version of Windows, [click here].
You should expect to see a "File Download" dialog box appear on your screen.
The safer option here is to click on the Save button and identify
a folder to save the program file into.
Unless you have previously downloaded software and saved it to a specific location,
Windows typically suggests a "Save in" location of the Windows Desktop.
If you have previously downloaded software and saved it to a specific location,
Windows will suggest a "Save in" location of the last folder used to save downloaded files.
If you prefer to save the PuTTY executable file in some folder other than the one suggested,
then use the droplist via the arrow on the right edge of the Save in text box
to browse through the folders on your computer and select a place to store the program file.
Then click on the Save button at the bottom right side of the dialog box.
It would be wise to use whatever anti-virus software is on your computer to scan the freshly
downloaded file for viruses.
The downloaded file's name will be putty.exe.
It is a stand-alone program file which can be stored in and run from any folder or your Windows Desktop screen.
It will require that you are already connected to the Internet. It simply uses whatever connection is available.
It does not require installation. It can be removed by simply erasing the program file.
You might also want to download the Windows Help file for the PuTTY program. To download the latest version of the PuTTY Help file for any modern version of Windows, [click here]. Simply save this file in the same folder as the program and open it when you require documentation. You can also [access this documentation on-line from the PuTTY web site].
Even if you prefer to not install PuTTY on your computer, it is still possible to use it.
Most popular anti-virus programs now scan downloaded files "on-the-fly".
If yours is like this, then you can temporarily download and run the program without saving it on your computer.
This is useful if you are using a computer that is not yours.
To run a temporary copy of the program, start the download process as described above,
but when the "File Download" dialog box appears on your screen, simply select the [Open] button
(instead of the Save button) and start the download process.
PuTTY will download and run, displaying its configuration dialog box as shown in the second
illustration on the Adobe® PDF file entitled
Using PuTTY to Access the IRCC Linux Server. After closing the
program it will be abandoned by Windows and its storage space will be made available to future downloads.
After installing and/or running PuTTY on your PC, you will be able to use your
username and password to logon to our Linux server (named munin.ircc.net).
It is a Linux host. You will have an ordinary user account on this server,
but will not have administrative (root user) access. This will restrict some of the
activities that you can perform with this option. You will be able to work from
anywhere with Internet access (broadband speeds are preferable, but not essential),
but the PC must have an SSH/Telnet client installed first.
For detailed instructions on using PuTTY to access the IRCC Linux Server, retrieve the Adobe® PDF file entitled Using PuTTY to Access the IRCC Linux Server.