Getting started with DAMTP Computing

Welcome to DAMTP Computing.

Terminology:

• Your username, also known as your CRSid, is created by the UCS (the central University Computing Service) and is used across all (or very nearly all!) computer systems in the University, including those in DAMTP. It identifies you uniquely among all past, present and future members of the University's computer systems simply by appending a number to your initials. So, if you are Alfred Bloggs, your CRSid will be perhaps ab312; if an Anne Boleyn should enroll as a student next year, she will be given the CRSid ab313, and so on. Note that the initials in your CRSid are in lowercase - sometimes this won't matter, but lowercase is always going to work.
• In this documentation, where ever you see the bold typeface crsid you need to substitute your CRSid.

Email (Hermes), Raven (laptop and web authentication) and PWF passwords

If you are new to the university you should receive a booklet "IT Matters @ Cambridge" which explains what Hermes, PWF and Raven are used for. If you do not receive one, please contact a DAMTP computer officer.

Log into a DAMTP computer using the username and password given above, open a web-browser and go to the page

Members of staff and visitors: please use the registration code you've received with this account on a seperate sheet of paper. Research students: please use your Board of Graduate Studies ID. If you do not have a registration code or BGS ID and need these passwords, please contact a computer officer. Please change your initial passwords:

Personal Data

Check that the department has recorded your correct Name, Email address, Office and phone number.

Please fill in your details on your departmental profile page.

Fill in your phone number and email address on lookup. This service is only accessible to members of the University.

Email

Email Addresses

You have an email address in the form of crsid@cam.ac.uk. Email sent to this address is automatically forwarded to your mailbox on the Hermes system which is run by the UCS. (You can also address this same mailbox as crsid@hermes.cam.ac.uk but this is rarely relevant.)

When you collected your passwords you were asked if you'd like to be included in the University's external email directory. You can change whether or not your address is in this at any time. See the University Computing Service's information sheet number 29 for more information.

You also have two DAMTP email addresses, one in the form of crsid@damtp.cam.ac.uk, and the other in what is often called the friendly form, for example A.Bloggs@damtp.cam.ac.uk. As before, email sent to these addresses gets redirected to your Hermes email account.

Mistakes do happen - if we have mis-spelt your email address or used the wrong surname please email help@damtp.

Reading Email

To read your email please collect your Hermes email password.

• Hermes webmail email
• Choose and configure an Email Program to access Hermes mail

To set up vacation messages, email redirections or spam filtering and general filtering use the Manage options on webmail. Help on webmail.

Mailing Lists

You must make sure you are on the correct Departmental email lists. A list of lists and joining instructions are on this webpage:

Finding Email addresses

• Use the university directory. You can configure your email program to look up addresses in the university directory.
• DAMTP addresses can be found on the departmental contact list.
• Search for people's email addresses

Your Home Directory

Your home directory is important and is where your most important data can be kept. Hence your home directory is very well backed up. Proper backup is expensive, so the default quota is 1GB, and more space can be requested.

Additional disk space for storing files can be found in /data and /scratch areas. Neither of these are backed up. /scratch areas get deleted when a machine is re-installed. We try to preserve the files in the /data areas when computers are re-installed.

Files created in your Home Directory are by default readable by anyone on the system. When your DAMTP Account was created some special folders/directories were created which you can use to keep information private, or, share only with your group .

Computers in DAMTP

The DAMTP research system is mainly comprised of Scientific Linux machines with some groups running MacOSX. Administrative staff use Windows machines. There is a separate laptop and wireless/wired network.

UNIX Computers

UNIX computers in DAMTP are mainly running Scientific linux or Mac OSX. Your home directory which is called "crsid's Home" on the default linux desktop has a starting quota of 1Gb and anything you keep in your home directory is backed up regularly. Your home directory is on a central server and so you can access it from any of the DAMTP computers. On Windows computers it is often referred to as "the N drive".

The default desktop is Gnome. Documentation on the computing web pages assumes you are using Gnome.

To set a default printer you need to edit a special file

Introduction to the DAMTP UNIX system, booklet (PDF)

Computer Access - UNIX

You have access to any computers in the PUB group and those listed as belonging to your group.

Run the command access-list. (This can be typed in the Terminal or xterm applications).

There are public UNIX computers you can log into on the first floor benches (around the staircases) of pavilions F, G and H and in Pavilion B on the second floor alcove (near the coffee area); Pavilion H also has some public OSX machines; Pavilions G and B each have a public windows computer with a scanner attached.

If you are remotely connecting to a DAMTP host from outside, please use the host ssh.damtp.cam.ac.uk, e.g., by entering this command: ssh crsid@ssh.damtp.cam.ac.uk

Windows Computers

Information about DAMTP Windows computers.

There are some PUBLIC Windows computers available and there is remote access to Windows applications.

Most of the DAMTP Windows computers are used by administrative staff.

Announcements

Seminars, events, computer announcements and message of the day are displayed on the department's internal web page and you are advised to view it regularly. This is best done by setting your web browser's homepage to http://www.damtp.cam.ac.uk/internal so that it is always displayed first thing when starting the browser.

Passwords

Please change your initial passwords as soon as possible.

Wired and Wireless Internet Access - CMS Laptop Network

You can use a laptop (or have your own desktop computer) on a separate network to connect to the Internet, send email, etc..

• CMS Laptop Documentation
• DAMTP Specific information for the laptop network
• Laptop Data Backup Service

Printing

Most of the general use printers are located in corridors, either on benches or in alcoves. You may use any of the public printers.

Training Courses

There are IT/Computing training courses that are free for University Staff and Students.

Software and Hardware Available

Software and Hardware, including Matlab, Mathematica, compilers, printers and buying equipment.

Other Computing Facilities

• setting up a personal webpage
• University computing facilities
• generally accessible computers called the Public Workstation Facility (PWF) (Windows/Linux) for the use of all staff and students

Other Computing Information

• University Computing Service accounts and ancillary services
• IT Matters @ Cambridge leaflet - staff version (pdf)
• IT Matters @ Cambridge leaflet - student version (pdf)