Getting started with Computing in DAMTP

Computer Account Details

You receive your computer account details from your group / pavilion secretary.

To do

When you have your account details there are a few thing you need to do

  1. Subscribe to the department lists. (Raven password needed). It is usual to be on a pavilion list, a research group list, a status list and damtp-all.

  2. Check your entry on the Email and phone list. If a week has elapsed since you arrived and your entry is missing either email records@damtp.cam.ac.uk or contact your group / pavilion secretary.

    IMPORTANT Once you have an entry, please populate your department profile page. Fill in your research interests and upload a photo.

    At the end of each term we compile a list of missing photos and upload them, usually using the university card photo.

  3. Fill in your details on the university lookup service. This service is only accessible to members of the University. You can do this as soon as you have your Raven password.

  4. Please change your initial passwords.

  5. In addition to your @cam.ac.uk email address you may have an @damtp.cam.ac.uk address. If you intend to use this @damtp.cam.ac.uk email address then log into the university webmail system and add your @damtp.cam.ac.uk email address to your account. (Go to Manage -> Preferences -> Display tab -> Alt Addresses option).

Email

The university email service is called Hermes. Instructions for setting up your email program. There is also a webmail service available for reading email - https://webmail.hermes.cam.ac.uk.

Introduction to university email services.

Your data

Your home directory is regularly backed up. If you use a laptop for your work this data should also be regularly backed up.

As proper backup is expensive everyone's home directory has a quota.

Department backup services (home directory and laptop).

Computing Overview

The standard desktop computer runs scientific linux. You can use Windows from the Linux desktop.

Administrative staff use computers running Windows.

Some computers are department owned (often called public computers) and some are owned by research groups. It is usual to have access to the public ones and one's own research group computers. If you cannot log into your desktop computer please contact the Maths Computer Officers.

Remote access is typically with ssh. The computer name is ssh.damtp.cam.ac.uk.

Laptops (tablets and mobiles)

There is a separate laptop and wireless/wired network. You can connect to this with your Raven password. However it is usually better to use eduroam.

Rules and policies

You agreed to our rules when you filled in your part of our user application form. They are here again for reference.

More information

More information about DAMTP computing/IT services. In the documentation the login name (username) you receive with your department account is called your crsid. You should have the same crsid with us as you have with the University Computing Service.

There are free (for university staff and students) IT/Computing training courses.

The information on our computing wiki is provided by other members of the department. Anyone with a department account may contribute to this project. Maybe you could add to it?