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How to Connect to a STRATUS Remote Desktop Session

When to Use (and Why)

STRATUS is a remote desktop environment used for pre-approved classroom environments (predominantly in the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing) and university research.

The STRATUS environment is accessible anywhere you have an Internet connection and a device capable of running Microsoft Remote Desktop. This guide is focused on Windows and macOS devices.

If you're connecting from a mobile device or a Chromebook, see our guide Accessing Stratus from a Mobile Device (or Chromebook).

Requirements

  • An internet connection

  • A computer running Windows 10 or macOS 10.14+ (as of 8/20/2021)

  • Your GVSU account

  • Enrollment in a course using STRATUS for the current semester, or an approved STRATUS research environment

Having trouble?

If you have any trouble with these steps, please double check our STRATUS Troubleshooting Guide.

Changes starting Fall 2021

STRATUS will now use the same standard GVSU account students, faculty and staff use for Blackboard, Banner, Email, etc.

No more "hpc\" before your username when logging in—instead you will need to enter the following with your username:

For students: username@student

For faculty/staff: username@office

NOTE: Faculty/Staff enrolled in a class as a student will need to use their student account to see the correct STRATUS environments.

STRATUS as also moved to a new URL: stratus.gvsu.edu

The old STRATUS webpage will redirect to the new STRATUS webpage. You will need to download new RDP files from the new STRATUS to connect.

The "Private Data" folder more common in other GVSU labs is now the primary place to store your files. To find your old W-Drive data, please see What happened to the old W-Drive and X-Drive in STRATUS?

Video Guides

macOS - How to Connect to STRATUS (YouTube)

Windows - How to Connect to STRATUS (YouTube)

Procedure

If you have logged into STRATUS before, you can skip to Part 2.

Part 1 - Signing in at the STRATUS webpage

  1. In your web browser, go to the STRATUS Web Access page 

  2. Enter your GVSU username (adding '@office' for faculty/staff, and '@student' for students) and password

    STRATUS login page with an example username of "testuser@office"

    • Your username is everything in your GVSU email before the @-symbol.
      (Example: "doejoe@mail.gvsu.edu" becomes "doejoe")

    • After your username, you must add "@office" or "@student" depending on if you're faculty/staff or a student
      (Example: doejoe@office)

    • Enter the same password you use for Banner, Blackboard, GVSU email, etc.

  3. If successful, you'll see a collection of STRATUS environments you can connect to.

  4. Click on the environment you'd like to connect to.

  5. An .rdp file will download. This file is unique to the environment you selected.

From here the steps will vary slightly between macOS and Windows. Continue to the correct heading based on your personal device type.

 

Part 2 for Windows 10 - Opening the .rdp file

  1. Open the .rdp file from your downloads

  2. If prompted with the window asking " Do you trust the publisher of this remote connection?"  Click Connect .

  3. Sign in with your GVSU username  (formatted as "your-username@office" for faculty/staff, or "your-username@student" for students) and password
    Windows 10 Remote Desktop prompt for username and password with sample text in the username field of your-username@student

    • If you're connecting from a personal device, your personal username might already be filled in. To change to your GVSU account do the following:

      • Click More choices

      • Click Use a different account

      • enter in your username as formatted in the previous login steps ("username@student" or "username@office") and your password

  4. Click  OK  or press the  Enter/Return key to sign in.

  5. You should now be connected to your STRATUS remote desktop session.

  6. When you are done with SRATUS, logout using the Windows icon in the lower left corner. Click the user icon, and click sign out.

Part 2 for macOS - Opening the .rdp file

  1. Before opening your .rdp file, make sure you've downloaded Microsoft Remote Desktop 10 from the Mac AppStore , opened the application and walked through the first-run setup prompts as those prompts will prevent your remote session from starting.

  2. Open the .rdp file from your downloads

  3. Microsoft Remote Desktop will open and prompt you for your username and password

  4. Sign in with your GVSU username (formatted as "your-username@office" for faculty/staff, or "your-username@student" for students) and password
    Microsoft Remote Desktop for macOS prompting for a username and password with example text showing your-username@student in the username field

  5. Click Continue  or press the  Enter/Return key to sign in.

  6. You should now be connected to your STRATUS remote desktop session.

  7. When you are done with SRATUS, logout using the Windows icon in the lower left corner. Click the user icon, and click sign out.

Ending your STRATUS session

See How to end a STRATUS Remote Desktop Session to log out properly.

Having Trouble?

If you're getting errors or have any trouble with these steps, please double check our STRATUS Troubleshooting Guide.

 
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Details

Article ID: 538
Created
Thu 9/9/21 4:47 PM
Modified
Sun 3/20/22 12:31 PM

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STRATUS (Remote Desktop Environment)
STRATUS is a remote desktop environment used for classroom environments (predominantly in the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing) and for university research.