Using SSH or PuTTY for a Remote Command-Line Connection to the School of Computing (CIS) Linux Labs (EOS)

Using SSH, you can connect your computer's Terminal to a computer within the CIS Linux labs.

If you are off campus, connecting this way will require a VPN connection to GVSU via Ivanti Secure Access VPN

Requirements

• A GVSU account
• A connection to the GVSU network (either physically or via VPN)
• Windows only: PuTTY or an Installed Linux Subsystem

At the start of a new semester, you might get an error saying "WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!"

This is likely due to the lab computers being reset and your personal computer using old fingerprints. See our guide SSH Error - Remote Host Identification Has Changed to fix this issue. 

Step-by-step guides

In these examples, we use arch01 as the computer we're connecting to. You can use any of the CIS/EOS Linux computers in place of the example computer:

eos01.cis.gvsu.edu - eos30.cis.gvsu.edu

arch01.cis.gvsu.edu - arhc10.cis.gvsu.edu

dc01.cis.gvsu.edu - dc25.cis.gvsu.edu

macOS or Linux

The following can be done in the Terminal in macOS or your preferred terminal emulator in Linux:

1. If you are not on campus, make sure you're connected via GVSU's VPN: Ivanti Secure Access VPN.
   • Ivanti Secure Access VPN is not maintained by the HPC Support Team. Please see GVSU IT for support.

2. In the Terminal, type the following command:
   
   ssh yourGVSUusername@arch01.cis.gvsu.edu

3. Your first time connecting you will see a message starting with, "The authenticity of host 'arch01.cis.gvsu.edu' can't be established." Type yes to add this computer as a known host. 

4. When prompted, enter the password for your GVSU account (you will not see security dots when entering this password)
5. If successful, you will be connected to arch01
   

Windows (using PuTTY)

Putty can be found on the desktop all HPC-domain Windows computers.

The latest version can be found on PuTTY's website.

1. If you are not on campus, make sure you're connected via GVSU's VPN: Ivanti Secure Access VPN.
   • Ivanti Secure Access VPN is not maintained by the HPC Support Team. Please see GVSU IT for support.
2. In PuTTY enter the following, or make sure the following items are correct:

   • Host Name (or IP address): arch01.cis.gvsu.edu

   • Port: 22

   • Connection type: SSH
   • 
3. Click Open at the bottom right of the PuTTY Configuration window
   You may see an error starting like, "The server's host key is not cached in the registry." Click "Yes" to trust this host.
4. A new command-line style window will open
5. When prompted, enter your GVSU username
6. When prompted, enter your GVSU account password (you will not see security dots when entering this password)
7. If successful, you will be connected to arch01
   

SSH Fingerprints

If you'd like to verify the SSH fingerprints before connecting, they are on a Google Sheet which requires a GVSU Google account to access:

CIS EOS Lab SSH Fingerprints Sheet