Linux-support
Introduction
The Research Computing (RC) team at TAMUQ is focused primarily on supporting the computational needs of researchers through the provision of High Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure and services. Most of that infrastructure is exclusively Linux based, and all of our HPC users work with the Linux OS. While we fully support this large, shared Linux infrastructure for a community of 100+ researchers, we do not have staff dedicated to support Linux use on the desktop -- and the demands of the two communities differ significantly even though on the surface they both rely on Linux platforms.
However, because there is no other organizational unit at TAMUQ that provides desktop Linux support, we often find ourselves fielding questions from that segment of the research community. This wiki is an effort to service some of those needs in some small way, even though it is admittedly insufficient. If you think you need to install Linux on a desktop or laptop for the needs of your research project, we hope the guidance on these pages will be useful.
Level of RC support
Simply because we are a very small group, administering, maintaining, or troubleshooting your systems is largely beyond our capacity. But if you run into problems, we may be able to field questions and offer advice about the Linux OS for use on your laptops or desktops. Please note though that support for these non-HPC needs is offered on a "best-effort" basis due to our limited human resources.
Because this is all very vague and non-committal, we have made an effort to drill down into the details and discuss the challenges of Linux support and put our services within the context of those challenges. If you'd like to know in greater detail what we will or will not be able to do for you (and why), please read the section on our support philosophy.
Supported Linux Installation Options
Virtual Machines
The basic option if Linux is needed is to install a virtual machine. More information about virtual machines can be found here. However, please keep in mind that this is the basic option to take. If your work will either require accessing some internal hardware in your machine (e.g. GPU) or external hardware (e.g. through the USB port) you will face difficulties with that. In that case, please go to the next section.
Bare metal Linux
If a project insists on purchasing hardware for bare metal Linux deployments for its research needs (and please do discuss those needs with us before starting procurement!) we suggest that the correct approach is to purchase hardware from a vendor that claims to support Linux as an OS, and also provides maintenance support for the hardware itself (i.e. replacement of failed components). Consequently, RC suggests two hardware products for your potential needs, one a laptop and the other a desktop product.
Supported Hardware and Distributions
RC provides a set of documentation for the installation of:
| Linux Distribution | RC Documentation | RC Supported hardware |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | Documentation | TBA |
| CentOS 7 | Documentation | TBA |
If you do not wish to purchase any of the suggested models or use the suggested distros, RC cannot commit even to the basic support for your platform that we offer for these suggested models and distros. Our guidance and self-help instructions may or may not work for the hardware + distribution combination of your choice; regardless, in this scenario we will not commit to spending time investigating potential issues if and when they arise, or to researching and answering questions about your platform. You will be on your own.
How to seek support
The primary mechanism for seeking assistance from Research Computing is by sending email to "servicedesk@qatar.tamu.edu". The service desk email address and back-end ticketing system are managed by the IT department, which is an organizational unit distinct and separate from Research Computing. The IT service desk staff perform the important function of sifting through and categorizing requests from the user community, and where appropriate, assigning certain requests to other organizational units such as Research Computing. Requests sent to the service desk typically reach our work queue within tens of minutes during business hours.
When submitting requests, we ask that you please follow some important guidelines. Your technical queries should include, when possible, the following items:
- An informative and relevant e-mail (subject) header
- The vendor and model of the machine you are working on
- The name of the Linux distribution you are using (e.g. Ubuntu, CentOS)
- Relevant error messages (or screenshots where that could be more useful)
- The name of the program or application you were running
- A clear description of the problem
The usefulness, accuracy, and promptness of our responses often depend on the quality and relevance of the information you supply in your query. Problems described in well-formed queries tend to achieve resolution more quickly than is otherwise the case.
In the end, once again, please note that RC will address issues encountered during OS installation if the user has followed our platform recommendations. Users who choose hardware/distribution combinations to which we have not committed shall not receive the same attention. Furthermore, please note that we do not have the resources to be in the business of administering your systems. If your questions appear to relate to basic Linux know-how or common system administration tasks, we will point you to online resources most of the time.