pc-stelzer-nas User Guide

  • Before using the file server, you will need to change your password. Since all user accounts are configured with memberships in the groups "Users" as well as "Remote Desktop Users", you can simply use the Windows Remote Desktop Connection in order to change your password. To do so, start "Remote Desktop Connection" from the Windows program menu and type in "pc-stelzer-nas" as the target computer. You will be asked for your credentials - do not save these, since you are about to change your password anyway. After login, click on "Start" and then on "Windows Security". A new window will open, in which you can select "Change Password...". Replace your current default password with your new personal password.
  • You can always log on to pc-stelzer-nas in order to perform file transfer operations. For daily use, however, it is usually more convenient to map the data drive of pc-stelzer-nas as a dedicated Windows drive on your own desktop computer. You can operate this new drive in the same manner that you are used to from the physical hard disks in your computer. To do so, open the "Windows Explorer" (Windows key + "E") and select "Map Network Drive..." from the "Tools" menu. Select your drive letter of choice and enter "\\pc-stelzer-nas\Data" as the target folder. Make sure that "Reconnect at logon" is checked and click on "Connect using different user name", if the credentials for pc-stelzer-nas differ from those on your desktop machine. Type in your user name and password for pc-stelzer-nas and click on "Finish". The data drive of pc-stelzer-nas  should now appear as a new permanent drive in Windows Explorer.
  • Location and specifications of pc-stelzer-nas: The external storage device consists of an easyRAID hard disk housing and a dedicated one HE file server. The easyRAID contains 16 identical hard disks with 750 GB capacity each. The disks are combined in a RAID-6 array, providing a total of 9.54 TB storage capacity and a two-disk redundancy. The easyRAID is attached to the file server with the name pc-stelzer-nas via an Ultra SCSI 320 interface. The file server itself provides two DualCore CPUs and runs the Windows Server 2003 operating system. The physical location of the easyRAID and the file server is the main computer room of the EMBL computer group, in a rack in the diagonally opposite corner from the entrance. Do not shut down pc-stelzer-nas by remote control unless absolutely required, since you will have to go to the computer group and ask for entrance permission to power on the machine.
  • Safety precautions: It is strongly recommended to check the status of the disk array in the easyRAID housing at least once every 1-2 months. If one or two of the disks fail, the data drive of pc-stelzer-nas will still behave normally. However, the internal speaker of the file server will begin to beep in short intervals. Thus, it is straight-forward to notice a potential hardware problem in time by walking past the machine. Do not rely on the computer group to fix any arising issues. They might notify our group if they notice suspicious activity, but they are not responsible for our device. Dead disks can be replaced by new disks from the same series (Seagate Barracuda 7200.10, 750 GB SATA-II) without shutting down the computer (hot-swapping).
  • If a major issue arises or you have difficulties using the file server, contact Philipp Keller or Fabian Härle.

17 August 2009

 

LMG Group Disk 

The group disk is accessible via a Windows/SMB directory share just as any other shared folder.  The network location is \\stelzer\stelzer .  The user name and password are your EMBL account credentials:

user: “embl\username you also use for VPN and email”  
password: “the password you also use for VPN and email”

The directory structure on \\stelzer\stelzer follows a few simple rules.  1) Every group member has his/her own folder within the directory “LMGUsers”.  2) Data placed in your own folder can be read by everybody else in the group but can be neither over-written nor deleted.  3) Every group member has read/write/delete access to the folder “PublicGroup”.  Use this folder if you which to transfer large amounts of data to somebody else.  The receiver should move the data to his/her folder or computer and then make sure it has been deleted.  4) The folder “PublicResources” is managed by Fabian Härle.  It contains documents of various kinds (e.g. diploma and Ph.D. theses, eBooks, pictures and legal software).

The folder “SoftwareDevelopment” contains the backup of the LSFM software development project.  Please remember that 1TB is not a lot for a group like ours so please only move the stuff there that you wish to share with other group members.  The old “pc-stelzer19” server has been switched off on 18 February 2009.

Version 18 February 2009