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Using an Interactive Desktop

Open OnDemand provides a graphical Linux desktop running on a VHPC compute node. You can use it to run supported graphical applications through your browser without installing separate remote-desktop software.

The desktop runs as a Slurm job using the resources and runtime selected when the session is requested.

Launch the Desktop

From the Open OnDemand navigation bar:

  1. Open Interactive Apps.
  2. Under Desktops, select VHPC Desktop (NEW).
  3. Complete the request form.
  4. Select Launch.

You can also select VHPC Desktop (NEW) from the left side of My Interactive Sessions.

Choose Session Resources

The launch form includes options such as:

  • Slurm account
  • Number of hours
  • Number of CPU cores
  • Number of GPUs
  • Partition
  • Optional email notification

Choose resources appropriate for the work you plan to perform.

Requesting more resources than needed may increase the time the session spends waiting in the queue.

Note

The selected resources apply to the entire desktop session and generally cannot be increased after it starts.

Wait for the Desktop

After launch, the desktop appears under My Interactive Sessions.

While waiting for resources, the session card displays Queued and provides a Cancel button.

When the session is ready, the card changes to Running and displays information such as:

  • Assigned compute host
  • Remaining runtime
  • Allocated nodes, CPU cores, and GPUs
  • Slurm job ID
  • Compression and image-quality controls
  • Launch VHPC Desktop (NEW)
  • View Only (Share-able Link)
  • Cancel

A queued desktop is not necessarily experiencing a problem. It may be waiting for the requested resources to become available.

Connect to the Desktop

Select Launch VHPC Desktop (NEW) from the running session card.

The desktop opens in the current browser tab.

Tip

Before connecting, consider opening My Interactive Sessions in a separate browser tab. This keeps the session controls available while the desktop uses the other tab.

The Desktop Environment

The VHPC desktop provides a lightweight graphical Linux environment.

The desktop includes:

  • Home and File System icons
  • An application menu
  • A file manager
  • A terminal emulator
  • Basic desktop settings
  • A logout option

The application menu includes categories such as:

  • Accessories
  • Internet
  • Multimedia
  • System
  • Settings

The desktop is intentionally minimal. Applications not shown in the menu may need to be started from a terminal.

Open a Terminal

Open Applications → Terminal Emulator to start a terminal on the compute node assigned to the desktop session.

You can use it to:

  • Navigate VHPC storage
  • Inspect and manage files
  • Load software modules
  • Start graphical or command-line applications
  • Run work appropriate for the allocated session

Unlike Clusters → VHPC Shell Access, this terminal runs on the compute node allocated to your desktop rather than on a shared login node.

Find and Load Software

Use Clusters → Module Browser from the main Open OnDemand interface to find available software and the appropriate module load command.

From the desktop terminal, load a module with a command such as:

module load module-name

Then start the application using its documented command.

Programs launched from the desktop terminal share the CPUs, memory, GPUs, and runtime allocated to the desktop session.

Work with Files

The desktop can access the same persistent VHPC storage available through the file manager and web shell.

Save important work to locations such as:

  • Your home directory
  • Your Work directory
  • Your Staging directory
  • An approved project directory

Files stored only in temporary compute-node locations may be removed when the session ends.

For browser-based file management, see Managing Files in Open OnDemand.

Display Controls

The running session card provides controls for:

  • Compression
  • Image quality

Higher image quality may improve visual clarity but can require more bandwidth.

Lower image quality or greater compression may improve responsiveness over a slower connection or VPN session.

Copy and Paste

Copy-and-paste behavior can vary because keyboard shortcuts may be handled by:

  • The remote Linux desktop
  • Your local operating system
  • Your browser

When a shortcut does not behave as expected, try the application’s menus or other clipboard controls available in the remote session.

Reconnect to the Desktop

Closing the desktop tab does not normally stop the Slurm job.

To reconnect:

  1. Return to Open OnDemand.
  2. Open My Interactive Sessions.
  3. Locate the running desktop session.
  4. Select Launch VHPC Desktop (NEW) again.

You can reconnect while the session remains running and within its requested time limit.

End the Desktop Session

When you are finished:

  1. Save your work.
  2. Exit any running applications.
  3. Return to My Interactive Sessions.
  4. Select Cancel.
  5. Confirm the action.

After the session ends, the card changes to Completed.

Completed cards remain visible temporarily and can be removed with Delete.

Warning

Closing only the desktop tab does not necessarily end the session. A running desktop continues to hold its allocated VHPC resources until it is cancelled or reaches its time limit.

The session card may provide a View Only (Share-able Link) option.

A view-only connection allows another person to see the desktop without controlling it.

Do not share a session link unless sharing the displayed information is appropriate and authorized. The desktop may contain research data, open files, terminal output, or other sensitive information.

Session Time Limits

The desktop ends automatically when it reaches the runtime selected on the launch form.

The session card displays the remaining time.

Save your work regularly rather than waiting until the end of the session.

Warning

Open OnDemand cannot guarantee that applications will save your work before the desktop session ends.

Troubleshooting

The desktop remains queued

The requested CPUs, GPUs, partition, or other resources may not yet be available.

Do not submit duplicate desktop sessions while the original request remains queued.

The launch button does not appear

Confirm that the session has changed from Queued to Running.

Refresh My Interactive Sessions if the displayed state appears outdated.

The desktop opened in the current tab

This is expected.

Open My Interactive Sessions in another browser tab before connecting when you want to keep the session controls readily available.

The desktop is slow

Try:

  • Lowering image quality
  • Increasing compression
  • Closing applications you are not using
  • Reducing the graphical complexity of the application

Network, VPN, and browser performance may also affect responsiveness.

An application is missing

The application may need to be loaded through an environment module or started from the terminal.

Use Clusters → Module Browser to search for the software.

I closed the desktop tab

Return to My Interactive Sessions and reconnect to the running session.

The desktop ended unexpectedly

The session may have:

  • Reached its runtime limit
  • Been cancelled
  • Exceeded its resource allocation
  • Encountered an application error
  • Experienced a compute-node or service problem

Check the completed or failed session card and review any available application output.

Next Steps

Getting Help

If an interactive desktop repeatedly fails, cannot be opened, or does not behave as expected, contact the Kennesaw State University Service Desk.

Method Students Faculty/Staff
Web ServiceNow ServiceNow
E-Mail studenthelpdesk@kennesaw.edu service@kennesaw.edu
Phone 470-578-3555 470-578-6999

When reporting a problem, include:

  • Your NetID
  • The approximate date and time of the problem
  • The resources requested
  • The Slurm job ID or session ID, when available
  • The application you were attempting to use
  • Any visible error message
  • Your browser and operating system