Logging in to the CBMF server

You must either be on the HMS network, or use a VPN client to log in to the HMS network if you are off campus. 

Note: Logging in requires that you have an account on the CBMF workstation (“latwork”).  If you are unable to login at cbmf-latwork.med.harvard.edu following the instructions below, try first logging in to cbmf-nas.med.harvard.edu with your ecommons credentials to create an account, then logging out (type exit), then logging in to cbmf-latwork.med.harvard.edu.  Contact us if you are still unable to log in.

On Mac or Linux computers:

1. Open the Terminal application.
2. Enter one of the following commands, substituting your own ecommons username:
   • For processing data: ssh [ecommons_username]@cbmf-latwork.med.harvard.edu
   • For transferring data: ssh [ecommons_username]@cbmf-nas.med.harvard.edu
3. Enter your ecommons password when prompted

On Windows computers:

1. Open an ssh client such as Putty
2. Open a new session with the following connection settings:
   • Host Name: cbmf-latwork.med.harvard.edu
   • Port: 22 (leave as default)
   • Connection Type: SSH (leave as default)
3. Once the connection is open you should see a prompt asking for username and password.  Use your ecommons credentials to connect.

Using X11 forwarding for previewing data remotely:

If you’d like to use the llsinfo --show command to preview data remotely, you will need to log in using X11 forwarding.

1. Install an Xserver
   • Mac users can install Xquartz: https://www.xquartz.org/
   • Windows users can install Xming: https://sourceforge.net/projects/xming/
2. Connect with X11 forwarding
   • On Mac, add the -X flag to your ssh command:
     • ssh -X [ecommons_username]@cbmf-latwork.med.harvard.edu
   • If using Putty on Windows, check the “Enable X11 Forwarding” box as shown here: