ilifu Training Resource

ilifu is a cloud computing facility supporting data-intensive research in astronomy, bioinformatics, and related fields across South Africa. This portal provides access to your training environment, including SSH terminals, JupyterLab notebooks, and RStudio sessions. For comprehensive guides and documentation, visit the ilifu documentation site.

Select your username

SSH Command

JupyterLab

RStudio

Getting started

Connecting via SSH

Select your username above to get a personalised SSH command using a ProxyJump through chip.ilifu.ac.za. Copy the command and paste it into your local terminal.

Persistent sessions with tmux

Use tmux to keep terminal sessions running even if you disconnect:

Start a new session: tmux new -s work
Detach from session: Ctrl+b then d
Reattach to session: tmux attach -t work

SSH key authentication

Copy your SSH key to avoid typing your password each time. You need to do this in two steps:

Copy key to the jump host: ssh-copy-id username@chip.ilifu.ac.za
Copy key to the target server: ssh-copy-id -J username@chip.ilifu.ac.za username@server

Storage layout

Path	Description
`/users`	Your home directory — persistent across sessions
`/data`	Shared course/workshop datasets — typically read-only
`/scratch`	Temporary working space — may be cleaned periodically
`/software`	Shared software and tools

Accessing JupyterLab

Select your username above, then click the JupyterLab link to open it in a new tab. Log in with your workshop credentials (the same username and password).

The JupyterLab interface

JupyterLab is a browser-based interactive development environment. Key areas include:

File browser (left sidebar) — navigate and manage your files
Notebook area (centre) — write and run code in cells
Terminal — open a terminal from the Launcher for command-line access

Working with notebooks

Run a cell: Shift + Enter
Add a new cell: click the + button in the toolbar
Change cell type: use the dropdown to switch between Code and Markdown
Save your work frequently with Ctrl + s

Selecting a kernel

When creating a new notebook, choose the appropriate kernel (e.g. Python 3). You can change kernels later via Kernel → Change Kernel in the menu bar.

Accessing RStudio

Select your username above, then click the RStudio link to open the RStudio Server interface. Log in with your workshop credentials (the same username and password).

The RStudio interface

RStudio Server provides a full IDE in your browser with four main panes:

Source editor (top-left) — write and edit R scripts
Console (bottom-left) — execute R commands interactively
Environment / History (top-right) — view variables and command history
Files / Plots / Packages (bottom-right) — manage files and view output

Installing packages

Install R packages using the console:

install.packages("tidyverse")

Some packages may already be pre-installed. Check with library(packagename).

Working with data

Upload files using the Files pane → Upload button
Access shared datasets from /data
Save your scripts in /users/yourname to persist between sessions