The National Weather Center has 2 methods of remote access. The first is through the bastion host/starbuck which is a SSH server open to the internet which allows access to local servers/machines. We also have a VPN, which allows your machine to virtually be on the NWC network.

How do I log onto a computer at the NWC remotely?

You can log onto a computer one of two ways. Either use the NWC VPN (Virtual Private Network) software or the NWC Bastion Host. Both of these services are run and maintained by the NWC Network Operations Center (NOC) which is a subgroup of OUIT.

How do I get a Bastion Host/starbuck account?

First you will need to fill out a request form for the account. The account will be set up and will use your OU 4×4 as the username and login password. Accounts for undergrad students are disabled at the end of academic terms and will need to be renewed.

How do I use the Bastion Host?

To login to the bastion host you will need to do the following from an ssh terminal, such as secure shell, putty, or the mac terminal, iterm or x11 term.

ssh [OU4x4]@starbuck.nwc.ou.edu

Then your password is your 4×4 password that you use for the University system, such as enroll.ou.edu, or OU-email.

Once logged in you will be able to ssh to any computer you have access to in the NWC network. If you are wanting to work on one of the linux lab computers you would want to do a command like the following,

ssh [SoM_username]@somclass05.som.nor.ou.edu

The password is your SoM computing account password. For those computers in the linux lab, they are named somclass and then a number from 01 to 24, and you can choose any of them. (i.e., somclass20, somclass08, somclass13, etc., all numbers are two digits.) Also, make sure you don’t use the brackets!! That is just the computer way of saying you need to input this information here without the carat!That should be it, and you should be ready to go. If you are wanting to use the X-windows you will need to make sure that you tunnel an xterm through by using the –Y option after ssh, such as

ssh –Y [SoM_username]@somclass05.som.nor.ou.edu

How do I get a VPN account?

The VPN is enabled only for Faculty, Staff and Graduate students. There is no signup for a VPN account. Simply download and install the software.

1) Go to ouconnect.ou.edu 
2) On the login page, choose NWC for the Group.
3) Enter your OU4x4 and password in the username and password box. 
4) Click “Continue” on the consent prompt. 
5) Click “AnyConnect” on the left sidebar. 
6) Click “Start AnyConnect” near the middle of the screen.
7) Click the download link.

How do I use the VPN software?

Open the installed VPN client software, Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client. Type in the server URL, https://ouconnect.ou.edu , and click “Connect”. The Group is “NWC” and you will be using your OU4x4 username and password to login.