Interacting with a virtual computer
Last updated on 2026-04-05 | Edit this page
Overview
Questions
- How does a virtual computer get created?
- What are different ways researchers might interact with a virtual computer?
- What are some basic skills researchers use on virtual computers?
Objectives
- Log in to a remote computer using ssh
- Execute basic shell navigation commands such as cd, ls, cp, rm.
- Describe a command shell and its uses
- Log in to RStudio server running on a remote computer, via web browser
How do I “make” a virtual computer?
First of all, a researcher would determine whether they need their own separate virtual computer, or whether they can share space on an existing virtual computer (for example, one shared by a research group).
Assuming they decide to create their own, they would might request one from their institution, or they might have an account with a commercial provider where they have full control to set up a virtual computer to suit their needs.
What are some of the decisions a researcher might need to make when setting up or requesting a cloud computer?
- Memory
- Storage
- Operating system
- Processor speed
- Internet bandwidth/speed
- Number of instances
- Should the instances be “plain” or should they be created from templates that have certain software already installed?
Notice that many of these characteristics may be driven by the reasons that the researcher decided it was necessary, or preferable, to use cloud computing in the first place.
How would I log on to a virtual computer?
Although it is possible to set up cloud computers with different operating systems such as Windows or MacOS, most researchers use a Linux-type operating system (of which there are several subtypes, such as Ubuntu).
TODO: How to connect
- TODO