ATMO Technical Resources

The Atmospheric Sciences Department has a number of technical resources available to its faculty, staff, and students:

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Computing Commons

The ATMO computing commons are the computer, network, and other technology resources accessible to all members of the department. They include general use computers located on our computer lab, HIG 310, general use computers located in our student lounge, HIG 376, our departmental printer located in the mail room, HIG 352, and our home directory servers, kahi and uila, which are access remotely.

computer lab (HIG 310)

The computer lab has 14 CentOS 7 linux-based computers and one instructional computer running Windows 10. The instructional computer is configured to work with the SmartBOARD display located at the front of the room, but the other computers nearby can also connect to the SmartBOARD and use it as a secondary display.

Access to the computer lab is controlled by a combination lock and is restricted to ATMO faculty, students and staff. You may have guests join you in the computer lab, but they should not be left in the room unattended. You can obtain the combination from your instructor or the ATMO IT Specialist. The combination should be not given out by students to other students or guests. If someone needs the combination, refer them to their instructor or the ATMO IT Specialist.

student lounge

The student lounge has three general use computers, a Windows 10 system, a linux CentOS system, and a Macbook Pro. The Macbook Pro is connected to a 65-inch television monitor for presentations.

open servers

We have two home directory servers, ‘uila’ and ‘kahi’. You access these servers via a SOEST account. Your SOEST account is linked to one of the home directory servers. Your files and date are store in your home directory on the server. When you log into a computer in the computer lab or in the student lounge (HIG 376) with your SOEST account, your files and data “follow” you to that system. This makes it very convenient for you to work at whatever computer is available without having to carry your data with you on an external drive. If you don’t have a SOEST account, ask an ATMO faculty member or the ATMO IT Specialist to request one for you.

IT Specialist

The ATMO IT Specialist is Mike Gonsalves. His office is in HIG 339. He can be reached by phone at (808) 956-2568 or via email at ‘mlgonsal AT hawaii DOT edu’.

SOEST Technology Resources

RCF

The RCF (Research Computing Facility) is the main information techonology resource for SOEST. They manage the SOEST network and the SOEST accounts that allow you to access your SOEST home directory and the general use computers in SOEST. You can find their contact information here.

UHM Technology Resources

The UH Manoa campus provides both a wired network to which our own SOEST network is connected and a wireless network (WIFI). The Information Technology Services (ITS) section of the UH System is located on the Manoa campus at 2520 Correa Road. They maintain a Help Desk that can be reached by phone or via email. The Help Desk provides technical support to the entire UH System.

The Manoa campus also has a Bookstore located in the Campus Center that carries Apple computer products, Windows-based computers, and provides authorized Apple computer repair.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I obtain a UH account?

Consult this web page titled “Check Status of UH Username“. If you need assistance obtaining a UH username, please contact Alex Lee in the ATMO Office.

How do I obtain a SOEST account?

Ask a faculty member or the ATMO IT Specialist to request one for you. You need to have a UH account before you can obtain a SOEST account.

How do I obtain an account on a specific server?

Some servers are open to any SOEST account, but most are restricted to an a list of users approved by the “owner” (the faculty member who purchased) the server. Talk to that faculty member to obtain access, or consult the ATMO IT Specialist.

How do I use the SOEST network?

The SOEST network is a subscription-based, wired network. SOEST does not support WIFI. In order to use the SOEST network, you or a faculty member on your behalf need to subscribe to the network at a cost of $120 per quarter. In some cases, the Dean’s Office will pick up the cost of your IP address. These include TAs and 1st-year graduate students. Talk to your faculty advisor or the ATMO IT Specialist if you want to obtain an IP address to use the SOEST network.

How do I use the WIFI network?

The UH WIFI network is not password-protected. Be careful with your confidential information.  Select ‘UHM’ from the list of available networks. After you connect to it, open a browser. A web page will appear asking you to input your UH username and password. This will authenticate you to use the network. If you want to bypass the authentication step, you can create a WIFI pass-though here. If you have a guest who would like temporary WIFI access, you can apply for that here.

How do I use the computers in the computer lab (HIG 310) and the student lounge (HIG 376)?
  • To access the computer lab, you need the combination to the door lock to HIG 310. Only ATMO faculty, students and staff are allowed to have the combination. It should not be given out to anyone else.
  • In order to log into the computer lab computers and the computers in the student lounge (HIG 376), you need a SOEST account. If you don’t have one, ask an ATMO faculty member or the ATMO IT Specialist to request one for you.
How do I install software on an ATMO computer?

You may do so only if the the computer has been assigned to you for your personal use. If the computer is available for general use by ATMO faculty, students and staff, the administrative privileges needed to install software will be restricted to the ATMO IT Specialist and RCF.

Where can I get help with computer and network problems?
  • The first tier of support is the ATMO IT Specialist, Mike Gonsalves. He is in HIG 339. You can call him at (808) 956-2568 and send him email at ‘mlgonsal@hawaii.edu’.
  • The second tier of support is the SOEST Research Computing Facility (RCF). They support the SOEST network and many of the servers within SOEST, especially the home directory servers.
  • The third tier of support is the UH ITS Help Desk. They support the UH network, UH WIFI, and also help with end-user problems.