Using the UNIX CLI

All UNIX systems and their derivatives (eg the various flavors of Linux) have a build in command line interface or CLI.

Since all of the compute resources in GENI run some *nix flavor, it is important to be comfortable using the command line.

Some skills you should familiarize yourself with:

• logging into nodes using ssh
• copying files to and from a node using scp
• navigating and manipulating the file system (cp, mv, cd, the meaning of . and ..)
• file permissions (ls -l, chmod, chown)
• superuser privileges and the use of sudo
• writing and executing simple shell scripts
• getting help on specific command using man and ​google

Google will help you find many resources for these topics. Here are some resources that might be helpful:

• ​Linux Command website gives an overview of using the shell
• If you have more time, consider the ​Introduction to Linux EdX course