Connecting to AI Panther via VS Code

This article explains how to connect to Florida Tech's AI Panther HPC cluster using Visual Studio Code's Remote-SSH extension.

Prerequisites

Before connecting, make sure you have the following set up:

DUO Two-Factor Authentication – Required for all remote access to Florida Tech systems. Follow the instructions to enroll: DUO Setup Instructions

FortiClient VPN – Required if you are not on campus Wi-Fi. Download and configure FortiClient VPN before proceeding: VPN Setup Instructions

Visual Studio Code – Download and install from https://code.visualstudio.com

Connection Steps

Step 1: Start FortiClient VPN (if off campus)

If you are not connected to Florida Tech's campus Wi-Fi, open FortiClient VPN and connect before continuing. If you are on campus Wi-Fi, you can skip this step.

Step 2: Install the Remote-SSH Extension

  1. Open Visual Studio Code.
  2. Click the Extensions icon in the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X).
  3. Search for "Remote - SSH" and install the extension by Microsoft.

Step 3: Open the Remote Explorer

After installing the extension, a new Remote Explorer icon will appear in the left sidebar. Click it, then make sure the dropdown at the top is set to Remotes (Tunnels/SSH).

Step 4: Add a New SSH Connection

  1. In the Remote Explorer panel, expand SSH and click the + (plus) button to add a new remote.
  2. When prompted to enter an SSH connection command, type:
ssh yourtracksusername@ai-panther.fit.edu

Replace yourtracksusername with your Florida Tech TRACKS username.

Step 5: Select the SSH Configuration File

When prompted to select an SSH configuration file, choose the default option (typically C:\Users\yourusername\.ssh\config on Windows or ~/.ssh/config on macOS/Linux).

Step 6: Connect to AI Panther

  1. The ai-panther.fit.edu host should now appear under SSH in the Remote Explorer.
  2. Expand it and click the Connect in Current Window or Connect in New Window icon next to your username entry.
  3. If prompted for the host operating system, select Linux.
  4. Enter your TRACKS password when prompted.

Note: On your first connection, you may see a message stating that the authenticity of host 'ai-panther.fit.edu' can't be established. This is normal – type yes and press Enter to continue.

Step 7: Open Your Home Directory

Once connected, open your home folder on the cluster:

  1. Go to File → Open Folder.
  2. Enter the path to your home directory:
/home1/yourtracksusername
  1. Click OK. You now have full file explorer access to your files on AI Panther.

Troubleshooting

Connection timed out – Make sure FortiClient VPN is connected if you are off campus.

Permission denied – Double-check your TRACKS username and password. Ensure DUO authentication is set up correctly.

Host key verification failed – If the server's host key has changed, you may need to remove the old entry from your known_hosts file. On Windows: C:\Users\yourusername\.ssh\known_hosts. On macOS/Linux: ~/.ssh/known_hosts.

Cannot open folder – Verify the path is /home1/yourtracksusername (note: home1, not home).

Additional Resources

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