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7lbd ("Seven Layer Bean Dip") allows users to launch and access a Microsoft Windows desktop via Open OnDemand without requiring any additional Windows infrastructure. It treats Microsoft Windows as "just another Open OnDemand application"—similar to JupyterLab, MATLAB, or VSCode—and provides users with access to their files in a secure, isolated environment.
- Run Windows 11 VMs on cluster nodes and make interactive sessions available through Open OnDemand.
- Utilizes 3 different methods to deliver a desktop: web-based RDP for speed and convenience, web-based VNC console access intended for systems administrators, and direct RDP access through standard RDP clients via a custom built spank_oodproxy for maximum performance and utility.
- The Windows VM, desktop visualization processes, and the integrated Samba server all run in a network namespace, limiting job network traffic to job processes only.
- At the core of 7lbd is the concept of running Microsoft Windows in a highly isolated environment using the spank_iso_netns plugin. Due to the architecture of 7lbd, Windows VMs have no access to the Internet, or any network resources. There are some exceptions.
- User files on the host node are available through an integrated Samba server.
- Uses a read-only VM with a temporary overlay file so any changes to a VM are not persistent.
- Authentication to the application is handled like most other Open OnDemand applications, through randomly assigned temporary passwords.
Short demonstrations of the user experience for each client connector
| Guacamole | VM Console | oodproxy RDP |
|---|---|---|
|
Guacamole demo Web-based RDP for speed and convenience |
VM Console demo Web-based VNC console for administrators |
oodproxy RDP demo Direct RDP access through a custom proxy |
The getting started guide provides a high-level summary of the installation process, giving you an idea of what to expect to get 7lbd running without having to read through the Installation Guide. The installation process consists of many steps, and this guide offers a bird's-eye view of what to expect.