This page describes personal computer and device setup, and software tools, that can be used to do SLAC computer-based work while away from the SLAC campus.

To start with, once you have completed the setup on this page, you will have enough to read both Stanford and SLAC moderately restricted web pages, and access documents, spreadsheets and the like in our document repositories like Sharepoint.

Going further, to log into SLAC computer systems, run programs, submit High Performance Computing jobs, or operate the accelerator control system etc., you will need to CONNECT TO SLAC NETWORK.  

Additionally, to collaborate effectively with colleagues, you may want to use the tools we describe in COLLABORATION SUPPORT.

Basics and Prerequisites

Much of what you need to work from home, you may already have from working on compus at SLAC. You will need at least a SLAC Windows account. This is because, in addition to allowing you to login to SLAC Windows computers, this is the account whose use can be verified to be authentically you rather than a hacker, or other imposter, when you login to any SLAC computer resource - such as a protected web page. This true identity verification is sometimes called 'authentication'. Each login's authentication is done using Cisco DUO Two-Step Authentication. An easy way to get DUO is through Stanford with a Stanford login account. While there it's a good idea to register your use of DUO for Stanford. That will allow you to access Stanford web pages that require authentication. You would then also register your use of DUO at SLAC, for accessing SLAC web pages etc. DUO works in concert with a registered personal device, like a smartphone, typically by sending a message to your phone - so you'll need to one of those too.

If you are a Unix user, you'll probably also want a SLAC Unix account. SLAC Windows and Unix accounts are requested through the same SLAC Computer Account Request form.

Additionally, many of the collaboration tools SLAC uses are, such as Zoom, Slack, GoogleDocs, etc, are managed by Stanford University, for which you'll also use your Stanford University login ID, and Stanford registered DUO (see above). 

Many SLAC computer resources require your computer connection to be "on the SLAC network." You don't have to be physically on the SLAC campus for that - your computer can temporarily pretend to be at SLAC, that is, on the SLAC private network, using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

Prerequistes Summary

In summary, to do off-site work you're likely to want at least the following, broken down by activity. For internal SLAC web site and document repository access:

1. SLAC Windows login ID, and maybe a SLAC Unix login ID too. You can use the same SLAC Computer Account Request, found here, to request either or both
2. Get the DUO app, either through Stanford's two-step authentication site, or from the URLs for download in Cisco's own DUO web page
3. Register your use of DUO at SLAC
4. Highly restricted SLAC web sites and computer connections, permit access only from SLAC networks. VPN allows your computer to be virtually on the SLAC network. You’ll need a SLAC Windows login which has been enabled for VPN to register and set up VPN. See How to Connect to SLAC VPN. 

For internal Stanford web sites, such as the Stanford employee portal AXESS, and for using online computer tools managed by Stanford:

1. Stanford University computer network login account, sometimes called a SUNet ID
2. Stanford's DUO software on your smartphone for user authentication. You’ll need a Stanford SUNet ID to acquire set up DUO on your phone. See below for how to register your use of DUO for Stanford and SLAC resources.

The above will get you started with working on accessing SLAC and Stanford web pages. Tools that help you to communicate with colleages are described in COLLABORATION SUPPORT. Help for logging into SLAC computer sytems, is described under  CONNECT TO SLAC NETWORK.