How to connect Kronos HPC Lab Cluster

Step 1 - Download and Install PuTTY

Go to the official PuTTY website: https://putty.org/index.html

Download the appropriate installer for your system (64-bit Windows in most cases).

Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to complete setup.

Step 2 - Open PuTTY and Configure the Connection

Launch PuTTY from the Windows Start menu.

In the Host Name field, enter: kronos.snu.edu.in

Set Port to 22.

Ensure Connection type is set to SSH (this is the default).

Optional but recommended: type a name such as “Kronos HPC” in the Saved Sessions box and click Save. Next time you can simply double-click the saved session.

Step 3 - Log In to the Cluster

At the “login as:” prompt, type your Net ID and press Enter.

When prompted for your password, type your Net ID password and press Enter.

No characters will appear as you type — not even asterisks. This is normal PuTTY behaviour for security. Type the password and press Enter.

On success, the Linux command prompt appears. You are now connected to Kronos.

Step 4 - Transferring Files

To copy files between your computer and Kronos, use WinSCP (graphical).

Download WinSCP https://winscp.net/eng/download.php, choose the SFTP protocol, enter host kronos.snu.edu.in, port 22, and your Net ID and password. You can then drag and drop files between the two panels.

Step 5- Verify You Are Connected(Optional)

Run these commands to confirm you are on the cluster and logged in as yourself:

hostname          # should show the Kronos login node

whoami            # should show your Net ID

pwd               # shows your home directory

Step 6- Some basic command on the Cluster

Check available software modules

module avail                 # list available software

module load <module-name>    # load a specific module

module list                  # show what you have loaded

module purge # Removes all previously loaded modules.

Check the job queue

sinfo                        # show cluster partitions and node states

squeue                       # show all jobs in the queue

squeue -u $USER              # show only your jobs

Submit a job

sbatch myjob.sh              # submit a batch job script

scancel <jobid>              # cancel one of your jobs

Step 7- Ending Your Session

Type exit and press Enter, or simply close the PuTTY window.

Any jobs you submitted with sbatch will keep running after you disconnect — you do not need to stay logged in.

Note:Kronos Cluster is accessible only from Campus Network. If you want to access the cluster outside SNU Campus, please request VPN Access.