Installation

The Scyld Cloud Workstation server can be installed in the following operating systems:

  • CentOS 6 and 7
  • Ubuntu 16 and 18
  • Windows 7, 8, and 10
  • MacOS 10.13 (High Sierra), 10.14 (Mojave), and 10.15 (Catalina)

Required Files

Installation of the Scyld Cloud Workstation server requires the following files:

  • The Scyld Cloud Workstation server installation package for your operating system:
    • CentOS 6: scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el6.x86_64.rpm
    • CentOS 7: scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el7.x86_64.rpm
    • Ubuntu 16 and 18: scyld-cloud-workstation_10.2.0-1_amd64.deb
    • Windows 7 and 10: Scyld Cloud Workstation-10.2.0.1.msi
    • MacOS 10.13, 10.14, and 10.15: scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0.1.pkg
  • One of the following:
    • A trial license file (scyld-cloud-workstation.lic)
    • A floating license file (scyld-flexlm.lic) and the license server (Scyld FlexLM).

Note

If you have an NVIDIA graphics card, download and install the appropriate NVIDIA drivers from http://www.nvidia.com/download/index.aspx

CentOS 7 (RPM): Server Install

Follow the steps below to install Scyld Cloud Workstation, replace the default admin username and admin password, replace the default SSL key and certificate files, and install the license file.

  1. Use the rpm -ivh command to install the RPM:

    % sudo rpm -ivh scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el7.x86_64.rpm
    

    The installer does the following:

    • Installs Scyld Cloud Workstation files to /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation
    • Installs scyld-cloud-workstation.service to /lib/systemd/system/
    • Reloads the systemd manager configuration using systemctl daemon-reload
    • Enables the unit file with systemctl enable scyld-cloud-workstation.service
  2. Use the scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd command to set the admin password.

    % sudo /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd
    

    Note

    You can disable the admin account by deleting or commenting the Server.Auth.ShadowPassword and Server.Auth.Username tags in the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml). Standard OS credentials can still be used for sign-ins.

  3. If your server has an SSL certificate file, open the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml) and set the value of openssl.server.privateKeyFile and openssl.server.certificateFile to its path.

  4. Install the license.

    • If you have a trial license (scyld-cloud-workstation.lic), copy it into /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin.
    • If you have a floating license (scyld-flexlm.lic), proceed to Flexera License Management for instructions on installing Scyld FlexLM.
  5. Verify that your firewall rules allow traffic over HTTPS (port 443).

  6. Use the systemctl restart command to restart the service:

    % sudo systemctl restart scyld-cloud-workstation.service
    

Scyld Cloud Workstation should now be reachable over HTTPS at your server’s hostname or IP address. For advanced configuration options, please see _Setup.

CentOS 7 (RPM): Updating an Existing Server Install

  1. Use the rpm -Uvh command to update an existing installation:

    % sudo rpm -Uvh scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el7.x86_64.rpm
    
  2. Use the systemctl restart command to restart the service:

    % sudo systemctl restart scyld-cloud-workstation.service
    

CentOS 6 (RPM): Server Install

Follow the steps below to install Scyld Cloud Workstation, replace the default admin username and admin password, replace the default SSL key and certificate files, and install the license file.

  1. Use the rpm -ivh command to install the RPM:

    % sudo rpm -ivh scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el6.x86_64.rpm
    

    The installer does the following:

    • Installs Scyld Cloud Workstation files to /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation.
    • Installs scyld-cloud-workstation.init to /etc/init.d and has its security context changed to system_u:object_r:bin_t:s0.
    • Adds a line of code to /etc/gdm/Init/Default that allows scyld-cloud-workstation to restart when the service is enabled by chkconfig and gdm restarts. To prevent scyld-cloud-workstation from starting when gdm starts, use the chkconfig command: chkconfig --del scyld-cloud-workstation.
  2. Use the scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd command to set the admin password.

    % sudo /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd
    

    Note

    The admin account can be disabled by deleting or commenting the Server.Auth.ShadowPassword and Server.Auth.Username tags in the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml). Standard OS credentials can still be used for sign ins.

  3. If your server has an SSL certificate file, open the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml) and set the value of openssl.server.privateKeyFile and openssl.server.certificateFile to its path.

  4. Install the license.

    • If you have a trial license (scyld-cloud-workstation.lic), copy it into /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin.
    • If you have a floating license (scyld-flexlm.lic), proceed to Flexera License Management for instructions on installing Scyld FlexLM.
  5. Verify that your firewall rules allow traffic over HTTPS (port 443).

  6. Use the /etc/init.d/scyld-cloud-workstation restart command to restart the service:

    % sudo /etc/init.d/scyld-cloud-workstation restart
    

Scyld Cloud Workstation should now be reachable over HTTPS at your server’s hostname or IP address. For advanced configuration options, please see _Setup.

CentOS 6 (RPM): Updating an Existing Server Install

  1. Use the rpm -Uvh command to update an existing installation:

    % sudo rpm -Uvh scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0-1.el6.x86_64.rpm
    
  2. Use the /etc/init.d/scyld-cloud-workstation restart command to restart the service:

    % sudo /etc/init.d/scyld-cloud-workstation restart
    

Windows 7 and 10: Server Install

Note

For virt-manager users: virt-manager’s graphical console will no longer work after installing the NVIDIA GRID driver and restarting Windows.

To get the virt-manager graphical console to work again, start the Windows VM in ‘Safe Mode’ by restarting the VM, commanding it to “Force Off”, and restarting the VM again. Select “Safe Mode with Networking” from the menu that appears.

  1. Double-click on the Scyld Cloud Workstation-10.2.0.1.msi installer.
  2. Follow the instructions in the GUI. Confirm that you’d like to start Scyld Cloud Workstation as a service to have Scyld Cloud Workstation start automatically.
  3. If your server has an SSL certificate file, open the configuration file (C:\Program Files\Penguin Computing\Scyld Cloud Workstation\scyld-cloud-workstation.xml) and set the value of openssl.server.privateKeyFile and openssl.server.certificateFile to its path.
  4. Install the license.
    • If you have a trial license (scyld-cloud-workstation.lic), copy it into /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin.
    • If you have a floating license (scyld-flexlm.lic), proceed to Flexera License Management for instructions on installing Scyld FlexLM.

On some systems (such as those using virt-manager’s graphical console), a reboot may be required after installation to ensure that the NVIDIA GRID card is activated.

Scyld Cloud Workstation is intended to run automatically as a service in Windows. While it is possible to start it up as a normal application, Scyld Cloud Workstation must be run as a service in order to support:

  • Windows sign out and sign in
  • screensavers with passwords
  • Windows User Access Control

If Scyld Cloud Workstation is installed on a Windows VM, you may need to install Screen Capture Recorder to enable audio support. Screen Capture Recorder has been tested in Windows 10 and can be downloaded from the URL below:

https://github.com/rdp/screen-capture-recorder-to-video-windows-free/releases/download/0.12.10/Setup.Screen.Capturer.Recorder.v0.12.10.exe

Scyld Cloud Workstation should now be reachable over HTTPS at your server’s hostname or IP address. For advanced configuration options, please see _Setup.

Windows 7 and 10: Updating an Existing Server Install

  1. Double-click on the Scyld Cloud Workstation-10.2.0.1.msi installer.

  2. Follow the instructions in the GUI. Confirm that you’d like to start Scyld Cloud Workstation as a service to have Scyld Cloud Workstation start automatically.

    Attention

    We recommend using the latest config file as a starting point and moving changes from your old config file into the new one.

    Important

    If you are updating over an existing Scyld Cloud Workstation installation, your old config file will be preserved. The new package may include an XML config file with newer / updated settings. Merge the new settings found in C:\Program Files\Penguin Computing\Scyld Cloud Workstation\Defaults\scyld-cloud-workstation.xml with the existing C:\Program Files\Penguin Computing\Scyld Cloud Workstation\scyld-cloud-workstation.xml file.

Ubuntu (DEB): Server Install or Update

Follow the steps below to install Scyld Cloud Workstation, replace the default admin username and admin password, replace the default SSL key and certificate files, and install the license file.

  1. Use the dpkg -i command to install the DEB:

    % sudo dpkg -i scyld-cloud-workstation_10.2.0-1_amd64.deb
    

    The installer does the following:

    • Installs Scyld Cloud Workstation files to /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation.
    • Installs scyld-cloud-workstation.service to /lib/systemd/system/.
    • Reloads systemd manager configuration using systemctl daemon-reload
    • Enables the unit file with systemctl enable scyld-cloud-workstation.service
  2. Use the scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd command to set the admin password.

    % sudo /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/scyld-cloud-workstation.sh --passwd
    

    Note

    The admin account can be disabled by deleting or commenting the Server.Auth.ShadowPassword and Server.Auth.Username tags in the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml). Standard OS credentials can still be used for sign ins.

  3. If your server has an SSL certificate file, open the configuration file (/opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin/scyld-cloud-workstation.xml) and set the value of openssl.server.privateKeyFile and openssl.server.certificateFile to its path.

  4. Install the license.

    • If you have a trial license (scyld-cloud-workstation.lic), copy it into /opt/scyld-cloud-workstation/bin.
    • If you have a floating license (scyld-flexlm.lic), proceed to Flexera License Management for instructions on installing Scyld FlexLM.
  5. Use the systemctl restart command to restart the service:

    % sudo systemctl restart scyld-cloud-workstation.service
    

Important

Ubuntu 18 only: the lightdm desktop manager is required in Ubuntu 18. Change the default gdm to lightdm by opening a terminal and installing slick-greeter with sudo apt-get -y install slick-greeter. Finally, select lightdm at the prompt.

Scyld Cloud Workstation should now be reachable over HTTPS at your server’s hostname or IP address. For advanced configuration options, please see _Setup.

MacOS (PKG): Server Install

To install Scyld Cloud Workstation on your MacOS server:

  1. Download and install scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0.1.pkg.
  2. MacOS Mojave and Catalina only: during installation, grant Security and Privacy permissions.
  3. Install the license file or the license server.
  4. Install Blackhole for MacOS audio (Optional).

Start by double-clicking on the scyld-cloud-workstation-10.2.0.1.pkg installer and follow the GUI instructions.

MacOS Mojave and Catalina users will be shown several windows for granting “Security and Privacy” permissions. At each window, click on the Lock icon to allow changes, click on the checkbox next to the Scyld Cloud Workstation application, and then close the window.

  • In MacOS Mojave, Microphone and Accessibility permissions must be granted.
  • In MacOS Catalina, Microphone, Screen Recording, and Accessibility permissions must be granted.

Once installation and permissions setup is complete, install the license file or the license server.

  • If you’ve received a trial license file (named scyld-cloud-workstation.lic), copy that to /Applications/scyld-cloud-workstation.app/Contents/MacOS.
  • If you’ve received a floating license file (named scyld-flexlm.lic), you will need to install the Scyld FlexLM license server. For more information, see the license management guide: Flexera License Management.

Once the license file has been installed, the server will start automatically and be accessible with a web browser or our native client.

Important

Putting your remote MacOS server to sleep (for example: by closing the lid of the laptop, selecting Sleep from the Apple menu, or scheduling sleeps through System Preferences > Energy Saver) will make Scyld Cloud Workstation inaccessible.

Important

Scyld Cloud Workstation prevents Display Sleep from happening in MacOS using an application called caffeinate. This is to prevent the server from going to sleep.

Next, proceed to Install Blackhole for MacOS Audio for information on adding audio support.

Install Blackhole for MacOS Audio

To add remote audio capture, perform the following steps on your Scyld Cloud Workstation MacOS server:

  1. Download and install Blackhole 0.2.6 from https://existential.audio/blackhole/.
  2. Open the System Preferences > Sound > Output window to make Blackhole 16ch the Sound Output device.
  3. MacOS Mojave and Catalina servers only: Add Scyld Cloud Workstation to the Login Items list for each MacOS user.
  4. Logout of MacOS and log back in.

Start by downloading Blackhole 0.2.6 from https://existential.audio/blackhole/ (note: you may be required to subscribe to their mail list) to your MacOS server. Double-click the installer and follow the GUI instructions.

Next, go to System Preferences > Sound > Output and select Blackhole 16ch as the Sound Output device.

Note

Selecting Blackhole 16ch will disable audio playback on Internal Speakers, but this can be changed back when necessary. To change devices more easily, check the Show volume in menu bar box. You can now click on the volume control and select one from the Output Device list.

MacOS Mojave and Catalina servers only: Add Scyld Cloud Workstation to the Login Items list for each user by doing the following:

  1. Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups.
  2. Click on your username in the list of accounts.
  3. Select the Login Items tab.
  4. Click the Lock icon to make changes.
  5. Click the + button to open a Finder window.
  6. Use the Finder window to go to Applications and add scyld-cloud-workstation.
  7. When you are finished repeating the steps above for each remote user, log out of MacOS and log back in.

The steps above will make audio accessible to clients that connect to your Scyld Cloud Workstation MacOS server and click on the audio icon.

Note

More information about Blackhole can be found at: https://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHole

MacOS (PKG): Updating an Existing Server Install

Update instructions are slightly different between each version of MacOS due to differences in Apple Privacy Protection. Follow the instructions below for your version of MacOS.

Note

Updating Scyld Cloud Workstation on the server can’t be done over an ssh connection. As part of the installation the user must use “Security & Privacy” dialogs to confirm permissions for Audio access (‘Microphone’), Screen Recording access, and Keyboard/Mouse access (‘Accessibility’). Only some of these permissions will be required depending on your MacOS version. These need to be confirmed by the user and are only visible when the user has physical access or remote desktop access to the server using Apple Remote Desktop.

Updating on MacOS 10.13 High Sierra

Double-click the Scyld Cloud Workstation installer and follow the GUI instructions. The Scyld Cloud Workstation service will automatically restart with the updated server.

Updating on MacOS 10.14 Mojave

Accessibility permissions need to be granted again after installing a Scyld Cloud Workstation update on the server.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Reset Accessibility permissions by using the tccutil command: tccutil reset Accessibility
  3. Double-click the Scyld Cloud Workstation installer and follow the GUI instructions.

The Scyld Cloud Workstation service will automatically restart with the updated software.

Updating on MacOS 10.15 Catalina

Accessibility permissions need to be granted again after installing a Scyld Cloud Workstation update on the server.

  1. Open a terminal.
  2. Reset the permissions for Scyld Cloud Workstation by using the tccutil command: tccutil reset com.penguincomputing.scyld-cloud-workstation
  1. Double-click the Scyld Cloud Workstation installer and follow the GUI instructions

The Scyld Cloud Workstation service will automatically restart with the updated server.

Client Installation

You can connect to Scyld Cloud Workstation by installing our native client, Scyld Cloud Workstation Client, or using any of these web browsers:

  • Chrome 30+
  • Internet Explorer 11+
  • FireFox 27+
  • Safari 7+

Note

Chrome 30+ provides the best performance and is recommended.