Setup of a Graphical User Interface Desktop for Linux Virtual Machine on Cloud Platforms E-Book

Dr. Hidaia Mahmood Alassouli

• Herausgeber: Dr. Hidaia Mahmood Alassouli
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 39

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Cloud Platforms provide VM images in the Linux OS as well. Linux has always been operated via terminal or shell through a keyboard and a terminal. Even with GUIs around, Linux continues to be operated from the shell. Linux VMs are also operated from the command line of your desktop via an SSH (secure shell) connection. They do not have a desktop environment or GUI installed by default. For Windows users migrating to Linux, a desktop environment would be more convenient to operate. Hence, various desktop environments can be set up on a Linux VM. Mostly we need to have Graphical User Interface GUI on the Linux Virtual Machine instance and to use Internet browser on it. This report will talk about the steps to install minimum required User Interface on VM (virtual machine) with Web Browser. We will work on installing a desktop environment on a Linux Virtual Machine on different Cloud Platforms. The book consists from the following sections: 1. Generating SSH key for auto log in to Linux server 2. Creating Google Cloud Linux Virtual Machine 3. Logon to the Linux Virtual Machine 4. Installing VNC server 5. Installing XRDP server 6. Installing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for Linux Google Cloud instance and connecting to the server through VNC or RDP connection 7. Quick guide to create a Linux virtual machine in Cloudsigma 8. Quick guide to create a Linux Virtual Machine in the Microsoft Azure portal 9. Quick guide to create a Linux Virtual Machine in Amazon AWS

Leseprobe

Setup of a Graphical User Interface Desktop for Linux Virtual Machine on Cloud Platforms

By

Dr. Hidaia Mahmood Alassouli

[email protected]

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

Setup of a Graphical User Interface Desktop for Linux Virtual Machine on Cloud Platforms

Copyright © 2021 Dr. Hidaia Mahmood Alassouli.

Written by Dr. Hidaia Mahmood Alassouli.

1. Introduction:

Cloud Platforms provide VM images in the Linux OS as well. Linux has always been operated via terminal or shell through a keyboard and a terminal. Even with GUIs around, Linux continues to be operated from the shell.

Linux VMs are also operated from the command line of your desktop via an SSH (secure shell) connection. They do not have a desktop environment or GUI installed by default. For Windows users migrating to Linux, a desktop environment would be more convenient to operate. Hence, various desktop environments can be set up on a Linux VM.

Mostly we need to have Graphical User Interface GUI on the Linux Virtual Machine instance and to use Internet browser on it.

This report will talk about the steps to install minimum required User Interface on VM (virtual machine) with Web Browser. We will work on installing a desktop environment on a Linux Virtual Machine on different Cloud Platforms. The book consists from the following sections:

Generating SSH key for auto log in to Linux server

Creating Google Cloud Linux Virtual Machine

Logon to the Linux Virtual Machine

Installing VNC server

Installing XRDP server

Installing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for Linux Google Cloud instance and connecting to the server through VNC or RDP connection

Quick guide to create a Linux virtual machine in Cloudsigma

Quick guide to create a Linux Virtual Machine in the Microsoft Azure portal

Quick guide to create a Linux Virtual Machine in Amazon AWS

2. Generating SSH key for auto log in to Linux server:

1. Start by downloading and installing "PuTTY installer".

2. Select PuttyGen and press "Enter". Once "PuttyGen" is opened press the "Generate" button. Then you have to move your mouse in the empty area randomly until your key is generated. After this append your name or email to the Key comment. This step is optional but I highly recommend it. When you are working in teams it's easier for a system administrator to manage access based on SSH Keys. Protect your SSH key with a password by filling in the "Key passphrase" field.

3. Let’s generate SSH key using Putty Key Generator PuttyGen tool. This is the screen of PuttyGen tool.

4. Click generate. Move your mouser in the empty space to generate the key.

5. Give name to key comment. I chose my name “hidaia”.

6. Now we have to save it in different formats. Firstly, we'll start by pressing the "Save public key" button; navigate to your convenient folder and save it as "hidaia-public-key.pub". Secondly, we'll press the "Save private key" button and save it as "Hidaia-private-key.ppk". And lastly, since some software require it in OpenSSH format, click on the "Conversions" menu located at the top of the window and select "Export OpenSSH key", then save it as "Hidaia-openssh-key.openssh" and we are done with this part. Let's close PuttyGen for now.

7. There are many ways to auto log in with your ssk key using Putty. One way is to manage the requests for your SSH keys with Pageant. Run "Putty Pageant" tool. Select "Add key" and navigate to the path where you have saved your SSH Key and double click it. Input your passphrase. Then close the Pageant window. Putty will use the key information in Pageant when creating SSH connection to the server.

8. Setup the virtual Linux server with the SSH keys.

9. Using Putty tool, create SSH connection to public address of the Linux server. Putty tool uses the key credentials saved Pageant when creating the connection.

3. Creating Google Cloud Linux Virtual Machine:

I will show here the steps to create Linux Virtual Server using Google cloud as the setup of Linux virtual server quite complicated

1. Go to console.cloud.google.com. Login using your login details.

2. Create compute engine virtual server instance.

3. Choose to create Linux Virtual Server. I chose Ubuntu server.

4. Expand “Networking, Security, Networking and sole Tenancy” section. And go to security part to define the SSH public key.

5. Lets generate SSH key using Putty Key Generator PuttyGen tool. This is the screen of PuttyGen tool.