COSMOS/ORBIT User Guide

Welcome to the COSMOS/ORBIT Testbed User Guide. This guide provides everything you need to go from creating an account to running experiments on the testbed. Whether you are a first-time user or an experienced researcher, these pages cover the tools and workflows that make the testbed productive and accessible.

If you are brand new, start with the Getting Started tutorial, which walks you through your very first experiment step by step. The sections below provide detailed reference material for each aspect of the testbed.

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The COSMOS Portal

The COSMOS Portal is your primary interface to the testbed. Through the portal you manage your account, reserve testbed time, monitor node status, browse disk images, and connect with the user community. The portal is a modern web application accessible at ​https://www.cosmos-lab.org/portal from any browser.

The portal documentation is organized into the following pages:

• 'Getting Started' — Create your account, activate it, and log in for the first time
• 'Dashboard' — Your home page with profile summary, usage statistics, and community forum access
• 'Account Management' — Edit your profile, change your password, and manage SSH keys
• 'Scheduler' — Reserve testbed domains, manage recurring reservations, and understand the approval system
• 'Testbed Status' — Real-time node power states and RF Matrix control during your reservations
• 'Disk Images' — Browse, search, and manage the testbed image library
• 'Community Forum' — Ask questions, share results, and discuss experiments with the community
• 'Directory' — Browse registered users and organizations

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Connecting to the Testbed

Once you have a reservation and SSH keys set up, you connect to testbed nodes through SSH. The testbed uses a jump-host model where you first reach a console server, then hop to individual nodes.

• 'SSH Access' — Connection patterns, Proxy Jump, tunneling, file transfer, and SSH configuration
• 'Remote Access Options' — VPN, remote desktop (Chrome Remote Desktop, TigerVNC), and alternative access methods
• 'Storage Space' — Local disk, NFS shared storage, and cloud storage options available on testbed nodes

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Running Experiments

The testbed is controlled through the omf command-line tools, which you run from the console server during your reservation. These tools let you power nodes on and off, load disk images, save custom images, and check node status.

• 'OMF Quick Start' — Complete reference for all omf commands: omf stat, omf tell, omf load, omf save
• 'Disk Images Reference' — Baseline images, creating custom images, and image management
• 'Collecting Results' — Retrieving experiment data from testbed nodes

For hands-on tutorials that walk you through specific experiment types (wireless, SDR, optical, 5G, edge computing), see the Tutorials section.

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Policies and Support

• 'Acceptable Use Policy' — Guidelines for responsible use of testbed resources
• 'Frequently Asked Questions' — Common questions about accounts, SSH, and testbed usage
• 'Getting Help' — How to contact support, report problems, and find answers
• 'Camera Streaming' — Accessing live camera feeds from testbed sites

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Quick Links

I want to…	Go to…
Create an account	Portal: Getting Started
Upload my SSH key	Portal: Account Management
Make a reservation	Portal: Scheduler
Connect to a node	SSH Access
Load an image onto nodes	OMF Quick Start
Save my experiment	OMF Quick Start
Ask a question	Community Forum
Report a problem	Support