We’re not planning to refresh Virtual DICE for 2026/27 because of resource constraints.
The 2024/25 version is still available, but its software will be more than a year out of date compared to proper DICE.
If this is a significant problem for you, please let us know.
Virtual DICE comes in two editions. This page should help you to decide which one you want.
"Backups" are backup copies of files. This page tells you how to make backups, so that you don't lose files.
Your DICE home directory is backed up automatically, so you don't need to make backups of it. If you lose a file from there, you can get it back:
Most DICE computers use Ubuntu Linux. This page is about DICE Ubuntu Focal, which used Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa).
This version is no longer available. DICE servers and desktops have been moved to DICE Ubuntu Jammy or DICE Ubuntu Noble.
All DICE release notes are listed at DICE release notes.
The DICE remote desktop service uses the MATE desktop environment. For help on logging out at the end of your session see our "How to logout of DICE" page.
After you logout of DICE, the Microsoft Remote Desktop application may complain:
Your session ended because of an error. If this keeps happening, contact your network administrator for assistance. Error code: 0x4.
This page explains an easy way to use Informatics OpenVPN on Linux.
There's also OpenVPN on Linux using NetworkManager if you'd prefer that.
Your password can be set in the Password Portal. This password must be unique. Your username looks like uun/ovpn.
For example, if your DICE username was bertha then your OpenVPN username would be bertha/ovpn.
If you struggle to remember passwords, or if you re-use them, then a password manager can help.
A password manager stores your usernames and passwords securely. It can also generate strong passwords for you. This makes it much easier to have a different and strong password for each site you use. There are options to store the passwords on your local system or in cloud storage, and for collaborating with a team.
This page describes the fire precaution procedures and mechanisms for the Forum server rooms.
This page contains the privacy statement for the School's Inventory (asset register).
Please read this privacy notice carefully and contact us with any questions or concerns about our privacy practices.
The School of Informatics (the “School”) is part of the University of Edinburgh (the “University”).
The server rooms have cooling systems, and these can fail. If they do, computing staff may contact you, or they may power down your machines.
See the emergencies page for details:
You can monitor the temperature of the room yourself. Here are two ways:
Users of the self-managed server rooms will be added to the mailing list called inf-selfmanaged-sr, for the purposes of communicating news about the self-managed server rooms.
It's low volume, with occasional announcements and follow-up discussion.
Find out more about the self-managed server rooms: