AFS is a distributed file system at MIT where each student has a personal locker to store and share files. To access this locker from a laptop, the FTP client Cyberduck can be used to transfer files between the locker and the laptop. Cyberduck allows downloading files from the locker to edit locally and then uploading the edited files back to the locker. Instructions for downloading and using Cyberduck on PC and Mac laptops are provided.

1. Connecting to your AFS locker from your Laptop with FTP
Using FTP to work with Athena on your own laptop and from home.
AFS (Andrew File System): AFS is a distributed file system on the MIT campus network.
Each student has a ‘locker’, or personal space, in which they can store files and create a
webpage. The overall space on AFS is small, so you shouldn’t store GIS data here, but it is
great for sharing files and creating a webpage. AFS is on the internet, so you can access it
from any computer.
If you are working on a laptop, to connect to AFS you have to use an FTP client. FTP stands
for File Transfer Protocol and is a method for transferring files over the internet. To use it,
you need a lightweight piece of software (a client) that lets you connect to the desired
location on the web and move files to and from. For this, on both PC or Mac, we
recommend Cyberduck.
Important note: Cyberduck is for transferring files only. To edit a file, work on your local machine
by dragging it out of your locker to a location on your machine. When done editing, drag the file
back to your locker in Cyberduck.
Download Cyberduck for either PC or Mac at the following:
https://cyberduck.io/
PC Laptop Instructions
1. Download and install Cyberduck on your machine. Select download for Windows.
2. Open Cyberduck installer and run through Wizard to install. Do not install Bonjour.
3. Click finish to complete installation.
4. Open Cyberduck. Click Open Connection.
5. The following window will appear. Use SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and enter
the following, using your Athena username and password.

2. 6. Click Connect. You might see a notification for an unknown fingerprint. Allow this by
clicking allow to proceed to your AFS files and folders.
7. When connected, you will see your AFS locker files and folders. It will look like the
following.
Work with files on your machine, when you are ready to move them to your AFS
space, drag them to the proper folder in Cyberduck. Click OK to overwrite if
prompted, this means a file with the same name already exists. Important note: you
cannot use Cyberduck to edit, only to move files to and from your AFS locker. To edit a
file, make a copy for your own machine.
For further reading, read Accessing AFS using an FTP client on the cron site at:
http://cronlasso.mit.edu/cron/p.lasso?t=8:2:0
Mac Laptop Instructions
1. Download and install Cyberduck on your machine. Select download for OS.
2. Open Cyberduck installer and run through Wizard to install. Do not install Bonjour.
3. Click finish to complete installation.
4. Open Cyberduck. Click Open Connection.
5. The following window will appear. Use SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and enter
the following, using your Athena username and password.

3. 6. Click Connect. You might see a notification for an unknown fingerprint. Allow this by
clicking allow to proceed to your AFS files and folders.
7. When connected, you will see your AFS locker files and folders. It will look like the
following.
Work with files on your machine, when you are ready to move them to your AFS
space, drag them to the proper folder in Cyberduck. Click OK to overwrite if
prompted, this means a file with the same name already exists. Important note: you
cannot use Cyberduck to edit, only to move files to and from your AFS locker. To edit a
file, make a copy for your own machine.
For further reading, read Accessing AFS using an FTP client on the cron site at:
http://cronlasso.mit.edu/cron/p.lasso?t=8:2:0