SSH Import
Import trajectory files from remote servers over SSH.
Overview
The SSH Import module lets you connect to remote servers — HPC clusters, lab workstations, or any machine accessible via SSH — and import trajectory files directly into VOLT. Instead of manually downloading files and re-uploading them, you browse the remote file system from the VOLT interface and start the import with a single click.
SSH Connections
To import files, you first need to add an SSH connection. Go to the SSH Import section from the sidebar and click Add Connection.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive label for this connection (e.g., "Lab HPC Cluster") |
| Host | The hostname or IP address of the remote server |
| Port | The SSH port (defaults to 22) |
| Username | Your SSH username on the remote server |
| Password | Your SSH password — encrypted before storage |
SSH passwords are encrypted using AES-256-GCM before being stored. The encryption key is configured at the server level and never leaves your infrastructure.
Testing a Connection
After adding a connection, you can click Test to verify that VOLT can successfully establish an SSH session with the remote server. The test checks authentication and basic connectivity — if it fails, you will see an error message describing the issue.
File Explorer
Once a connection is verified, click Browse to open the remote file explorer. You can navigate directories, view file names and sizes, and select the files or folders you want to import.
- Directory Navigation: Click on any folder to navigate into it. Use the breadcrumb bar at the top to jump back to a parent directory.
- File Selection: Select one or more LAMMPS dump files, data files, or compressed archives for import.
Importing Files
When you select files and click Import, VOLT triggers an automated pipeline that runs entirely on your cluster:
- SSH Connect — The cluster daemon connects to the remote server using the stored (encrypted) credentials.
- Download — The selected files are downloaded to a temporary working directory on the cluster.
- Extract — If the files are compressed (
.gz,.zip,.tar.gz), they are automatically extracted. - Parse — Each dump file is parsed to extract LAMMPS metadata — timestep, atom count, simulation cell geometry, and per-atom properties.
- Upload to Storage — Parsed frames are compressed and uploaded to MinIO object storage on the cluster.
- Render GLB — 3D models are generated for each frame so the trajectory can be viewed immediately.
- Register — The trajectory is registered in the platform with full metadata and becomes available in the trajectory listing.
The entire process runs as a background job. You can monitor its progress from the Jobs panel.
SSH Import supports LAMMPS dump files (.dump, .lammpstrj), LAMMPS data files (.data), and compressed archives containing these formats.