GitLab Access Guide

This guide provides detailed information about accessing and using the CCI xG Testbed GitLab project management and version control system.

Video Tutorial

GitLab Complete Walkthrough

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What is GitLab?

GitLab is a flexible platform used by the CCI xG Testbed for version control, CI/CD, and project management. It allows you to:

• Track experiment progress and manage codebase versions

• Report, track, and resolve technical issues

• Collaborate with team members and testbed administrators

• Access documentation via repository READMEs and Wikis

• Manage project timelines, merge requests, and milestones

Accessing GitLab via Authentik SSO

Access to GitLab is securely managed through the CCI xG Testbed’s Authentik Single Sign-On (SSO) portal.

To access GitLab:

1. Open your web browser.

2. Navigate to the Authentik portal: Link

3. Authenticate using one of the following methods:

   • Standard Login: Enter your assigned Email or Username and Password, then click the blue Log in button.

   • CILogon (Institutional Access): Click the Continue with CILogon button at the bottom of the page. On the following screen, select your academic institution (e.g., Virginia Tech) from the Identity Provider dropdown, click Log On, and complete your standard university sign-in process.

4. After successfully authenticating, you will be directed to the My applications dashboard.

5. Locate and click on the Gitlab tile. You will be automatically authenticated and redirected to your GitLab workspace.

Getting Started with GitLab

Dashboard Overview

After logging in, you’ll see your “Your work” dashboard which provides:

• Home: A personalized view highlighting your assigned issues, merge requests, and recent activity

• Projects: A list of all repositories you have access to

• Groups: The organizational folders containing related subgroups and projects

• Issues: A consolidated list of all issues assigned to you or authored by you

• Merge requests: Active code integration requests

Navigating Groups and Projects

GitLab organizes repositories using a Groups and Subgroups hierarchy:

1. Click on the Groups tab in the left sidebar to see all available groups.

2. Select your main group (e.g., cci-xg-testbed) to view its subgroups.

3. Drill down into the relevant subgroup (e.g., Testbed-sub).

4. Select the specific project repository you need to access (e.g., OpenStack, Network, Amari).

5. Inside a project, you can navigate through the left sidebar to access Code, Issues, Merge requests, and Deploy settings.

Working with Issues

Searching for Existing Issues

Before creating a new issue, it’s best practice to search for existing tickets that might address your concern:

1. Navigate to the Issues section of your specific project.

2. Use the top search bar to enter keywords related to your issue.

3. Apply filters to narrow down results:

   • Status (Open, Closed)

   • Assignee

   • Author

   • Labels

Creating New Issues

If you don’t find an existing issue that matches your needs:

1. Navigate to your specific project (e.g., Testbed-sub > OpenStack).

2. Click Issues in the left sidebar, then click the blue New issue button (or use the New item dropdown at the top right).

3. Fill in the required fields:

   • Type: Select the ticket type (Issue, Incident, or Task).

   • Title: A brief, descriptive title (e.g., “testing”).

   • Description: Detailed information about the issue. You can use Markdown to format text or attach files.

   • Assignee: Search for and select the team member who should work on this issue.

   • Labels / Milestone: Apply relevant tags or target completion dates if applicable.

4. Click the blue Create issue button at the bottom to submit.

Note

Once you have submitted the ticket, your issue will be successfully created and added to the project. The issue will be addressed soon by the respective team member or admin.

Tracking and Updating Issues

Once an issue is created:

1. You’ll receive email notifications about updates.

2. You can scroll to the bottom of the issue to add comments or tag team members using @username.

3. Use the right-hand sidebar to update metadata:

   • Modify the Assignee

   • Add or remove Labels to indicate progress (e.g., To Do, Doing, In Review)

   • Close the issue once it is resolved using the Close issue button

Note

For additional assistance with GitLab, please contact the CCI xG Testbed support team through GitLab issues or via email at the address provided in your welcome message.