The CAE linux lab machines can be reached through the hostname "best-linux.cae.wisc.edu" (previously also known as "best-tux.cae.wisc.edu"). Using a load-balancing name for network connections allows users to log in to any machine that is online and reachable at that time. It is recommended that you use "best-tux.cae.wisc.edu" for remote connections (either ssh or vnc), since connecting directly to a specific machine could result in many users logged in to the same machine at the same time and cpu and memory resources may run out. Different lab machines may also not be available at certain times due to maintenance or because labs are being restructured.

Currently (as of Fall 2024), the former name of "best-tux.cae.wisc.edu" will remain active, but only direct a user to the Debian 11 XFCE machines in Engineering Hall 2324 (with Nvidia GPUs). The new name "best-linux.cae.wisc.edu" will select Debian 12 Gnome machines from Engineering Hall B555 (with AMD GPUs). After the lab machines in EH 2324 are migrated forward, they will drop out of the old name ("best-tux") and will become available under ("best-linux"). The name "best-tux" may be kept as an alias for "best-linux" moving forward.