VPN + X-Windows = Painful Performance

technobard · 05-26-2005, 07:30 AM

This is more a gripe than anything else. I need to install an Oracle patch which requires X-windows. It has to be done outside of regular hours. Trying to run X-Windows remotely over my VPN connection isn't practical. I guess I'll have to try remote desktop to a Windows machine (probably another dog over vpn) and have that machine run X, or install vnc (without incurring the wrath of info security).

Aaargh!

sde · 05-26-2005, 09:23 AM

I find VPN performance alone to be the cause of very poor performance. I feel your pain.

idx · 05-26-2005, 06:11 PM

I regularly VPN [cisco] from home (standard cable connection) to work and control my PC with VNC.... While it's not great it has been worse.. Tightvnc seems to help in this regard.

-r

Kernel_Killer · 05-26-2005, 07:02 PM

What res are you trying to do? One of our VPN clients has a 256K upload, and am able to get a decent full color 1024x768 remote desktop off 2K3 server.

Maybe the VPN modes are stacked a little too much?

technobard · 05-27-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernel_Killer

What res are you trying to do? One of our VPN clients has a 256K upload, and am able to get a decent full color 1024x768 remote desktop off 2K3 server.

Maybe the VPN modes are stacked a little too much?

I'm using 1024x768. I'm not sure of the other settings. I'll have to check when I go home. Even so, remote desktop seems to be the best solution for my environment. Performance is surprisingly excellent. I connect to a remote machine running an X-windows server and use that to connect to an AIX box. It's almost as fast as controlling a machine on my local network. So VPN by itself seems fine. The remote desktop option also gives me the ability to disconnect in the middle of a long task and come back later.

One of my personal requirements for a DBA job is good remote access. I'm contract to hire at the moment with talks scheduled for next week to discuss becoming a permanent hire. I would have had serious reservations if I couldn't apply patches remotely.

Kernel_Killer · 05-27-2005, 02:35 PM

Can't you do all your tasks through a secure shell? Maybe run at 800x600 instead with 8-bit color.

technobard · 05-28-2005, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kernel_Killer

Can't you do all your tasks through a secure shell? Maybe run at 800x600 instead with 8-bit color.

Not an option. My employer only allows VPN with a SecurID card. No SSH through the firewall. Also, Oracle patchsets require running the Oracle installer which requires X-windows. I can try tweaking the X-server to see if I can reduce the bandwidth requirements. For now though I'm good to go. With a more than adequate working solution, I'm not sure how much time I'm going to invest in trying to get straight X to work.

I did try TightVNC last night. I've run it before under similar circumstances. It seems to have refresh issues with X windows running and it's not as fast as remote desktop.