[K12OSN] Re: [Ltsp-discuss] LTSP thin terminal through Internet

[John Lucas]

On Tuesday 19 June 2007 16:24, you wrote:
> Jhon Lucas,
> Thanks lot for your answer. I understand and share very well your point
> of view regarding security and bandwidth but I have a project that
> necessarily involves this issue and I need external terminals to get
> into that server. I would like to please ask you if you can advice me
> where I can get information in order to develop and secure this process
> in order to accomplish a possible and practical solution. As far as I am
> concern bandwidth will not be a future problem so we only will have to
> solve the security issue and envision that future from this present. As
> my project has to be finished in more than a year from now I have the
> time to figure out the best solution.
> I really have chosen LTSP because I understand it is a flexible project
> that I can play with both server and terminal and specially because I am
> sure is full of supportive people like you Jhon who can give a good hand
> which I appreciate.
>

I would still boot terminals from a local (LAN) dhcp/tftp/nfs server even if 
the application server were to be accessed over a WAN. The "boot server" 
doesn't have to be large or powerful and would simplify the terminal 
deployment. The "application server" is where programs would actually run and 
that is were you would spend the bucks on RAM/CPU/Disk. DHCP works via 
broadcast and both TFTP and NFS uses UDP, neither is well suited to WAN 
deployment.

*If* bandwidth were not a problem (10 - 100Mbps or better), then you still 
would need to secure the terminal<->server connection (XDMCP or LDM). This 
could be done with a VPN between the two sites, but you will still have 
potential latency problems (if there are many "hops" between sites).

If NX client software were added to the "boot server" that protocol could be 
used to connect to the "application server" over the WAN. I truly think this 
is a much more workable solution. I believe trying to boot diskless terminals 
and using X over the WAN is not going to be satisfactory.

-- 
        "History doesn't repeat itself; at best it rhymes."
                        - Mark Twain

| John Lucas                          MrJohnLucas at gmail.com               |
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