Re: [gentoo-user] {OT} Allow work from home?

[Mick]

On Tuesday 19 Jan 2016 08:42:07 J. Roeleveld wrote:
> On Tuesday, January 19, 2016 01:57:38 AM lee wrote:
> > Rich Freeman <rich0@g.o> writes:
> > > On Sun, Jan 17, 2016 at 7:26 PM, lee <lee@××××××××.de> wrote:
> > >> Rich Freeman <rich0@g.o> writes:
> > >>> However, while an RDP-like solution protects you from some types of
> > >>> attacks, it still leaves you open to many client-side problems like
> > >>> keylogging.  I don't know any major corporation that lets people RDP
> > >>> into their applications in general.
> > >>
> > >> What do they use instead?
> > >
> > > As I mentioned in my previous email - they just hand all their
> > > employees laptops.  Control the hardware, control the software,
> > > control the security...
> >
> > I mean instead of rdp.  It's a simple solution which works really well
> > on a LAN with Windoze.  What's the equivalent that works with Linux?
> >
> > I wouldn't try it over an internet connection, though, it requires too
> > much bandwidth.
>
> RDP works over an internet connection, even when running it through a VPN
> using a dodgy wifi link over a busy road and a slowish ADSL link.
>
> VNC also, but only when reducing the quality of the display a lot.
>
> Not tried other methods yet.
>
> --
> Joost

As far as I understand it RDP is different to VNC, in the sense that instead 
of sending every pixel down the line it only sends compressed semantic 
information *about* a desktop component (e.g. the start button, a control 
signal, etc.) and the client interprets this locally as a button or a control 
command. It is also using caching to minimise retransmission.

In some sense it is similar with x2go's NoMachine's NX technology (caching and 
compressing) but as far as I know NX is not as 'intelligent' as RDP.  It just 
sends X protocol data with synchronous round trips and although cached and 
compressed it is not as efficient as the latest versions of RDP.

In many companies MSWindows desktops have been virtualised (XenDesktop) 
running on MSWindows (VM) Servers and accessed using thin-clients, or with 
BYOD remotely, using icaclient as a browser plugin, or a desktop client 
application (Citrix Receiver).  The OS is a standardised MSWindows image and 
an individual user's profile (with all their personal settings, approved apps, 
policy settings, etc.) are loaded whenever a desktop instance boots up and the 
customer logs in.

I'm guessing that the Citrix Receiver is using RDP for MSWindows, but I don't 
really know.  It feels quite efficient when I use it, even over slow bandwidth 
connections.

In any case, the opensource equivalent to this is what I was suggesting Grant 
may find useful and it can work over VPN if required, although the session 
between client and server is encrypted over SSL anyway.
-- 
Regards,
Mick