Hi Dennis; We have had vast experience running VPN sessions with both Terminal Services and Citrix for several of our clients. R:BASE for Windows and R:BASE for DOS run exceptionally well in this environment. All the VPN protion of the solution is, is the secure encrypted connection between the server and client computers. By utilising Terminal Services or Citrix Metaframe, the R:BASE application would reside on the Server, and TS/Citrix will deliver a virtual desktop to the client PC in the same way as PC Anywhere does, with the exception that both TS and Citrix allow for multiple simultaneous connections. NT 4.0 Terminal services utilises a 32k packet, (this was reduced to 16K in W2K) and the Citrix ICA client utilises an 8K packet. So you will get a marginal performance boost using Citrix, although beware - Citrix dont come cheap. The actual speed delivered will depend on the following factors: a) The performance of the Server b) Your choice of TS vs Citrix c) The bandwidth available between the Client and Server computers d) The distance, number of hops and route between the client and server computers. As the server is performing most of the work, you will get a vast speed increase over traditional client/server computing. Return of data is very quick, as only screen mouse and keyboard packets are being transmitted across the VPN. Data entry will feel "clunky" by comparission to a normal LAN based environment and can be very painfull ocassionally when high badnwidth utilisation occours. The trick is to minimise use of the mouse wherever possible and avoid drag/drop operations all together, as leaving ones finger depressed on a mousebutton sends a continuous stream of data across the VPN which will bring things to a screaming halt. Make sure your application does not use too many graphics, as transmitting images also utilises alot of bandwidth. Another trick is to reduce available colours to 256 as once again, a much reduced data transmission occours. Printing to a remote client printer is also a killer, as the server must send the report data across the VPN to the printer. Reports should be as simple as possible with minimal use of different fonts, graphics and definitely NO color. The server itself needs to be quite powerfull, as the one box must run many simultaneous sessions. A dual processor server is a must. The following will give you an idea as to how much ram is required on the box: a) 128MB Ram for sole use by the NT operating system + b) 12MB allowance per concurrent user for the connection + c) Sufficient RAM per concurrent user for the open applications. ie: Typically you allow 128MB of RAM for the OS + 64Mb ram per concurrent user. The database itself should reside on the TS/Citrix Server as opposed to some other server on the local side of the network to minimise time loss through LAN data transfer operations. One final tip: DO NOT run R:BASE for either DOS or Win as a client/server application (ie: Db is on remote server and RB is on client computer). Due to the file server architecture of RB, The speed will not be acceptable for large SELECT and INSERT statements. Hope this helps Kindest Regards David Ballantyne Competitive Edge Software Pty Ltd. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Dennis Fleming Sent: Monday, 28 May 2001 5:38 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: VPN? Thanks Tony/Bernie, What kind of performance (speed) can you expect when running an RBase for Windows application as a remote user on a VPN? Dennis ***** At 04:09 PM 5/26/01 -0400, you wrote: > >Dennis: > >Defined simply, a VPN is a private encapsulated network service that runs >over a public network. It will allow you to construct a secure tunnel >through the Internet to resources on your network for users anywhere in the >world who have an Internet connection. > >You can run a PCAnyWhere remote control session or a Terminal Server >session, or any other type of remote control program through the VPN >without exposing your network to the outside world. > >Any program that you have already written (including your R:Base >applications) can be run across a VPN without any modification. > >You can create a VPN on the cheap by using the VPN services provided in NT >or W2K server, or spend big bucks by either buying VPN appliances from >companies like Cisco or subscribing to VPN services from ASP providers like >Cable and Wireless. > >For more info on VPNs go to http://kubarb.phsx.ukans.edu/~tbird/vpn.html > >Enjoy! > >Tony > >Anthony Schmidt >President >The Computery Ltd. >One East Main Street >Bay Shore, NY 11706 > >Voice 631-665-8100 >Fax 631-969-5988 > > > > > > Dennis Fleming > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent by: cc: > owner-rbase-l@son Subject: VPN? > etmail.com > > > 05/26/2001 11:28 > AM > Please respond to > rbase-l > > > > > > >A customer asked if RBase will run on a VPN (Virtual Private Network). I >don't know what this is. It may be an intranet/internet connection. If this >is the case then I would need to move my app to rbase/tango/oterro. > >TIA, > >Dennis >***** >Dennis Fleming >IISCO >http://www.TheBestCMMS.com > > > > > > Dennis Fleming IISCO http://www.TheBestCMMS.com
