USING UNIX FROM ANYWHERE

The tail can wag the dog!
If you wish to use a PC, you must physically sit at that PC, and are limited to what that PC can do. In contrast, Unix systems are designed to be accessed across the network. Whether you're in an airport or hotel room, a public library or an internet cafe, or just at home, you have the full power of your data center at your disposal.

You can get there from here
There are numerous ways to run remote Unix sessions, essentially from anywhere in the world. Remote sessions can be run either in a command-line window, or with a full graphic desktop. This page provides an overview of these two methods. Links to more detailed instructions for running remote sessions can be found in each section below. In settings such as a university campus, local PCs may already be running the necessary software, so you don't need to install it.

Command line sessions

Command line sessions can be run from any PC or Mac using client programs that implement ssh (Secure Shell).  ssh replaces the insecure Telnet protocol, which should no longer be used.

SSH clients

• Putty (free)
  
• SSH (commercial)
  

If you are on a Unix or Linux machine, you can ssh to any remote system using the ssh command.

Remote Graphic Desktops

There are two fundamental approaches to displaying a Unix desktop on a remote machine:

• local X11 server - The applications run on remote server, but windows are drawn on local desktop. This works well on a local area network such as a University campus, but is slow over long distances.
  
• Xterminals
• remote X11 server - The applications run on remote server, and a screen image is maintained on that server. A client on the local desktop displays the screen image on the local monitor, updating the image as changes occur. This method works well over very  long distances, even between continents.
  
• SunRay terminals - These terminals are very cheap, yet give you a full Unix desktop that supports multimedia (eg. video, audio). They are only useful for connecting to Sun Solaris systems.
• Sun Secure Global Desktop (Sun Solaris systems only) - Think of a software implementation of a SunRay.
  
• VNC - virtual network computing - view your X11 session in a window on your PC, or even in a web browser.
  

Example: Unix desktop session running in a vncviewer window on a PC.