Version 31 (modified by 7 years ago) ( diff ) | ,
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Xpra - X Persistent Remote Applications
Xpra is currently in the testphase.
Please report any issues to j.goebbert@… .
Xpra (X Persistent Remote Applications)
... is a remote display solution for forwarding applications and desktop screens.
Xpra is an open-source software for multiple platforms (Linux, Windows, MaxOS, etc.).
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Preparation
Download & Installation Xpra-client (>= 1.0.1)
(0.17.x was reported to work as well)
- Linux (various distributions)
- MacOSX (>=10.5)
- PKG format (best choice)
- DMG format
- On MacOSX >= 10.12.2 Xpra currently must be installed on the system and cannot be started directly!
- Windows (>=XP)
- AntiVirus programs like 'Kaspersky' slow down startup of Xpra a lot(!) the first few times you call it.
It can take more than a minute until the GUI appears, when the Antivirus checks the application in detail.
Please be patient and blame your AntiVirus application (you could also add an exception for Xpra in the AntiVirus app).
- AntiVirus programs like 'Kaspersky' slow down startup of Xpra a lot(!) the first few times you call it.
Authentication
Xpra must communicate with JURECA via Secure Shell (SSH)
and JURECA requires authentication to be password-less using SSH key-pair.
Please test your system before you proceed.
Execute the command with your JURECA-userid on your local workstation.
It must return the word 'success' for a successful SSH connection to JURECAVIS.
Linux/MacOSX:
ssh <YOUR-USERID>@jurecavis.fz-juelich.de echo "success"
Windows/Putty:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\PuTTY\plink.exe" -ssh <YOUR-USERID>@jurecavis.fz-juelich.de echo "success"
Ensure you have loaded your key in PuTTY´s SSH key agent called Pagent before!
Quick Howto (Linux/MacOSX only)
Start JURECA application directly from your workstation:
client> xpra start ssh:<USERID>@<LOGINNODE> --start-child=<JURECA_APP>
- password-less authentication using SSH must be ensured
General approach using Xpra requires three steps.
- Start application in Xpra-server on a JURECA login node.
- Connect with Xpra-client from workstation to Xpra-server
- Stop Xpra-server on the JURECA login node.
1. Start application in Xpra-server
Login to any JURECA login node and start application with Xpra-server
- simple X11 application
jureca> xpra start --start-child=xterm
- OpenGL application
jurecavis> xpra start --start-child="vglrun glxgears"
- only on JURECAVIS login nodes (jurecavis01.fz-juelich.de or jurecavis02.fz-juelich.de)
- using VirtualGL for hardware accelerated server-sider rendering on the GPU
Take a note of the <DISPLAYID> and the <LOGFILE> Xpra returns:
> Actual display used: :<DISPLAYID> > Actual log file name is now: <LOGFILE>
2. Connect with Xpra-client from workstation to Xpra-server
Start the Xpra-client on the workstation to connect to the Xpra-server on JURECA.
- Connect with Linux or MacOSX Xpra-client
client> xpra attach ssh:<USERID>@<LOGINNODE>:<DISPLAYID>
3. Stop Xpra-server
Make sure you stop the Xpra-server on the JURECA login node, when it is not needed any more.
jureca> xpra list jureca> xpra stop :<DISPLAYID>
More on Xpra
Full documentation of Xpra command: http://xpra.org/manual.html
Configuration Options: https://xpra.org/trac/wiki/Configuration
Usefull examples:
- List all running Xpra-server:
xpra list
- Get all infos of a running Xpra-server:
xpra info :<DISPLAYID>
- Start Xpra-server with larger/smaller fonts
xpra start --start-child="xterm" --dpi=96
Background Information
Authentication:
Xpra must communicate with JURECA via Secure Shell (SSH).
It is mandatory that JURECA trusts Xpra and is 100% sure
that the incoming connection is by a certain user and no none else.
Hence, each new SSH connections starts with an authentification procedure.
SSH supports different authentification methods, but not all are available on any site.
Xpra must be used with the most secure Public-Key Authentification (PKA) to connect to JURECA.
PKA is based on a SSH key-pair with a private key and a public key.
The private key never leaves the local machine and the public key must be installed on the remote machine.
Anyone who knows the private key can now connect to the remote machine.
Xpra Wrapper
On JURECA Xpra is started through a wrapper script, which loads the Xpra module before calling Xpra:
module use /usr/local/software/jureca/OtherStages module load Stages/Devel module load GCCcore/.5.4.0 module load Xpra
any feedback welcomed - h.zilken@…, j.goebbert@…
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- Xpra_GUI.png (21.8 KB ) - added by 7 years ago.
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