RDP and VNC...
RDP and VNC protocols
The Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Provides remote display and input capabilities over a network connection for Windows-based applications. The RDP protocol has been around since Windows NT Server 4.0 and has been updated regularly with each new version of Windows software. RDP is based on an extension of the ITU T.120 family of protocols. The two main versions are RDP 4.0 and RDP 5.0. The new versions (5.0 and 5.1) are backwards compatible with the older version, and among the difference between RDP 4.0 and RDP 5.0 are that the latter supports improved compression and caching, and clipboard mapping.
RDP is semantic. The RDP is aware of controls, fonts, and other similar graphical primitives. This means that when rendering a screen across a network, this information is used to compress the data stream significantly. For instance, if you know that this region of the screen if occupied by a button, with the color grey, then you don't need to send an image of the button across the network, but merely information such as location of this button, size and color.
The RDP 4.0 client is Java based and has the most basic set of features as it is the oldest. The RDP 5.0 client is based on Active X and was introduced with Windows 2000 Terminal Services. The main features of RDP 5.0 are increased performance over slow network connections and full screen mode. RDP 5.1 was introduced with Windows XP Pro and has improvements such as 24-bit color support.
Note: Due to licensing restrictions from Microsoft, the Java based RDP 4.0 client cannot be used to connect to Windows 2003 Server.You may use RDP 5.0 or VNC instead.
VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing:-
VNC was originally developed by AT&T, but is today widely available as open source and fully cross platform software. This means you can mix and match the client and server platforms as desired. For example a Windows based PC with a VNC client can control any combination of UNIX, Solaris or Windows machines. The client is Java based which offers even more flexibility. The largest differences between VNC and RDP is that VNC is open source software and does not have the licensing costs of RDP, and that VNC is purely a remote desktop solutions, meaning it lacks the virtualization (or multiple session) capabilities of Microsoft’s Terminal Services..
VNC is platform-independent – a VNC viewer on one operating system may connect to a VNC server on the same or any other operating system. There are clients and servers for many GUI-based operating systems and for Java. Multiple clients may connect to a VNC server at the same time. Popular uses for this technology include remote technical support and accessing files on one's work computer from one's home computer, or vice versa. VNC was originally developed at the Olivetti & Oracle Research Lab in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The original VNC source code and many modern derivatives are open source under the GNU General Public License.
VNC in KDE 3.1.There are a number of variants of VNC which offer their own particular functionality; e.g., some optimized for Microsoft Windows, or offering file transfer (not part of VNC proper), etc. Many are compatible (without their added features) with VNC proper in the sense that a viewer of one flavour can connect with a server of another; others are based on VNC code but not compatible with standard VNC.
VNC is "dumb" in this respect, and largely functions by sending the actual images across the network.
RDP is tightly coupled to the Windows platform, where as VNC is availble for most platforms. RDP is also seen as far more performant then VNC, due to the semantic advantadge.
VNC requires a separate client running on a PC, but is platform-independent, so I can have a VNC client on my PC and connect to a Linux box running a VNC server. VNC programs can usually inter-connect with one another, and often include other features that RDP doesn't, like file-sharing/transfers and chatting with the person on the other computer. RDP logs you into the remote system just like being at the console (just with lag and DirectX support isn't that good)... VNC just transmits keystrokes and mouse inputs blindly and receives the desktop in what amounts to a streaming video.
The Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Provides remote display and input capabilities over a network connection for Windows-based applications. The RDP protocol has been around since Windows NT Server 4.0 and has been updated regularly with each new version of Windows software. RDP is based on an extension of the ITU T.120 family of protocols. The two main versions are RDP 4.0 and RDP 5.0. The new versions (5.0 and 5.1) are backwards compatible with the older version, and among the difference between RDP 4.0 and RDP 5.0 are that the latter supports improved compression and caching, and clipboard mapping.
RDP is semantic. The RDP is aware of controls, fonts, and other similar graphical primitives. This means that when rendering a screen across a network, this information is used to compress the data stream significantly. For instance, if you know that this region of the screen if occupied by a button, with the color grey, then you don't need to send an image of the button across the network, but merely information such as location of this button, size and color.
The RDP 4.0 client is Java based and has the most basic set of features as it is the oldest. The RDP 5.0 client is based on Active X and was introduced with Windows 2000 Terminal Services. The main features of RDP 5.0 are increased performance over slow network connections and full screen mode. RDP 5.1 was introduced with Windows XP Pro and has improvements such as 24-bit color support.
Note: Due to licensing restrictions from Microsoft, the Java based RDP 4.0 client cannot be used to connect to Windows 2003 Server.You may use RDP 5.0 or VNC instead.
VNC stands for Virtual Network Computing:-
VNC was originally developed by AT&T, but is today widely available as open source and fully cross platform software. This means you can mix and match the client and server platforms as desired. For example a Windows based PC with a VNC client can control any combination of UNIX, Solaris or Windows machines. The client is Java based which offers even more flexibility. The largest differences between VNC and RDP is that VNC is open source software and does not have the licensing costs of RDP, and that VNC is purely a remote desktop solutions, meaning it lacks the virtualization (or multiple session) capabilities of Microsoft’s Terminal Services..
VNC is platform-independent – a VNC viewer on one operating system may connect to a VNC server on the same or any other operating system. There are clients and servers for many GUI-based operating systems and for Java. Multiple clients may connect to a VNC server at the same time. Popular uses for this technology include remote technical support and accessing files on one's work computer from one's home computer, or vice versa. VNC was originally developed at the Olivetti & Oracle Research Lab in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The original VNC source code and many modern derivatives are open source under the GNU General Public License.
VNC in KDE 3.1.There are a number of variants of VNC which offer their own particular functionality; e.g., some optimized for Microsoft Windows, or offering file transfer (not part of VNC proper), etc. Many are compatible (without their added features) with VNC proper in the sense that a viewer of one flavour can connect with a server of another; others are based on VNC code but not compatible with standard VNC.
VNC is "dumb" in this respect, and largely functions by sending the actual images across the network.
RDP is tightly coupled to the Windows platform, where as VNC is availble for most platforms. RDP is also seen as far more performant then VNC, due to the semantic advantadge.
VNC requires a separate client running on a PC, but is platform-independent, so I can have a VNC client on my PC and connect to a Linux box running a VNC server. VNC programs can usually inter-connect with one another, and often include other features that RDP doesn't, like file-sharing/transfers and chatting with the person on the other computer. RDP logs you into the remote system just like being at the console (just with lag and DirectX support isn't that good)... VNC just transmits keystrokes and mouse inputs blindly and receives the desktop in what amounts to a streaming video.
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