VNC for OS/2: is there something newer that works?

[Al Savage]

(sorry for the crosspost; I mistakenly posted this over at the
eComstation NG.)

I am about 1400 miles remote to my server for the next few months. The
server is WSA and it's running PMVNC (v1.02).

While this does work, it's less than optimal, in that <Ctrl>, <Alt>, and
<C-A-D> do not get passed to it from any VNC client I've tried.

The latest ported version of VNC server for OS/2 seems to be PMVNC v1.02
. Yes, there are versions labelled 1.03 & 1.04.wpi, but they're really
v1.02 inside.

Two questions:
1) What would it take (dollars) to entice someone to port a newer version?

2) Is there an alternative that doesn't require 10 hours of
configuration and troubleshooting? Someone mentioned a product "RSM" a
couple of years ago, but all I'm seeing Googling that are 'doze products.

============================
My current workaround is to power-cycle the box, which -- due to the TBs
of storage and old HPFS386 is less that the best solution. A reboot
takes >15 minutes in that case, and sometimes >30 mins.

I'm using old IT hardware to accomplish the power-cycle:
APC MasterSwitch Plus AP9225 with an AP9619 Network Monitoring Card in
the MS+'s SmartSlot. The NMC has a web server that I can talk to with
my iPhone. I can toggle ON/OFF any of the MS+'s eight outlets, and
there's also an option to turn off the power and it'll turn it'll turn
it back on in ten seconds, great for rebooting the router.

This stuff is cheap: $30-60 for a bare AP9225 (the "EXP" suffix that has
no NMC installed) and $35-50 for the AP9619 (eBay prices) and if you're
willing to settle for a lower-end AP9606 NMC, which doesn't have the
latest firmware available and has many fewer capabilities, but will
control the eight outlets just fine, you'll often find those for nearly
nothing.

You need a "special" APC serial cable for initial configuration, though.
No workaround, as the old APC Gen1 NMCs will not factory-reset to
DHCP; you gotta user a term program over RS232, just like the old days.
That cable's $10-20. I happen to have gotten one when I bought a
Back-UPS Pro in 1999. That UPS is still in service, four battery
changes later, and I'm resting my feet on it as I type.

I actually usually power-cycle the server out there by talking to the
APC Smart-UPS 1000XL via another AP9619 in *its* SmartSlot. That UPS is
powered by a couple of automotive batteries. The old XL versions of APC
UPSs have an external connector port for slaving up to ten more battery
chassis to the UPS.

While I'm out of state, I'm working on an eCS box to replace that old
WSA box. JFS is the reason for the upgrade from WSA/HPFS386 to eCS,
otherwise I'd just put new hardware under the old software.

Al S.

[David H. Durgee]

Al Savage wrote:
> (sorry for the crosspost; I mistakenly posted this over at the
> eComstation NG.)
>
> I am about 1400 miles remote to my server for the next few months. The
> server is WSA and it's running PMVNC (v1.02).
>
> While this does work, it's less than optimal, in that <Ctrl>, <Alt>, and
> <C-A-D> do not get passed to it from any VNC client I've tried.
>
> The latest ported version of VNC server for OS/2 seems to be PMVNC v1.02
> . Yes, there are versions labelled 1.03 & 1.04.wpi, but they're really
> v1.02 inside.
>
> Two questions:
> 1) What would it take (dollars) to entice someone to port a newer version?
>
> 2) Is there an alternative that doesn't require 10 hours of
> configuration and troubleshooting? Someone mentioned a product "RSM" a
> couple of years ago, but all I'm seeing Googling that are 'doze products.

I have been using NetOp on WSA myself for many years. You can find out
more here: http://www.netop.com/

Dave

[Alex Taylor]

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:59:10 UTC, Al Savage <asa...@iname.com> wrote:

> Two questions:
> 1) What would it take (dollars) to entice someone to port a newer version?

Can't answer that, but...

> 2) Is there an alternative that doesn't require 10 hours of
> configuration and troubleshooting? Someone mentioned a product "RSM" a
> couple of years ago, but all I'm seeing Googling that are 'doze products.

I think RSM evolved into NetOp.
http://www.netop.com/products/administration/remote.htm

I've never used it but I gather it's supposed to be a good product.
However, IIRC it's also very expensive. I think it also requires
dedicated server _and_ client software.

According to the website version 9.0 is the last version supporting
OS/2, but it's implied to still be available for purchase.


A more economical alternative is IBM Desktop On-Call, which has its
quirks and instabilities but works reasonably well most of the time.
Version 4.0 is included with eComStation up to version 1.2R, I think
(on CD2). eCS 2.0 doesn't include it anymore, unfortunately.

DtoC's main benefits over VNC are: it's noticeably faster; it has
a built-in file-transfer feature (rather unstable, unfortunately);
and it supports encrypted connections.

There is a version 5 which fixes some problems that 4.0 had, but
unfortunately it's impossible to buy anywhere.


--
Alex Taylor
Fukushima, Japan
http://www.altsan.org

Please take off hat when replying.

[Trevor Hemsley]

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:59:10 UTC in comp.os.os2.apps, Al Savage
<asa...@iname.com> wrote:

> While this does work, it's less than optimal, in that <Ctrl>, <Alt>, and
> <C-A-D> do not get passed to it from any VNC client I've tried.

On the VNC clients that I've used, pressing F8 brings up a popup menu that has
several options, one of those is to send Ctrl-Alt-Del.


--
Trevor Hemsley, Brighton, UK
Trevor dot Hemsley at ntlworld dot com

[Don Hills]

In article <g9ednTpgFvr5-p7N...@giganews.com>,

Al Savage <asa...@iname.com> wrote:
> (sorry for the crosspost; I mistakenly posted this over at the
> eComstation NG.)
>
> I am about 1400 miles remote to my server for the next few months. The
> server is WSA and it's running PMVNC (v1.02).
>
> While this does work, it's less than optimal, in that <Ctrl>, <Alt>, and
> <C-A-D> do not get passed to it from any VNC client I've tried.

Al,
have you tried:
- Right-click on desktop
- Select "Shutdown"
- Select "Reboot" button and click "OK"

It can also be done blind (no monitor) with keystrokes
but I can't recall the sequence.
--
Don Hills (dmhills at attglobaldotnet) Wellington, New Zealand
"New interface closely resembles Presentation Manager,
preparing you for the wonders of OS/2!"
-- Advertisement on the box for Microsoft Windows 2.11 for 286

[Al Savage]

On Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:59:10 UTC, Al Savage <asa...@iname.com> wrote:

Thanks, All, for the suggestions. I'm no longer 1400 miles from my
server, so the remote-control problem is less pressing.

I'll check out NetOp and DToC when I get a chance.

Trevor: <F8> does have the "send characters" option, but they don't work
(at least, they have no apparent effect).

Don: I need to send <Ctrl> and <Alt> as well, not just for rebooting.

--
Regards,
Al S.