X inside VE

running X applications inside VE

To run application inside VE one need simply to connect to VE with ssh -X:

host# ssh -X user@address

After login to VE check that $DISPLAY variable is set and X11 forwarding is enabled:

vps# echo $DISPLAY
localhost:10.0

if $DISPLAY is not set, make sure that X forwarding is enabled in sshd config inside VE.
In most Linux distros sshd config can be found at /etc/ssh/sshd_config. Set variable X11Forwarding to 'yes' and restart your sshd daemon:

vps# /etc/init.d/sshd restart

Don't forget to reconnect after this.

Now you can run X applications from your VE:

vps# firefox

Using VNC for X desktop

First, one need to run Xvnc server inside VE. The easiest way for this is to run vncserver script. This scripts starts all the required services and small http daemon which provides graphical web access to your desktop (via Java applet).

vps# vncserver -name mydesktop
New 'mydekstop' desktop is vps:1

Starting applications specified in ~/.vnc/xstartup
Log file is ~/.vnc/vps:1.log

Now when your desktop is up and running you can connect to it using vncviewer command:

host# vncviewer <vpsip>:1

Starting KDE desktop with VNC

To start KDE desktop instead of default twm one replace 'twm &' line with 'startkde &' in user ~/.vnc/xstartup file.

Connecting with VNC from firewalled network

VNC uses 590x TCP ports for its connections. These ports can be firewalled in many networks so in order to be able to connect to remote side one need to tunnel VNC connections somehow. A usuall ssh can be used for tunneling VNC connections as described below.

localhost# ssh -L 5900:localhost:5900 <remote host>

where my-server.psi.ch is the name of the system you want to connect to. When you are asked for a username and password enter your normal username and password. Then start the vnc session to localhost, i.e.

localhost# vncviewer localhost

Using xdm

It should be also possible to do remote X by running xdm inside VE and X -query <remote IP> :1

However VNC approach is much easier.

External links

http://forum.openvz.org/index.php?t=tree&th=235&mid=1115&&rev=&reveal= http://ait.web.psi.ch/services/linux/kde-desktop-sharing.htm http://ait.web.psi.ch/services/ssh/vnc-ssh.html http://www.vnc.com/pipermail/vnc-list/2002-July/031831.html http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/5499

http://www.realvnc.com/pipermail/vnc-list/2002-March/029502.html http://www.redhat.com/archives/rhl-list/2003-December/msg01859.html http://faq.gotomyvnc.com/fom-serve/cache/56.html