RDP into SQL server BAD or not

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RDP into SQL server BAD or not

sjaco1

Old Hand

Points: 373
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February 28, 2017 at 1:34 pm

#335412

I am just qurious if I overlook somthing, keep asking why.....I started doing some BI work recently and like to RPD into the BI server, It has 64GB of memory. What is the big deal to take 300MB away for a remote desktop session?
It saves a lot of networktrafic that I would have when I use SSMS to query the data to my local machine using dedicated Networks to and from the datacenter.
That laptop doesnt have that splendit amount of memory either while fetching the data.
Id like to know if there has been done research on this lately. Many times heard arguments slaming people using RDP are old topics on the internet. From the time memory whas awfull expensive and a database server with 8GB was a big machine.
A link to a recent post which I could not find would be helpfull enough. Thanks in advance

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Phil Parkin SSC Guru Points: 246686 More actions · Answer 1

sjaco1 - Tuesday, February 28, 2017 1:34 PM
I am just qurious if I overlook somthing, keep asking why.....I started doing some BI work recently and like to RPD into the BI server, It has 64GB of memory. What is the big deal to take 300MB away for a remote desktop session?
It saves a lot of networktrafic that I would have when I use SSMS to query the data to my local machine using dedicated Networks to and from the datacenter.
That laptop doesnt have that splendit amount of memory either while fetching the data.
Id like to know if there has been done research on this lately. Many times heard arguments slaming people using RDP are old topics on the internet. From the time memory whas awfull expensive and a database server with 8GB was a big machine.
A link to a recent post which I could not find would be helpfull enough. Thanks in advance

Are you doing development work using Visual Studio on the server?

If you haven't even tried to resolve your issue, please don't expect the hard-working volunteers here to waste their time providing links to answers which you could easily have found yourself.

Kevin3NF SSCarpal Tunnel Points: 4765 More actions · Answer 2

I have no links for you, But I currently have RDP sessions open on 4 prod servers (OLTP). Do it all the time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Standing in the gap between Consultant and ContractorKevin3NF DallasDBAs.com/Blog Why is my SQL Log File HUGE?!?![/url]The future of the DBA role...[/url]SQL Security Model in Plain English[/url]

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 233821 More actions · Answer 3

generally it's bad practice, this should be carried out in a separate environment

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 4

Generally I would say bad practice. It's not just 300MB, that's the minimum. Start doing heavy work in SSMS or BI tools and it will chew memory. And that ignores the chances of making mistakes like rebooting the server instead of your laptop
The server's there to serve data to users, not to be your personal dev box.

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

John Mitchell-245523 SSC Guru Points: 148809 More actions · Answer 5

I agree with Gail. Don't forget there are only two RDP connections to each server, and if someone wants to do some genuine maintenance work, they don't want to have to wait for you and another developer to finish what you're doing before they can start. And if developers don't need to log on directly to servers, they don't need local admin permissions, so the whole server estate becomes that little bit more secure. Finally, if you have client and development tools on a server, you then have to worry about patching and upgrading them, leading to possible unnecessary outages.

John

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 233821 More actions · Answer 6

John Mitchell-245523 - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 4:41 AM
Don't forget there are only two RDP connections to each server

Unless the server is in TS mode, then more connections are allowed.
The overhead TS sessions has on the server can be quite substantial depending on what the users are doing

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 7

Perry Whittle - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 4:47 AM
John Mitchell-245523 - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 4:41 AM
Don't forget there are only two RDP connections to each server
Unless the server is in TS mode, then more connections are allowed.
The overhead TS sessions has on the server can be quite substantial depending on what the users are doing

At a recent client:

"Why is SQL under memory pressure?"
"Why is Target Server Memory so low?"
"Why are there 9 instances of Management Studio running on this server?"
"How the hell many remote connections are there?"

My laptop at the moment:

17% CPU (quad core i7) and half a GB of memory, and that's just SSMS

Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Eric M Russell SSC Guru Points: 125519 More actions · Answer 8

It doesn't matter how many GB of memory total are on the server. How much memory is reserved for Windows and applications (including SSIS/SSRS/SSAS) depends on the min/max memory settings for SQL Server. If you are going to occasionally RDP into the server, then you need at least 4 GB reserved for Windows. I would not recommend you routinely RDP into the server. If you are working from a remote location, then consider RDP-ing into an on-site desktop PC or a VM dedicated to the purpose. Where I used to work, they had several VMs running on a dedicated host server specifically for the purpose of accommodating contractors or staff working remotely. Really about the only time you should RDP into the server is when you're doing something with the Windows configuration or SQL Server installation.

"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 233821 More actions · Answer 9

GilaMonster - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 5:43 AM
Perry Whittle - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 4:47 AM
John Mitchell-245523 - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 4:41 AM
Don't forget there are only two RDP connections to each server
Unless the server is in TS mode, then more connections are allowed.
The overhead TS sessions has on the server can be quite substantial depending on what the users are doing
At a recent client:
"Why is SQL under memory pressure?"
"Why is Target Server Memory so low?"
"Why are there 9 instances of Management Studio running on this server?"
"How the hell many remote connections are there?"
My laptop at the moment:

17% CPU (quad core i7) and half a GB of memory, and that's just SSMS

😉

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

Beatrix Kiddo SSC-Dedicated Points: 32407 More actions · Answer 10

Where do you all stand on those third party privileged access management systems that RDP you onto the server and record everything you do so that it can be played back later? I understand the need to keep data secure, but it means that we can't run SSMS from our desktops any more (because your privileged account password is passed through by the application so you never know what it is). It's very frustrating not to have SSMS on my desktop machine any more. Back to the point of the thread, there's a noticeable lag too, so there must be more overhead on the server (?).

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 11

Beatrix Kiddo - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 9:18 AM
Where do you all stand on those third party privileged access management systems that RDP you onto the server and record everything you do so that it can be played back later? I understand the need to keep data secure, but it means that we can't run SSMS from our desktops any more (because your privileged account password is passed through by the application so you never know what it is). It's very frustrating not to have SSMS on my desktop machine any more. Back to the point of the thread, there's a noticeable lag too, so there must be more overhead on the server (?).

Any more info on this as I have never heard of such things, Beatrix.

Back to the original topic, I strongly fight using RDP to a server to do work. Most servers I have worked with only have 2 management RDP sessions and I strongly feel those should be used only for doing things that require you to be on the server. I can do 99% or more of my work without ever touching an active server. Now, at a previous employer we did have one SSIS package that if it needed to be modified had to be done on the server it was deployed because the third party software we were using could not use UNC paths.

I want my tools on my desktop/laptop and connect to my servers remotely. This prevents me from having to install them on multiple systems when it is not required. I do want SSMS on the servers just in case I do need to RDP into a server to do some work.

Thom A SSC Guru Points: 99126 More actions · Answer 12

I rarely RDP to the server either. The only times I do is, like Lynn said, when it's something I'd want to be at the physical server for anyway. Last time I think anyone RDP'd to the server was myself between Christmas and New year. That was because I took the opportunity to apply Windows updates outside of our normal cycle and do some restarts to ensure they were finalised, as the company was running on a skeleten team for that week.

The tools, and everything else, should be on your PC, and you should be using them there. Like the others have said as well, the Server's resources are there for running the services you want it to, not for building and deploying Visual Studio projects, or writing and running queries in SSMS, etc.

Thom~

Excuse my typos and sometimes awful grammar. My fingers work faster than my brain does.
Larnu.uk

Perry Whittle SSC Guru Points: 233821 More actions · Answer 13

Lynn Pettis - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 9:45 AM
Most servers I have worked with only have 2 management RDP sessions

Yes, this is the old TS admin mode

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"Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

Phil Parkin SSC Guru Points: 246686 More actions · Answer 14

Perry Whittle - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 10:05 AM
Lynn Pettis - Wednesday, March 1, 2017 9:45 AM
Most servers I have worked with only have 2 management RDP sessions
Yes, this is the old TS admin mode

I think it's the standard setting.
I hope that there are very few organisations which have bought CALs for TS access direct on their SQL box.

If you haven't even tried to resolve your issue, please don't expect the hard-working volunteers here to waste their time providing links to answers which you could easily have found yourself.