[Spice-devel] Unfair comparisons with RDP

[John A. Sullivan III]

On Fri, 2011-07-01 at 11:37 +0200, Alon Levy wrote:
> On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 02:42:55PM -0400, John A. Sullivan III wrote:
> > On Thu, 2011-06-30 at 20:21 +0200, Alon Levy wrote:
> > > On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 02:01:48PM -0400, John A. Sullivan III wrote:
> > > > On Thu, 2011-06-30 at 10:10 +0300, Yaniv Kaul wrote:
> > > > > On 06/30/2011 05:33 AM, John A. Sullivan III wrote:
> > > > > > On Wed, 2011-06-29 at 20:22 -0400, Andrew Cathrow wrote:
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> ----- Original Message -----
> > > > > >>> <snip>
> > > > > >>> Hello, all. I've been using both RDP via TSPlus and SPICE for over a
> > > > > >>> week now and the practical world results at least in my mode of
> > > > > >>> operation are becoming clear. SPICE does handle major screen refreshes
> > > > > >>> better, e.g., monstrous graphics or continuously pasting a full line
> > > > > >>> of
> > > > > >>> text in a full screen notepad. Of course, SPICE is a clear winner when
> > > > > >>> it comes to video though still not practically usable on low bandwidth
> > > > > >>> links.
> > > > > >>>
> > > > > >>> However, RDP is trouncing SPICE in the more common day to day tasks
> > > > > >>> involving small screen updates. For example, every time I open or
> > > > > >>> switch
> > > > > >>> my screen to LibreOffice, the tool bar icons seems to pain one at a
> > > > > >>> time
> > > > > >>> in SPICE where as they appear all at once in TSPlus. Document
> > > > > >>> scrolling
> > > > > >>> is more immediate and smoother. Surprisingly, when I open the PuTTY
> > > > > >>> dialog in SPICE, it paints in sections whereas TSPlus appears all at
> > > > > >>> once.
> > > > > >> You'll really need to post some real details here - from versions of qemu+spice server that you're using along with the qemu command line syntax, host OS, hardware details through to what's running in the guest, driver versions, etc.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > >> I've never seen RDP trounce spice, but if it does, then we need some scientific information on the environment so we can diagnose and assist.
> > > > > >>
> > > > > > <snip>
> > > > > > Very happy to do so as we really do want SPICE to become our protocol of
> > > > > > choice.  I believe I've posted up our details before but will do so
> > > > > > again.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Would you be so kind as to capture the Spice traffic (using 
> > > > > tcpdump/wireshark) and send it over?
> > > > > Specifically:
> > > > > 1. Please capture from start - before the Spice client connects to the 
> > > > > server.
> > > > > 2. Ensure you catch full sized packets (-s XXXX - could be 1500 most 
> > > > > likely, when using tcpdump)
> > > > > 3. Save into file (-w /tmp/file.pcap when using tcpdump)
> > > > > 4. Please compress and send / let me know where I can pick it up from.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I suggest you have only the scenario of connecting to the VM and opening 
> > > > > putty, which you complain is slow.
> > > > > Hopefully it'll give us some clue.
> > > > > TIA,
> > > > > Y.
> > > > <snip>
> > > > Certainly.  On their way in a couple of moments.  If anyone else would
> > > > like a copy, please let me know off list.
> > > > 
> > > > I took three traces.  The first was our regular SPICE connection.  Then
> > > > I took a trace performing the same activities using xfreerdp and TSPlus.
> > > 
> > > Is the vm a windows or linux one?
> > Sorry - the VM is Windows Server 2008, client is Debian Squeeze, host is
> > Fedora 15 - John
> 
> So regarding TSPlus and xfreerdp - iiuc if the vm is windows then you are using TSPlus
> here, not xfreerdp?
> 
<snip>
No, xfreerdp is providing the client on my Debian Squeeze netbook.
TSPlus is providing the RDS on the Windows 2008 Server instead of using
Microsoft's RDS.  Thanks - John