[All_jlab_accounts] JLab Windows Terminal Server Users Notice

[Kandice Carter]

Sent on behalf of the Computer Center

Attention JLab Terminal Server Users -- Refrain from Accessing Streaming Media for non-JLab Business

The JLABTS Windows terminal server cluster serves a dual role –

1. Access to Windows specific applications for non-Windows users, including access to official training videos and related materials, and

2. General purpose Internet access to users whose desktops reside on secure networks that do not have direct Internet access for security reasons.

The widespread use of media (audio and video) on the modern Internet has the potential to consume a lot of system resources. This includes advertisements and other webpage elements that use flash animation. Media use on JLABTS has become very obvious to users in recent months. There have been frequent complaints of poor performance and slow response on JLABTS. The Computer Center has more than tripled the available CPU and other resources on the cluster in the past few months, but these problems persist. At this point, the cost to further increase JLABTS resources is considerable. Before such measures are taken, we must ask that users refrain from using JLABTS for personal/non-JLab activities; particularly, web sites that provide video or other media content.

JLab’s policy regarding this issue has always been fairly permissive – allowing limited non-business use as long as it consumes negligible resources and doesn’t interfere with the primary business purposes of JLab systems. This problem has grown to the point that non-business use IS interfering with the primary business purposes and therefore must be curtailed.

The Computer Center continues to seek ways to improve the situation and will keep users informed of changes as the situation evolves. Please refrain from Internet activity that contributes to this problem. This includes accessing sites providing videos like YouTube, various news and entertainment sites providing streaming media, Internet radio sites like Pandora, Rhapsody, etc. and many others that host this kind of material. Also, be cautious of sites that contain lots of video or otherwise animated (including games) components that are not strictly related to official Lab business.

We regret the need for these measures and thank you for your cooperation,
JLab Computer Center


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