X11

We are using XFree86 4.3.0 (http://www.xfree86.org), the most popular implementation of X11. By default, X communicates on port 6000 + [display number]. Normally, the display number is chosen automatically by X upon startup, based on its configuration and additional servers running in the computer. However, for the tests we have configured the thinclient to always use display 0, which makes the port that needs to be filtered with Ethereal, be 6000.
To make sure the display is correct, in the client run:

testbed@thinclient1:~$ echo $DISPLAY
:0.0

If something different from :0.0 is printed, the settings are incorrect and need to be fixed.

• To set up X for a benchmark session do the following:
  1. At the thinclient run:

     testbed@thinclient1:~$ xhost +thinserv
     thinserv being added to access control list
     

  2. From the thinclient connect to the thinserver using ssh:

     testbed@thinclient1:~$ ssh thinserv
     

  3. At the thinserver run:

     testbed@cluster08:~$ export DISPLAY=thinclient:0.0
     

  At this point, the session is ready to begin the benchmark (see section 4). One additional detail to take into consideration is that the benchmark program (e.g. Mozilla for the Web Benchmark) needs to be run from the same shell/session/terminal/console that you executed this last command. To make sure you are in the correct place, execute

  testbed@cluster08:~$ echo $DISPLAY
  thinclient:0.0
  

  If the output doesn't look right, execute the command above and check again.

• To shutdown the X session do the following:
  1. In the server, close all the benchmark programs which are using the thinclient as the display server. If you want to revert to your old settings, you may want to run:

     testbed@cluster08:~$ export DISPLAY=:0.0
     

     or something to that effect, although the easiest way would be to exit (close the terminal, logout of the console) and enter again (open another terminal, log back in). This will revert your settings to their default values.

  2. In the client, run

     testbed@thinclient1:~$ xhost -thinserv
     thinserv being removed from access control list