[cvsnt] Re: how to improve the stablity of connection for the remote users

[Glen Starrett]

zpshen wrote:
> hi,
>   here I have a CVSNT server installed on a Windows2003. and we have  
> several developers
> in another city, who use TortoiseCVS to connect to the cvs server, and 
> we  use pServer protocal.
>   my problem is that it seems the connection is not stable enough, the  
> developers often complain that the 'update' often stoped with some red  
> error messages aften they update some files (not completely).
>   So I want to ask that:
> 1, if it would be better if I change another protocal, if yes, which one?
> 2, if it would be better if I set the compression in the server setting?

PServer should work as good as any other protocol over the link, it is 
simple and relatively insecure*.  AFAIK there isn't really a significant 
difference in the bandwidth different protocols use per se.

Using compression can help, but it won't help much if you are already 
compressing the data across the unreliable link.  You'll want to 
experiment with the compression level -- on a very slow link you might 
benefit more from a high level of compression (6-9), but on a faster 
link the CPU overhead really shows up.  I'd start at 6 and go up & down 
from there to see if it helps.

Fortunately, CVSNT (and CVS) is atomic at the file level, so you 
shouldn't get any issues with corrupt files.

I'm assuming you're already looking at ways to stabilize your 
connection, if not that should be the first place you start working your 
issue.

* I'd recommend you use SSPI or sserver if you can in your environment, 
since they are more secure and easy to use.

-- 
Glen Starrett