Running long jobs on the Windows Terminal Servers
When you log-in to 'terms' you start a terminal server session. Each session is subject to timeout limits. The default timeouts are as follows:
- Disconnected session: 5 minutes
- Active session: Never
- Idle session: 3 hours
If you want to run long jobs on the terminal servers you need to have your disconnected session timeout limit increased. This involves completing this request form. (This request form must be completed by a member of staff.)
Once notified that your disconnected timeout session limit has been increased, log-in to terms. Start the job you wish to run. Now disconnect using either the X button at the top of the session window or the 'Disconnect' option on the Start Menu. The job will CONTINUE TO RUN until your new disconnected timeout limit has been reached. To check progress with your job simply log-in to terms again BEFORE your disconnected session times out.
DO NOT LOG OFF! If you log off from 'terms' the job(s) will terminate!
Why not start the job and then leave the session open but minimised? We do not recommend leaving a terminal session connected for extended periods if 'idle'. (The definition of idle would be with no keyboard or mouse activity.) Not only is this a potential security issue (an idle session is potentially open to outside interference), but a job could be terminated by the server when the user's idle session timeout is reached. The idle session timeout limit is given above.
Each time you log back in to a disconnected session the session timer will be reset to zero, allowing you to use your full disconnected session timeout limit once again.
e.g. acszzz has a disconnected session timeout limit of 6 hours. He logs in to 'terms', starts a job and disconnects. After 5 hours and 55 minutes he logs in to terms again and is re-connected to his original session. His job is still running so he disconnects the session. He now has a disconnected session timeout limit of 6 hours once again.
PLEASE NOTE:
(i) We will meet session timeout requests wherever possible, but may have to impose certain timeout restrictions should this prove necessary for server maintenance and security.
(ii) Every effort will be made to protect disconnected sessions from disruption. However, in the case of emergency maintenance or a server failure, it may be necessary to kill disconnected sessions and their associated jobs.