When a company chooses a server for remote work, the first focus is usually on speed. How many cores, how much memory, what kind of disk, whether the desktop opens quickly, whether the browser slows down, how programs start. These are understandable questions. No one wants to work on a remote server where every action causes a pause.
But speed is only part of the picture. For daily work through RDP, something else is more important: predictability. The server should not just respond quickly at the right moment. It should work stably all day, not interrupt sessions, not freeze at low peaks, not lose access after a reboot, not slow down due to a full disk and not turn ordinary tasks into a lottery.
A fast but unstable server is more annoying than a moderately fast but reliable one. An employee may get used to a slight delay. But it cannot work normally if the remote desktop suddenly turns off, the program closes, the document is not saved, and the connection has to be restored several times a day.
Speed is immediately noticeable, stability is checked by time.
The speed is easy to estimate in five minutes. We connected via RDP, opened the browser, launched the program, and checked the document. If everything is working fast, it seems that the server is suitable.
Stability is not checked so quickly. It manifests itself in a normal working day.:
- how does the server behave in the morning when everyone connects;
- what happens after a few hours of work;
- are sessions hanging up;
- How are the updates going?;
- is there enough memory when the browser is open;
- is the disk filling up with temporary files?;
- what happens when you reboot;
- how quickly you can restore work after a failure.
Remote work is not based on a beautiful first start, but on repeatability. The employee should connect in the morning and work calmly, not thinking about whether the server can withstand the day.
RDP is sensitive to latency and interruptions
For a remote desktop, it's not just the computing power of the server that matters. RDP transmits the desktop image, mouse actions, keyboard input, sometimes sound, clipboard, printers, and files. Therefore, the user immediately feels problems with the network.
High latency makes the job sticky. The cursor does not move immediately, the text is printed late, and windows open with a pause. Connection failures are even worse: the user loses his working rhythm, waits for reconnection, worries about an unsaved document.
Even a powerful server won't help if the connection is unstable. Important for RDP:
- stable channel;
- low latency to the server;
- no frequent packet loss;
- predictable network operation during business hours;
- the user has a normal Internet connection;
- adequate load
