[TOC]
A server should be focused on it's core critical tasks. CLI is the best interface for that.
Sometimes a GUI can help in exploring options or making tasks accessible for non CLI workers.
before any installation
apt-get update
apt-cache search keyword
yum update
yum upgrade
yum groupinstall "X Window System" "GNOME Desktop Environment"
yum grouplist
installing xorg
//xorg is a fork of xfree86, both of which use the x11 system
//of windowing for linux
apt-get install xorg
Xorg -configure
Xorg -configure //auto configures and creates /home/username/xorg.conf.new
X -config /home/username/xorg.conf.new //starts the X server GUI
ctrl+alt+backspace //exits the X Server Gui
/var/log/Xorg
/etc/x11/xorg.conf
REMOTE GUI APPLICATIONS
## install ssh server
apt-get install openssh-server
apt-get install x11vnc
then run (as root?)
x11vnc -storepassword //create a password file
x11vnc -safer //could also have -viewonly -once -forever -shared -timeout -nolookup
ssh config to allow forwarding
nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
uncomment or add the line:
ForwardX11 yes
VNC/SSH CLIENT SETUP
start your ssh client (e.g. putty)
configure the connection with Connection-> SSH-> Tunnels
Source Port: 5900
Destination: localhost:5900
Add //should add the line L5900 localhost:5900
x11vnc -safer -localhost -nopw -once -display :0
REMOTE GUI SECURITY OPTIONS
The man page for vncviewer (man (1) vncviwer) you'll notice there is a small section for -via.
Makes the connection go through SSH to a gateway host. The gateway should be the target host for best connection secrecy.
Basically this is saying that you can tunnel VNC over SSH within your connection command.
vncviewer -via user@host localhost:0
## setup server for remote access to GUI applications (X)
grep "X11Forwarding yes" /etc/ssh/sshd_config || echo "X11Forwarding yes" >> /etc/ssh/sshd_config
apt-get install xauth ##may be obsolete
## install some applications
apt-get install xeyes xclock firefox
install xwindows
apt-get install x-window-system
apt-get install xterm twm
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 //to configure the GUI
apt-get install mozilla-firefox //a big no no on servers... use wget or elinks...
Remove (or rename) the x-scripts from the run-level directories so that you don't start into the graphical environment. You only want this when it suits you.
for SCRIPT in (xdm Xprt xfs);do
mv /etc/rc2.d/S20$SCRIPT /etc/rc2.d/s20$SCRIPT
done