Question regarding Microsoft file copy process across a WAN link

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hwest

Newby just wanting to understand how this works...

I have two computers, computer A and computer B, located on the same
1GB LAN at a location that is remote to me (I'm connected to this
location via a pt-to-pt T-1 WAN link, using computer C). When I issue
a copy command from from computer C (i.e. copy \\computer a\c$
\somefile.txt \\computer b\c$\), the copy process is much slower vs if
I RDP into computer A and issue the copy command directly from it to
computer B (i.e. RDP into computer A and then type copy c:
\somefile.txt \\computer B\c$\).

If I initiate the copy command directly from computer C to copy a file
from computer A to computer B, does the file actually get copied to
computer C and then to computer B? Also, does my WAN link cause the
copy connection between computer A and computer B to get negotiated to
something much less than their native 1GB speed?

Thanks for any help
 
Think of your network connections like pipes.

When you copy a file via RDP between the servers, the file is copied
through a LARGE pipe (the 1GB link). Remember RDP is a a remote view of
the desktop - everything you do is happening on the remote computer.
For the remote computer, Computer A and B are on the same network with a
FAST link.

When you tell your computer, Computer C, that you want to copy a file
from computer A to computer B, you are shoving that data down a narrow
pipe and back up a narrow pipe, slowing things down tremendously.

Here's my pathetic attempt at a drawing:

_____
A _____ B
\ /
\ /
\ /
C

So when you issue the command on Computer C to copy a file from A to B,
instead of flowing through that LARGE connection, it's going through
that THIN connection and taking a lot longer (C asks for the data from
A, receives it, then sends it to B - MUCH slower).

-Lee
 
Think of your network connections like pipes.

When you copy a file via RDP between the servers, the file is copied
through a LARGE pipe (the 1GB link). Remember RDP is a a remote view of
the desktop - everything you do is happening on the remote computer.
For the remote computer, Computer A and B are on the same network with a
FAST link.

When you tell your computer, Computer C, that you want to copy a file
from computer A to computer B, you are shoving that data down a narrow
pipe and back up a narrow pipe, slowing things down tremendously.

Here's my pathetic attempt at a drawing:

_____
A _____ B
\ /
\ /
\ /
C

So when you issue the command on Computer C to copy a file from A to B,
instead of flowing through that LARGE connection, it's going through
that THIN connection and taking a lot longer (C asks for the data from
A, receives it, then sends it to B - MUCH slower).

-Lee







- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

This completely clarifies it--the data does actually get copied from
computer A to computer C and then to computer B if the copy command is
issued from computer C directly (and the diagram is helpful, too).
Thanks, Lee! I'll stick with psexec and/or RDP, of course--just
wondered exactly what was happening :-)
 
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