Access remote computer to launch Python script without disturbing user

Question

First, I'll admit this is cross-posted at SuperUser but I decided to also post here as my objective is programming related and this community might have better solution scenarios than just the one I'm thinking of.

I have a Windows 7 computer that is acting as a Media Center so it is always on but not always in use. I would like to be able to log in to this machine remotely and launch some Python scripts that take time to compute.

I sync the scripts and their output using dropbox. If I use Remote Desktop I can get a view of the desktop and use it but the media center view gets blocked (I get the log in screen). If I use LogMeIn, the media center application closes (not compatible with remote use) and both the remote and media center views are the same.

Is there a way to access the computer remotely to launch and monitor the execution of these Python scripts while not disturbing the media center users?

Answer 1

How about wrapping their execution within Remote WSH? Not sure about the monitoring part, although I suppose you could simply have your scripts create a log on the remote machine, and then you can "tail" it in realtime while the remote script is still running...

Answer 2

Further searching yielded this which exactly addresses using Media Center and remote connections: http://www.missingremote.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3692&Itemid=232

Answer 3

For running remote python I like execnet. It gives you the option of running code on any "ssh"able connection or if you are on a local network a little bootstrap script you can run on the connecting machine (be careful as this is not secure if you intend to connect from elsewhere)

I would run openssh and use execnets ssh connector. You can make channels so the results of the scripts get sent back to you.

It not that difficult to setup and once you do you have lots of flexibility in future, i.e distributing your scripts on many more machines.

Answer 4

I use psexec to run remote commands on Windows machines.