I use ssh all the time. I have multiple CentOS and Ubuntu servers that I administrate, and usually I use ssh from my desk rather than attempting to get to the front panel. It works fine in *nearly every scenario, except one:*

I have a server in a city a thousand miles away. I connect to it using [Cisco AnyConnect VPN](http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/security/anyconnect-vpn-client/tsd-products-support-series-home.html), and then use SSH in cygwin or one of my linux boxes. This works fine, until **I leave the connection open and idle for on the order of two hours.** At this point, the connection freezes, and then eventually results in a

    Connection Timed Out

error, if I try to type in the window, press <kbd>Ctrl+C</kbd>, etc. This server is running CentOS 6.4.

I also have a CentOS 6.6 box computer under my desk that I left with an ssh connection open over the weekend from my primary desktop. This connection was still alive when I came into the office Monday morning.

**This crash error only happens on my connection over the Cisco AnyConnect VPN**. I use a hosting company that manages the cage where this server is located. What I'd like to be able to do is:

1. Dot all my i's and cross all my t's that the problem is not me, and not something that I can fix on my own
2. Verify that this is a problem that is fixable at all, by anyone (and not just inherent to having an SSH connection over a VPN to a server far away)
3. Attempt to give the hosting company some good information that might point them in the right direction towards solving the problem, if it's fixable at all.

Something that may also be relevant: I have a server-client application that creates a connection over this VPN using [Asynchronous IO using Netty.](http://netty.io/) This connection seems stable and fine most of the time, except it does occasionally drop out.