Corporate America has been looking for ways to reduce the cost of ownership associated with Microsoft Windows®-based computing causing the popularity of Windows-based Thin Clients coupled with deployment of Terminal Server and Citrix grow at a rapid rate. A new trend has been developing; enterprises are now trying to reduce costs further by moving to “intelligent" Thin Clients. In contrast to “dumb" thin clients, which simply acted as terminals allowing access from desktops to server-based applications, “intelligent" Thin Clients come with built-in emulation software; e-mail; a full-function browser�"such as Mozilla Firefox or full Internet Explorer�"supporting JVM, Flash and XML; and pop-up window support. These intelligent Thin Clients are served up with Linux or Windows XPe operating systems, and allow access to a file server as well as Web-delivered applications such as Lotus Notes, WebSphere, etc. Several options now exist for companies wishing to deploy Microsoft Office-type thin client products: Traditional: Serve up these applications using Microsoft Terminal Server (2000 or 2003 server), Citrix, etc., delivered using a remote desktop protocol. Costs associated with this method are: Terminal Server Client Access License at $120; Client Access License at $30; Microsoft Office Professional at $395; and Citrix (if applicable) at $250. The total software cost per user is $545 to $795. The total cost of ownership for software and hardware (Windows CE Thin Client) in a LAN environment is $994 and in a WAN environment is $1,194. Hybrid: Keep Microsoft Office and serve it up using a Linux server and CrossOver Office. This product allows some Microsoft products to be installed and served up via X-Windows to a Linux desktop or Linux Thin Client. The costs for this method are: CrossOver Office at $50 and Microsoft Office Professional for $395. The total software cost per user is $445. The total for software and hardware (Linux Thin Client) in a LAN environment is $895 and in a WAN environment is $995. Local Linux: Install OpenOffice on a Linux Server and use X-Windows on a Linux desktop or Linux Thin Client. The cost of this method is: X-Windows at no cost and OpenOffice at no cost. The total software cost per user is $ 0. The total cost of ownership for software and hardware (Linux Thin Client ) in a LAN environment is $450. Versatile Linux: Purchase a Thin Client with embedded OpenOffice. Files are accessed / stored via a Linux or Windows file server. This option incurs an additional cost for a hardware upgrade since it requires more disk space and more memory. It is best suited to remote users, as X-Windows can be bandwidth-intensive and is therefore not recommended for WAN use. Cost of this method: OpenOffice at no cost and additional memory for $125. The total software cost per user is $125. The total cost software and hardware Linux Thin Client) ( in a LAN/WAN environment is $575. Remote Linux: Install OpenOffice on a Linux Server and serve up applications using the Tarantella Enterprise 3 product. This option supports compression and encryption of the X-Windows protocol, allowing applications to be served up efficiently on a WAN. The cost of this method is: X-Windows at no cost; OpenOffice at no cost and Tarantella Enterprise 3 at $100. The total software cost per useris $100. The total for software and hardware (Linux Thin Client) in a WAN environment is $550. Corporate management has come to realize that the PC revolution has its drawbacks. These drawbacks include higher maintenance costs, lower employee performance, and system vulnerability. The hardware become obsolete and higher performance CPUs are required. Operating systems typically need updating every three years. When you figure in the licensing fees; the time spent by system administrators updating each workstation, installing and maintaining anti-virus software; the downtime this causes other employees; and the additional time required by employees to learn each new revision; the resulting price tag is quite sizeable! There is currently a growing trend for Thin Clients using embedded emulation alongside server-based or Web-delivered applications. This trend has generated new interest in terminal computing, specifically in the field of thin clients. Linux Thin Clients in particular allow server-based computing without the additional licensing and provide file server access enabling complete independence for applications, whilst maintaining sharing and back-up control.
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Over the past 18 months, thin clients have become more popular on the shop floor for data collection, replacing standard PCs.
What is a thin client? Well its a sort of PC with less of everything. A thin client is a tiny, low-powered local device giving lower costs to purchase and to operate per-seat or operator, that is fed and controlled by the server or servers.
The server, forms the brains of the network having all the full weight of all the applications, services and data, rather than a PC that has the applications software installed on each PC. By keeping a few servers busy and many thin clients lightly loaded we can expect easier system management, and lower costs as well as all the advantages of networked computing: central storage/backup and easier security.
Because the thin client is relatively passive and low-maintenance, but numerous, the entire system is simpler and easier to install and to operate. As the cost of hardware plunges and the cost of employing a technician, buying energy and disposing of waste rises, the advantages of thin clients grow. From the user's perspective the interaction is with monitor, keyboard and pointer and changes little from using a thick client.
Flash memory is the critical component of the Thin Client terminals. With sufficient Flash (solid-state) memory and the ability to install user firmware and PCI cards, a Thin Client can perform most of the functions that a user would want to perform at these locations, typically called "point-of-attack" or "rig floor". The Thin Client can be equipped with a sealed membrane keypad for operator interface, and I/O (input/output) connectors that allow the Thin Client to be hooked up to a remote location and perform data recording of processes or history of connected device readings, that could be anything from radar to pumps to drilling apparatus.
One of the first areas of growing interest in using Thin Client technology in hazardous areas was the oil & gas industry, where hardened industrial computers can be very expensive. Thin Client hardware is easier to seal against environmental hazards and contamination, just place them in a protective thin client enclosure and can sometimes withstand a wider temperature and vibration level, due to simplified components and lack of moving parts, such as hard drives and cooling fans. Thin Clients are also a natural choice for operator interface displays in manufacturing areas where a rugged tamper proof solution is required and where limited "stateless" applications such as Human Machine Interface and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software is the standard. "PC" on a plant floor usually stands for "Problem Center".
A study was carried out with one of the Global Automotive manufacturing greats, (you can have any colour car as long as its black) and the IT department realised the benefits of thin clients, included; lower administered costs, easier to secure and with enhanced security.
The thin clients, were replacing standard PCs in machining areas, were coolant was present, thus causing a problem with electrics and fluid!
They found that, the cost of the thin clients plus protective thin client enclosures were more cost effective than using standard PCs, saving them a massive 47% on the project cost, with the added benefit that the IT investment had a higher level of data security.
Both Martin Pladgeman & Robert D. Thomson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Martin Pladgeman has sinced written about articles on various topics from How To Grow Wealth, web development and Computers and The Internet. Martin Pladgeman is President of BOSaNOVA, Inc., a leading developer of enterprise-class thin clients and iSeries connectivity solutions. In addition to their thin client and connectivity suite, BOSaNOVA's Launcher/400 business intelligence solution. Martin Pladgeman's top article generates over 4400 views. to your Favourites.
Robert D. Thomson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dog Care, Real Estate and Dental Practice. are a global manufacture of thin client protective enclosures, having supplied many of the worlds leading manufacturers, with either. Robert D. Thomson's top article generates over 2240000 views. to your Favourites.