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Use ThinManager to Shadow PCs

 Cost Savings, General  No Responses »
Jun 222010
 

The other day I spoke with a company that wanted to monitor and control 400 PCs scattered around their plant.  Believe it or not, this is actually a job for ThinManager!

All that is needed is a ThinManager license and a copy of WinTMC for each PC.  In this case a single ThinManager Enterprise Server license would be the correct choice.  You would not even need a Terminal Server.  Because WinTMC also runs as a service, the administrator could use easily shadow and control each PC without even having the PC logged in.

This also makes a great seamless transition to Thin Client technology.  Install a Windows 2008 Server, load your applications, and you can start using WinTMC to turn the PC into a “fat client”.  As the PC hardware begins to fail replace them with true Thin Clients.

Thin Clients and Virtualization Part II – Deploying Windows XP

 Education, General  No Responses »
Jun 142010
 

In my last post I discussed the basics of virtualization – allowing a single computer to run a number of different operating systems by creating virtual machines that exist essentially as a software application. These machines are then run when and where needed, and can be moved from one physical machine to another without having to worry about interaction with other applications. For instance, once you have a Windows Server configured with all your applications you can simply move that entire setup to another PC within a matter of minutes and have it run the same way.

I also compared these virtual machines with Thin Client technology. While virtualization gives you a way to run a standard build (with its applications) on a number of different machines, Thin Clients allow you to run the same build multiple times on a single machine, and with much less overhead. With Thin Clients you start up a standard version of Microsoft Server, install applications, and then start plugging in Thin Clients. All users run the same OS so there is just one server to maintain.

Now – A novel idea for deploying Windows XP… Continue reading »

Thin Clients and Virtualization

 General, Virtualization  No Responses »
Jun 082010
 

Virtualization allows a single computer to run a number of different operating systems. This is done by creating an abstraction layer and then installing these operating systems in their own environment. What you end up creating is essentially a new program that is a virtual PC with installed applications. This “program” can then be run on almost any PC, regardless of the native OS.

A PC with XP Home could run Windows XP, Windows 2007, and Windows Server 2008. You simply select which machine you want to run and that is the OS that you see. You can also “install” applications under each of these different systems, and when you boot to that virtual machine you will have the applications ready to run. Even if it is a program that only runs on Windows Server, the abstraction provided by the virtualization software allows it to run on your XP Home PC. These virtual machines are isolated and can even be run at the same time.

Each of these virtual machines can even be configured with its own “virtual hardware” which allows them to be moved from one physical machine to another without having to worry about interaction with other applications. Once you have a Windows Server configured with all your applications you can simply move that entire setup to another PC within a matter of minutes and have it run the same way.

Comparison with Thin Clients

While virtualization will let you run multiple operating systems on a single server, Thin Clients let you run multiple users on a single operating system – without all the virtualization overhead. To allow multiple users with virtualization you would need to have a virtual machine for each user. With Thin Clients you start up a standard version of Microsoft Server, install applications, and then start plugging in Thin Clients. All users run the same OS so there is just one server to maintain.

It is possible to combine virtualization and Thin Clients by running the Thin Clients on a virtual Server. While there may be cases where this makes sense, it is usually just adding a layer of complexity that you don’t really need.

Even Small Companies benefit from Thin Clients

 Cost Savings, General  No Responses »
Jun 042010
 

British University study finds firms with as few as six employees should consider a switch

I ran across an article posted on a website “PC Advisor” (www.pcadvisor.co.uk) that made this claim based on a study done by the British management school Lancaster University.  They found that businesses with as few as six employees could experience savings of up to 50 percent simply by switching to Thin Client technology.

The study focused in office environments where they saw savings of up to 71 percent in maintenance costs.  With manufacturing customers downtime is much more costly – and industrial users can expect to easily match those savings, reaching payback on their initial investment usually in a matter of months.

The reason this study is significant for commercial deployments is that Thin Clients have traditionally been considered only for companies that will be rolling out 50 or more terminals.  Industrial users have long realized the benefits of replacing PCs on the plant floor with Thin Clients even on a small scale.  A large number of ACP’s customers who are using ThinManager with industrial Thin Clients are actually running five or fewer terminals.

Energy prices, maintenance costs and a focus on sustainability are some of the reasons that there’s a growing interest in thin client computing. IDC has recently stated that more than 1.2 million thin clients will ship in 2010, an increase of 20 percent over 2009.

Thin Client Introductory Article

 Education, General  No Responses »
Jun 022010
 
“Being one of the cases where environmental responsibility actually adds to business profitability, thin client computing is likely to be a prevailing trend for many years to come.”

So concludes author Bruce Tyson in his article, “The History of Thin Clients” found on brighthub.com.  Since some readers are just learning about Thin Client technology I like to include the occasional introductory post.  You can read the rest the story by clicking on the link below.

The History of Thin Clients

Thin Clients Down Under

 Cost Savings  No Responses »
Apr 262010
 

The government of Australia has clearly recognized the value of Thin Client computing.  They are in the process of looking for a Thin Client solution that can be used for 95,000 users of their Department of Defense.

The reasons they are pursuing the change is that they are convinced it will save them money.  Here is a quote from their document requesting bids from Thin Client providers:

“Defense is seeking a renewed desktop environment that delivers a reduction in hardware costs, an increase in the life of desktop hardware, improvement in existing desktop functionality and monitoring”. Continue reading »

Zero Client and Cloud Computing – What are they?

 General  No Responses »
Apr 222010
 

The term Zero Client came about because the line between Thin Clients and PCs has become increasingly difficult to determine – and companies who produce the thinnest clients needed a way to differentiate themselves.

If you can install and run all your applications on a Windows Server (think ‘mainframe’) then to view them remotely you only need a basic CPU, VGA driver, network I/O, keyboard and mouse – a Windows Terminal.

However today you can find “Thin Clients” with local storage, XP operating systems, and a host of local applications.  In my opinion this has crossed the line and has become a PC. Continue reading »

DOE – Thin Client computing can reduce end-user energy costs by up to 95 percent

 Energy Savings  No Responses »
Apr 162010
 

In 2009, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced plans to spend $256 million in Recovery Act funds to “support energy efficiency improvements in major industrial sectors.” This spending could directly target many of our customers, who could realize significant energy savings by switching to Thin Client technology. The government is furiously looking for places to spend money, and if you have not moved to cut your energy consumption this may be the time to do so. Continue reading »

Access Data Without The Fear Of Losing It

 Security  No Responses »
Apr 162010
 

The most important data to secure is yours. While some industries like to claim their data is more valuable, and some have laws forcing them to be particularly careful, your data security is paramount. You need to keep unauthorized people from accessing or walking off with something that doesn’t belong to them.

Companies already recognize the vulnerability of laptops. One ThinManager customer will let you bring your own laptop into their facility, but on the way out they will literally drill holes through your hard drive. A little over the top? Maybe, but they test nuclear weapons, so it could be a lot worse… Continue reading »

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