iOS6 ‘Guided Access” makes iTMC Even More Potent

Over recent weeks there has been a lot of conversation about Apple’s release of iOS6.  Judging by what many people have written, there seems to be a mixed bag of reviews based on the individual user, and how the recent changes affected the applications they use the most.  And while the bigger changes usually garner the most attention, it seems to be the little things that users like the most.

Here at ACP, one of the minor changes to the Apple OS has made a tremendous difference in the proliferation of the ThinManager iTMC mobile app.  “Guided Access” allows a device owner to limit the ability of an end user to access multiple features or applications.  While this feature was initially designed to assist parents and teachers in limiting the device by disabling buttons or user controls, it would seem to have had a much more far reaching influence on kiosk and industrial applications. [...]

MailBag Friday (#20)

Every Friday, we dedicate this space to sharing solutions for some of the most frequently asked questions posed to our ThinManager Technical Support team.  This weekly feature will help educate ThinManager Platform users and provide them with answers to questions they may have about licenses, installation, integration, deployment, upgrades, maintenance, and daily operation.  Great technical support is an essential part of the ThinManager Platform, and we are constantly striving to make your environment as productive and efficient as possible. [...]

ThinManager Q & A with Matrix Technologies

Here at ACP we are constantly speaking to customers and integrators about their experiences with the ThinManager Platform so we can continue to improve our product and provide better service.  Recently, we had an opportunity to speak with Mike Dunstan from Matrix Technologies, Inc. to discuss their ongoing ThinManager deployment for a leading food manufacturer in North America.

Q- How many of their facilities have you performed services as an integrator?

A- Five total.  Four in America and one in Canada. [...]

The 2012 ThinManager Roadshow Rolls to the Finish Line

Earlier this year, we wrote an article explaining the long and proud history of the ThinManager Roadshow.  Since then, the Roadshow has spent the summer traveling across tens of thousands of miles while visiting eight cities, two countries, and hundreds of people all wanting to know how to get the most out of their ThinManager ready thin client systems.

This year, ACP raised the bar by holding the Roadshow at some of the most famous and eclectic locations we could find to make sure that after spending a day talking about how ThinManager increases efficiency managing automated industrial environments, that everyone could have a little fun.  From stadiums, to racetracks, to museums, the legend of ThinManager continues to spread across the land. [...]

Bringing a whole new meaning to “State-Of-The-Art”

For more than a decade, ThinManager by ACP has been helping companies and municipalities manage State-Of-The-Art automated facilities across the globe.  Chances are that every day, you buy or use a product or service that ThinManager has helped deliver to you.

Over the years, our ever-expanding customer base has become the impetus for more ThinManager training and education offerings.  From our Roadshow which comes to your hometown to deliver product knowledge to your front door, to our large product launch events, we have always looked for new and better ways to make sure that you get the most out of your ThinManager based thin client systems. [...]

Where is the Real Return on Thin Client Investment?


Everything you read about thin clients, zero clients, or anything other than a PC will tell you there is a device that is better and saves you more money compared to their competition.  More often than not, these claims are validated by a report paid for by a hardware manufacturer that only talks about their specific client matched up against another client chosen as comparative fodder because they know they can beat it.  These reports are not false, nor are they inaccurate.  They are, however, slanted to omit where the savings really are to paint a far prettier picture.  After all, their first, last, and only reason for commissioning such a report is to sell you their newest hardware release. [...]

ThinManager 6.0 Service Pack 1 Release Notes

ThinManager 6.0 SP1 Release Notes:

ThinManager build 6002:

-Delete workstation nodes before restoring configuration.

ThinServer build 6003:

-Fix module installation on synced ThinServers.

-PXE server was not correctly stopped/started after restoring configuration.

-Fixed sync of packages that did not exist on both ThinServers.

-Restart tftp thread after restoring configuration when necessary.

-Fix disable of Terminal Server when using DNS.

-Changed queuing to better accommodate Delta V users licensing requirements.

-Fixed installation of firmware from synchronized slave. [...]

Virtualization in an Industrial Environment (Part 3)

This is the third and final part of our three part series focusing on the entire process of Virtualizing in an industrial environment.  While there is a lot of talk about Virtualizing and VDI, we wanted to focus on the viability and deployment of Virtualization in an industrial and manufacturing environment which would speak to the concerns and difficulties specific to this industry.

Part 3: Managing Your Environments?

 

In Part 2 of this series, we discussed whether or not Virtualization is necessary once you’ve centralized, and, if it is, how far do you go. For most System Administrators,  RDS is the easiest and most cost effective place to begin.  The need to only install OS’s and applications once, and having them deploy to multiple clients, can provide enough time savings and reduced administrative headaches that Virtualization could very well just be an added cost to a system that already does everything the end user requires. [...]

ACP Press Release

News Release

For Immediate Release: June 27, 2012
 
ACP ThinManager to release Munici-Pack Licensing

ALPHARETTA, GEORGIA—ACP (Automation Control Products), a worldwide leader in the automation industry that provides full-feature centralized thin client and terminal server management software, has announced that they will be releasing a new “Munici-Pack” licensing option. Unlike standard ThinManager license packs that require the full installation to be in one physical location, the Munici-Packs allow a municipality the flexibility to use purchased licenses anywhere within their jurisdiction.  This licensing option uses the recently released ThinManager 6.0 Platform which has several new functions and features such as iTMC, which allows any Apple iPad to run as a portable, wireless thin client, as well as worldwide remote access capability and improved support for a wide range of hardware and components.  Specifics of the Munici-Pack License model can be found via the following link: [...]

The Future of Thin in the Cloud

 

With the continued explosion of cloud computing, and rapid growth in tablet sales, is there a place for more thin client growth in what is still a PC dominated landscape? On paper, cloud computing and thin client networks would seem to be in direct opposition.  The cloud allows for sharing data with no centralized storage point while thin client networks provide multiple access points to data through one centralized place or server.  And yet, these two vastly different approaches to network computing seem to be moving forward in the same direction…away from the NEED for PCs. [...]