ThinManager 6.0 What You Need to Know (#1)

Over the next month, we will be spotlighting some of the new features being introduced with the release of ThinManager 6.0, as well as improvements to existing features. With so many additions and advancements to our thin client management platform over the last year, we felt it was important to give you a detailed look at what ThinManager 6.0 brings to the table:

USB to VGA

ThinManager now allows you to convert a single monitor thin client to a multi monitor thin client   By purchasing a 3rd party adaptor (DL 195 Chipset), you can now convert a single monitor thin client to a dual monitor thin client.  Not only is it an inexpensive upgrade, butit also eliminates the need to purchase new thin clients to take advantage of MultiMonitor and MultiSession technology offered by ThinManager. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 12

Multiple Sites


PROBLEM:
• Switchover to thin clients left one branch with new PCs.
• Other branches deployed ThinManager Ready thin clients.

SOLUTION:
• Duplicate success of thin clients to branch with ThinManager’s WinTMC to protect PC investment.

A worldwide manufacturing company started to standardize on ThinManager and installed thin clients at four of their locations.

Another location had just deployed PCs throughout their plant, but once they saw how well the ThinManager Ready thin clients worked and how much money it saved, they wanted to switch to ThinManager. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 10

Mining


PROBLEM:
• User interface needed underground in dusty, harsh environment.

SOLUTION:
• Servers installed at ground-level in controlled rooms.
• Thin clients deployed in the mine.
• IT maintains and monitors from the ground-level.

One of the shafts in this mine extends over a mile into the earth into an extremely dusty environment that is particularly hostile to computers. A PC failure meant an hour delay while a replacement is brought down from the surface. The only alternative was to setup a computer shop manned by IT underground. Neither alternative was acceptable. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 8

Warehouse


PROBLEM:
• Paper oriented dispatch system forced operators to central area for each new order.

SOLUTION:
• Wireless thin clients mounted on forklifts allowed operators to receive instructions “on the go”.
• Scanners on serial port allowed verification using barcodes on delivered products.

A manufacturer used a primitive paper system for dispatching the forklifts to deliver materials used in the process. After each run the forklifts would need to return to the dispatch office for the next package of paperwork. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 7

Food Production


PROBLEM:
• Night-shift worker installed an application with a virus on a PC.
• The infected PC controlled the HVAC system and could not close vents for fumigation.
• The plant had to stop production for 4 days to allow re-scheduling of the required treatment.

SOLUTION:
• Thin clients prevent access to operating system.

Fumigation of a large food production site takes careful planning and coordination to guarantee safety and prevent contamination. Fumigations are scheduled during employee holidays to prevent production interruption. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 6

Manufacturing in a Dusty Environment


PROBLEM:
• As many as 3 PCs failing each week requiring IT and maintenance support.

• Up to 6 hours of lost production time for each failure.

SOLUTION:
• No moving parts mean that ThinManager Ready thin clients are more reliable.
• Failures can be replaced by operator in 15 minutes or less..

A manufacturing plant had PCs in a dusty environment. The fans sucked in dust and debris causing overheating and failure after about a year. Since the company had 200 PCs, several had to be replaced each week.

Replacement required the services of a computer technician to build and setup the computer, and then the services of a floor electrician to swap the hardware and connect the cables – a process that took several hours at best. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 4

Chemical Processing

PROBLEM:
• PCs scattered throughout a multi-acre site made routine maintenance a major hassle.

SOLUTION:

• ThinManager Ready thin clients are managed in the central control room.
• Thin clients no longer need to be visited for maintenance.

A chemical plant had PCs all over a huge refinery, including some located in towers that were up 10 flights of stairs. Maintaining and patching the PCs took hours of walking and climbing.

ThinManager and terminal servers were deployed, allowing the PCs to be replaced with ThinManager Ready thin clients. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 2

Chemical Plant

PROBLEM:

• Outmoded paper strip charts were a hassle and did not give instant real-time trending.

SOLUTION:
• Replaced strip charts with thin clients.
• Collected I/O in SQL server and backed up and archived.
• Archive gave operators the ability to see trending patterns in a more efficient manner.

Emission monitoring charts are critical to pollution control. Before their thin client installation this company captured this data on paper strip charts printed on machines that require oiling, inking, and paper refills. [...]

Real World ThinManager | Part 1

Distribution & Logistics

PROBLEM:
• Shipping company needed real-time information from 30+ remote sites.

SOLUTION:
• Deployed ThinManager at each remote site.
• Set up a “war room” with 30 thin clients.
• Connected each thin client to a remote site via WAN.
• Single operator able to t view activity of all remote sites.

A global company with distribution centers around the world was having trouble getting real-time information from the sites to the headquarters.

The company standardized on ThinManager and deployed ThinManager and terminal servers at each site, setting up a “war room” at the headquarters with a thin client for each remote location. These thin clients boot locally and then connect to a remote terminal server via the corporate WAN. [...]

ACP Announces Version 4.1

ACP announces version 4.1 of their award-winning thin client and terminal services management software.

New version will include support for managing virtual machine environments and an iPhone app

Alpharetta, Georgia, January 2011

ACP’s ThinManager version 4.1 release is scheduled for March 21, 2011 and will be demonstrated live at our TMUG User Group taking place in Atlanta March 29-31. (Register for TMUG2011)

ThinManager 4.1 will include the much anticipated support for virtual machine environments. Users who currently enjoy ThinManager’s ease-of-use when managing their terminal servers and thin clients will now have that same capability when it comes to virtual terminal server and desktop management. VM resources will appear in the ThinManager tree along with other sources currently available. [...]