Use VMWare to display XP Desktops out to Thin Clients without even using a Windows Terminal Server!
Author: Tom Jordan
Marketing Lead for ThinManager - A Rockwell Automation Technology
Thin Clients and Virtualization
Thin Clients and PC Virtualization are both having a pretty good run in 2010. This quick post gives a little background on each.
Even Small Companies benefit from Thin Clients
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.
Thin Client Introductory Article
“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.
Logan Aluminum Rolls Out ACP Thin Client Technology
Named for the county in Kentucky where it made its home in the early 1980’s, Logan Aluminum, a joint venture between Arco Aluminum and Alcan, specializes in the production of rolled aluminum. The 1.5 billion pounds of metal that passes through this plant each year makes up about 1/3 of the rolled aluminum used by the entire US aluminum can market.
The Challenge: Update the Aging HMI System Without Affecting Production
The Logan Plant only shuts down only one day each year, and new products must be installed without risking Logan’s World- Class Production and Utilization numbers. Like many factories, Logan was using PCs throughout to monitor and control pro- duction, but the management team was becoming tired of system updates and ongoing PC maintenance. Whatever HMI they settled on, they wanted a way to dis- tribute the user interface without relying on the traditional distributed PC model.
Thin Clients Down Under
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”.
Zero Client and Cloud Computing – What are they?
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.
DOE – Thin Client computing can reduce end-user energy costs by up to 95 percent
The DOE issued a report in 2009 that said, in part, "A thin-client device uses only a fraction of the energy consumed by a standard desktop, results in acquisition and disposal savings, and enhances cyber security."
Save GREEN with Thin Clients
Thin Client not only gets you green 'points' you may need, it saves you money as well. And how often do you get to do something good for the environment and get an immediate payback at the same time?
Access Data Without The Fear Of Losing It
Thin Clients are inherently secure because there is no data at all stored on the client. Someone who grabs a Thin Client and bolts out of the building will end up with just the hardware. The Thin Client won't even be useful without a Terminal Server.