Tutorial

"Any user device connected via the thin-client protocol is a thin client. Certain devices are optimized for the thin-client protocol and provide the greatest cost savings. "

A thin-client solution has four main ingredients:

1. Network infrastructure
The network infrastructure, the pipeline between the server and the client, is the most critical element of the thin-client environment. If it is slow or inefficient, all of the users will be affected. If it works well, the network will be transparent to them. A company should start with a good wiring infrastructure to support 10MB connections to work areas. Thin clients only exchange small packets of information over the network. Network reliability will be critical, as inefficiencies that were tolerable or went unnoticed before will be apparent. Keep in mind that removing slow protocols and improving the network in support of thin clients will result in a more manageable and faster network for all connected devices.

2. Server
The workhorse is the application server, a computer that is robust and modular with a high fault tolerance. It should have best-of-class processing power, 8-24 MB of memory per simultaneous user, 64 MB for the operating system, and a plan for daily backups. The application server requires two essential pieces of software: Microsoft® Windows® NT server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition, or Terminal Services in Windows 2000, and Citrix® MetaFrame®, using the thin-client protocol based on Independent Computing Architecture (ICA®). Citrix also offers the Remote Management System (RMS) utility to help size, audit, and maintain the server.The application server may work with other servers, networked together to form a server farm. These additional servers, used for data storage, web hosting, e-mail, and other services, should be located as close to the application server as possible to reduce network traffic.

3. Thin-client device
Any user device connected to a server is a client and clients connected to the server via the thin-client protocol can be called thin clients. Almost any new or legacy computer can be connected and run as a thin client. The term thin client also describes a particular type of hardware device optimized for use in this environment.

4. Software
Many software applications can be used in a thin-client environment. Most productivity software will run on thin clients. Software licenses should cover an adequate number of simultaneous users. An alternative to purchasing and supporting the applications and server is to subscribe to an "Application Service Provider" (ASP). As software companies web-enable graphic intensive or specialized applications, they too will become available. All software should be tested before implementation.

Thin-client devices are smaller than typical desktop computers (about the size of a book) and contain fewer parts:

1. A microprocessor capable of processing graphics
2. Network interface capability
3. A video subsystem
4. Enough memory (about 8 MB) to run the software to connect to the server

With fewer parts to breakdown, a thin client will function without failure for significantly longer than a typical computer. The small, sealed-case design has no vulnerable openings such as floppy drives or CD-ROM drives. They cost less than other computers because they do not need a hard disk or require much memory (RAM).

To run the thin-client protocol requires a technology and set-up investment in servers and software. Once it is up and running, the company can connect any number of devices to the network to run up-to-date software.

Hints

*Make the most of older computers by connecting them to access the latest software
*Install optimized thin-client devices for the lowest support costs
*Connect multimedia machines to function as both thin-client access devices and provide desktop access to CD-ROMs, floppy disks, and specialized software.

Most productivity software (word processing, spreadsheet, Internet browser, e-mail applications, etc.) runs on thin-client servers, providing access to the latest versions from every thin client. All software applications should be tested for compatibility before implementation on the thin-client server. As software companies web-enable or optimize their graphic-intensive educational programs for network use, they will soon work well on thin clients.

Older machines could have a new life on the network with a thin-client environment. Even 286 PCs and Macintosh LCIIIs (68030) can connect to the thin-client network and run up-to-date software. These aren't the most efficient devices to use, because they are still prone to breakdowns. They can provide access during the transition to newer, more cost-effective machines.