Thin
Computing, Network Computing, Thin Client
A
thin
client is a simple client program or hardware
device which depends primarily on the central server
for processing activities because it has little or no
application logic. A thin client is
a network computer without a hard disk drive, which,
in client/server applications, is designed to be especially
small so that the bulk of the data processing occurs
on the server.
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Applica
ThinWorks
ThinWorks
is a thin client hardware device that depends
primarily on the central server for processing
activities.
ThinWorks
is the only thin client that is capable
of running full screen video at high resolutions. |
Thin
Client Network Computing Application Program
A
thin client as an application program
communicates with an application server, relying on
a separate piece of software for the most significant
elements of its business logic. A thin client
does most of its processing at the central server based
computer (server based computing), the thin
client with as little hardware and software
as possible, and as much as possible at some centralized
managed site.
However,
a great deal of software today is typically included
in the base boot image of a thin client,
specifically to support various user applications running
on the server, so that it need not be reinstalled on
every computer. Often, a departmental boot image is
prepared to include applications specific to a department.
Thin
Client User-Interface Device
The
thin client network computing device
is specifically designed to provide just those functions
which are useful for user-interface programs. Because
they may become corrupted by the installation of misbehaved
or incompatible software, often such devices do not
include hard disk drives. But instead, in the interests
of low maintenance cost and increased mean-time between
failures, the thin client network computing
device will use read-only storage such as a CD-ROM,
Network Virtual Drive, or flash memory. The user will
have only a screen, a keyboard, a pointing device (if
needed), and enough computer to handle display and communications.
Thin
Client Network Computing Software
Most
thin clients are software-only and
run on standard PC hardware. One example of this software-only
thin client is Applica ThinWorks, a
smaller thin client on the market,
running in conjuction with ApplicaServer and offering
the best solution in network computing (thin
computing) . ThinWorks offers UXVGA graphics ports,
with usb and audio, capable of running real time movies
from the ApplicaServer. The system is based on RDP protocol
and represents the best remote desktop available in
the maket. ApplicaServer thin computing
from Applica offers the total solutions to run multiple
thin client remote desktops on Windows
XP.
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ApplicaServer
ApplicaServer
technology allows multiple remote thin clients
to access a single PC running Windows
XP or Windows Server 2003.
Each
thin client can access the server and all
of its software concurrently and independently.
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Network
Computing, Thin
Computing, Thin
Client
Advantages
of Thin Client Network Computing
Lower
IT Admin Costs - Thin
clients are managed almost entirely at the
server. The hardware has fewer points of failure and
the local environment is highly restricted (and often
stateless), providing protection from malware.
Easier
to Secure
- Thin clients can be designed so that
no application data ever resides on the client
(it is entirely rendered), centralizing malware protection.
Lower
Hardware Costs - Thin
client network computing hardware is generally
cheaper because it does not contain a disk, application
memory, or a powerful processor. They also generally
have a longer period before requiring an upgrade or
becoming obsolete. The total hardware requirements for
a thin computing system (including
both servers and clients) is usually much lower compared
to a system with fat clients. One reason for this is
that the hardware is better utilized. A CPU in a fat
workstation is idle most of the time. With thin
clients, memory can be shared. If several users
are running the same application, it only needs to be
loaded into RAM once with a central server. With fat
clients, each workstation must have its own copy of
the program in memory.
Lower
Energy Consumption
- Dedicated thin client network computing hardware
has much lower enery consumption than thick client PCs.
This not only reduces energy costs but may mean that
in some cases air-conditioning systems are not required
or need not be upgraded which can be a significant cost
saving and contribute to achieving energy saving targets.
Worthless
to Most Thieves
- Thin client hardware, whether dedicated
or simply older hardware that has been repurposed via
cascading, is useless outside a thin computing
environment. Burglars interested in computer equipment
have a much harder time fencing thin client
hardware (and it is less valuable).
Hostile
Environments - Most
devices have no moving parts so they can be used in
dusty thin computing environments without the worry
of PC fans clogging up and overheating and burning out
the PC.
Less
Network Bandwidth - Since
terminal servers typically reside on the same high-speed
network backbone as file servers, most network traffic
is confined to the server room. In a fat client environment,
if you open a 10MB document that's 10MB transferred
from the file server to your PC. When you save it, that's
another 10MB from your PC to the server. When you print
it the same happens again - another 10MB over the network
to your file server and another 10MB back to the printer.
This is highly inefficient. In a thin client
network computing environment only mouse movements,
keystrokes and screen updates are transmitted from /
to the end user. Over efficient protocols such as ICA
this can consume as little as 5Kbps bandwidth.
Thin
Client, Thin Computing, Network
Computing
