Thin Clients in Actual Practice: Efficient and Flexible Provisioning of Virtual Desktops

Theres no question about it, thin client computing is gaining ground. However, the amount of money that can actually be saved with a thin client solution depends upon two key factors: the management software and a well-matched combination of hardware and software.
Server-based computing, virtual desktops and cloud computing all of these technologies for economical provisioning of business applications have one thing in common: They all work most efciently in combination with thin clients. Since the 1990s the demand for these low-maintenance, energy-saving end-user devices that offer the advantage of easy, centralized administration has continued to increase. The prices for entrylevel models have continued to drop and have now reached a point where they are at least 50% cheaper than the purchase price of a typical workstation PC. But watch out! The product concepts and designs from different thin client manufacturers vary greatly, which is precisely why price itself should not be the sole factor in selecting a device. Instead, the selection should be based on overall cost effectiveness. After all, what we are really talking about here is nothing less than achieving a fundamental standardization of your workstation environment and sustained reduction in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for your desktop units.

Current Trendsetters: Cloud Computing and Virtual Desktops

Those who are interested in the relatively new methods of provisioning applications, cloud computing and desktop virtualization, should also be sure to take a close look at the capabilities of the rmware offered by their prospective device providers. For direct access to Internet applications, an integrated browser including a Java environment is recommended. Otherwise, these considerable data streams would have to run through the terminal servers, hogging broadband capacity and, in the worst-case scenario, even endangering business continuity. To permit direct access to virtual desktops, a thin client must denitely support a suitable virtualization solution, such as VMware View, Citrix XenDesktop or the Microsoft VDI Suite. Furthermore, those who do not want to lock themselves into a specic virtualization solution up front should make sure that the thin client model that they choose is capable of using several connection brokers to access diverse virtualization solutions. For instance, many of the Universal Desktop models from IGEL feature this capability, which is certied by both VMware and Citrix and offers a higher degree of exibility for the future (future-ready investment). Another benet is what is called virtual appliance mode. With it, after the thin client is switched on the familiar logon screen already known from a Windows PC is displayed. In this case, the logon is part of a virtual desktop.

Firmware: More Deployment Options

The extent of the deployment options for modern thin clients depends greatly on the types of centralized IT infrastructures that they can access. This ability to communicate with the home base depends, in turn, on the rmware and operating system in use. Software tools, software clients and protocols have long allowed far more than mere access to conventional terminal servers running Citrix XenApp, Linux or Microsoft Windows Server. Nowadays, comprehensive, full-service rmware packages enable direct access to the Internet, multimedia content and virtual desktops. At the same time, thin clients can also be used as host terminals or to access SAP servers by means of an integrated GUI, making middleware unnecessary. Other examples of helpful software tools are an integrated thin-print client or a VoIP client for implementing IP telephony using a thin client and a USB headset.

Hardware: Performance and Interfaces

The hardware specications, including physical ports and interfaces, are also a key factor in selecting a thin client. To safeguard the future applicability of this equipment investment, a thin client should have the largest-possible ash memory and RAM capacities. Having these now will ensure that the rmware can be modied by updates to meet the needs of future applicationprovisioning technologies and other server-side requirements. In addition, it will also ensure that the thin client has enough main memory and graphics memory. The fact that even CAD applications are now being made available over terminal servers and thin clients is well demonstrated by pioneering projects like the one at the Graz University of Technology (Graz, Austria). In deciding on which thin client solution to buy it is also important to check which peripheral connections are available to meet current and future needs, such as printer ports, serial/parallel interfaces, PCI, PC card, DVI and USB. To meet this need, the German market leader in thin clients, IGEL Technology, has come up with a exible, need-based and economical expansion method: 2/11

The Austrian retailer Hervis

Sports shows how comprehensive a peripheral-device scenario with thin clients can really be: A 100%-subsidiary of SPAR sterreichische Warenhandels AG, one of Austrias largest chains of food and non-food stores, Hervis Sports uses IGEL thin clients as point-of-sale (POS) devices. In general, their POS systems include the following devices: a secure cash register drawer, keyboard, EC card reader, receipt printer, handheld scanner and two monitors. In fact, the thin client POS system can also be used ofine because the POS system software is installed on a ash card accessible through a PCI adapter.

Security: Opportunities for Cutting Costs?

When deciding on a thin client, security aspects as well as associated local tools and software clients should be considered right from the start. Examples of effective security features are a VPN client or protocols such as HTTPS, SSL, L2TP or IPSec. Moreover, remote management should always be encrypted. To promote overall enterprise security, devices should also be tted with either internal or add-on external smartcard readers, which allow implementation of secure two-factor authentication. For added exibility, smartcards can also serve as electronic company IDs or as the basis for a time-saving single sign-on (SSO) solution. This kind of solution also makes sense for fast, exible location changes during daily work (session roaming) such as by means of Citrix Hot Desktop.

IGEL offers optional special free-standing device bases for its Universal Desktop models that contain a parallel or serial port and/or a WLAN socket. As additional expansion methods, IGEL also offers optional USB serial or USB parallel adapters as well as Y-cables for splitting a DVI connection (standard-equipment dualview).

The Price Factor: How Low Can You Go with the Price of a Thin Client?
The cost/benet ratio of a thin client solution is determined by two main factors: hardware and rmware. When it comes to hardware, it can be rst divided into three categories: lowcost, general-use and high-end. There are also different device designs, such as units having an integrated TFT monitor. IGELs Universal Desktop concept, with different levels of rmware, allows targeted, need-based and cost-efcient model selection. The rmware also includes the thin client operating system. The relatively inexpensive Microsoft Windows CE is particularly well suited for those using Microsoft-based architectures without any unusual peripheral devices. Models with Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard are a bit more expensive. However, they allow optional local installation of special device drivers or hypervisor software. For mixed system environments, models with a Linux operating system are well worth considering for the following reasons: low costs, highperformance and maximum stability and security. Furthermore, Linux offers high connectivity, which means that it allows a variety of ways of accessing centralized IT infrastructures. However, the exact number of possible ways depends on the specic features of the rmware in use.

Graphics: Multiview and Widescreen

To promote efcient work at a computer monitor it is critical that a thin client unit offers high enough display resolutions, supports multiview congurations and provides high-quality video output (DVI standard). In particular, to enable parallel work in several document and data windows at the same time, the device must support wide-screen format. Furthermore, when using two monitors, it is important that dialog boxes, such as for logging on, not be displayed in the middle of the overall viewable area (possibly split between the two screens), but only on one of the two monitors. The settings necessary for both scenarios must be available in the device management software package. Ideally, they should be part of a device prole that can be readily transferred to other thin clients. In fact, thanks to an integrated, thermally adapted graphics card, multiview devices such as the IGEL UD7 can even operate up to four monitors simultaneously at resolutions of up to 1920 x 1200 pixels. Such devices driving multiple monitors are typically used not only in nancial applications, but also in software development, building security as well as in production and systems monitoring and control.

3/11

Service & Support: Is Everything Really There?

Business continuity and the availability of mission-critical processes depend on many things, not least of which is the quality of the pre-sales advice and after-sales support from the thin client provider. Both the thin client manufacturer and dealer should be easy to reach and readily respond to inquiries to avoid any delays in system installation, conguration and to prevent unforeseen problems from occurring. In certain circumstances, it may be necessary to customize software and/or hardware, such as when certain applications, peripheral devices or network modules need to be supported. However, not all manufacturers have the development skills necessary to do this. Customers should expect the latest updates of company rmware and management programs to be readily available to them, ideally as downloads from an FTP site. Furthermore, the update process should include a fail-safe feature designed to prevent incomplete updates and consequential device failures.

Rollout and Updates: Keep It Fast and Easy

It is the management solution that has a decisive inuence on the length of the rollout. With the help of various tools and wizards, launches or migrations can be optimally prepared for in advance. For instance, the IGEL Universal Management Suite features a helpful function for importing the MAC addresses of the thin clients to be deployed. These addresses are taken from a list of device ID numbers provided by the manufacturer as a CSV le. After the import is completed, the various devices are grouped and their proles are assigned to them. This last step can also be done by using the IP address of the network connection port. In this way, the conguration can be kept unique to a given location. Once this prep work is done, the only thing left to do is to hook up the thin clients. After being switched on for the rst time, a thin client automatically establishes contact with the management server and retrieves its own settings prole from the database. In this way, it is possible to place several thousand devices in operation in just a few days.

The Management Solution: Consistent and Efcient

The greatest potential for savings from thin client computing compared to a traditional client/server network is the ability to provide centralized management and remote support. The most important factor here is the management software used with the thin client system. In fact, it is even more critical considering the increasing importance of software clients, tool and protocols, and not just for the thin clients themselves but also because all rmware components should be able to be remotely managed to yield the greatest possible savings in support costs. Ideally, this management should be accomplished through freely denable group proles that can be readily applied by drag-and-drop to thin client groups located in individual branches, stores, departments and the like. In addition, a remote mirroring function of thin client user sessions (VNC shadowing) can help to optimize support services. Furthermore, a truly future-ready management solution should also be a platform-independent one. To ensure this independence, the IGEL Universal Management Suite, which comes standard with all IGEL Universal Desktops, features a Javabased management console, a management server as well as a centralized prole and device database. The prole and device database can also be based on existing databases: such as Oracle, Microsoft SQL2000, SQL2005 or PostgreSQL.

Keep a Strategic Focus on Your Own Situation

All thin clients are not created equal. Before deciding on which one to go with, it is a good idea to look ahead to determine how exible and future-ready your new solution ought to be. The selection of hardware, operating system and rmware, not to mention the management solution, should be done by closely adhering to an overall IT strategy and taking into account future needs and current IT trends such as virtualization and cloud computing. In terms of their hardware alone, thin clients can be readily expected to have a service life of up to eight years. To fully exploit the potentials for savings in desktop use over this relatively long period, the project evaluation criteria must be very carefully dened. That is why it is important to select an established and reliable provider known for its policy of regular rmware support and a high level of service.

4/11

IGELs Universal Desktop Concept

Whether it is server-based computing, virtual desktops or cloud computing IGELs Universal Desktops work well together with the greatest variety of centralized IT infrastructures. In particular, their powerful hardware and excellent graphics performance, along with continuously developed firmware, provide future-readiness that safeguards this major investment. Thanks to different device designs, operating systems, alternative firmware features (tools, clients and protocols) and a wide range of hardware options, the selection of a suitable model can be tailored to meet the exact needs of the installation and ensure cost efficiency. Other, but no less important, considerations are that IGEL Universal Desktops use minimal energy, have long service lives and come standard with the IGEL Universal Management Suite, a proprietary remote management solution.

Full Support of Peripherals

IGEL Universal Desktops can be integrated into a vast variety of peripheral-device environments. That is because several USB ports, audio inputs/outputs as well as at least one DVI-I interface all come as standard equipment. With an optional Y video cable, all models can even accommodate dualview monitor setups. They also support widescreen formats. Beyond all this, IGEL offers USB serial or parallel adapters, optional mounting bases, integrated smartcard readers and supports external security solutions. The optional bases with their WLAN capability and/or an additional integral serial or parallel port greatly enhance system connectivity. To conserve desktop space, VESA monitor mounting systems are available along with rubber bases allowing horizontal positioning of thin clients for an even smaller device footprint.

Head Ofce
IGEL Technology GmbH Hanna-Kunath-Strasse. 31 28199 Bremen, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 421 52094 0 Fax: +49 (0) 421 52094 1499

United Kingdom
IGEL Technology Ltd. 1210 Parkview Arlington Business Park Theale Reading Berkshire RG7 4TY UK Tel.: +44 (0) 118 340 3400 Fax: +44 (0) 118 340 3411

United States
IGEL Technology America, LLC 2106 Florence Avenue Cincinnati OH 45206 USA Tel.: +1 954 739 9990 Fax: +1 954 739 9991 Toll free (US only): +1 877 GET IGEL info@igelamerica.com

Singapore
IGEL Technology Care of: C. Melchers GmbH & Co. Singapore Branch 101 Thomson Road # 24-01/05 United Square Singapore 307591 Tel.: +65 6259 9288 Fax: +65 6259 9111

Hong Kong
IGEL Technology Care of: Melchers (H.K.) Ltd. 1210 Shun Tak Centre West Tower 168-200 Connaught Road C. Hong Kong Tel.: +852 25469069 Fax: +852 25596552

IGEL is a registered trademark of IGEL Technology GmbH. All hardware and software names are brand names or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Errors and omissions excepted. info@igel.com 07/2011 IGEL Technology 99-US-30-1

www.igel.com