[THIN] Re: Recommendations for Thin client devices
- From: Michael Boggan <mboggan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2007 09:51:45 -0500
I would have to disagree. We have implemented Wyse OS terminals for all of our
cust care offices. We publish a desktop via a small number of "desktop
servers" then from there, using pnagent on the desktop session, they are given
every application they need from across the farm. it works great. we have had
no problems implementing printing, which is mostly network printers imported
into the farm. it has worked great. and the wyse terminals are cheap and easy
to maintenance. instead of having to have each office keep a staffed IT person
to troubleshoot and work on PCs, they just get a new terminal, and send the
defective one back to us to have replaced. takes less time, less money, and
less knowledge on their end. management has loved it because of less staffing
in the small offices and quicker turn around on the systems that go out.
also, they like the fact that a user can sit anywhere and do the same work on
the same system they always work on. Thanks, Michael Boggan
Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 08:16:55 -0500From: msemon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx: [THIN] Re:
Recommendations for Thin client devicesTo: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Carl,
Excellent post. I think this covers many of the issues we are seeing with these
thin client devices. We tested
some of the embedded XP devices in and have not been totally satisfied. The
local printing problem and inability
to install programs locally has led us to recommend installing PC’s for their
needs.
Mike
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Carl StalhoodSent: Saturday, March 31, 2007 7:43 AMTo:
thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: [THIN] Re: Recommendations for Thin client devices
Here is my rant against thin clients. I produced this list based on the
perspective of somebody that has to manage and support the Presentation Server
infrastructure.
Thin Clients vs. PCs
The ideal end-user device, where full Citrix functionality is possible with
maximum flexibility and minimum administrative burden, is a Windows based PC
(Windows XP or above preferred). The following is key functionality of a
Windows based PC client device when used with a Citrix Presentation Server
architecture:
· Full ICA Functionality including SpeedScreen Multimedia Acceleration.
New ICA functionality is achieved by simply upgrading the ICA client to the
latest version.
· Full support of client printing with the Universal Print Driver on
the Citrix Presentation Servers. This eliminates needing to install print
drivers on the Citrix Presentation Servers and eliminates needing to configure
Citrix Policies or complicated scripting to map printers at logon. Essentially,
all printing functionality is offloaded to the client.
· Flexibility to run local applications if it is not cost advantageous
to publish an application from Citrix Presentation Server. When a client device
runs both local apps and Citrix published apps, Choice Solutions refers to the
device as a hybrid client. The Citrix PNAgent ICA Client provides seamless
integration of Citrix published applications into the PC’s Start Menu and
Desktop meaning that users use one method to launch both local applications and
Citrix published applications.
Thin Clients are advantageous for shop floors, where moving parts are more
susceptible to failure, and kiosks, where a minimal device improves security.
For other cases, thin clients might seem attractive for their lower initial
cost but there are several reasons to reconsider using them:
· The ICA client running on a thin client is not fully featured.
The only thin client OS that supports full ICA client functionality is Embedded
XP. Some features missing from other thin clients are Universal Print Driver v3
(the new one in Citrix Presentation Server 4) and SpeedScreen Multimedia
Acceleration (using client resources to play media files and streaming media
resulting in user experience identical to playing the media on the PC).
· Most thin clients lack client printing requiring network printers to
be configured on the Citrix Presentation Servers.
Client printing is ideal because the new Universal Print Driver (UPD) does not
require print drivers to be loaded on the Citrix Presentation Servers. Without
client printing, network printers are required to be mapped within an ICA
session. This consists of mapping the printer (using a script or Citrix
Policies) and loading print drivers on the Presentation Servers. Network
printers complicate the printing architecture of a Citrix Presentation Server
architecture.
If you must implement network printers for thin client printing support, ensure
that the drivers installed on the Citrix Presentation Servers are all included
with Windows. Do NOT install drivers downloaded from the printer vendor’s
website. Also, if installing Windows 2003 x64 on the Presentation Servers,
ensure that all print drivers are 64-bit.
Thin clients with the Embedded XP OS do support client printers. However, most
print drivers are not included with the Embedded XP OS requiring the
administrator to install the drivers on the thin client. Also, not all drivers
will successfully install on the Embedded XP thin client due to functionality
removed from the Embedded XP OS to allow it to fit on the flash drive.
· Most thin clients do not support locally installed applications.
It is rare to see a Citrix Presentation Server implementation where all
applications are published from Citrix Presentation Servers. The primary reason
to not install an application on Presentation Server is lack of tangible
benefits as compared to the cost of integrating the application. Remember,
every application installed on a Citrix Presentation Server farm must go
through an extensive testing, configuration, stress loading, and documentation
process and it is not cost effective to send an application used by a small
number of users through this process.
Embedded XP thin clients do support locally installed applications with several
caveats. The flash drive in these thin clients is typically 512 MB or 1 GB in
size resulting in an inability to install large applications. Larger flash
drives also increase the price of the thin client putting it in the realm of PC
pricing.
While the Embedded XP OS is based on Windows XP, it is a subset of that OS.
Some applications might require more of Windows XP than is typically available
on an Embedded XP thin client.
· Thin clients possess sub-par graphics capability as compared to
today’s low end PCs.
One method for reducing costs in thin clients is to skimp on the graphics. This
results in smaller screen resolutions, lower color depth, and noticeably slower
screen updates. Before buying a particular thin client, let some users try it
to determine if the graphics performance is acceptable.
· PNAgent will only run on Embedded XP thin clients.
PNAgent is the preferred method of accessing published applications from a
client device because it is centrally administered and provides seamless
integration with the local desktop (shortcuts are placed on the Start Menu,
Desktop, and in the system tray). PNAgent can be installed and used from
Embedded XP thin clients only.
For other types of thin clients, consider publishing a desktop with the common
Start Menu program groups hidden (use Group Policy to do this) and run PNAgent
within that published desktop. PNAgent will display or not display application
shortcuts within the published desktop based on a user’s group membership.
While this is easy to setup, it does provide an additional access method that
must be maintained.
· Centralized management of thin clients is proprietary to the thin
client vendor.
Every thin client vendor offers a software solution for management of their
thin clients. This management software typically only works with a specific
vendor’s thin clients. Also, the management software does not integrate with
other PC management software, like Microsoft SMS, so you must maintain an
additional client device management infrastructure.
· Embedded XP thin clients need to be managed just like a PC.
Since most PC functionality is built into Embedded XP thin clients, including
the ability to catch a virus, these thin clients should be managed just like a
PC, resulting in increased management costs for this particular class of thin
clients. Some Embedded XP thin client vendors offer antivirus and firewall
protection for their Embedded XP thin clients.
A common method of managing Embedded XP thin clients is to join it to a Windows
domain so the thin client can receive group policies, login scripts, mapped
printers, etc. Another advantage of joining the domain is that the credentials
a user uses to log in to the thin client can be passed through the PNAgent
client eliminating the second logon.
However, the Write Filter, which prevents changes to the flash disk, included
with these thin clients prevents the thin clients from storing changed domain
workstation passwords. Either the Write Filter must be disabled or the password
changing must be disabled. If the Write Filter is disabled, there is potential
for the user to break the system requiring a thin client image to be reloaded.
Preventing the workstation password from changing results in reduced network
security. The DisablePasswordChange registry key will prevent the thin client
from changing its domain password.
· All upgrades and support are offered only by the thin client vendor.
Citrix Support cannot provide thin client specific assistance. If an issue is
discovered on a thin client that cannot be reproduced on a PC, the thin client
vendor must be contacted for support.
As Citrix releases new versions of the ICA Clients, you must wait for the thin
client vendor to release an image that includes the newer versions. This could
result in a discrepancy in features and bug fixes between the PCs and the thin
clients.
-----Original Message-----From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matt KoshtSent: Friday, March
30, 2007 8:32 AMTo: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: [THIN] Re: Recommendations for
Thin client devices
I read this recently. A very good discussion of the relevance of these
devices vs. cheap PC's.
http://www.brianmadden.com/content/content.asp?ID=666
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