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New desktops or thin clients
It is time to upgrade a part of our desktops (30) in a network with multiple servers and was wondering if I should just buy new desktop computers or look into thin clients.
Just wondering what would be the pros and cons of thin clients. Looked online but I'm not very pleased with the quality of info...
Any help would be appreciated.
How do your users use their computers? The Thick vs Thin client question is not a simple "what do you think" type scenario. There are a large number of variables. For example, your cost per machine is lower, but you have to have more powerful servers to handle the load. Additionally, your users may use their computers in such a way that thin clients don't support the action or process. Without knowing your business needs, business uses, the exceptions made, etc., it is very hard to give good advice on a question like that.
Justin
Justin
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I just realised that in fact this wasnt posted in the citrix area (curse my filters!) so I apologise for my assumptions at the beginning of my previous post, however the rest still stands!
It is in the Citrix Zone.
off topic:
wierd, im seeing it in here: Home\Hardware\Desktops\New
think i should go to bed!!
wierd, im seeing it in here: Home\Hardware\Desktops\New
think i should go to bed!!
zcrammond,
Desktops is the Primary Zone for the choices of Zones selected:
You can see from the image above the Zones to which this Question is assigned.
DrUltima
Desktops is the Primary Zone for the choices of Zones selected:
You can see from the image above the Zones to which this Question is assigned.
DrUltima
cheers DrUltima, I deffo needed that sleep!!
Happens to all of us... To get back on topic....
I have seen a lot of praise for thin clients and very little for full PCs. Because this is also Citrix, I think it important to point out a few little things.
First, if the users are used to working with normal PCs (thick clients), the transition might be painful. By that, you might get a lot of "where did my custom app widget doomaflitchy go?" type of questions. Chances are with only 30 machines in the enterprise, more than one has admin rights to their own machines and therefore has installed non-sanctioned software (iTunes, Chrome, etc.) or hardware (scanner, personal printer, dual monitor, etc.). You need to make sure that you have a good inventory of your current setup before you go to thin clients. You may not be able to duplicate it.
Second, because all apps run on the server, your may have issues with apps which do not run on Server 2003 or might but are not supported in a Citrix environment. You need to make sure that your business needed apps run in a TS or Citrix environment.
Third, you really won't see a cost savings. Low end PCs are cheap, almost as cheap as dumb terminals. Add in the cost of a server capable of hosting Citrix (and you REALLY need two, because if your server is down, your entire business halts in a pure terminal environment) as well as Citrix licenses, it might actually be MORE expensive to go the dumb terminal route for such a small deployment. Remember that Citrix is tiered licensing, so the more you buy, the cheaper each individual license is. With only 30, that is the most expensive tier.
Third, and this is a big one: how important is your customer perception. In this case, the company you work for is your (the IT dept's) customer. Will being in a thin environment be good for your relationship with the rest of the company or will it cause more harm than benefits you reap.
I wrote this article about managing security in AD, but it focuses heavily on philosophies of customer perception and experience. I would suggest reading it. Remember that this is a business decision which requires buy off at all levels of management and not just an IT decision.
I am not indicating that I would necessarily push for a thin or thick environment, I just think that both sides of the coin need to be explored before a decision is made.
Cheers,
Justin
I have seen a lot of praise for thin clients and very little for full PCs. Because this is also Citrix, I think it important to point out a few little things.
First, if the users are used to working with normal PCs (thick clients), the transition might be painful. By that, you might get a lot of "where did my custom app widget doomaflitchy go?" type of questions. Chances are with only 30 machines in the enterprise, more than one has admin rights to their own machines and therefore has installed non-sanctioned software (iTunes, Chrome, etc.) or hardware (scanner, personal printer, dual monitor, etc.). You need to make sure that you have a good inventory of your current setup before you go to thin clients. You may not be able to duplicate it.
Second, because all apps run on the server, your may have issues with apps which do not run on Server 2003 or might but are not supported in a Citrix environment. You need to make sure that your business needed apps run in a TS or Citrix environment.
Third, you really won't see a cost savings. Low end PCs are cheap, almost as cheap as dumb terminals. Add in the cost of a server capable of hosting Citrix (and you REALLY need two, because if your server is down, your entire business halts in a pure terminal environment) as well as Citrix licenses, it might actually be MORE expensive to go the dumb terminal route for such a small deployment. Remember that Citrix is tiered licensing, so the more you buy, the cheaper each individual license is. With only 30, that is the most expensive tier.
Third, and this is a big one: how important is your customer perception. In this case, the company you work for is your (the IT dept's) customer. Will being in a thin environment be good for your relationship with the rest of the company or will it cause more harm than benefits you reap.
I wrote this article about managing security in AD, but it focuses heavily on philosophies of customer perception and experience. I would suggest reading it. Remember that this is a business decision which requires buy off at all levels of management and not just an IT decision.
I am not indicating that I would necessarily push for a thin or thick environment, I just think that both sides of the coin need to be explored before a decision is made.
Cheers,
Justin
ESXi would be the best route, IMO.