okeeds33
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Which thinclent OS should I use
Thinking of going the thinclient route -
The existing apps environment is predominanly windows/linux at the terminal server end; while at the client end windows/windows xp.
1. which one of the ff would be appropriate - ce; embeded xp or linux
2. what are the business environment factors to be able to run thinclient
3. currently on a LAN/WAN connectivity; and most of the existing software apps are client/server based; developed mostly in-house using java;
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ASKER
Thanks for your comments.
Was hoping to also get a comparison of the OS, from your experience towards determining which is best for us.
Was hoping to also get a comparison of the OS, from your experience towards determining which is best for us.
What is boils down to in most cases is your familiarity with the platform. If you are a "Windows" person, go with embedded Windows, if you are a Linux person, go with Linux. If you have no experience whatsoever with Linux, stick with Windows as it will make more sense.
In my experience, most of the time it doesn't really matter as long as they run your applications.
In my experience, most of the time it doesn't really matter as long as they run your applications.
ASKER
I still needed external consultation to have it fully addressed
1. I believe the main thing you need to keep in mind here is peripheral support. Any devices you may need to connect (e.g. scanners, proximity card readers, etc) need to be supported on the thin client, possibly including driver support. If you don't need to connect anything special and only need to connect to a hosted desktop or application then so long as the OS supports the appropriate client you should be OK. I recommend trying a few different thin clients out to see which works best for your environment.
2. Thin clients still take a bit of management, so you need to have a method to centrally manage your thin clients. Most vendors either have a free solution or a solution you can purchase. Also keep in mind that if you are going the thin client route then you are necessarily moving towards centralized management, which means a solution along the lines of Remote Desktop Services or XenApp. Someone will have to support that solution and that person may not come cheap.
3. If WAN connectivity is involved you are likely better off using a hosted application or desktop solution (e.g. Remote Desktop Services, XenApp, etc) rather than application streaming (e.g. App-V). This is still a good use case for thin clients.