NetPCs

Microsoft and Intel developed the NetPC concept and specification in response to the emergence of the network computer. The NetPC was intended to simplify and to centralize the management of Windows-based personal computing in a corporate environment, thus reducing the total cost of ownership. At the same time, it was intended to offer users the power of locally processed PC applications.

The NetPC was intended to be a managed PC.

The June 1997 Microsoft Windows Market Bulletin, What Is the Net PC? describes the NetPC configuration. The required com-ponents include these:

• Minimum 133-MHz Pentium or equivalent
  
  
• 16 MB of RAM (32 MB recommended)
  
  
• All hardware fully detectable ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface) and configurable via software
  
  
• OnNow
  
  
• Wakeup on LAN support (after January 1, 1998)
  
  
• Sealed case
  
  
• Platform instrumentation
  
  
• Internal hard drive
  
  
• Universal serial bus (USB) support
  
  
• Unique system ID structure
  
  
• Mouse and keyboard

A NetPC can also include the following optional components:

• Upgrade capabilities for RAM and CPU
  
  
• Lockable CD and floppy drives
  
  
• Audio cards
  
  
• Graphics accelerator cards
  
  
• Serial and parallel ports

The NetPC is a personal computer that is managed centrally by an IS department. In conjunction with Microsoft s Zero Administration Initiative, the NetPC is intended to reduce the difficulty typically associated with maintaining, upgrading, and supporting personal computers on a network. Although the hardware definition of a NetPC begins to approach that of a Windows-based terminal on the low end, a NetPC runs a full 32-bit Windows operating system such as Windows 95 or Windows NT Workstation. In contrast, a Windows-based terminal runs only a very thin operating system, such as MS-DOS, from which the ICA client is launched.

The NetPC includes a full 32-bit operating system.

You use a NetPC to access thin-client/server solutions in the same way you use a PC to access applications published through a thin-client/server solution. As with a PC, users continue to have complete access to local system resources such as disk storage and printing and can also cut and paste between applications accessed through a thin-client/server session and a local session. For example, as with a PC, you can install the ICA client on the NetPC. And as with a PC, you have the choice of deploying cer-tain applications for use locally and other applications for use in a thin-client/server scenario. I would imagine that the NetPC would be deployed in situations where document files are centrally managed but where users prefer to have certain regularly used applications available locally. Since the NetPC might have limited hard disk space, programs such as e-mail or other mission- critical applications might be accessed from a thin-client/server solution.

For example, imagine a scenario in which the officers of a bank prefer to use locally hosted analysis tools. Word processing, calendar, e-mail, and database applications, however, can be run using a thin-client/server solution hosted on a server.

For more information about the NetPC, see the Microsoft Web site at: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/netpc.