Chapter 7: The Client Environment

OVERVIEW

In this chapter, we will introduce and discuss four categories of desktop devices: thin client (a Windows terminal or fully locked-down PC dedicated to running only a Web browser and/or Citrix client), mobile (laptop), simple hybrid (a device running both server-based applications and local applications, with no local peripheral support), and complex hybrid (a device with a local hard drive running both local and server-based applications and supporting local peripherals). We will also discuss deployment strategies and installation tips not covered by the standard documentation from the manufacturers. Finally, we will introduce the concept of the client decision matrix to help you establish standards for determining the appropriate client for a given user or group .

In general, use the simplest (or "thinnest") client device available to take full advantage of the cost savings derived from lower up-front costs, lower setup costs, significantly reduced software maintenance, reduced hardware maintenance, and fewer repairs . Although the concept and approach of thin clients has not changed since the inception of server-based computing, price and performance have both improved dramatically. It is now possible to procure a high-performance Windows terminal thin-client device for $290 (monitor is extra) from several manufacturers, including Wyse, Neoware, and others. Although we have had many people argue that they procure PCs for about this same cost, we have never discovered that to be true. Even though many consumer-based retail outlets advertise a $500 PC, corporations today are often spending over $1,000 per PC in order to get a fully configured PC with Windows XP Professional operating system, networking, and a three-year warranty. Table 7-1 provides a comparison between the costs of a PC and a Windows terminal thin client.

Table 7-1: Three-Year Price ComparisonPC vs. Windows Terminal

Task	Hybrid PC: Dell Optiplex with Windows XP Pro, Three-Year Warranty	Windows Terminal: Wyse Winterm 1200LE (Thin Client)
Initial procurement cost	$799	$289
Initial configuration and installation time (assume Ghost imaging for the PC, but include ghost image setup and maintenance time)	3 hours @ $50/ hour internal billable rate = $150	15 minutes @ $50/hour internal billable rate = $12.50
Operating system upgrade price (assume one new revision of Windows operating system over three-year period)	$200 + 2 hours @ $50/ hour internal billable rate for a total price of $300	$0Wyse 1200LE is BSD UNIXbased and firmware updates are pushed from management software
Software upgrade time (assume one new revision of MS Office and one new revision of other desktop applications per year must be installed and configured)	6 hours @ $50/hour internal billable rate = $300	$5software updates will be done once at the server for all clients; assuming hundreds of clients, the cost per client is very small
Assume one local workstation touch per quarter required for maintenance and security patching of operating systems and Web browsers; assume management software will be used to push out patches (SMS for PCs, Wyse Rapport for Winterms)	8 hours per year, 24 hours over three-year period @ $50/hour internal billable rate for a total cost of $1200 to configure and manage the management software	2 hours per year, 6 hours over three-year period @ $50/hour internal billable rate for a total cost of $300 to configure and manage the management software
Hardware repair assume one warranty repair is required over the three-year period, necessitating reload and reconfiguration	3 hours @ $50/hour internal billable rate = $150	15 minutes @ $50/hour internal billable rate = $12.50
Total three-year cost	$2,599	$619

The numbers from Table 7-1 are very conservative by most industry standards. Gartner Group estimates that most enterprise organizations spend closer to $7,000 per PC per year, because the number of non-automated reconfigurations and software installations is much greater than the numbers used here. Additionally, the $50 per hour for internal billable rate is lower than most enterprise organizations experience for a fully loaded cost. Regardless, though, we wanted to use conservative numbers to make our case inarguable. Notice that for an organization considering technology-refreshing 100 PCs per year, even if all "soft costs" are ignored, the up-front savings for just the initial procurement and setup costs will be $64,750 per year. If soft costs are included, and a three-year cost outlay is looked at for an enterprise organization, these savings are very significant.

Although the advantages and up-front costs of a Windows terminal are compelling, some organizations may not be able to fully convert to Windows terminals, or may need to run a mix of Windows terminals and PCs. Organizations that may not be able to replace all PCs with Windows terminals include

• – Organizations that have large numbers of newer PCs (less than two years old) that cannot be easily discarded (some organizations are leasing their desktop PCs, and the terms of the lease will dictate whether it is advantageous or impossible to get rid of the PCs)

• – Organizations still supporting 16-bit or DOS applications that won't run effectively in an Presentation Server environment, and thus must be run using the processing power and operating system of a "local" PC

• – Organizations that will only be supporting a portion of their users or applications on the Presentation Server environment

A large number of organizations end up running a mix of clients and client devices, at least for a period of time, for these reasons. As such, it is necessary to explore complementary technologies to make hybrid and mobile users take on as many of the desirable characteristics of the thin client as possible. The most significant gain of the thin clientthat of not having to install, manage, update, or repair local applicationscan be realized from any client device, with the correct configuration and management tools. In discussing these hybrids, we will describe the available technology and techniques needed to accomplish this.