What is Thin Computing?

Thin computing is a computer system where the terminals or PC have very little or no processing power and hard disk capacity. Information and applications are stored on one central computer that can be accessed via the internet or through the company's network.

The idea of thin computing is similar to the days of the mainframe computer in the 1960s and 70s before the development of the PC. The big difference today is that the latest PC applications work on a thin computer (also known as a thin client) so that organisations get the benefits of a PC, plus the benefits of a centrally managed and maintained system.

A PC (also known as a desktop computer) has a screen, keyboard, mouse, processor (the brain which gives the PC the ability to access information and makes calculations) and hard disk, which allow personnel to work with applications and information such as word processing, email and spreadsheets.

While PCs are relatively inexpensive, it is important to note that as more PCs are required, the cost of supporting and maintaining also increases. This involves keeping them up to date with the latest security software so that your business is protected, backing up the data and dealing with any problems they have. In addition, if your business depends on PCs to operate, the business cost of a faulty PC can be significant.

The future of thin computing

Like most business technologies, thin computing can help reduce costs. Another benefit is increased security. Rather than having desktops with sensitive data available to any person within an organisation, systems can be secured in an area where people can not gain access.

"Many companies that may use contracted help can have dozens of contractors come in and leave throughout the year," said Mark Margevicius, Research Director at Gartner ."Client security eliminates the hunting down of critical data and information. There is no chance for data to disappear or be stolen."

Thin computing works particularly well for organisations with a number of office locations. Having to send IT staff to remote sites to maintain PCs or fix problems is costly, and it also means that remote staff could be without the systems they need for some time.

With thin computing a faulty terminal can be easily unplugged, and a spare put in its place. This means the user can be up working again within a few minutes.

Why thin computing?

There are significant benefits to be gained. According to an IDC report from 2005 , thin computing users studied by IDC experience significant business benefits from a thin computing environment:

• Reduction in hardware and software costs by 40%.
• Reduction in IT operations costs by 29%.
• Increase in IT staff productivity by 78%.
• Reduction in worker downtime by 88%.

This research focused on 70 companies with between 3,100 and 30,000 employees, so you will need to take this into consideration if your organisation is significantly smaller. That said it does paint a very interesting picture that clearly illustrate the considerable savings that can be achieved.

Overall, studies agree that the RoI (Return on Investment) potential for a thin computing system is good but be aware of the pitfalls as highlighted in disadvantages

Thin computing resolves many problems by removing the complexity of desktop PCs and replacing them with simple, small, very energy efficient terminals.

With thin computing, all applications and records are stored on a central server. This means that it's much easier for IT personnel or an IT supplier to manage these.

Organisations that have adopted this centralised thin computing approach have found that:

• it typically reduces IT costs,
• makes IT systems more reliable,
• improves security, and
• reduces power consumption.

Types of thin computing

The most common type of thin computing is where PC applications are stored and run from a central server.

Another type that can work for some organisations instead of using PC applications is where access to applications and information can be made via a web browser like Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla. Companies such as Google, Microsoft, Salesforce.com and Sage have versions of their software that can be accessed in a web page.

The server (or servers) required for a thin client system can be located in an office or in a dedicated data centre.

If you have skilled IT staff they can manage the server, or your IT supplier could do this. Also, some suppliers now offer a service whereby a computer can be rented on a monthly basis. In this situation the supplier will host your applications and records in a secure data centre, and provide the thin computing terminals.

Benefits of Thin Computing

• Thin computing has several benefits. This may make it sound like it's 'too good to be true', and indeed there are some limitations that you should be aware of, but all the following benefits have been realised and proven by businesses during the past ten years.
• Reduces hardware costs: The cost of thin client hardware (terminal) is considerably less than a PC though it is also possible to use older PCs as part of a thin computing system. If you have existing PCs that are reliable, a good approach is to use these until they become unreliable, then replace them with thin clients. Thin clients will last 2-3 times a long as a PC so you will save more money in the longer term as they won't need replacing as often.
• Maintenance costs: A well designed thin computing system using thin clients will cost a lot less to maintain than PCs. This is because you will see fewer hardware problems, and users are less likely to break the system in the same way as they could with their own PC.
• Running costs:. A thin computing system will typically use less than half the electrical power than the equivalent PCs would. This is because PCs generally have a lot more processing power than the user needs and so much of the electrical power they consume is wasted. Most thin clients have no moving parts and therefore will last longer than a PC and are less likely to go wrong.
• Easier to maintain and support: Because all the software and applications are stored centrally on the main server, and not on the thin computer, if there are problems it is more than likely that it will be with the main server and not the thin computer. As a result, it is far easier to resolve. Because of the simplicity of the thin computing model there is less to go wrong and the system can be supported easily and cost effectively. Users won't be able to download their own applications or make any changes to their thin computer, unlike a PC where this may potentially cause problems.
• Security: Because users aren't able to download applications or have access to CD drives and USB devices, there are far fewer entry points for a virus to be accidentally downloaded.
• The green issue: Thin computers use less power than a PC and so are potentially less harmful to the environment.
• Backup:Important information is stored on the central server unlike a PC. If more processing power or memory is required this can be achieved centrally rather than upgrading individual PCs. Adding further users is cost effective and there is no need to configure each PC for each user.
• Multiple sites and remote workers: Where a company has a number of sites and perhaps personnel that work from home, a thin computing system is ideal. Remote workers can still use a local printer, i.e. a printer can still be connected to their terminal.
• Easy administration: It is far easier to administer a thin computing environment because, for example, software upgrades can all be managed centrally. You can also save costs by not having to send out technical personnel to each individual PC user, or having to individually troubleshoot problems and issues.

Disadvantages and potential pitfalls

• Reliance on the server: In a thin computing system the terminals rely completely on the server for information and processing capability, as there is no other way of storing it locally (as there is no hard drive available for storage as there is with a PC). So, if there is a problem with the server or it is unavailable, users with terminals won't be able to access any information.
• Costs of the server: Changing to a thin computing system will incur some investment as a server will be required. The best time to do this is when there is a need to replace some PCs. It is possible that any savings made from buying terminals rather than PCs may be offset by the cost of the server.
• Graphics:Until recently thin computing was not able to handle graphics particularly well. The latest thin computing technology addresses this but you should check that the system you choose meets the needs of your PC users. Even with the latest technology there are some types of user, for example graphic designers, where thin computing may not be appropriate.
• Infrastructure (*2): As a thin client network requires all processing to be carried out on the server it is important that your network is reliable and can handle the traffic easily. Many people think thin computing needs more network capacity but the opposite is usually true. This is because it is only the screen information that goes across the network, not the complete file as would be the case with a PC (*3). Installing lots of applications and hardware such as printers on central computers can cause conflicts - the design of the system must be right or there can be real problems.
• Printing: Printing for many users will be much faster but, particularly for users in remote offices, it can be slower. There are ways to deal with this but you need to identify any problems and highlight them to your supplier. A test period before the whole system is installed will help achieve this.
• If your users need to use external devices such as PDAs (*4) you must check that the system can handle these. The latest systems can make external devices work just like they do on a PC, but systems are not all the same, so you must highlight this requirement to your supplier and check that the system can do what you need before purchase.

Buy Thin Computing

Step one:

• Identify the needs of your organisation and the users
• Try and group your users into different groups based on how they use their computer and the applications they use. For example: office users; home workers; field sales staff; production line staff; drawing office/designers; and managers. This will help identify which groups thin computing will be a good solution for
• Are there any particular requirements that a particular group may have? For example: do the accounts team have a special printer; do your reception staff use a webcam to take a customer's picture for a security badge; do your production line staff need to view health and safety or training videos. Make sure you identify these needs and include them in your questions to potential suppliers. Don't take anything for granted. Don't assume that because your current system has a particular function, your new thin computing system will have the same capability
• List all the applications your users need. If this is a major task, ask a potential supplier if they have some software tools that can help do this.
• Are there other technology solutions that you are looking at? For example, if you are looking at a voice over IP (VoIP) phone system, it may make sense to look for a thin computing solution that can work with this.
• What benefits do you want to achieve?
• Thin computing can deliver a range of benefits. Make sure you understand what your priorities are. For example, do you handle sensitive customer data so security is critical; is cost saving most important to you; or will your business stop if your PCs don't work - so reliability is very important?
• If cost savings are important, how much do you expect to save? Where are you expecting to save money? Is it in reduced hardware costs or through lower support and maintenance?
• How much is your organisation currently spending on technology? Have you analysed the cost of your current system including annual maintenance, support costs and software licences and how does that compare to a thin computing system?

Step two:

• What do you need for your new system?
• What equipment will I require? For example, you may still need to retain your PCs or Macs for graphics.
• How much will it cost?
• How much will it cost to maintain and support?
• Can I utilise any existing equipment?
• How much more (if at all) bandwidth will I need? This may be because with all your terminals accessing the central server for processing capability. Many applications use large amounts of bandwidth, for example if you are sending emails with large attachments such as presentations, but it is advisable to check that your system can cope.
• At what cost?
• You will need to ensure that whatever you purchase now will be able to meet your future requirements.

Step three:

• Identify the right suppliers.
• Use Conjungo's 'Find a thin computing supplier' search facility at the top of this page.
• Who has the experience of working with a company of the same size and profile as yours?
• How many similar installations have they made?
• Ask for references - ensure that the company is capable and reliable.
• Ask to speak with a couple of their customers in order to see what benefits have been gained.
• Get a credit check to ensure that they are financially stable. You can get this directly from the supplier details found from your Conjungo search.

Step four:

• Request a proposal from three or four of your preferred suppliers.

Step five:

• Select a proposal.
• Who best demonstrates that they understand your business and your requirements?
• Is the solution flexible and scalable and therefore able to meet future demand? You don't want to find out later that by investing a little more money now will save you money later.
• Is it cost effective? Have they shown how and where you will save money?
• Does it demonstrate clearly the functional benefits - rather than telling a list of particular features, does the proposal clearly show what the benefits are? There is no point on spending money for system with features that are of no benefit or that you will never use!
• Does it clearly outline what hardware and other costs are involved?
• How much will the software (licences) cost?
• How much will software support cost?
• Can any savings be made by agreeing a multi-year contract for support?
• How will your potential supplier support and maintain your system afterwards?
• How much will this cost?
• Have you spoken to a couple of your preferred suppliers customers?
• Agree on financial terms - you may be required to pay a deposit but do not pay the whole amount in advance of delivery.

Install Thin Computing

Ten simple steps to installing a thin computing system

It is most unlikely that you will install a thin computing system yourself, but by understanding the following steps you will be aware of what the process is in order to achieve a fully functioning system.

As a simplistic guide for a small business of, for example ten users, some of whom may work remotely or from home, with one office, the following would be necessary:

1. A central server to store your organisation's applications, such as Microsoft Office. For larger installations of 50 or more users, you may require another server:
   1. in order to split the processing load, or
   2. for 'failsafe' reasons in case one server has problems, at least you will have another to use.
2. Terminals - you will need to decide whether you keep some ordinary PCs for specialists such as graphic designers.
3. Thin computing software. This enables the system to function and will reside on your server along with your other applications. This will enable your users to access their usual applications and information.
4. Resource allocation. You will need to decide with your supplier, how much resource from the server should be allocated to each user or by application. In simple terms, which users require the most memory as some applications require more memory and processing power?
5. Load balancing (*7). For thin computing systems below 50 users this will probably be unnecessary. However, in the event of 50+ users, you may need two servers to spread the processing requirement. Load balancing software will spread the processing capability of each server according to the needs of the users. This prevents one server being heavily overused and the other one being under utilised.
6. Internet access. You will need to find out whether you have enough bandwidth to cope with all of your users.
7. VPN (*6) or authentication software (7*). You will need to ensure that the data sent via remote users is encrypted. This will stop unauthorised people accessing your information.
8. Installation - generally, it should take two days to build the main server, install all the relevant software and configure the system to your organisations requirements.
9. Administration training - schedule half a day. You will need to choose and train an individual on how to add extra users, download applications and back-up data on the server.
10. User training. This is simply to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the system and know how to access their data and information.

In summary about thin computing

There is a great deal of evidence to support the use and demand of thin computing. It does show that significant savings can be made as well as achieving other advantages that cannot be monetised but that are of value to an organisation.

The main downside is that remote users will have access to their documents and applications only if they have internet access and there are no issues with the server or electricity supply. Should, for example, a user lose a broadband connection then they will not have access to any information.

While the chances of this are slim, you need to pay attention to your organisational and individual user requirements and so it may be a case that you allow some users PC access rather than installing a 100% thin computing system. Naturally, it can be argued that a remote user with a PC who has a hard disc failure or other technical issue will be in the same position, but this still needs to be considered.

Overall, the potential benefits will probably outweigh any disadvantages, but be very sure before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is thin computing?
Most people are used to using a PC or laptop, whereby you have a screen, keyboard, mouse, processor and a hard disk which allows you to permanently store your applications and data. The fundamental difference between a PC and thin computing system is that with a thin computer, the user has a terminal comprising of a screen, keyboard, and mouse, but no storage or processing capability.

As a result, rather than your information being stored locally on your hard drive, it will be stored remotely on a server that is accessed via the internet.

How does it work in practice?
The thin computer is connected through a network, or remotely, and can access all the applications and information stored on the main server.

Naturally, this means that you rely heavily on the ability to access the remote server.

What happens if I can not access the internet?
This is one of the down sides of thin computing because you need access to the internet every time you want to connect to a remote server.

Is it an idea to have some local storage?
Many packages will give you the option to retain the ability to store data locally but this is mainly to be used as a contingency in case you can not access a remote server. As a result you may be still be able to continue working.

Why should I consider thin computing?
There are a number of reasons why you should consider it. The key factor is cost, simply because thin terminals are less expensive than a PC or laptop. They are less likely to go wrong as they (generally) don't have any moving parts. It means that the costs for supporting a network are much lower because all the software and servers are located in one place. As a result, if something fails, then it will be at one location, and an engineer is not required to travel to fix a problem at a user's home or remote location.

How can I save money by using thin computing?
The hardware required for thin computing is less expensive than a typical PC or laptop and support costs are lower.

Thin computers use less power so they energy overhead is less. Thin computers have a longer life span than a normal PC because they don't have to be upgraded as often simply because the processing power resides with the server. As a result you'll save on upgrade costs or the costs of new PCs.

I've heard that thin computing is a green option?
Generally speaking, thin computing is said to be 'greener' than a traditional network of PCs'. This is because thin computers use less power than a PC or laptop.

However, some argue that because the emphasis is on the server requiring more power, that this negates any power savings overall and consequently the impact is upon the environment is simply transferred.

That said, if thin computing environments need less upgrades or new equipment then this means that the environment is being better served as less equipment needs to be manufactured and as a result emissions will be lowered.

Is it something that I can install myself?
No, it is most unlikely that you will be able to, unless you are extremely technically proficient.

It is important to ensure that a thin computing environment is implemented properly to prevent any issues from occurring, bearing in mind that the single point of failure will be the server that stores all the applications and records.

Glossary

• ASP (Application Service Provider) - An organisation that rents applications to companies. The users of the applications are then charged a monthly amount rather than having to pay for software in one go. The applications are normally accessed via the Internet. One of the well known business applications is Salesforce.com.
• Infrastructure - This is the physical cabling and internet access of a computer network. It is to computer systems as pipes are to plumbing. Without the correct pipes connected to meet an individual's needs, they won't receive water! The water in this analogy is as data is to a computer. The pipes required to transport water in a hotel are significantly more complex than a house.
• Network - A network allows computers to communicate with each other. There are a number of ways from a technical perspective how this can be achieved but the best known and biggest is the internet.
• PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) - A hand held computer that can be used to store contact details, calendar, send emails as well having the ability to use word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. Many PDAs these days can also be used as mobile phones.
• VPN (Virtual Private Network) - A VPN allows users to use a network securely. For example, it is possible to use the internet in this way by separating a company's flow of information by securing it by encrypting the data. It 'scrambles' the messages making it illegible to people outside of the organisation. It allows organisations to use the Internet as if it were their own private network.
• Authentication Software - Software that 'scrambles' or encrypts information, such as email so that it is unreadable without the right key to decrypt it.
• Load balancing - Load balancing software will spread the processing capability of each server according to the needs of the users. This prevents one server being heavily overused and the other one being under utilised.

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