Thin client’ computers are not new – in the 1990s they were called ‘graphical terminals’ – terminals with limited capability, connected to a server that handled all the processing and storage.  What is new these days is the boost that broadband has given to the technology and, through it, to the possibilities for simplifying business processes and for saving money.  And cutting CO² emissions at the same time.

Deploying thin clients – network computers with no hard drive – has always been perfectly feasible and cost effective inside a single building complex, where the provision of Ethernet connections is straightforward. But deploying this topology across more than one building – let alone across and between cities – was only a practicality for those larger companies that could afford to install a network of private circuits.

Fast broadband-based networks have transformed the picture and are helping many small and medium sized companies achieve improvements to the way they do business.

THE THIN GREEN LINE

Companies who move from traditional desktop PCs to thin clients can also  dramatically cut their energy use, according to a new study. The Fraunhofer Institute was commissioned by hardware firm IGEL Technology to look at how computers that rely on central servers for their memory and processing power (thin clients) compared to PCs. The results were impressive and, in use, thin clients were found to offer energy reductions of up to a half, cutting both a company's energy bill and its CO² emissions.

Thin client installations linked by fast broadband networks are also ideally suited to online conferencing and other collaborative applications that reduce the need for business travel.

THIN CLIENT WORKING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) – private data networks using the public internet to carry IP traffic securely and reliably – have changed the cost structure of thin client technology, because it’s no longer necessary to spend on a private network in order to take advantage of the benefits of the technology.  Using VPNs, it is now a practical possibility to serve thin client machines in locations remote from the server – without incurring the installation and maintenance costs of an old-style full private network. For the future, BT’s 21CN IP based network will make thin client technology even easier and cheaper to deploy.

It’s highly unlikely that large, established companies with a huge investment in PCs and server technology running many different systems, applications and databases will change their approach overnight. But, thin client technology, supported by fast broadband, has many clear advantages, especially for smaller companies deploying sophisticated networking for the first time.

• Lower IT administration costs – the client computers are managed at the server and there are fewer point of failure
• Lower security risk – all data and processing is centralised
• Lower capital costs – not only are the computers leaner and therefore cheaper, but idle processor time is minimised, improving utilisation
• Lower energy consumption and building cooling costs – thin client computers have no moving parts and no fans
• Lower networking costs – thin clients utilise bandwidth far more efficiently than their thick client counterparts, potentially improving the cost basis for bandwidth provision
• Lower risk of crime – there’s no point in stealing a thin client as it’s useless outside its environment

READ BETWEEN THE LINES

There are many different ways to approach networked computing successfully and BT Wholesale provides a wide range of solutions to match companies’ needs. With BT’s reliable, fast and ubiquitous broadband services, a move to intelligence embedded within the network rather than on the desktop, can deliver significant savings. Deploying thin client installations can make good economic sense for some small and growing businesses and is one of the many end user networking options that BT Wholesale can help Communications Providers to support.

Barry Fogarty, Head of Portfolio Strategy commented: "Our broadband services now let Communications Providers and their end users pursue a range of different business models and network structures that were unthinkable only a few years ago. Thin client installations could offer a simple and cost effective networking solution for some companies and also deliver substantial environmental benefits too."

You can read the full Franhofer Institute report on Thin Client energy efficiency by visiting the Franhofer website and searching for Thin Clients.

You can read more about online conferencing in this edition of Between the Lines