Thin and Thick Clients Figment Mark Hopf Chris Nassar

Thin vs. Thick Client n Thick Client –business and presentation logic on client –data access on server n Thin Client –only presentation logic on client –data access and business logic on server

Typical Use of PC n n Word Processing n Creating Presentations n Web Access n All can be achieved using thin clients

Types Of Thin Clients: Software n Thin Client Java Viewer n Browser n Embedded ActiveX Control

Types of thin clients: Hardware n Network Computers n Window Terminal Servers - Windows Based Terminal n Windows PC (HD, no floppy or CD) ??? n Apple Pippin - NC & TV

Motivations n Costs - $10,400 for first year of PC implementation vs. $500 for NC n Upkeep - All clients upgraded with server upgrade n Portability - All data on network, any workstation can access n Versatility - More applications stored on server n Reusability -Old 386/486 recycled

Drawbacks n Lack of Privacy n Tied to network (no local files) n Need to have more resources with server

Multi Tier Clients n Common to Use 3-Tier n Reduces demands on Data Server n Limits the Computers to be Managed and Updated n Move Complexity from Client to Middle Tier –Client:Presentation Logic –App. ServerBusiness Logic –Data ServerData Access

Typical Client/Server Architecture

Oracle’s Commitment to Thin Clients n Developer 2000 Web Cartridge is “certified 100% pure java” –use Dev 2000 thick client to generate –export to a java web cartridge n Oracle8i: Internet version of data server which demonstrates a huge commitment to JDK n Application Server 4.0: middle tier

Making Choices n Middleware n Platform n Migration