C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success Mark R. Ritschard Director, Engineering Network Services College of Engineering Colorado State University ACM SIGUCCS Fall Conference 2006

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Back to the Future: What’s a “thin client”? A terminal – on steroids Centrally Managed No standard definition – just fewer (or “smaller”) components Thin ClientProcessorRAMOSVideoNetSession Mobility HP t Mhz128MB Linux kernel x 1024, 24 bit 10/100via software Sun Ray 2FS none 1920 x 1200, 24 bit 10/100 via smart card or software Wyse S10 AMD Geode GX MB Wyse Thin OS 1280 x 1024, 24 bit 10/100via software Wyse V30 1Ghz x86128MB Microsoft Windows CE 1280 x 1024, 24 bit 10/100 via smart card or software

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 History of Thin Mainframe Terminals: circa 1970 – monochrome display 1 Mainframe Terminals: circa 1978 – color display 2 Rise of the workstation: circa 1982 Diskless clients – a step “back” – circa 1985 Heyday of the “Fat Client”: Moving back to the terminal - the rise of Citrix ® : The first thin client is introduced: Sun Microsystems introduces the “Sun Ray”: Thin Clients enter mainstream technology market: vt100.net/vt_history 2 accad.osu.edu/~waynec/history/timeline.html en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Ray

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Thin Client Solutions Dell (well…sort of…) “Ardence Dell SmartClients, which do not require any pre-installed software, deliver both the XP-Pro operating system and all software applications on- demand from network servers via the Ardence Software-Streaming Platform.” 1 HP “The Consolidated Client Infrastructure (CCI) solution from HP centralizes desktop compute and storage resources…CCI dynamically allocates a one-to-one connection between each user and an individual blade PC. In this strategy, each user has a dedicated compute resource running a single instance of the operating system, providing an enhanced, personalized desktop that can be remotely accessed through enterprise networks or the Internet.” h71028.www7.hp.com/enterprise/cache/ aspx

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Thin Client Solutions IBM (Lenovo) “Neoware thin clients let you run any Windows, mainframe, midrange, UNIX, Linux, or Internet application on smart, solid-state appliances across a wired or wireless network. Neoware thin clients are available with a choice of Linux, Windows CE, and Windows XPe operating systems, and our flashless Neoware e140 thin clients support Windows XP Professional.” 1 Wyse “The Wyse S10 Thin Client is the most optimized solution for Citrix ICA…Microsoft…Terminal Services…VMware VDI... It combines…stateless operation, low power consumption, USB ports, remote management, and simple device setup and imaging…(all electronic, with no disk or fan).” 2 BlueShark Technologies, Boundless Technologies, Computer Lab International, IGEL Technology, Esprit Systems, Neoware…

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Thin Client Solutions Sun Microsystems A truly thin client – “skinny!” Managed by a central server (Solaris or Linux) running “Sun Ray Server Software” Native OS of the client is OS of the server Serve up any other OS MacOS: via VNC Viewer UNIX or Linux: via ssh or an X display Microsoft Windows: via Citrix or Sun Ray Connector Serve up individual applications via Citrix or Sun Global Desktop

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN Sun Ray Servers 2 Sun Fire V490 (dual, 8GB) 1 Sun T2000 (8 core, 32GB) Sun Ray Server Software (load balancing)

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN Sun Ray Servers 2 Sun Fire V490 (dual, 8GB) 1 Sun T2000 (8 core, 32GB) Sun Ray Server Software (load balancing) network file space

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN Sun Ray Servers 2 Sun Fire V490 (dual, 8GB) 1 Sun T2000 (8 core, 32GB) Sun Ray Server Software (load balancing) Solaris/Linux Servers 2 Sun Enterprise Sun Fire x Sun Fire V40Z 3 JPK custom (86 core, 350GB) network file space

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN Sun Ray Servers 2 Sun Fire V490 (dual, 8GB) 1 Sun T2000 (8 core, 32GB) Sun Ray Server Software (load balancing) Citrix ® (load balancing) Solaris/Linux Servers 2 Sun Enterprise Sun Fire x Sun Fire V40Z 3 JPK custom (86 core, 350GB) network file space Could also be: Sun Global Desktop (Tarrantella) Sun Ray Connector

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Sun Ray System at CSU College of Engineering Sun Ray 2 Sun Ray 1 approximately 150 Sun Rays Sun Ray VLAN Sun Ray Servers 2 Sun Fire V490 (dual, 8GB) 1 Sun T2000 (8 core, 32GB) Sun Ray Server Software (load balancing) Citrix ® (load balancing) Microsoft Windows Servers 10 Sun Fire V20Z 5 Dell PowerEdge 1955 (40 core, 140GB) Solaris/Linux Servers 2 Sun Enterprise Sun Fire x Sun Fire V40Z 3 JPK custom (86 core, 350GB) network file space

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 The Benefits Session Mobility Operating System becomes a tool Reduced support costs Increased reliability More frequent software updates Security Size Low power consumption No(!) noise Very reasonable annual cost

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Low Cost of Ownership (Hardware) Annual Cost of Sun Ray servers$11,230 Annual Cost of Sun Ray Windows Servers$9,285 Annual Cost of access Software$3,681 Annual Cost of minimal file space (25GB per Sun Ray)$6,633 Annual Cost of Infrastructure$1,996 Annual cost of Sun Ray support system$32,825 Max number of Sun Rays that could be supported 250 Annual Cost to support each Sunray$ Annual Cost of Sun Ray setup (client, monitor, etc.)$ Annual Cost of a Sun Ray$256 Annual Cost of Similarly Configured PC: $402.50

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Low Cost of Ownership (Support) Annual Support Cost of Sun Ray servers$325 Annual Support Cost of Sun Ray Windows Servers$8,614 Annual Support Cost Sun Ray Desktop$4,674 Annual Support Cost of minimal file space$0 Annual Support Cost of Infrastructure$27 Annual cost of Sun Ray support system$13,639 Actual Sun Rays that could be supported 250 Annual Cost to Support a Sun Ray$55 Annual Cost to Support a PC: $402.50

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 The Challenges New Environment “strange” logon “strange” desktop Mulitple operating systems Lack of (or limited choice of) peripherals Need for a robust graphical environment Confused vendors & antiquated licensing Microsoft Mathworks Example of Gambit

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 The Benefits Reduction in overall costs Reduction in End-User support Reduction in hardware support Streamlined system administration The BIGGIES Session mobility Multiple operating systems

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Our Success! Number of seats doubled Number of student employees reduced Professional staff needs haven’t changed How often do we realize an increase in service without an accompanying increase in cost?

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 New Academic Village – opens FA07 Potential thin clients (677): Engineering: 363 Honors: 232 Commons: 81

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Academic Village - Engineering

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Academic Village - Engineering Potential thin clients (363): Residential: 260 Program Space: 74 Public Areas: 29

C O L L E G E O F E N G I N E E R I N G Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success SIGUCCS 2006 Thin Clients: The Key to Our Success Mark R. Ritschard Director, Engineering Network Services College of Engineering Colorado State University ACM SIGUCCS Fall Conference 2006