| Microsoft whitepaper on Thin Client markets, architecture, technology |
(Oct. 7, 2003)
Foreword
This Microsoft whitepaper provides an overview of the market opportunity, product requirements, and technologies associated with thin client devices.
According to Microsoft, thin clients are purpose-optimized devices that provide network-based access to applications hosted on remote servers. Microsoft says thin clients are key components in the trend toward distributed computing, where server-based computing solutions offer applications deployed via the Terminal Services functionality in the Windows Server family or via Web-based services.
The paper provides information about thin client industry trends, Microsoft's strategy for thin clients, and an overview of the solutions available via Microsoft's Windows Embedded family of operating systems. Several tables, included within the downloadable paper, show what thin client technologies are provided by Windows CE .NET 4.2 and Windows XP Embedded, and which OS is recommended for various thin client applications.
Below is an excerpt from the paper's introduction, followed by a link for downloading the complete whitepaper.
The Windows Embedded Family:
An Integrated, Scalable Platform for Building Thin Client Devices
by Microsoft Corp.
Introduction
Thin clients are purpose-optimized devices that provide network-based access to applications hosted on remote terminal servers.
Thin clients are key components in server-based computing solutions where line-of-business (LOB) applications are deployed via the Terminal Services functionality in the Windows Server family or via Web-based services.
The Windows Embedded family of operating systems, which includes Windows CE .NET and Windows XP Embedded, provides a scalable platform to build a range of thin client terminals including: basic terminals, browser terminals, and LOB terminals.
This white paper is written for business decision makers in embedded device manufacturing who are evaluating the Windows Embedded family of operating systems as a platform to build a thin client device.
In this white paper, you will find information about thin client industry trends, Microsoft's strategy for thin clients, and an overview of the solutions that Microsoft offers to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who plan to bring thin client devices to market.
Industry Trends Affecting OEMs in the Thin Client Industry Today
The primary driving factor behind server-based computing and thin client shipments today is the business customer's need to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of IT solutions by provisioning task-based workers with terminals that have minimal, locked-down local applications.
According to an Intelliquest study, the most substantial TCO savings from typical thin client deployments are realized in five key areas: - Reduced network administration costs (55 percent of savings)
- Less "informal administration" such as workers spending time to help co-workers with technical issues (14 percent)
- Lowered hardware acquisition costs (13 percent)
- Easier deployment of application software upgrades (11 percent)
- Lowered operating-system upgrade deployment costs (3 percent)
One significant advantage of server-based computing is that client devices do not have to be capable of locally processing sophisticated Windows-based applications to access and use the application. Since a powerful central server (or multiple servers organized to work collectively) handles all application execution, processing and data storage, the client device primarily manages display updates and relays mouse clicks and keystroke inputs. These straightforward device functionality requirements allow OEMs to maintain a substantially lower bill of materials (BOM) cost on each device that they sell, because less powerful processors, more limited memory, and fewer parts overall can be used in designs.
To help meet enterprise customer expectations for lower TCO, OEMs must be able to develop a thin client solution that meets the following five key requirements: - Server integration. Business customers seek an end-to-end solution that combines devices, peripherals, local and server-based applications, network protocols, management and administration tools, and Web browsing and multi-media capabilities. Increasing the level of integration between each of these components while deploying server-based applications using Terminal Services helps enterprises reduce their TCO.
- Simplicity of deployment. Thin clients can provide significant deployment advantages at installation and in ongoing operations. For example, enterprises find that server-based computing architectures allow them to rapidly roll out new LOB applications. Deployment is accomplished entirely via the server installation of that application, after which each client device simply accesses the new application using Terminal Services. The ability to centrally manage each thin client device using a systems management solution, such as Microsoft Systems Management Server, also reduces the ongoing cost of the deployment by providing integrated asset inventory, software deployment, and update services.
- Familiarity of use. Thin clients provide advantages in terms of ease of use and lowered training costs. Because thin clients allow users to work entirely in the familiar user interface environment of Windows and Windows-based applications, enterprises do not need to invest in training their employees to use new or non-Windows operating systems or unfamiliar user interfaces.
- Client robustness. Thin clients use embedded operating systems that can run on low-powered hardware with solid-state storage, and are fan-less and disk-less with no moving parts. This leads to much higher hardware reliability; lower service, maintenance, and repair costs; and a longer mean time between failure (MTBF). A second advantage of not storing data locally is increased security. For example, enterprise data is stored and managed centrally on a secure server and accessed by the thin client as needed.
- Desktop-class local application support. Thin clients should give customers access to in-demand functionality that is locally hosted and executed, such as local multimedia playback or Web browsing. Since many customers look to thin clients as a bridge between legacy terminal/mainframe deployments and the future wave of network-aware applications enabled by the Microsoft .NET Framework, there is also a need (in certain, more advanced thin clients) to locally run and execute a single LOB application.
Thin Client Industry Overview
Today, the server-based computing industry has matured to the point where enterprise customers have thoroughly evaluated the underlying benefits of the solution and are beginning to deploy thin clients broadly. According to industry analyst firm IDC, the enterprise thin client market segment is forecasted to more than double its unit volume shipments worldwide in the next several years, growing from just over 3 million units in 2002 to 7.6 million units in 2006. Windows Embedded thin client shipments are expected to grow at a 26 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR), continuing to comprise the clear majority (75 percent) of all enterprise thin client shipments.
Enterprise thin clients have a common set of design considerations: - No local application processing. In general, all application processing in thin client deployment scenarios is performed on the Terminal Server. No local application processing occurs on the thin client, with the exception of a local Internet browser and supporting plug-ins. However, this is beginning to change as more OEMs add functionality to drive local peripherals such as printers and scanners, and increasingly run local LOB applications alongside applications that employ Terminal Services.
- Optional terminal emulators. Thin client devices frequently include third-party terminal emulation suites, which allow the user to create a TTY or VT100 emulation mode to a remote host over an installed Telephony API (TAPI) device.
- No moving parts, including fans and rotating media. Many thin client designs seek to improve security for corporate data and reduce TCO through sealed-case designs that eliminate moving parts.
- Task-oriented user interface/shell. Thin client devices can offer connection-oriented user interfaces that simplify training and deployment in task-oriented environments.
As the volume of thin client shipments increases, so do the demands that enterprises place on these devices. Though still widely employed as replacements for legacy green-screen terminals, thin clients are increasingly used in scenarios where workers require access not only to server-based applications, but also to Web services (via a browser), multimedia services, local applications, and local attached peripherals.
Thin Client Device Segmentation
The growing local application functionality available in thin clients has resulted in three primary, industry-acknowledged device segments: - Basic Terminals. Basic terminals are often used as terminal and green-screen replacements, offering a terminal services client and networking protocol support to connect automatically to a terminal server and access server-hosted applications. Terminals offer the lowest device acquisition cost and the least functionality, due to limited memory and storage requirements, the absence of moving parts, and overall simplicity of design.
- Browser Terminals. In addition to basic terminal functionality, browser terminals add a local Windows-like UI shell and browser software, providing access to Web-based and Terminal Services-hosted applications.
- Line-of-Business (LOB) Terminals. In addition to basic and browser terminal functionality, LOB terminals add support that enables the local execution of a limited number (typically one) of managed or unmanaged applications in environments with non-persistent network connectivity or requirements for offline use.
Thin Client Usage Segmentation
Regardless of the functionality enabled, thin clients are most commonly and productively deployed in one of four business usage environments: -
Rapid deployment of Windows LOB applications and Web-based services to task workers. In this scenario, Windows 2000 Terminal Services provides the server-side infrastructure.
- Replacement of traditional green-screen terminals. Windows Embedded thin clients can be implemented with similar form factors as legacy green screen terminals, including a low bill of materials cost and no moving parts. With built-in terminal emulation software, these devices provide a compelling migration path from legacy environments to richer Windows and Web-based environments.
- Kiosks. This segment includes usage such as customer service kiosks in retail environments and in-room Internet/services access for hotels.
- Client environments that are too harsh for conventional PCs. For environments where the operating conditions or availability of IT support resources preclude the use of personal computers, Windows Embedded thin clients offer a durable, stable alternative.
Read full whitepaper here
[Note: Download is in Microsoft Word (.doc) format.]
The above text, figure, and the full downloadable whitepaper are copyright © 2003 Microsoft Corp. All rights reserved. Reproduced by WindowsForDevices.com with permission.
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