Thin Clients or Desktops

[hap0113]

We are in the process of upgrading the computer system at our facility. I need some opinions about setting up a thin client at each workstation to work off a WTS server running at 400 Mhz with dual processors or installing desktops at each work station. The applications that will be run at each workstation is limited to our accounting program, office applications and miscellaneous productivity programs. Your opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Hans

[glc]

It depends on the degree of security you need. If it's not extraordinary, I would lean toward standard desktops and a conventional network setup for more versatility and better performance, install the apps locally (or at least the stubs required) at each workstation and use the server for the data files. You can use inexpensive workstations with onboard components for those apps, something in a microtower or low profile desktop case and a 1 GHz or so Celeron would work real well.

[bds66]

If you are going to run some high memory propgrams I would run on each local machine..... If you only have a little bit of Ram in the server I suggest that you upgrade to atleast 1000MB.. Terminal services takes alot of mem..


give us a little more detail on your existing network and programs.

[hap0113]

we do not run too much intensive programs, we use an accounting program and office 2000 apps. Right now the server running WTS is a dual 400 with 700MB of RAM. I can limit the number of people running WTS to about 6-8. It is either upgrading the server or buying new computers for most of our employees. Thanks for your responses and hope this gives you an idea of what we have.

Hans

[glc]

That server has plenty of horsepower to be a fileserver - I would go for cheap workstations, seems to me they really don't cost much more than thin clients and if you do go with thin clients you will probably have to toss a major upgrade at the server.

[hap0113]

thanks for the info

[bds66]

Its all up to you on what you want to do.. But personally if you dont see your company using graphics or large programs in the future I would go with terminal services. Its only a one time cost... If you do get new work stations make sure that you get XP Pro or 2000 Pro. That way you do not have to pay for terminal license on those machines.. You server has enough to handle it but it will take some work to get everything go with the new system... One other plus is that with terminal services you can lock down users that tend to not do there job.



Good Luck..