FAQ-Server-Based Computing
What is server-based computing?
What are the benefits of server-based computing?
What other factors contribute to lower TCO?
How are IT administration and support costs reduced?
How does server-based computing improve data security?
What is the difference between a fat and thin client?
What is virtual infrastructure?
What are the benefits of virtual infrastructure?
What are thin-client protocols used in server-based computing?
How are servers configured for server-based computing?
What is server-based computing?
Server-based computing typically consists of a server or farm of servers where all relevant work-related applications and data are installed-instead of on individual PCs. Access to applications and data is accomplished during a user session via a network connection from either a PC (fat client) or thin-client device. All application processing occurring during the user session takes place on the server.
What are the benefits of server-based computing?
Immediate benefits are reductions in IT administration, maintenance and support costs, much greater data security, and enterprise control of information available to each end user.
What other factors contribute to lower TCO?
As existing PCs age and are retired, they can be replaced by far less expensive thin-client devices. For example, pricing for NTA Virtual Office™ Thin Client Terminals starts at only $49. Compared to PC computing, the server-based model provides a much lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in addition to data integrity, security, and applications management benefits.
How are IT administration and support costs reduced?
Applications reside on a central server, instead of on each individual PC. Software installations, upgrades, patches, and backups can be done faster, with more confidence, and transparent to end-users. Concerns experienced in a traditional distributed processing environment, such as applications availability, consistent versioning, desktop memory and processing capacities, and data integrity are eliminated. IT administrators gain total control over end-users' application and internet access privileges, and can disallow computer games, recreational sites and other workplace distractions, improving business efficiencies.
How does server-based computing improve data security?
Unlike a VPN solution, data never leaves your corporate data center. Applications run on your servers while only keystrokes, mouse clicks, and screen updates are exchanged between servers and clients. Server-based computing minimizes traffic over your corporate network. It locks data security, as well as compliance with any applicable government and industry regulatory oversight, within your corporate data center where security and compliance can be much more effectively and easily controlled.
What is the difference between fat and thin clients?
Fat clients are typically standard PCs and laptops. Thin clients contain only a CPU, resident memory such as a flash disk with a local operating system installed, a display, RAM and a network interface card. Thin clients can also include I/O ports such as Com, LPT and USB. Compared to a PC, a thin client has a smaller footprint, consumes less power, costs less with a very low theft value, contains no hard drive or other moving parts, and has a much lower TCO. Thin clients access applications from a data center server where they can be more easily managed, upgraded and standardized throughout an enterprise.
What is virtual infrastructure?
In a physical enterprise IT environment, running multiple infrastructure applications on the same server introduces compatibility, security, and manageability problems. Organizations therefore use a separate server for each application. As a result, data centers contain a sprawl of underutilized servers that must be provisioned, maintained, and monitored. In a virtual infrastructure, software enables multiple virtual machines to run independently and simultaneously on the same server. An entire PC's software applications, for example, can be created as a virtual machine within a data center server and accessed by a PC or thin client using a remote display protocol.
What are the benefits of virtual infrastructure?
A virtual infrastructure allows consolidating applications on fewer servers, because applications can be isolated in virtual machines located within the same server. Server utilization improves from an average of 10% capacity to more than 80%. This shrinks a data center's footprint and dramatically reduces the need and expenses of continually adding more server hardware. A virtual infrastructure also adds great flexibility and speed for IT administrators to provision new users and applications, balance server loads, and adapt enterprise systems to business changes.
What are thin-client protocols used in server-based computing?
Thin client protocols, including Citrix® Independent Computing Architecture (ICA®) and Microsoft® Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), enable connection and data exchange between server-resident applications and end user devices. (Thin clients transmit only keystrokes, mouse clicks and screen data, which minimizes the amount of information that travels over a network connection.) The ICA and RDP protocols are highly refined and capable of using a variety of encryption algorithms, including RSA R5, Diffie-Hillman, Secure Socket Layer, RADIUS, ACE and SecureID.
How are servers configured for server-based computing?
A server is configured with a multi-user server operating system, such as Microsoft® Windows 2003 Server with Terminal Services, and often capability enhancement products from Citrix® (See Citrix Products)
