Comment LTSP, thin clients & recycling (Score 1) 502
Our company is just starting to deploy LTSP-based thin client solutions. All in all we've found it to be *very* cool stuff. Definitely one of the factors that will make Linux more widely adopted for business/institutional users within the next 3-5 years.
We've found that one of the benefits of using a thin client solution -- especially for a library, school or non-profit -- is the possibility of reusing older hardware for additional terminals because of the minimal system requirements.
Check out this May /. article on this very issue:
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/22/223 4258&tid=137&tid=187&tid=163
Disclaimer: we're a VAR for the company mentioned in the article (Symbio Technologies) which develops Linux-based thin client solutions. You can find their website here: http://www.symbio-technologies.com or call them --> phone numbers are on their site.
The guys at Symbio are heavily involved in the LTSP and K12LTSP communities and have LTSP based networks that have been running for 2+ years. They contacted us because they needed some local support (New York based) to offer extra hands, so we jumped on board. They have a web-based GPL'ed LTSP tool on SourceForge so you do not need to know any "under the hood" Linux stuff. They are telling me that they are about to release their newest release (based on LTSP 4.1) in a few weeks. Should make use of all of the features of LTSP 4.1 plus, lots more (workstation status, user status, subneting, remote desktops) in addition to support for: local storage, sound, local Windows desktops and/or apps, clustering, etc.
Food for thought: They recently deployed a 120+ terminal network for ~45K USD. Most of their deployments are 10-40 terminal systems that actually run mission critical apps. and are actually used by businesses as well as schools! They ONLY do LTSP deployments and have relationships with a LOT of big name companies (Including HP). They will help you out "off the clock" if you're looking into using LTSP.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
-Dan
We've found that one of the benefits of using a thin client solution -- especially for a library, school or non-profit -- is the possibility of reusing older hardware for additional terminals because of the minimal system requirements.
Check out this May
http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/05/22/22
Disclaimer: we're a VAR for the company mentioned in the article (Symbio Technologies) which develops Linux-based thin client solutions. You can find their website here: http://www.symbio-technologies.com or call them --> phone numbers are on their site.
The guys at Symbio are heavily involved in the LTSP and K12LTSP communities and have LTSP based networks that have been running for 2+ years. They contacted us because they needed some local support (New York based) to offer extra hands, so we jumped on board. They have a web-based GPL'ed LTSP tool on SourceForge so you do not need to know any "under the hood" Linux stuff. They are telling me that they are about to release their newest release (based on LTSP 4.1) in a few weeks. Should make use of all of the features of LTSP 4.1 plus, lots more (workstation status, user status, subneting, remote desktops) in addition to support for: local storage, sound, local Windows desktops and/or apps, clustering, etc.
Food for thought: They recently deployed a 120+ terminal network for ~45K USD. Most of their deployments are 10-40 terminal systems that actually run mission critical apps. and are actually used by businesses as well as schools! They ONLY do LTSP deployments and have relationships with a LOT of big name companies (Including HP). They will help you out "off the clock" if you're looking into using LTSP.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
-Dan
