| Thin-Client Servers Trim Down Bulky IT budgets |
| Friday, 15 September 2006 by Michel Roth | |||
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The rationale for this simple and highly controlled model of business computing was highlighted last week during a Hewlett-Packard event in New York where the company announced new personal systems of desktop and workstation computers. Curiously, a round table discussion of thin-client technology ensued. IT directors from six disparate companies talked about the challenges of expanding and maintaining their business computing environments. Four of them explained how they opted for centralized computing served up in less costly, easier to manage and much more versatile thin clients. To hear praise of thin-client computing at an event focused on "fat" end-user PC and workstation systems was unexpected. The four companies adopted thin-client computing in an effort to reduce the cost of their end-user computing support and extend the life cycle of their equipment. The experience of National Heritage Academies (NHA) of Grand Rapids, Mich., highlighted many of the basic challenges shared by all four and the values sought. NHA is a private network of 53 schools from kindergarten to Grade 8 that operates in five states. "Before thin clients, we had about 4,500 desktops and laptops," said Max Hunsicker, director of technology services. "Additionally, since we are on a four-year life cycle with our desktops and laptops, we had up to 12 models of computers to support." Read the entire article here.
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