Abstract: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY * THERE'S A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY--using terminal servers--that lets you run your office productively without the need to continually upgrade every workstation. It runs effectively even on old 486 computers for dumb terminals. * THE SETUP DOESN'T RELY ON blue sky or untested technology. It applies 10-year-old technology, which is being used by more than 100,000 organizations, including most of the Fortune 100. * THE BENEFITS OF THIS TECHNOLOGY: * It eliminates desktop computer maintenance. * There is no need to regularly replace the staff's desktop PCs. * Users can log on to the office computer system with practically any computer from anywhere in the world. * THE SYSTEM USES two powerful servers fulfilling the complete software and data-access needs of multiple users, whether they are in the office, in a satellite location, at home or at a client. The software application central to this setup is Citrix MetaFrame. Your old 486 computers will run like Pentium IIIs. Most technology consultants recommend that businesses replace or upgrade their computers every three years or so. Such an investment, they maintain, produces a handsome return because, despite its cost, office productivity benefits. Although the advice is valid, there is another solution--detailed below that's less expensive to implement, produces comparable productivity gains and allows access to office data and applications from practically anywhere. The model doesn't rely on blue sky or untested technology. In fact, it applies 10-year-old technology, which is being used by more than 100,000 organizations, including most of the Fortune 100. The idea is to run all the office's computers no matter where they are, off a terminal server. THE BENEFITS Before we disclose details about the solution, let's check out its advantages. It will * Effectively eliminate desktop computer maintenance. A technical person doesn't have to go from computer to computer to install new software or customize the setup for each desktop--even if the computer system covers more than one office or staffers work from remote locations. * Allow you to discontinue buying powerful desktops for the staff or upgrade current computers; instead you can dust off old 486 computers or replace all desktop PCs with dumb terminals at half the cost. In fact, a 486 PC will perform as well--if not better--as any current Pentium connected through a local area network (LAN). * Let you log on to your office computer system with practically any computer from anywhere in the world. What makes these benefits possible is a system design that gets back to the mainframe concept--but without a mainframe. Since today's computers are generally more powerful than yesterday's mainframes, it is possible to designate two powerful computers to function as the servers--fulfilling the complete software and data-access needs of many users, whether they are in the office, a satellite office, at home or at a client's. The servers do everything--store data and application software, perform data processing and, finally, deliver all this to users' workstations fast and efficiently. This design removes the burden of data processing from the PC and gives it to the more powerful terminal server. The only things the workstations do is display information on their screens and act as devices for inputting information and inquiries. Thus, When a new software application--tax preparation or time and billing, for example--is added to the system, it's loaded on the terminal server only--not on each workstation. Likewise, when an application is upgraded, it's configured on the server only; there is no need to administer anything on the workstations. THE SAVINGS The time saved in maintaining each computer on the network is considerable. …
Publication Year: 2000
Publication Date: 2000-12-01
Language: en
Type: article
Access and Citation
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot