- 1. Thin Clients How To Created and displayed with open source
software + Linux Presented by Brian Jamison Thin clients How To
Content licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United
States License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/
2. Brian Jamison -->
- Co-Founder of OpenSourcery
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- Portland Open Source Software Entrepreneurs
- Using open source software to solve business needs since
1995
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- clients: Sony, Nissan, Energizer, Disney...
- Personally using Linux on the desktop since 2001
3. About OpenSourcery
4. Overview
5. What is thin?
- Uses a single server for all heavy lifting
- Clients boot, run applications, store data on server, not
themselves
6. Why thin?
7. Hardware savings, client
8. Hardware savings, server
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- RAM: 512mb + 50mb per client
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- CPU: 100mhz/32 bit or 75mhz/64 bit
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- Server for 60 client setup:
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- 2 AMD 64bit dual core Opterons
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- 4gb RAM, 160gb HD, Gigabit ethernet
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- cut that approximately in half for 30 clients
9. Licensing costs $0
- Server operating system: $0
- Client operating system: $0
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- Educational programs, Office suite, Google Earth, Firefox,
Video/audio editing, plus 20,000 others.
10. Installation savings
- Server setup and configuration, about a day
- Per client, about 15 minutes
11. Hardware maintenance savings
- No moving parts on clients no hard drives, no fans.
- Avoid service calls simply replace unit with an inexpensive
spare!
12. OS maintenance savings
- Client and server highly resistant to virii,
spyware/malware
- Nothing gained hacking client
- Server extremely difficult to hack
- Can be made to automatically start clean on each login
- Updates delivered via the Internet for $0
13. Energy savings
- Each thin client draws 20 watts
14. Other advantages
- Centralized storage, backups
- USB keys for each student for individual storage
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- allows theming, customization, history to stay with the
student
15. Case study
- Charter high school with 160+ students
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- Office, Web, Google Earth
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- Terminal Server for Cognitive Tutor on w2k3 box
16. Planning
- Get a specific list of necessary software from admins and
instructors
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- this avoids apps sneaking in after planning consider math
tutoring software, video editing, multilingual support...
17. Content Filtering
- User login defines content filtering
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- this can be made quite complex if desired
18. Configuration
- Thin clients PXE boot stock Edubuntu Feisty over the
network
- Bootsplash needed configuration to make LCD work during
bootup
- On logout we auto wipe the home directory to avoid offensive
leave-behinds
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- (students use USB keys for storing their own work)
19. More Configuration
- Lockdown of browser, office suite, desktop, etc
- Trac to store documentation
20. Students cannot
- Gain administrator access
- Get to the Internet unless approved by Instructor
21. Windows Terminal Server
- Must deploy due to decision to use a proprietary windows-based
tutoring program
- Ironically this was the way students were able to hack out to
the Internet, install proggies, etc.
22. The Tale of the Office Suite
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- OpenOffice billed as Microsoft Office replacement
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- Writer/Word: lacking collab, macro compatibility
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- Calc/Excel: lacks macro compatibility
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- Base/Access: not ready yet
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- Powerpoint: lacks read-write compatibility
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- Not for extreme spreadsheet programmers
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- Not 100% perfect reading/writing MS formats
- An excellent fit for students.
23. Students Experience
24. Common Pitfall #1
- Asking a bunch of Windows folks to deploy mission-critical
Linux server or services
25. Common Pitfall #2
- Deploying open source applications before they are fully
baked
26. Common Pitfall #3
- Asking black-box gear to play nicely with open source
- Windows Terminal Server + Tutoring App = Pain
27. Common Pitfall #5
- Failing to demand as much from proprietary software as open
source
28. Common Pitfall #6
- The Accidental Tech supporting Linux
29. Common Pitfall #7
- printers, Printers, PRINTERS
- #1 issue (in our experience) with desktops
30. Summary
31. Thank you
- Try a thin client at our booth!