Linux Thin Client Tips & Guide

Established as the most important Open Source thin client project PXES Universal Linux Thin Client is standing out as a clear alternative to proprietary operating systems in the desktop. It's now approaching 100000 downloads, Based on a hardware platform from Sumo Technologies Ltd, the WML Linux Thin Client Provides SSH, X server and Nomachine NX connections and smart card support, in addition to a user friendly interface that gives the product the look and feel of a windows based thin client.

The Wyse X50L mobile Linux thin client comes with Wyse Enhanced SUSE Linux Enterprise, the industry’s only enterprise-quality Linux operating system that combines the security, flexibility, and market-leading usability of SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell with Wyse’s thin computing optimizations in management and user experience.

Applications typically run on the server and accept input and display their output on the thin client display. LTSP is available as a set of packages that can be installed on any Linux system. It is also available as a part of complete distributions, such as K12Ltsp, SkoleLinux and EduLinux.

These two aspects of the Linux architecture significantly reduce the effort required to develop thin client solutions based on Linux. Let's take a look at some of the current solutions available.

Applied to the open source environment, Linux thin clients are designed to operate in a heterogeneous OS environment running multiple applications simultaneously. Linux thin clients can offer Windows, Linux, Java, text-based, or browser-based applications, delivering a manageable client unlike other desktop Linux configurations.

Since all the application being used in the thin client are actually running on the server, there shouldn't be compromise in the RAM. The LTSP documentation says that the project has successfully run 50 workstation from a machine with 4 GB RAM.

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By Sarbini