Usually, when they talk about the features of a program made, they understand the language in which it was composed. Or the system requirements needed to run. But there are also a number of other, less well-known definitions. One of them is thin clients. What is it and why are they being developed?
What is a thin client?
Thin clients are computers or programs that work as part of a network with a terminal or client-server architecture. But they do not just function there. All, or at least most information processing tasks, are transferred to the servers to which the thin clients are connected . What is this in implementation? An example is the browser used to process network applications, thanks to which you can now read these lines. For the system to work, you need a server for thin clients, otherwise such an idea becomes impossible.
Why are they needed?
Simply put, the thin client is an inferior computer that loads a lightweight operating system and connects to a terminal server. It is used solely to save on hardware and software (although in rare cases, the reason may be other considerations). An ordinary thin client is a system unit that does not have a hard drive, and there is only a minimum of hardware that is necessary to run the operating system. The power supply, mouse, keyboard, monitor and network cable are connected. There may be other devices, but their use is possible only if they are identified and the data about them is transmitted to the terminal server.
Also reduces the necessary level of spending on software. There is no need to buy a license for each computer - it is needed only on one server. At the same time , staff costs are reduced , because only one terminal needs to be administered. As practice shows, harming a thin client is quite problematic (provided that no targeted efforts are made). But along with this, the requirements for maintenance personnel increase. This is especially true for the transfer of cases from one administrator to another. Then it is necessary that the intruder is well versed in everything, because potentially any failure can lead to the collapse of the entire system, and then thin clients will lose their value. What is this you know, and how do they differ from thick ones?
The difference between thin and fat client
What is taken into account when distinguishing between a fat and a thin client? The differences between them are as follows: the first is understood as the usual kind of programs that can autonomously work on a separate terminal. They do not need a remote server for the quality of their work. What is the second, you already know. And this is the main and at the same time the only difference that a fat and thin client have. The differences can still be cited in the implementation features, but they all fit into the previously formulated judgment.
How does it work and what types of downloads are there?
How does this technology actually work? In general, all information can be fit in three points:
- On a computer, through one of the possible sources, a thin client is loaded. The main options are: LAN, CD, HDD.
- During the thin client boot process (or when working with the local network before it), the network card of the computer receives its own IP address.
- When the download of all the necessary software ends, then through the desktop a connection is created to the terminal session with the server specified in the settings. Access may already be given or a password and login will be required. Thin client connection due to the local network of the enterprise should be allowed in the server settings.
How the system works, in general, you already have an idea. But one of the most important is the boot phase, which all thin clients have. What is it, where can it be taken from if there are no hard drives on which data is usually stored? There are two possibilities:
- Download via the network. The local network must be running TFTP and DHCP servers. The computer itself must have a network card that has the BootROM property, or special drivers that emulate it. It checks for all pointers, retrieves settings, and loads the operating system.
- Downloading a pre-installed system from DVD \ CD \ Flash \ IDE.
Web client
The thin client technology is much more popular than it might seem at first glance. Would you like an example indicating that you are using it right now? Well, we assume that a special role should be given to the most common thin clients at the moment - browsers. They are excellent examples of working on such principles. The browser itself is of little use. But the possibilities that it opens before a computer with a connection to the global network are huge! A machine can have a very scarce software resource, but, receiving the necessary data from remote servers, you can count on creating a high-quality and multi-purpose object. All that a computer user needs is to formulate his request, after which the necessary information will be obtained from external sources.
Work in terminal mode
In addition to the cases described above, it is necessary to highlight another hardware feature of a possible thin client - a special device that is structurally different from a personal computer. Such a mechanism is not equipped with a hard drive and uses a special local operating system (the tasks of which include organizing a session with a terminal server so that the user can work). Also, such a device does not have special moving parts, it is produced in special cases and has completely passive cooling. Let's look at an example of a real program where a thin client is implemented? What it is? 1C is the program to be considered. So, in it everything is based on the work of two parts: one - this is actually the platform necessary for work. The second is an extension that fulfills individual goals. But it cannot work without a platform.
Protocols that Thin Clients Use
There are 9 most popular types of protocols that are used in the development of this software. Their list is as follows:
- X11 - found application in Unix systems.
- Telnet is a multi-platform protocol. It is a bi-directional eight-bit byte-oriented communication tool.
- SSH is a multi-platform counterpart to Telnet. The main difference is the security of the transmitted data.
- NX NoMachine - Amended X11 protocol. The main advantage is data compression.
- Virtual Network Computing is a platform independent system. It uses a simple client-server protocol of the application level to access the necessary computers that are connected to this program.
- Independent Computing Architecture is a pretty imperfect way to transfer data. This protocol is significantly reflected in the performance and requirements of the systems on which it runs.
- Remote Desktop Protocol - Serves remote desktop access capabilities. It can transmit a wide range of data, and also opens up wide possibilities for using remote machines.
- SPICE is a data transfer protocol that can be used comfortably not only on the local network, but also via the Internet. Its feature is the “software ease”, which allows you to quickly share data. This is possible due to the simplicity of data transfer processes (which are not at the expense of performance). It can also work on a wide range of machine architectures.
- Various closed protocols that were developed by programmers of various firms and enterprises. They are used only, as a rule, on the territory of the enterprise for which they were made. They have a number of unique parameters, including: implementation, system requirements, architecture. The thin client in this case is fully developed for individual enterprises and protocols operating in their territory.
Implementation examples
As an example of thin client implementation, we can cite such developments as:
- Terminal access.
- Diskless station.
- LTSP.
- Thinstation.
The use of thin clients allows in such cases to accelerate the update of all necessary software for operation.