cluster/lab/thin clients question...

[Matt Price]

On Sun, Sep 11, 2005 at 03:05:58PM -0700, Matt Zimmerman wrote:
> On Thu, Sep 08, 2005 at 11:59:50PM -0400, Matt Price wrote:
> > Hi there,
> > 
> > I've just discovered edubuntu and am starting to think it might be
> > helpful for a project I'm workingo n, but want to get some advice. 
> > 
> > I've just received a fairly large number of computers, many more than I
> > can hand over to students this year.  I'll end up with about 30 extra
> > Pentium-II's and a handful of Pentium-III's.  I've been thinking it
> > would be nice to set up a proper computer lab with this equipment, but
> > I'm not sure of the best way to go about it and am hoping for some
> > advice.  here are some features I'd like to have:
> > 
> > - centralized user profiles, so a user can log in on any machine and
> > have everything work just the way she set it up last time
> > - relative simplicity in the setup process -- I'm doing this mostly on
> > my own and I'm really not a networking expert. 
> > - some kind of software -- maybe instant messaging? -- that demonstrates
> > to students how the computers are all connected. 
> 
> A thin client configuration would be your best option for this hardware.  It
> requires few resources on the client machines, is easy to set up, and
> centrally administered (all user accounts and data are maintained on the
> server).
> 
> > - optimal use of scarce CPU and memory resources -- not all the
> > computers are likely to be in use at any given time, so it would be nice
> > to be able grab idle cycles from other machines if at all possible
> 
> This is called clustering, and isn't very suitable for low-powered machines
> or slow networks.  A thin client configuration allows you to use these
> low-powered machines by sharing the resources of a centralized server, which
> is a simpler and more efficient method.
> 
ah well.

thanks to everyone who answered.  I would really love to set up a
thin client lab, but we unfortunately don't have a powerful server to
run the thing.  In a pinch I could bring in my own workstation, but
even that's just an AMD XP 1800+ with 768 megs of RAM -- well under
the minimum power suggested at various places on the website.  All
this makes me think I should apply for a budget for my program -
-right now everything (time, equipment, power,space) is running on
pure goodwill.  

Is it possible to use e.g. SchoolTOol &c on a straight network of
computers?  Maybe I will settle for that.  It would be really great to
have centralized configuration and control somehow, but I don't see an
easy way with our current resources.

thanks much!

matt