Life after LTSP

[Robert Arkiletian]

On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 5:45 PM, Robert Arkiletian <robark at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 2:55 PM, Jordan Erickson
> <jerickson at logicalnetworking.net> wrote:
>> Robert,
>>
>> I agree with you on your points, but I think you're missing a couple of
>> things in regard to the bigger picture -
>>
>> 1) Thin clients run at 8-30W of power. Your version of a "power
>> efficient and fast desktop system" will consume much more than the
>> average thin client, even if the box says "green" all over it.
>>
>
> Hi Jordan,
>
> I think you are correct and this is a valid point. The cost of
> electricity is important. This is something I would like to definitely
> investigate further. I have a kill-a-watt device I will take to work
> tomorrow.  My clients are Dell Optiplex 760 with Intel Celeron E1400
> (dual core 2.0 Ghz Allendale cores) with Intel Q43 chipset ( X4500
> video chip). I will measure power consumption at the login prompt
> (*not* including monitor) and post back. But I'm wondering if someone
> with a  true thin client system (Dual core Atom) can do the same and
> post back.
>

Got some numbers from my kill-a-watt meter:

Dell Optiplex 760 (running DRBL client)
e1400 dual core Celeron (Allendale 65nm) 2.0Ghz
Q43 Intel chipset
2 GB ram

gnome desktop + FF(google.ca)  = 45W
gnome desktop + FF(youtube 720p fullscreen) = 60-65W (fluctuates)

A real dual core Atom thin client running LTSP ~ 19W
(I don't have an Atom based thin client to test. This is from some
googling ymmv)

Assume average usage is 49W for the Dell over a work day.

49-19= 30W difference (omitting monitor)

30W * 8hrs/day * 190 work days/school year = 45.6 KWh for 1 system/year

Assume a large school has 180 systems.

180 systems * 45.6 KWh/system/year  = 8208 KWh/year for 1 school

At $0.08/KWh for electricity for public sector K-12 schools (this
varies where you live)
(see http://www.eia.doe.gov/electricity/epm/table5_6_a.html)

8208 KWh/year * $0.08/KWh = $656.64 / year/ school   savings using fat
diskless vs thin client

Oh course this will vary depending on your own systems but it gives a
ball park. If a district has say 15 schools of this size that's almost
$10,000 savings per year for a district. But that's assuming you have
100% homogeneous systems (rarely the case).

If I have made any errors or omissions please correct me.


-- 
Robert Arkiletian
Eric Hamber Secondary, Vancouver, Canada