Thin client question - (I think?)

[Patton Echols]

On 02/23/2008 02:02 AM, DS System Administrator wrote:
> Patton Echols wrote:
>
>   
>> I have a question  that is not strictly Ubuntu.   But this group has 
>> been helpful and hopefully can point in the right direction.
>>
>> Here is the situation:
>>
>> Office is currently running a windows network ( Windows 2003 SBS Server 
>> and XP desktops).  XP boxes are old and subject to failure and there is 
>> a desire to update.  I had suggested an alternative and am now being 
>> asked questions I can't answer. 
>>
>> My suggestion was to have one fairly robust XP box, replace all the 
>> other desktops with lightweight linux diskless "thin clients."   (Is 
>> that the correct term?)  I envision something like a DSL box 
>> http://tinyurl.com/b6l35 that uses something like terminal server client 
>> to remote to the XP box where everyone logs in.  Windoze would then do 
>> the authentication of each user to it's server and (license issues 
>> aside) 1/2 dozen or so users can all work simultaneously. 
>>
>> So Questions:
>>
>> 1. Do I have that about right?  Or am I missing some major piece of the 
>> puzzle.
>>     1.a. Would this be a Ubuntu thing for the clients?  Or something else.
>> 2. Is there a dummy friendly guide that anyone knows of that will fill 
>> in the gaps of my limited knowledge?
>> 3. What about users accessing thumb drives and cd/dvd drives locally?  
>> And if not, how is that handled?
>>
>> Note: This is a production office and is very unlikely want to shift 
>> gears to the Linux world.*  Also, even w/ the costs of incremental 
>> change out of desktops, probably will not hire an expert to do a thin 
>> client install unless some amateur (that's me) can demonstrate proof of 
>> concept with the existing installation.
>>
>> Thanks for all thoughts,
>>
>> Patton
>>   
>>     
>
> Patton,
>
> I have found after some research I like using thinstation thin client
> http://thinstation.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/ThIndex.  We are using
> thinstation to boot off a CD and directly into rdesktop to our windows
> terminal server.  

Yes, Thanks.  I had seen the thinstation option when researching this 
issue.  Glad to hear it's working for you,  What are you using for a 
windows terminal server?  For our organization the licensing cost per 
seat isn't really prohibitive.  But if we need a new Server 2003 to be 
the terminal server, especially a high horsepower one, it does not make 
sense in the short run.  It only makes sense if the expected "scale up" 
happens.  But that is the future and we have workstations that need 
upgrades now.  <sigh>

Anyway, thanks again.