The thin client has a long history dating back to mainframe technologies developed by IBM and others in the 1960s, where a computer terminal would be connected to a server with very few independent tools, or much processing power. The client, in effect, was a window into the server. 

Today, software as a service (SaaS) and the cloud has transformed how businesses approach IT infrastructure. But desktop PCs are vulnerable, given they have an independent OS, applications, and data stored on local machines. 

We’ve seen Windows PCs in the NHS, for example, suffer when WannaCry hit. The thin client, in contrast, is a node that runs in the virtual segment of the cloud, offering little access to attackers.

Businesses have embraced virtualization and the flexibility the cloud can offer in recent years, especially during the pandemic when workforces retreated to their homes and employees needed to connect to servers remotely. 

In light of surging cyber attacks businesses experience, making remote PCs more secure has become a priority. Using a thin client could be one way to achieve this goal.

Why the public sector might lead the way

The WannaCry ransomware attack targeted Windows PCs, which left many NHS trusts open to attack. Today, organizations like the NHS are at the forefront of the resurgence of thin clients, as Simon Townsend, field CTO at IGEL explains. 

“NHS Trusts are already doing this and have been for some time. Clinicians and other health professionals are all benefiting from using thin clients and some form of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI),” says Townsend. “It is important to note that many applications used in the NHS are Windows-based – so a thin device alone is not enough. VDI will typically be required, although various web-based applications now allow certain authorized users to use a thin device for this purpose, too.”

All businesses and organizations are collapsing their tech stacks, which have sometimes become unwieldy as hardware and services were rapidly deployed to support workers during lockdown. Now, post-pandemic, enterprises are looking to reduce costs yet improve efficiency and digital security. The thin client and even the zero client that has no onboard OS, does not work offline, and uses just a VDI to connect to a server to access applications and data, are coming into focus as a potential solution for overly complex and insecure computing estates.

Are thin clients more secure than desktop PCs?

By its nature, a thin client is not loaded with applications that can be vulnerable to cyber attacks. As the client connects to a remote server, the thin client is far more efficient when IT needs to make an upgrade. Security is also better, beacuse IT can control access privileges centrally. Thin clients can remain productive as their applications are hosted, with updates applied by the vendor. Ultimately, the thin client reduces the attack surface.

“Remote work and mobility security with thin clients require secure remote access solutions, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and regular security updates and patches,” says Andrew Bartlam, VP of EMEA at Orca Security. “Successful thin client deployments have been observed in various industries, overcoming challenges through planning, training, and stakeholder involvement.”

The drive to make network access more secure directly results from the changes businesses have made because of hybrid work. This shift has made thin clients popular, as they have less complexity and can be easily deployed and updated.

“Take Dell Thin clients – they don’t exist anymore. Instead, exactly the same Dell Optimplex 3000 chassis is used for its thin client range as is its desktop PCs,” points out Townsend. “It’ the fan and the OS that changes, which is commonly a secure version of Linux installed on thin clients, PCs and laptops as people try to combine the benefits of a thin client and desktop PC or laptops.”

Separating the OS that a thin client runs, with the onboard applications, if any are installed, makes these devices inherently more secure. The ability to update the OS and applications separately – as we see with smartphones – reduces the attack surface and isolates applications from the underlying OS, often the point of entry.

Removing tech stack complexity

Even before COVID-19, the thin client was being posited as a technology businesses would use with powerful desktop PCs no longer needed in a world of smartphones and business tablets. 

“In addition to device proliferation, enterprise computing will trend toward lighter (by both physical and OS lightness) computing experiences for most use cases,” Forrester predicted in its report. “We posit that 80% of future computing experiences will be accomplished by light computing modes.”

High-speed broadband, meanwhile, has been pivotal in reintroducing thin clients into several organizations. SaaS is the bedfellow of thin clients delivering hosted applications to users with a seamless interface, usually delivered through a VDI. The practical upshot for businesses and organizations is that they benefit from fast deployment and efficient updates when needed. With thin clients, Patch Tuesday also becomes a thing of the past and any potential risks with it.

The thin client marketplace is on an upward trajectory. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global thin client market will reach $1.7 billion by 2028, seeing a 3% increase from today's $1.5 billion. As more businesses and organizations realize the benefit of thin client technology, expect more vendors to offer it as an alternative to standard desktop PCs. 

The driver is, of course, the need to combat cyber attacks, which are becoming more frequent and widespread. If the barbarians can be stopped at the door with thin clients, a technology that’s decades old could be an essential component in robust, flexible, and agile cyber security posture.

Developers will soon be able to run full-fat Linux on their smartphones, with the news that Samsung is bringing support for Linux distros to its flagship Galaxy range.

The company announced that it is working on an app, dubbed Linux on Galaxy, that will allow Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 devices to dual-boot Linux-based distributions in addition to the base Android OS. The feature will also be DeX-compatible, switching to a full-screen desktop environment when placed in the DeX docking station.

Rather than being intended to let users run their favourite Linux distro for everyday use, the feature is designed to allow developers to use Samsung's devices for writing and testing code.

"Although it's in trial phase, Linux on Galaxy is our innovative solution to bring the Linux experience on PC to mobile, and then further onto a larger display with Samsung DeX,"the company said.

"Now developers can code using their mobile on-the-go and seamlessly continue the task on a larger display with Samsung DeX."

"This represents a significant step forward for software developers, who can now set up a fully functional development environment with all the advantages of a desktop setting that is accessible anytime, anywhere."

While Samsung has promised that the forthcoming feature will let developers "work with their preferred Linux-based distributions", it has not specified whether developers will have access to the full plethora of Linux distros, or whether they will have to pick from a smaller selection.

Samsung has stressed that the project is still "a work in progress", but developers that want to be notified of availability as soon as possible to sign up here.

30/03/2017:The Samsung Galaxy S8 can replace your desktop

The Galaxy S8, Samsung's new flagship device, is more than just a smartphone - it can also be transformed into a desktop computer, thanks to Samsung's new DeX solution.

Short for 'Desktop eXperience', Samsung DeX is a dock released alongside the S8 that enables the phone to be used with a monitor, mouse and keyboard.It features an optimised UI designed specifically for use in desktop mode, andsupports resizable windows, taskbar notifications and contextual menus, transforming the device into a fully-fledged desktop when it needs to be one.

In addition to stock apps, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft and Adobe to include DeX compatibility with apps like Adobe Acrobat Reader mobile, Lightroom Mobile and the Office suite. When docked, these apps will shift to a desktop-style user interface for easier use with a mouse and keyboard.

"The smartphone has become the central point for the modern mobile professional, and when giving a presentation or editing documents remotely, it means they can work effectively using just their smartphone. We developed Samsung DeX with the highly mobile worker in mind, giving them a convenient and flexible desktop experience," said Samsung's mobile CTO Injong Rhee.

"Our collaboration with key partners such as Adobe and Microsoft was essential in the development of Samsung DeX, as they share our vision for building excellence in mobile productivity. With Samsung DeX, enterprise users can also be assured their smartphone and data is protected by the Samsung Knox security platform built into the smartphone. Samsung DeX redefines what a smartphone can do to keep mobile workers productive."

The DeX dock also comes with a full suite of connectivity options; it features a HDMI port for plugging in a monitor, two USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet connectivity and power via USB Type-C, with peripherals connecting via WUSB, Bluetooth or RF. It's even got Samsung's adaptive fast charging built in to juice up your phone while docked, with the company's Knox security technology ensuring it stays safe while connected.

In a move that should be very interesting to business users, Samsung has worked with three major virtualisation partners, including Citrix, VMWare and AWS, to offer their desktop virtualisation services on the Samsung DeX. This means employees can use their S8 as a thin client to access all their Windows enterprise apps without needing a laptop.

Dell has announced a new addition to its thin client portfolio, promising increased power efficiency, versatile connectivity options and a slim, lightweight design.

Designed to offer a cost-effective endpoint solution for virtualised desktop environments, the Dell Wyse 3040 is compatible with Citrix XenDesktop, Microsoft RDS and VMWare Horizon.

A new operating system will ship alongside the Wyse 3040, custom-tailored for use with Dell thin client devices. Wyse ThinOS includes a number of security and management features, Dell's senior vice president and general manager for client solutions, Steve Lalla, toldIT Pro.

"Having a bare-metal OS that is tightly locked-down and managed, we think is increasingly important for those customers who are dealing with the concerns around data leakage or data loss," he said.

Starting in June this year, customers will also have access to ThinLinux, a SUSE Linux-based operating system that has also been enhanced by Dell for secure thin client use.

The Wyse 3040 comes with four USB ports, including one USB 3.0 port for high-speed data transfer and device charging, as well as ethernet support and two DisplayPort interfaces with a maximum resolution of 2560x1600.

It also includes a quad-core Intel Atom X5 1.44GHz processor, supporting up to 2GB of DDR3 memory and 8GB of flash storage. Wireless networking support is set to be added later on in the year.

Thin client solutions can play a pivotal role in creating a flexible, agile workplace, according to Lalla. "We have customers who will set up hundreds of workstations with thin clients, with monitors, and as employees come and go, they actually just sit down at any workstation that's available, and the ability for them to log in and get their personal desktop or their personal app catalogue and do work provides for an incredibly flexible in-office environment," he said.

"To me, the agile workforce is ' I want access to my data wherever I'm at, on whatever tool I'm using'."

He also highlighted the benefits for companies with remote workers. Because thin clients use desktop virtualisation, businesses can safely provision temporary or remote workers with thin client hardware with no fear of data loss, as all the company's sensitive IP remains stored in the data centre.

This ties into another major advantage for CIOs and IT managers, which is that desktop virtualisation can free up huge amounts of IT resources. "[They involve] very lightweight management on the edge," Lalla explained. "There isn't patching, there isn't all the overhead you need to take care of that product, there's a small operating system footprint."

"The other benefit is all of the images, all of the applications and content, are stored centrally, and so as an IT manager, you're managing stuff in the data centre, you're not going to desk-side visits, you're not handling calls because of a security issue, or 'oh, my system isn't working'."

Dell highlighted a use case that might be particularly relevant for UK CIOs, and that is GDPR. The new legislation is going to force companies to keep much tighter control over the information they hold. Dell believes the ability to centralise data, as well as to keep tabs on where, when and by whom your data is being accessed, will be key drivers for the uptake of thin client operating systems.

The Wyse 3040 is available now, starting at 259.99.

Picture: Dell

HP debuted an All-in-One thin client, which requires just 13 watts and uses Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology.

The HP t410 All-in-One (AiO) Smart Zero Client comes with an 18.5in display and an ARM-based processor that allows this low level of power consumption.

The HP t410 All-in-One looks like any other monitor from the front and has a touted brightness of 200 nits

From a couple of metres away the device looks like a standard monitor. Up close you'll notice a slight protrusion on the back, which accommodates the extra components.

But you'll only realise there is something unique about the t410 when you notice the absence of the power cable. Incidentally, HP does supply one, so the device can be deployed in environments where PoE is not available.

Only an Ethernet cable is needed to power the t410

Despite using low-power, HP doesn't appear to have compromised performance with the t410. The Digital Signal Processor is able to carry out complex tasks such as HD video playback.

An HP engineer noted the device uses auto-sensing technology so it can scan and connect to environments hosted by Citrix, Microsoft or VMware.

HP claims the 18.5in display has a brightness of 200nits, which is as bright as a laptop on full power. From our initial encounter, the display looked bright, especially in the low-light surroundings.

A potential problem could be the automatic detection. The t410 adjusts brightness depending on how much power is available from the network switch. In theory, this could cause brightness to fluctuate, which might be a cause of frustration for users.

There are four USB ports and a combined mic/audio jack

In terms of connectivity, the 18.5in monitor comes with four USB ports, and a microphone/audio jack. HP provides a mouse and keyboard as part of the package - so users will be able to start working out-of-the-box.

HP claims it is designed to be used in hospitals, media and entertainment industries, but we can easily see the t410 being deployed in office environments. The device will suit employees who spend the majority of time working with documents, rather than multimedia content.

HP is touting a price of $429, with UK pricing to be confirmed. This may seem a little on the high side, but potential energy savings could make a worthwhile investment for large enterprises.

Verdict

An unique All-in-One 18.5in display, which takes us one step closer to a cable free world. The t410 shows ARM-based chips are capable of powering large devices and could be SMBs and enterprises to consider virtualisation.

Windows XP's upcoming end-of-life means that some 200 million PCs will need upgrading or replacing.

That's according to Microsoft reps, speaking at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference keynote in Los Angeles this week and writing on the Windows team blog.

Windows XP was removed from retail channels three years ago. It remained available through OEM channels rather longer though, and is still available as a 'downgrade' from Windows 7 for users unwilling to migrate to the newer version.

However, Microsoft says it will stop providing security fixes, updates and online tech support for the 10 year-old operating system on 8 April 2014.

For those determined to stay with Windows, the length of time needed to do large roll-outs means that the deathknell even though it is almost three years away is a call to action.

In a Gartner report last year analysts Michael A Silver and Stephen Kleynhans suggested that organisations planning to deploy Windows 7 needed to get XP out well before support ends, ideally by 2012 and certainly by mid 2013.

But XP's replacement does not have to be another Windows PC, of course. As well as alternative desktop operating systems Mac OSX and Linux, most obviously there are plenty of other ways to deliver information and applications to users, as Ovum principal analyst Richard Edwards noted.

"Most businesses and institutions gave Windows Vista a wide-berth because of technical and compatibility issues, and so Windows 7 has quickly become the operating system of choice for new PC deployments," Edwards said.

"But with sales of tablet and thin-client computing devices growing rapidly, and alternative application delivery architectures starting to take hold, we believe that by 2014 many organisations will have decided to adopt alternative end user computing models; thus making Windows XP the last major corporate version of the Windows desktop operating system."

Citrix has officially launched Project GoldenGate, an initiative tasked with bringing mobile devices into the virtual desktop environment.

Effectively, the project formalises Citrix email services for smartphones under the XenApps Receiver label. This primarily iPhone-focused experiment has now been taken onto Android platforms. It also covers Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet and Apple iPads.

Under Project GoldenGate, the devices' touch screens are supported with the aim of offering support on any platform without the IT manager having to become involved with the differences in display technologies. Apart from email, access to calendaring, contacts, and collaboration capabilities will eventually be possible within a single app, Citrix claimed.

The tablets' screen sizes lend themselves to greater use as thin clients. In a closing demonstration during the conference keynote, Mark Templeton, Citrix's chief executive, showed how using the Receiver application allowed iPads to "multitask".

He connected to various applications on the server cloud and showed how, by keeping connections live on the server for these sessions, the iPad could be used to switch between them. By causing the tablet display to jump between the live server tasks, it effectively produced a multitasking, virtual environment.

Even when the tablets appear that promise native multitasking, the ability to execute tasks on the server in this way would allow the devices even greater flexibility, Citrix claimed.

Citrix's chief executive Mark Templeton opened the company's European Synergy conference with a keynote that addressed all three areas of the company's operations: virtual meetings; virtual desktops and mobile device interfaces; and virtual data centres.

Before addressing these areas, Templeton took time out to award the Citrix Innovation Award to UK retailer The Co-operative Group.

The concept that Citrix has been working towards is the Bring Your Own Computing (BYOC) environment. This would mean that the user accesses exactly the same business functionality with whatever computing device they have to hand, wherever they may be.

Templeton said, "In future three screens and a cloud will power the way we work."

He explained that a big screen (desktops, notebooks and so on) would be used for content creation, a small screen (smartphones) for email plus a degree of application access what he described as "snacking on the go" and the medium screen (tablet) for viewing and digesting information.

"Organisations can't standardise on an endpoint. Instead, we have to work with all of them Android for small, Apple for medium, HP for large, for example," he said.

The main announcement was the forthcoming release of XenDesktop 5 before the end of this year. It addresses some of the issues users have found with last year's release of version 4.

Echoing an overarching concept to this year's conference, the principal additions are features to ease the move to a fully virtualised state.

Citrix claimed that XenDesktop can be installed by an IT department in 10 minutes and offers a simple user interface to take the "geekiness" out of virtualisation. It also provide a one stage log-in to all linked applications and services. These include the Citrix application self service, no longer separated out as the Dazzle catalogue, and access to on-demand sites such as Salesforce.com.

"The user experience is strategic for us," said Wes Wasson, chief strategy officer at Citrix. "XenDesktop is not a server virtualisation tool masquerading as desktop virtualisation."

Citrix also announced the Desktop Transformation Model, a collection of information and tools from that provide a transformation path from a device-centric infrastructure to the more user-centric, virtualised model that Citrix evangelises. The company claimed that the new model combines the collective experience of thousands of customers and partners across every industry segment.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will implement a thin-client architecture after striking a deal with Fujitsu worth around 300 million.

The 140,000 desktop contract one of the biggest thin client deals the UK has seen - will see the DWP transition to the new architecture, which it requested because of envisaged savings on maintenance and power costs.

Joe Harley, IT director general for the DWP said: "This is the first in a series of competitions to replace our existing IT and telephony services contracts by 2015. It will further transform DWP's desktop estate. This provides a number of benefits, including little or no maintenance required to the kit and reductions in power consumption which supports our sustainability agenda."

Power usage is likely to be lower because processing power and cooling will be centralised in the DWP's data centres. Harley estimates the power savings to be in the tens of millions of pounds over the lifetime of the contract.

Fujitsu's work will be phased in until September this year, when the contract officially starts. Fujitsu beat off two shortlisted suppliers: Capgemini and HP Enterprise Systems the business unit acquired by HP when it acquired EDS in 2008. EMC and Citrix among others will pick up work from the Fujitsu deal.

Fujitsu has entrenched itself deeply in the UK Government, with 40 years of contracts under its belt. However, it has people issues to deal with: it is currently embroiled in a long-running dispute with the Unite union over proposed job cuts.

Despite the DWP's modernisation efforts, it is still dealing with separate suppliers for desktop and telecoms services. Last week, BT scooped a 237 million contract extension from the Department for telephony, LAN and contact centre systems.

As the capital heads into a 48 hour Tube strike, few will want to hear the good news coming out of Transport for London (TfL) it's getting its IT into shape.

Speaking at the Government Computing Live conference in London today, just hours ahead of the strike, chief information officer Phil Pavitt enthusiastically updated attendees on TfL's IT upgrade and reorganisation.

When Pavitt started at the transportation body two and a half years ago, there were 21 seperate departments and therefore 21 seperate IT departments. The organisation wasn't a big fan of centralising services, he noted. And desktops were all "thick client," while TfL's information was held across 61 data centres.

"There was more hardware from more different vendors than I ever knew existed," Pavitt said.

"The amazing thing is, it all worked," he said, explaining that only made it harder to convince the board it was time to change promising to cover the entire costs out of savings in the IT budget helped swing opinion, though.

Cutting back on outsourcing

One reason TfL's IT was essentially working was that most of it was outsourced. Pavitt said there were 17 outsourcing contracts across TfL's IT, with 95 per cent of its IT staff working for three or four consultancies.

"They outsourced most of the people who had knowledge," Pavitt said. "Now they're sat looking in at us."

That outsourcing was one of Pavitt's targets when he started a 24 month strategy to sort out TfL's IT. "Just to get permanent staff was an achievement," he said, but he's managed it. With six months left to go until the 24 months are up, he said the ratio of permanent staff to consultants has now flipped as many as 95 per cent are now inhouse.

"Two years ago, third parties were the first port of call," he explained. "Now we are managing it all." That said, headcount is down by a fifth. Pavitt said TfL outsourced hundreds of employees, but didn't bring hundreds back. It didn't need to, as the IT department is now more efficiently run, he claimed.

He's also managed to cut supplier costs by 41 per cent, partially by keeping things inhouse. Pavitt said he's known as a "serial insourcer" but for good reason: TfL can do things cheaper in house than out. That makes "staff and the organisation very excited, but the industry less so," Pavitt admitted.

Other cost savings could kick in later, too. Pavitt noted that much of TfL's front end, consumer facing tech such as the Oyster card system is outsourced. Some of it has to be, but as other contracts come up, the organisation's new infrastructure strength means back end functions like billing can be insourced. They may not be for cost or political reasons, but Pavitt said it's good to have the ability to make those choices.

Other IT changes

There have been other changes, too. Within 18 months, Pavitt's team had updated end user tech, cut the number of data centres to three, and reworked hosting systems. Some 60 per cent of TfL's platforms are now common across the organisation, closing in on the target of 75 per cent.

TfL was also moved onto thin client desktops, saving 61 per cent by putting staff on systems worth about 800 compared to full systems worth thousands. This is no small savings, as TfL is huge. Pavitt claimed he has 11,000 seats on thin client, which he said is the biggest such deployment in the world.

A major driver of change at TfL has been moving IT to a pay as you go (PAYG) model. Pavitt said IT was being used to prop up inefficient management. For example, supervisors unable to properly manage their staff's workload would ask IT to block distractions like Facebook. Now, such managers would have to pay to use IT in such a way.

Using a PAYG model also helped cut liscening fees. Pavitt described one department as demanding 380 users get access to an expensive application. His team happily delivered, but months later, the manager noted only 31 people were ever using it. To cut costs, the others lost access saving 150,000 in wasted liscencing costs.

"Suddenly, the cost drivers were no longer IT but more the financial directors," Pavitt said.

While the IT overhaul is set to finish in January or February of next year, there are still tech challenges remaining, Pavitt noted. The Olympics are fast approaching, and the Greater London Authority is also pushing for more integration between the Met Police, TfL and its own data, Pavitt said.

Low-cost terminal firm NComputing has won a UN contract to provide half a million desktops to schools in the developing world.

NComputing uses a thin-client like system to split out desktop PCs to multiple students. Essentially, the NComputing tech takes advantage of improvements in processing ability.

Most basic apps use just a small portion of a modern computer's ability. NComputing lets multiple students use the same computer at separate desktops with their own monitors and peripherals, treating the PC sort of like a central server. Alternate versions also allow the terminals to be used over the network.

NComputing said the system is cheap, easy to ship because of the small size of the necessary hardware, simple to install and maintain, and uses just a single watt of electricity for each desktop seat.

After a pilot programme in Burkina Faso, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) is looking to deliver 500,000 such desktops to schools around the developing world in the next three years. Trials for this year based in Rwanda, Senegal and Tanzania will use NComputing's Linux-based virtual desktop system, but Windows-based systems are also available.

The head of the programme, Dr. Paul Jhin, noted that the system helps the developing world make better use of donated equipment.

"The NComputing virtual desktops give us an important opportunity to significantly expand computing access and simplify deployment," said Dr. Jhin in a statement.

"This maximizes the use of donated and refurbished computers and simplifies deployment and power requirements, which are key issues in many parts of the developing world."

Low-cost terminal firm NComputing has won UN contract to provide half a million desktops to schools in the developing world.

NComputing said the system is cheap, easy to ship because of the small size of the necessary hardware, simple to install and maintain, and uses just a single watt of electricity for each desktop seat.

After a pilot programme in Burkina Faso, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) is looking to deliver 500,000 such desktops to schools around the developing world in the next three years. Trials for this year based in Rwanda, Senegal and Tanzania will use NComputing's Linux-based virtual desktop system, but Windows-based systems are also available.

The head of the programme, Dr. Paul Jhin, noted that the system helps the developing world make better use of donated equipment.

"The NComputing virtual desktops give us an important opportunity to significantly expand computing access and simplify deployment," said Dr. Jhin in a statement. "This maximizes the use of donated and refurbished computers and simplifies deployment and power requirements, which are key issues in many parts of the developing world."

NComputing has previously worked with schools in troubled countries, including helping a women's business school in Afghanistan create a much-needed computer lab under conditions so challenging they make average IT admins' recession woes look silly.

"Access to computing technology is a cornerstone for education, social, and economic development in the 21st century," said Sarbuland Khan, executive coordinator of UNDESA's computer aid programme, in a statement.

"This initiative will play an important role in closing the digital literacy gap that exists in the world's developing nations."

Click here to read on about how you can help tech charities.

If you want to go green, or simply save money, thin clients make sense. Products like the Sun Ray 2 are low-powered computers equipped with a graphics card, network interface, audio, and just enough computing power to display a remote desktop. The snag: they are less powerful than real PCs, particularly for applications that use graphics intensively.

Enter MiniFrame's SoftXpand. The key feature is that each "thin client" is just a screen, keyboard and mouse. These are connected directly to a host PC by USB, or in the case of the screen plugged directly into a graphics card. The next surprise is that the server is running plain old Windows XP Professional. It is like using grown-up Terminal Server, but without the need for remote computers. All the clients are wired directly to a single PC.

Another way of looking at it is that MiniFrame has hacked Windows XP to remove some of its built-in restrictions. Out of the box, XP supports multiple user sessions, accessed by Fast User Switching, but only one can be active at a time. XP also support remote desktop, but only for one user at a time. With SoftXPand running, these limitations disappear. Up to 8 users can run active sessions simultaneously, and starting a remote desktop session from another computer does not interrupt the local sessions.

A quick overview of the setup process helps to make sense of the system. The starting point is a PC with more than one monitor port. Many graphics cards now support two monitors, so typically you need one card for every two users. Nvidia cards are preferred, though other brands are supported via a "safe" video mode that does not use hardware acceleration.

You also need a main USB hub, and for each user, a monitor, a further mini USB hub, keyboard and mouse, and a USB soundcard if audio is required. Everything is wired together, typically with the PC in the centre and workstations arranged around a table or along a wall. Clearly there are physical limitations. MiniFrame suggests a maximum length of 25 meters for VGA cables, and 20 meters for USB cables.

The next step is to use XP's control panel to configure each monitor to "extend my desktop". If this is a standalone installation, you also need to create a local user account for each user, or alternatively join the PC to a Windows domain. Now start SoftXPand. The system automatically starts a session and presents a login dialog on each monitor. Since all the USB devices are connected to the same PC, you need to press some magic keys to associate each keyboard, mouse and soundcard with the right session.

That's it. Users can now log on and get to work. In my tests, using a Core 2 Duo powered PC with 2GB RAM, the system was usable and responsive with four simultaneous users browsing the web and running Microsoft Office 2003.

SoftXpand does some tricks to optimize performance. It manages CPU usage to prevent a single application grabbing all the processor time, and it reduces the number of frames per second to get better graphics performance. Unlike most remote desktop solutions, it is possible to run 3D games or CAD rendering software in SoftXpand with hardware acceleration, though you have to be realistic: if several users try to render complex drawings simultaneously performance will suffer.

There are other caveats. The first is the physical inconvenience of all the cabling and the enforced proximity of the workstations. Second, not all applications are compatible. MiniFrame maintains a list of tested applications, though many others will work fine. The main requirement is that applications must play nicely with Windows profiles. An app that keeps all its data in Program Files will not run well multi-user. Third, only 32-bit Windows XP is supported.

The big win is cost and power consumption. Instead of six PCs you buy one, although with as high a specification as possible. SoftXPand was developed in Israel, but according to its distributors it is proving popular in the UK, mainly in education but with increasing business interest. Ideal scenarios include classrooms, training suites and call centres. A great feature for training and support is that administrators have remote access to other SoftXpand sessions.

Could SoftXpand replace standard corporate desktops? It is possible, but uncertainty over application compatibility, physical limitations, and the awkwardness of managing multiple 6-user SoftXpand PCs make this less compelling than systems like Sun Ray, which run over Ethernet and are designed to scale smoothly. Apparently, MiniFrame originally designed SoftXpand for use in developing countries, and has been surprised by its popularity elsewhere, which explains why important features like Group Policy support have only appeared recently.

There is also the difficult question of software licensing. In most cases, SoftXpand will happily enable a single installation of, say, Windows XP and Microsoft Office for six concurrent users. MiniFrame UK advertises "Save money on purchase of software licenses" but adds in small print, "subject to license agreements."

Significantly, Microsoft deliberately restricts Windows XP to a single session, and has a separate Terminal Server product which runs on Windows Server. Roger Anscombe, Managing Director at MiniFrame UK, could not give us a definitive answer on how such a system should be licensed, but suggested a single XP license may be sufficient, but probably with multiple application licenses.

However, when we approached Microsoft to comment we were told clearly that using SoftExpand in the manner Miniframe intends would be a violation of its licence agreement, which would be rather a fly in the green ointment. Following our inquiry, Microsoft actually stated that it had been in contact with Miniframe (though it actually referred to the company as SoftXpand) to inform them of this but Miniframe's CEO insisted that in fact it had had no contact from Microsoft. (see quotes on page 3).

As such, while we've can't question the ingenuity of the technology in SoftXpand there are as it stands question marks over its legality. However, given the increasing importance of power saving, by forbidding the most efficient use of its software, a vendor such as Microsoft surely would have an ethical case to answer.

Microsoft comment on Miniframe licensing:

"According to Microsoft's license agreement, each added work station represents a new way of interacting with the software. As such, using hardware and software to effectively extend a single license to cover multiple users is a clear violation of this agreement. We urge customers to stay clear of this as they run the risk of non-compliance.

We have informed SoftXpand that this is the case and are currently working with them to rectify the situation"

Michala Wardell, head of licensing and anti-piracy, Microsoft UK

Response from Miniframe.

"For good order sake and clarity, MiniFrame has not been approached by either Michala Wardell or by any other Microsoft representative. We are therefore obviously not working with them on any licensing issues, as being claimed by Michala Wardell.

MiniFrame has a very clear third party licensing policy: each EULA (End User Licensing Agreement) of any third party software provider should be respected by users, and with no exception to Microsoft.

Virtualization has become mainstream, and I'm sure that licensing issues are being considered by all industry players, as well as by Microsoft, trying to shape a new model of licensing (EULA). The true challenge, in my opinion, is to bring a win-win situation for all players, i.e. software providers and customers.

Furthermore, as leaders of multi user software only solutions, we are fully aware of the new questions that are arising due to the development of virtualization solutions.

Therefore, as MiniFrame's CEO, I'd be pleased to discuss new licensing models with Microsoft that would benefit both MiniFrame and Microsoft customers."

Eli Segal, CEO, MiniFrame.

Verdict

SoftXpand cleverly exploits the fact that today’s PCs are over-specified for the tasks on which they spend most of their time, and demonstrates it by showing that a single PC is actually capable of supporting as many as eight concurrent users with acceptable performance. MiniFrame and software vendors need to clarify licensing issues but the system works well and offers real savings, though it is designed for budget-conscious users in a limited range of scenarios.

OS: Window XP SP2 or higher

The University of West England today revealed it is about to migrate some 200 of its 300-strong complex application environment onto its maturing virtual application delivery platform.

The institution already provides its users with varied access to applications and desktops through its long standing distributed computing environment based on Citrix technology.

Alistair Sandford, University of West England project manager, spoke to IT PRO about its evolving use of Citrix technology at the vendor's iForum UK user conference.

"We started our WinFrame project as far back 1999 when we realised we needed to move away from [Microsoft] Windows 3.1 onto a 32-bit platform," he said. "We looked at Citrix for the potential cost and management benefits it could offer."

He said the university had already saved at least 2 million in terms of its total cost of infrastructure ownership since 1999 when comparing the costs of maintaining its old hardware and software environment to the Citrix alternative.

And, as the most cost-effective way of supporting the university's move to 32-bit computing, Sandford also said adopting virtual application delivery capabilities allowed it to offer users a consistent user experience.

"More recently, the organisation is increasingly moving to more delivery of multimedia heavy applications, using Flash for instance, so we've chosen to stay with Citrix and build on the ongoing centralised application management and delivery benefits," he added.

The university currently runs 1,800 thin client, Windows terminals using the latest version of Citrix XenApp. Its libraries, cafes and bars, and any public facing area, use the terminals "as they are quiet and much less attractive to steal," Sandford explained.

But, of those applications that had hitherto been too resource intensive to run on its terminal infrastructure, it now plans to use the latest XenApp release to move at least 200 into its thin client environment.

With a large number of nursing students, Sandford added that related applications that previously were not deployed on its thin client infrastructure, can now be made available via PCs at hospitals, surgeries and clinics, where students may be placed for work experience.

"We're unable to deliver virtual desktops to students at home because of Microsoft's licensing, but with our staff using enterprise licences, they can also log in at home and get exactly the same desktop they do at work," he said.

While some developing countries race ahead with technology - think China, India and Vietnam - others risk falling even further behind.

Because of this, programmes like One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) and their XO laptop device - and its rivals, such as the Asus EEE PC - are being snapped up by countries around the world to improve their IT skills.

One such country is Afghanistan. Telecoms companies are rolling out wireless access, OLPC is sending out devices, yet basic education is impossible in some regions. A country in flux since its creation, Afghanistan's hundreds of years of wars and political instability have lead to years of economic deprivation. Rebuilding - indeed, building - a modern infrastructure for such a place is no easy task, made all the more difficult by cultural barriers, poor levels of education and ongoing violence.

However, while low-cost laptops are perfect for helping children learn the basics, Ehsan Ullah needs business-class machines to teach his adult students.

Ullah is the director at the Afghan Canadian Community Centre (ACCC), a year-old school for 200 students, predominantly women, in conservative Kandahar. A hundred more have applied to study, so the school desperately needs more computers.

The Afghan Canadian Community Centre

In Afghanistan, primary education is free for both genders - assuming parents allow their children to attend or that students can manage to get to a school. In Kandahar, there are government schools available for young girls to attend, but they teach basic subjects - not those needed to get a job.

This is where the ACCC is different. Rather than teach the basics, it offers an adult education development programme - teaching a variety of subjects from business to politics, with a strong focus on IT. "For girls and women who need to go to work and get jobs, they need skills in computers," Ullah said. "ACCC is the only school in Kandahar area that offers these job-oriented training programs."

It's not easy. Despite being supported by the Canadian-based Afghan School Project funding programme, money is tight. IT instructors earn little. Equipment is hard to come by and power is an ongoing challenge.

Even with funding, internet access and educators at the ready, other obstacles remain: culture, religion and violence. "Kandahar is a deeply conservative and anti-women society, so it is very difficult finding adult female students to attend professional training centres like ACCC," said Ullah. "For a woman, getting education or working in an office is considered dishonourable for the family in Kandahar society."

Not all families are like this, he said, and some of the more progressive allow their daughters to be educated, but conflict remains. "As Kandahar is a very much male dominant society supported by Taliban and Al-Qaeda anti-woman mentality, it gets... risky for both the family that allow the women education to happen and those who provide education or work opportunities to the women."

Several months back, three students were attacked by motorcyclists. A student and her sisters were threatened and stopped when leaving the ACCC. A bus rented for a separate training project in Helmand province was sprayed with gunfire, killing the driver and injuring the students. The director of the Women Department in Kandahar, who Ullah has worked closely with, was killed last year. "Every girl student or a working woman has a story of getting hassled by goons who are let loose on the streets or get death threats from fanatic elements," said Ullah.

One student, Suhila, said: "I am not frightened... but the environment makes us worry about certain hazardous events that are going to happen to us today or tomorrow, such us kidnapping, gunfire, being threatened and so on..."

The threats are not just against the students, Ullah said: "I am under continuous death threats. I have been warned to stop teaching women. Friends have been telling me that I must quit teaching and operating schools."

Despite the risks, the brave and progressive come to the centre to get an education and work. And pushing on - despite the challenges - is necessary. As is the norm in the developed world, getting a job in government or business requires IT skills, Ullah added.

Due to this, business-ready computers with internet access are essential to the school, even for classes outside of the IT remit, as paper textbooks are hard to come by and costly. Indeed, web-capable computers allow flexibility for the course curriculum - key to letting the ACCC respond to the needs of local employers and ensure the students get jobs.

The IT setup

The IT setup in the school is simple, as it must be. The ACCC has 27 computers currently functioning across three labs. There are three printers, but they've mostly run out of ink. Everything is powered by a generator, as the local grid isn't stable enough. "Using a heavy duty generator we have no problem with powering the computers, except the increased fuel cost and generator maintenance cost," said Ullah. He is looking to improve the school's energy efficiency, including by switching out old monitors with LCD ones.

Accessing the internet has been frustrating. The connection the school has is good enough for about eight computers, but has been split between 12. Students have to wait minutes for each page to load.

Two of the three computer labs are used for training - be it accessing the online business management programmes from a Canadian college, the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) or doing research online. The third lab is a free internet caf for local women, who use it to check their email, chat and yes, even Facebook. The computers are installed with Windows applications, including Office, and are also used to teach networking and graphic design.

Thanks to Ullah's good reputation in the community and the success former students from the school have had finding jobs, students far outnumber computers - the school has even started teaching men to meet demand for well-trained government employees. But purchasing new desktops is expensive and shipping them even more so. Indeed, the Afghan School Project declines offers of used Western computers because the cost of shipping outweighs the worth of the computer.

So the school faces a problem. It can't afford stacks of new computers nor the energy to run them, but it desperately needs to expand the programme.

The NComputing trial

Such challenges have had a surprisingly cutting-edge solution. Over the summer, a firm called NComputing started hawking their wares in the UK. The education-focused devices split out the CPUs from a single desktop machine to as many as 30 additional workstations or set up workstations based on a server - think low-cost thin client computing.

The devices lower the cost per seat in hardware costs, but also reduce the amount of maintenance and energy required. The system also lowers costs in upgrades, as rather than replace every seat once every five-year refresh cycle, schools can upgrade just the host or server machines - and put all the savings into buying better ones. "What we are hearing is the classic justification for corporate thin client computing," said the firm's chief executive Stephen Dukker. But those devices can cost hundreds of pounds per seat, if not more. "Here, technology for the rich becomes an enabler for resource-restrained communities."

NComputing offers two series. The X series are plugged directly into PCs using PCI cards, while the L series use Ethernet, and can therefore be used over a network. The X300 and L200 use just five watts of power an hour and retail for 149 and 129 respectively, without including monitors and other peripherals.

The devices are small and lightweight - the new L230 is just 770 grams. The devices feature solid-state drives - in that sense similar to Asus' EEE laptop - and have no fans, which makes them energy efficient and durable. The boxes have tested reliable for over 100,000 hours.

While the technology has been proven across the US and the developing world - the company has four per cent of the US educational market and the entire student base in Macedonia - NComputing sent over a few boxes, the X300 and L200, for the ACCC to trial.

Ullah's team had no trouble setting the system up. "The advantages are power efficiency and zero maintenance," he said. The hosting system does slow down the user experience, especially when the host computer isn't powerful enough, but upgrading the base computer would solve that, said Ullah.

The system was easy for the students to use, as at the user point, it looks much the same as a basic desktop. "The students were a little surprised when they saw the way the NComputing system worked," said Ullah. "But they did not notice a big difference... they worked for them just like standard computers."

The result

While the school is in early days with the trial, Ullah highly recommended the system for large schools because they are cost-effective, power efficient, and easy to transport. Though many IT headaches still remain for Ullah, this system can solve a few.

Indeed, Ullah liked the setup - especially the ease of upgrades and energy efficiency - so much, he asked for more boxes from the L series. NComputing have offered a solid discount for 20 more L230s, while telecoms firm Roshan are matching any funds raised to cover costs of new monitors and peripherals.

Computers and wireless access won't bring Afghanistan into modern times, and no amount of technology can prevent the violence being directed at students and staff of the school. But well-educated, technologically-savvy people can achieve all those aims, and more - including bringing women into a position of power in Afghanistan.

Want to help?

Follow the lead of the Afghan School Project funding programme in Canada, NComputing in the US and UK, and telecoms firm Roshan in Afghanistan, who have agreed to match any funds raised. Show your support by sending a donation.

The shipment of devices will cost $3,300 (1,600) - you can make a donation by visiting the Afghan School Project site. Help spread the word by putting the widget on your own site, blog or profile, or by joining the Facebook group. All money collected goes directly to funding this shipment of devices to the school.