10 Things ACP Does that Citrix Can't

ThinManager from ACP and Presentation Manager from Citrix both enhance Microsoft Terminal Services. Both have been available for almost 10 years, and in that time ThinManager has added some client requested features that just aren't available from Citrix.

Some of these features come from the fact that ThinManager manages the Thin Client network, the Thin Clients themselves and the Windows Server configurations. This allows configuration of the video resolution, initial applications, IP addresses, Terminal Server grouping and load balancing, Windows User Preferences and more all from the ThinManager interface. Presentation Manager relies on the management software provided by Microsoft and various Thin Client companies so the end user must learn multiple software packages just to configure the system.

10 Features exclusive to ThinManager

Instant Failover - ThinManager Ready Thin Clients can connect to two different Terminal Servers at the same time, displaying one session and keeping the other one active in the background. If the client detects a problem with the primary session it will immediately switch to display the background session. The user can also toggle between these two sessions with a hot key.

Multi-Session - All Thin Clients running under ThinManager can simultaneously run sessions on any number of Terminal Servers. These are all accessible by either a key sequence or a drop down menu selection. The client can also be set up to page through all of the running sessions when it is idle.

Multiple Monitors displaying different sessions - ThinManager allows up to five monitors on a single Thin Client with each monitor displaying a different session. ACP also allows a combination of spanned monitors and monitors displaying different sessions on the same client.

Smart Session Queuing - ACP's Smart Session offers another benefit - Queuing - that eliminates the burden placed on servers when a large number of Thin Clients connect and start a session at the same time. Typically after a system wide event (power failure, for instance) the servers are overwhelmed by the calls for service from all the clients at once. Smart Session Queuing connects the clients in an orderly fashion which results in a faster overall start-up time.

E-mail Event Notification from clients or servers - Multiple levels of events can trigger local messages at a designated operator's console and/or an e-mail message. These messages can be generated by events at the client or the server.

Automatic Thin Client configuration - Under ThinManager, Thin Clients are truly "plug and play". When any ThinManager Ready Thin Client boots, ThinManager will identify the particular model and manufacturer and send the appropriate configuration and drivers to the device, including touch screen support and serial port configuration. This ensures that a client purchased as a backup can be taken off the shelf several years later and still work like the current clients. ThinManager also allows replacement Thin Clients to simply assume a session of a failed client even if the client is a different hardware model or from a different manufacturer. This allows swap-outs without any IT department intervention.

No ACP software needed on any Terminal Server - Unlike Citrix, which requires software to be installed on any Terminal Server that will be used to host Thin Clients, Servers can be added to a system running with ThinManager by simply identifying the new PC. This way you can add and remove Servers as needed without having to change the Server's Operating System - a big advantage for companies who tightly control the OS build of each machine.

Dual Ethernet - ThinManager Ready Thin Clients that have two Ethernet ports can connect to two different servers at the same time to virtually eliminate the chances that a network problem could isolate the client.

Share Keyboard and Mouse - ThinManager allows a single keyboard and mouse to be shared among as many as 5 Thin Clients. The user is then able to slide the mouse off the screen of one client and have it move onto the screen of another, saving desk space.

TermSecure Support - ThinManager Ready Thin Clients also contain support for TermSecure, ACP's latest enhancement that keeps the client off the network until specific validation requirements have been met. Only then is the client able to reach one of the Windows Terminal Servers. Like ThinManager, this product works identically across all ThinManager Ready clients regardless of manufacturer or model. TermSecure also allows a user's sessions to follow him from client to client. If he is using some type of remote identification device (RFID, for instance) the client will log him out as he walks away and another client will log him in as he approaches.

See more about ACP's ThinManager software by visiting the website: www.thinmanager.com

Read a feature by feature comparison between the two products by downloading the free white paper, ACP vs. Citrix.

For more information on ACP and Thin Client management software, please visit our web site at http://www.thinmanager.com

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