Experience has shown us that there are several questions common to new Thin Client customers. We have taken some of them and put them here, figuring that if others had these questions then you probably have some of the same.
Thin Clients allow standard Windows software to run just like software runs on a mainframe. A Windows Server becomes the mainframe, and the Thin Clients are the terminals. Applications look exactly the same (to the operator) whether they are displayed on a Thin Client or run on a standard PC. And just like loosing power on a terminal doesn't affect the mainframe programs, loosing power on a Thin Client doesn't affect the Windows application.
Any user logging on to the server can have immediate access to all of the applications and data installed on the server. Microsoft does this by separating the graphical user interface (run on the Thin Client) from the application processing (done by the server). The server remains in a secure location; the Thin Clients are put out wherever an interface is needed.
Yes. Thin Clients communicate with the server using standard Ethernet and don't interfere at all with regular network traffic. Many of our customers install a Thin Client system gradually, first putting a Windows 2000 server on their network, and then replacing PCs one at a time with ACP Enabled Thin Clients.
ACP only provides Thin Client management, configuration and hardware enabling software. Microsoft Terminal Services (standard in Windows 2000 Server) is what makes the Thin Client sessions possible. There is no difference in the way that different Thin Clients from competing companies actually run - the only difference is in the extra features they have added. ACP's features are contained in our ThinManager program, which works with Microsoft Terminal Services.
We have added features specifically for industrial applications, and have extensive experience with all of the major industrial software. In fact, all of the major HMI companies have installed ACP Enabled Thin Clients in their labs. A few of the features that you can get from ACP that you can't get from any other Thin Client company:
No, and this is one of the features that we believe really sets us apart from the competition. We have 9 different companies (with even more on the way!) who make combined over 40 different models of Thin Clients, all using ACP technology as their core. This means that whether you are buying a Thin Client from ACP, Advantech, Contec, Modular Industrial Computers, Exor, or any other ACP hardware partner, they all operate exactly the same and are interchangeable.
The case for Thin Clients revolves around long-term ownership costs. Once you have configured the server and installed your applications, Thin Client terminals are added by simply plugging them in. Software upgrades are easier, with the upgrade made once (at the server) and all clients immediately having the new program. You can replace a Thin Client in less than 5 minutes, and the operator is right back where he was. No disk drives or moving parts also increases reliability of the Thin Client. We have customers who are using a Thin Client system with only two clients simply to take advantage of these long term cost savings.
Another factor that we would like to remind people about is that when you have installed an ACP Enabled Thin Client, you have true industrial hardware - and you can't get any industrial PC for under $1,000!
Most likely, none at all. Almost all current programs have been tested on a Microsoft Terminal Server operating system (like Windows 2000 Server) and will run without any modification. It is very rare that we run into an application that has difficulty running on Thin Clients. If you have concerns, ask us and we will let you know.
No. While most ACP Enabled Thin Clients use the Citrix protocol (ICA), we supply the parts of MetaFrame required to support that protocol.
Yes. If you need advanced features such as higher color depth (more than 256 colors), Citrix Load Balancing, or some of the clustering features available in MetaFrame, then you can install and use MetaFrame along with ACP ThinManager. There will be no conflict between the two.
Yes. In fact, many customers install Thin Clients to not only get a remote operator interface, but also to collect bar-code scans or to print labels. It doesn't matter how far the Thin Client is from the server because once the client has the data it is sent back to the server via Ethernet. Watch out, though - only ACP Enabled Thin Clients are capable of reliable high-speed serial communication, required to communicate in real-time with industrial equipment!
No, although it is not a bad idea. ACP Enabled Thin Clients use very little bandwidth, and are even run regularly over 56Kb modems. However it is often easier to configure a system where the clients are on a private network, and avoids any possible IP conflicts with the ever-changing company network.
Our ThinManager application is extremely small and non-invasive, and once the client has booted and is running, ThinManager is essentially out of the picture. Once started, a Thin Client session will continue without ThinManager even running! We are only around to assist in configuration and management of the Thin Clients.
That is one of the reasons to use a product like ACP's ThinManager. It provides an intuitive user interface to take care of many of the management issues. With ThinManager you also get ACP's technical support department, who know as much about Thin Clients as anyone in the industry and are willing to take the time with you to make sure your system is up and running correctly. If you have someone on your staff that can handle standard Windows server administration, they already know almost everything they need to administer a Thin Client server.
Control from a Thin Client is not a good idea. No applications are actually running at the client, but instead back on the server. This means that any decisions have to be sent down from the program running on a completely different machine. Local control is still better done by a device designed for that purpose, like a PLC.
We hope these questions and answers have been helpful. If you have a specific question that you didn't see here but would like answered, send it in and we will get back to you personally!
For more information on ACP Industrial Thin Client computers, please visit our web site at http://www.thinmanager.com
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