When we receive questions, we answer them right away - but if they might be useful to illustrate some point or other about Thin Clients, we keep them around to show to everyone. Here are a few of the latest:
While most of our customers who are running Windows 2000 Server with ThinManager 2.3 (the previous version of ThinManager) do not use Citrix MetaFrame, some have added MetaFrame because of the additional features it provides. The most common benefit that MetaFrame brings to ThinManager 2.3 is the ability to display more than 256 colors on the Thin Client screen.
However, while ThinManager 2.3 works with Windows 2000 Server without the need for any additional software, it will not work with Windows 2003 Server unless used with Citrix MetaFrame. ThinManager 2.4.1 (the current version) works "out of the box" when used with Windows 2003 Server - by utilizing Microsoft's native RDP protocol.
ThinManager 2.4.1 also adds features when used with Windows 2003 Server - most notably the ability to display high-color images on the Thin Client screen without the need for MetaFrame. But MetaFrame is required to get the same color resolution on Windows 2000 Server, regardless of whether ThinManager 2.3 or 2.4.1 is used.
The following chart will (hopefully) clarify some of this:
ThinManager 2.5 (to be released later this year) will work the same way as ThinManager 2.4.1. ThinManager 2.4 works the same way as all 2.3 versions - the RDP protocol was not added until ThinManager 2.4.1.
No. The ThinManager licenses are only needed for the machines that are hosting the ThinManager licenses. Once the unlimited connection license is activated on a computer, it recognizes any ACP Enabled Thin Client anywhere on the network. Or, more accurately, the clients recognize it.
When any ACP Enabled Thin Client boots, it searches for the computer (or computers) on the network that are hosting the ACP connection license. Once it finds this license, it boots and connects to a Windows Terminal Server (Windows 2000 / 2003 Server). The server that it ends up running on can be the same machine that provided the ACP license, however in the case of ThinManager Enterprise it most likely will not be.
The entry level of ThinManager Enterprise (called "ThinManager Server") allows for two machines to host the ACP licenses at a single location. The second machine is intended to be available as a backup source for the license. Other versions of ThinManager Enterprise provide for an unlimited number of ACP license machines at a single location (ThinManager Site) or an unlimited number of ACP license machines anywhere in a single company (ThinManager Global).
If you are running about 30 or more ACP Enabled Thin Clients, then you should be looking at Enterprise.
Most customers who are running more than 25 Thin Clients do not want to rely on a single computer to supply all of the ACP ThinManager licenses, and so have installed a second set of licenses on a backup machine. This is a configuration that we call "Redundant ThinManager", and it provides a second source that any ACP Enabled Thin Client to use to find the ACP ThinManager licenses that it needs to boot.
This is not the Windows Terminal Server that the client will use to provide its applications. While people sometimes put the ACP Thin Client licenses on the Terminal Server, for larger installations all of the licenses (both ACP and Microsoft) are usually kept on a specific machine, known as the license server. A user planning to install around 30 ACP Enabled Thin Clients with a redundant ACP license server will have almost reached the price of our Enterprise Server product, which allows an unlimited number of ACP Enabled Thin Clients.
Our advice? Start thinking about an Enterprise license early. A few days ago we spoke to a customer who originally wanted 25 ACP Enabled Thin Clients with redundant ACP licenses, and so purchased two 25-pack ThinManager licenses. He continued to add Thin Client hardware, however, and soon used the extra 25 licenses. Later he added even more clients and so purchased 25 more licenses. He has now spent more on licenses than the cost of an Enterprise license - but he still doesn't have the redundant ThinManager he wants.
For more information on ACP Industrial Thin Client computers, please visit our web site at http://www.thinmanager.com
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