Thin Clients How To Created and displayed with open source software + Linux Presented by Brian Jamison Thin clients – How To Content licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/

Brian Jamison --> Co-Founder of OpenSourcery President of POSSE Portland Open Source Software Entrepreneurs Using open source software to solve business needs since 1995 clients: Sony, Nissan, Energizer, Disney... Personally using Linux “on the desktop” since 2001

Co-Founder of OpenSourcery

President of POSSE

Portland Open Source Software Entrepreneurs

Using open source software to solve business needs since 1995

clients: Sony, Nissan, Energizer, Disney...

Personally using Linux “on the desktop” since 2001

About OpenSourcery Founded 2004 PSU, Reed, CCC Services: Plan Install Configure Maintain

Founded 2004

PSU, Reed, CCC

Services:

Plan

Install

Configure

Maintain

Overview What is thin? Why thin? Savings Case study Common pitfalls Questions

What is thin?

Why thin?

Savings

Case study

Common pitfalls

Questions

What is thin? Uses a single server for all heavy lifting Clients boot, run applications, store data on server, not themselves

Uses a single server for all heavy lifting

Clients boot, run applications, store data on server, not themselves

Why thin? Savings at every stage Peace of mind Ease of maintenance

Savings at every stage

Peace of mind

Ease of maintenance

Hardware savings, client Thin client: $106 17” flat screen LCD: $171 Keyboard, mouse: $20 Total: $297

Thin client: $106

17” flat screen LCD: $171

Keyboard, mouse: $20

Total: $297

Hardware savings, server Server requires: RAM: 512mb + 50mb per client CPU: 100mhz/32 bit or 75mhz/64 bit Bandwidth: gigabit NIC Server for 60 client setup: 2 AMD 64bit dual core Opterons 4gb RAM, 160gb HD, Gigabit ethernet Total: $1741 cut that approximately in half for 30 clients

Server requires:

RAM: 512mb + 50mb per client

CPU: 100mhz/32 bit or 75mhz/64 bit

Bandwidth: gigabit NIC

Server for 60 client setup:

2 AMD 64bit dual core Opterons

4gb RAM, 160gb HD, Gigabit ethernet

Total: $1741

cut that approximately in half for 30 clients

Licensing costs $0 Server operating system: $0 Client operating system: $0 Applications: $0 Educational programs, Office suite, Google Earth, Firefox, Video/audio editing, plus 20,000 others. Updates cost $0

Server operating system: $0

Client operating system: $0

Applications: $0

Educational programs, Office suite, Google Earth, Firefox, Video/audio editing, plus 20,000 others.

Updates cost $0

Installation savings Server setup and configuration, about a day Per client, about 15 minutes

Server setup and configuration, about a day

Per client, about 15 minutes

Hardware maintenance savings No moving parts on clients – no hard drives, no fans. Avoid service calls – simply replace unit with an inexpensive spare!

No moving parts on clients – no hard drives, no fans.

Avoid service calls – simply replace unit with an inexpensive spare!

OS maintenance savings Client and server highly resistant to virii, spyware/malware Nothing gained hacking client Server extremely difficult to hack Can be made to automatically start ”clean” on each login Updates delivered via the Internet for $0

Client and server highly resistant to virii, spyware/malware

Nothing gained hacking client

Server extremely difficult to hack

Can be made to automatically start ”clean” on each login

Updates delivered via the Internet for $0

Energy savings Each thin client draws 20 watts

Each thin client draws 20 watts

Other advantages Centralized storage, backups USB keys for each student for individual storage allows theming, customization, history to stay with the student

Centralized storage, backups

USB keys for each student for individual storage

allows theming, customization, history to stay with the student

Case study Charter high school with 160+ students Edubuntu Software requirements Office, Web, Google Earth Video/sound editing Fractions/algebra apps Terminal Server for Cognitive Tutor on w2k3 box

Charter high school with 160+ students

Edubuntu

Software requirements

Office, Web, Google Earth

Video/sound editing

Fractions/algebra apps

Terminal Server for Cognitive Tutor on w2k3 box

Planning Get a specific list of necessary software from admins and instructors this avoids apps sneaking in after planning – consider math tutoring software, video editing, multilingual support...

Get a specific list of necessary software from admins and instructors

this avoids apps sneaking in after planning – consider math tutoring software, video editing, multilingual support...

Content Filtering User login defines content filtering all access or none this can be made quite complex if desired

User login defines content filtering

all access or none

this can be made quite complex if desired

Configuration LTSP on server Thin clients PXE boot stock Edubuntu Feisty over the network Bootsplash needed configuration to make LCD work during bootup Password protected bios On logout we auto wipe the home directory to avoid offensive leave-behinds (students use USB keys for storing their own work)

LTSP on server

Thin clients PXE boot stock Edubuntu Feisty over the network

Bootsplash needed configuration to make LCD work during bootup

Password protected bios

On logout we auto wipe the home directory to avoid offensive leave-behinds

(students use USB keys for storing their own work)

More Configuration Lockdown of browser, office suite, desktop, etc Trac to store documentation

Lockdown of browser, office suite, desktop, etc

Trac to store documentation

Students cannot Install new programs Gain administrator access Get to the Internet unless approved by Instructor

Install new programs

Gain administrator access

Get to the Internet unless approved by Instructor

Windows Terminal Server Must deploy due to decision to use a proprietary windows-based tutoring program Ironically this was the way students were able to hack out to the Internet, install proggies, etc.

Must deploy due to decision to use a proprietary windows-based tutoring program

Ironically this was the way students were able to hack out to the Internet, install proggies, etc.

The Tale of the Office Suite OpenOffice billed as Microsoft Office replacement Writer/Word: lacking collab, macro compatibility Calc/Excel: lacks macro compatibility Base/Access: not ready yet Powerpoint: lacks read-write compatibility Not for macro wizards Not for extreme spreadsheet programmers Not 100% perfect reading/writing MS formats An excellent fit for students.

OpenOffice billed as Microsoft Office replacement

Writer/Word: lacking collab, macro compatibility

Calc/Excel: lacks macro compatibility

Base/Access: not ready yet

Powerpoint: lacks read-write compatibility

Not for macro wizards

Not for extreme spreadsheet programmers

Not 100% perfect reading/writing MS formats

An excellent fit for students.

Students Experience It just worked.

It just worked.

Common Pitfall #1 Asking a bunch of Windows folks to deploy mission-critical Linux server or services

Asking a bunch of Windows folks to deploy mission-critical Linux server or services

Common Pitfall #2 Deploying open source applications before they are fully baked Hoary Hedgehog Jahshaka

Deploying open source applications before they are fully baked

Hoary Hedgehog

Jahshaka

Common Pitfall #3 Asking black-box gear to play nicely with open source Windows Terminal Server + Tutoring App = Pain

Asking black-box gear to play nicely with open source

Windows Terminal Server + Tutoring App = Pain

Common Pitfall #5 Failing to demand as much from proprietary software as open source ”What happens if...”

Failing to demand as much from proprietary software as open source

”What happens if...”

Common Pitfall #6 The Accidental Tech supporting Linux ”How do I turn it off?” ”The video card is broken”

The Accidental Tech supporting Linux

”How do I turn it off?”

”The video card is broken”

Common Pitfall #7 printers, Printers, PRINTERS #1 issue (in our experience) with desktops

printers, Printers, PRINTERS

#1 issue (in our experience) with desktops

Summary It just works.

It just works.

Thank you Try a thin client at our booth! Brian Jamison [email_address] (503) 544-3558

Try a thin client at our booth!

Brian Jamison

[email_address]

(503) 544-3558