A PC is a too complex architecture to be given to every users. A “pc on every desk” probably was one of the biggest mistakes in the information technology era.

1. A PC on every desk
Probably, one of the biggest error in
the information technology era
Smaller footprint, same 1
complexity

2. PC: a downsized mainframe
 Same Von Neumann architecture: ALU, registries,
memory, I/O, interrupts, HD, other devices
 Same pile of sftw stacks: microcode, OS, drivers,
system services, DB, applications
 Together with:
o The difficulty, for a typical user, to run,
administer, maintain and fine tune the
system
2

3. User. Not a system engineer
 Typical user doesn’t - and must not - have the
expertise necessary for everyday maintenance of
his “working tool”
3

4. Maintenance schedule
Best practices for a healthy PC (at least once in a
week)
o Run antivirus & spyware removal tools
o Install the latest updates
o Backup the entire system
o Encrypt confidential data
o Check for errors and backup your local mailbox file
o Run utilities to check for dangerous problem like the
“rootkit” infection
o Check for unwanted applications/services that eat
system resources
o Check the hard disk for volume errors
o Continue ….. 4

5. Is Windows faulty ?
No, but:
 The more the third party applications you add to the
systems the more it becomes fragile and prone to crashes.
 Like any complex architecture it requires an accurate and
constant maintenance
 Internet can be a dangerous source of, virus, spyware,
malaware, ecc
 Many users downloads and install uncertified and untested
applications from the web
It was not designed to be a “closed” platform
centrally managed by a team of expert
5

6. The solution ?
6

7. Time machine: back to 80s
What would have happened in a real world
Geek
Open platform
User
Closed & specialized
platform 7

8. Back to the future
“Closed”
Cloud Midrange SaaS
devices:
computing systems applications
iPad
8

9. Cloud Computing
 Put back the platform's management issues in
the hands of the experts
 OPEX: pay per use
 SLA: support & maintenance fees are based on
the reliability index needed
 Platform-free clients:
any combination of hardware & software able
to run a web browser
9

10. Midrange systems
 Kind of “private cloud”
 Ideal solution for “single-server” companies
 Centralized model
 Bring back the complexity into the “computer
room”
 No more “personal” workstations
 End of company data stored on users’ disks
 Low-TCO terminals
 SOA approach to integrate third party “SaaS”
solutions
10

11. Legacy UI (User Interface)
 Too often the wrong reason behind the abandon
of a midrange reliable system
 Modern tools allows easy UI to GUI mapping
 Not always a modern GUI is the right choice
o 5250-UI is still the fastest way for data-entry
operators
 Multi-touch screens, hand-gestures or eye-
movements recognition devices can be easily
“connected” using SOA Web Services to access
the Business Logic components.
11

12. The one-size-fits-all model doesn’t apply
Midrange Server

13. iPad
 Closed platform
o Runs only certified applications
 Almost whatever could be a source of problems
has been removed by design
 Easy to use
 Geeks hate it
 Keegs (opposite of Geek) love it
13

14. SaaS applications
Google Docs - Office Live
 All you needs is a browser
 Data are stored “somewhere” in the Cloud
o Accessible everywhere from any device
14

15. Slim OSs
Chrome OS, iPhone OS, Windows EC 7, Ubuntu light,
ecc
 New Operating Systems designed to work exclusively
with Web Applications
 Google Chromoting
o Chrome OS extension to run "legacy PC applications" right
in the browser
Services
Present OS
Browser Light OS
Services Browser
15

16. www.evog.it
tom.presotto@evog.it 16
June 2010