Thin Client Network Application Design example essay topic

Thin Client vs. Fat Client & Network Design Considerations Introduction Network computing was created in an effort to allow users of a computer application to share data more easily than using stand alone computers. Clients on a client / server network store their application data on a central server. There are two categories of clients on a network. They were originally categorized by their hardware design, but today clients are categorized by the software application design and where the bulk of the processing is done and where the bulk of the application software is stored. A thin client, sometimes called a lean client, is a low-cost, centrally-managed computer.

The term derives from the fact that small computers in networks tend to be clients and not servers. Since the idea is to limit the capabilities of these computers to only essential applications, they tend to be purchased and remain 'thin' in terms of the client applications they include. The majority of the processing required for applications is done on a server. An example might be accessing a banking software application via telnet or visiting H&R Blocks website to do your taxes online. The opposite of a thin client network application design is a fat client design.

In a client / server architecture, a fat client performs the bulk of the data processing operations. The data itself is still stored on the server. Although the term usually refers to software, it can also apply to a network computer that has relatively strong processing abilities. An example might be Quick Books for Windows or Microsoft Word. Part Centralized computing has been through an obvious cycle in the last 30 years. During the 70's computer hardware was very expensive.

It made sense at that time to invest in a server and have dummy terminals to do the computing. The dummy terminals consisted of inexpensive hardware, while the server tended to be expensive but low in numbers. During the late 80's and 90's computer desktops began to drop in price. Networks were growing in numbers and it began to be difficult to keep all the processing and application software on the server. Furthermore operation managers liked the ability of a fat client to stay working, while the network was down.

Popular software languages and tools such as visual basic and Visual studio were created, which spurred fat client design. During the 90's networks and servers became more reliable. An extremely reliable server with redundant parts could be purchased for under $10,000. Advances in network design from token ring to Ethernet allowed for more reliable network communication. The internet and long range network communications become prevalent as TCP / IP proved itself as a reliable network protocol. Other developments on the software side which have made centralized computing possible again are numerous.

In the 1970's computing consisted of basically alpha numeric digits. During the late 1980's and 1990's applications with graphics came into being. Graphical applications did not lend themselves to thin clients, so a bulk of the application resided on the workstation. During the 1990's a thin client language called HTML was popularized by a client, which could display graphical HTML. The client was Mos iac and it was invented by Marc Andresen from the University of Illinois.

Especially important was the inclusion of the 'image' tag which allowed it to include images on web pages. Earlier HTML browsers allowed the viewing of pictures, but only as separate files. Mosaic made it possible for images and text to appear on the same page. New add-ons to Microsoft Windows are also making thin clients revive again. A product made by Citrix Systems actually simulates a Microsoft Windows desktop from a thin 400 KB client.

The Citrix product does have server capacity problems when sending multimedia over a network, but basic word processing and accounting programs are practical over a Citrix network. This transition has made it once again easier to operate in a centralized processing computing environment. Today further enhancements to HTML are allowing more graphic intensive applications to be created. Macromedia Flash, Shockwave, and ActiveX Controls are enhancements to HTML which are allowing for a thin client application to have dynamic graphical interfaces. Load balancing systems such as Coyote Point Systems Equalizers are allowing reliable networks with redundant servers and application load spread over multiple servers. Lower telecommunication and standard routing protocols such as BGP have allowed remote offices relying on network access to have redundant routes to the internet or central servers.

Part B#1 Selecting computer hardware and software for a company is an important management decision. This decision will have a direct impact on operational efficiency and competitive advantage. The most important management and organizational issue to consider is total cost of ownership. In considering a fat client or thin client network application design, managers must know what their total cost of ownership is. In many cases a thin client design has a higher up front cost, but the maintenance of the product is less.

Decisions for large corporations may lean towards a thin client design. There may be hundreds of users on the application and rolling out an upgrade to a fat client design could be very costly considering every user's computer would require the upgrade be applied to it. A thin client design would only have required the application on the servers to be upgraded. A thin client design may not be suitable for a small business. It may be too expensive for a small business to put in a reliable network and the cost of maintenance may be low for a fat client design, because fewer workstations are on the network require maintenance. #2 Application and Storage Service Providers should be used when it is cost effective.

In many cases it is not cost effective for a small business to host its own email. They outsource it to a company for a cost savings. In some instances companies it may be a better for a company to host these services in house. Reasons may include that it is more cost effective. Another reason to host in house might be for security reasons. The data the company is hosting is very sensitive and can not be trusted in another companies' hands.

Another reason might be fast reliable network access to the ASP or SSP might not be possible or cost effective.