Transcript
- 1. 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/
2. Brian Jamison -->
- Co-Founder of OpenSourcery
- President of POSSE
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- Portland Open Source Software Entrepreneurs
- Using open source software to solve business needs since 1995
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- clients: Sony, Nissan, Energizer, Disney...
- Personally using Linux on the desktop since 2001
3. About OpenSourcery
- Founded 2004
- PSU, Reed, CCC
- Services:
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- Plan
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- Install
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- Configure
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- Maintain
4. Overview
- What is thin?
- Why thin?
- Savings
- Case study
- Common pitfalls
- Questions
5. What is thin?
- Uses a single server for all heavy lifting
- Clients boot, run applications, store data on server, not themselves
6. Why thin?
- Savings at every stage
- Peace of mind
- Ease of maintenance
7. Hardware savings, client
- Thin client: $106
- 17 flat screen LCD: $171
- Keyboard, mouse: $20
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- Total: $297
8. Hardware savings, server
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- Server requires:
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- RAM: 512mb + 50mb per client
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- CPU: 100mhz/32 bit or 75mhz/64 bit
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- Bandwidth: gigabit NIC
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- Server for 60 client setup:
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- 2 AMD 64bit dual core Opterons
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- 4gb RAM, 160gb HD, Gigabit ethernet
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- Total: $1741
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- cut that approximately in half for 30 clients
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9. Licensing costs $0
- Server operating system: $0
- Client operating system: $0
- Applications: $0
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- Educational programs, Office suite, Google Earth, Firefox, Video/audio editing, plus 20,000 others.
- Updates cost $0
10. Installation savings
- Server setup and configuration, about a day
- Per client, about 15 minutes
11. Hardware maintenance savings
- No moving parts on clients no hard drives, no fans.
- Avoid service calls simply replace unit with an inexpensive spare!
12. 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
13. Energy savings
- Each thin client draws 20 watts
14. Other advantages
- Centralized storage, backups
- USB keys for each student for individual storage
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- allows theming, customization, history to stay with the student
15. Case study
- Charter high school with 160+ students
- Edubuntu
- Software requirements
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- Office, Web, Google Earth
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- Video/sound editing
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- Fractions/algebra apps
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- Terminal Server for Cognitive Tutor on w2k3 box
16. Planning
- Get a specific list of necessary software from admins and instructors
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- this avoids apps sneaking in after planning consider math tutoring software, video editing, multilingual support...
17. Content Filtering
- User login defines content filtering
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- all access or none
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- this can be made quite complex if desired
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18. 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
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- (students use USB keys for storing their own work)
19. More Configuration
- Lockdown of browser, office suite, desktop, etc
- Trac to store documentation
20. Students cannot
- Install new programs
- Gain administrator access
- Get to the Internet unless approved by Instructor
21. 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.
22. The Tale of the Office Suite
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- OpenOffice billed as Microsoft Office replacement
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- Writer/Word: lacking collab, macro compatibility
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- Calc/Excel: lacks macro compatibility
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- Base/Access: not ready yet
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- Powerpoint: lacks read-write compatibility
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- Not for macro wizards
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- Not for extreme spreadsheet programmers
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- Not 100% perfect reading/writing MS formats
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- An excellent fit for students.
23. Students Experience
- It just worked.
24. Common Pitfall #1
- Asking a bunch of Windows folks to deploy mission-critical Linux server or services
25. Common Pitfall #2
- Deploying open source applications before they are fully baked
- Hoary Hedgehog
- Jahshaka
26. Common Pitfall #3
- Asking black-box gear to play nicely with open source
- Windows Terminal Server + Tutoring App = Pain
27. Common Pitfall #5
- Failing to demand as much from proprietary software as open source
- What happens if...
28. Common Pitfall #6
- The Accidental Tech supporting Linux
- How do I turn it off?
- The video card is broken
29. Common Pitfall #7
- printers, Printers, PRINTERS
- #1 issue (in our experience) with desktops
30. Summary
- It just works.
31. Thank you
- Try a thin client at our booth!
- Brian Jamison
- [email_address]
- (503) 544-3558