THINC

Ricardo A. BarattoNetwork Computing Lab

Columbia University

THIN CLIENTS FOR THE FUTURE

orTHin client InterNet Computing

Features

● Fast● Secure● Hardware Cursor● Video support● Resizable● Bandwidth scheduling

System Architecture

● Server: Virtual video driver● Translates driver commands to THINC

commands:– RAW– FILL– BITMAP– TILE

● Commands:– Initial compression almost free– Nice abstraction: manage and manipulate as needed

Offscreen Awareness

● Render offscreen, copy onscreen– Translation impossible: Everything is RAW!!!

● Solution:– Capture commands everywhere and follow them

Push with a twist

● Server Pushes data to client

but,

● Server is aware of each client's responsiveness:– Does not block– Commands can be clipped and evicted

Command Scheduling

● Improve interactiveness– Particularly useful in slow networks

● Multiqueue and Preemptive ● Two traffic classes:➔ Real Time: Cursor, keystrokes, mouse drag, DnD➔ Normal: ordered by size

– We don't like ads

Resize

● Small Screens– Bandwidth reduction

● Magnify too!

● Future: Resize & Clip

Video

S: really?T: yup. full motion, resizable, application

transparent, low CPU overhead. AND, no need for GbE

S: but... how?T: just get out of the way!S: eh?T: export the client's hardware to the server andjust be a bridgeS: <stares in disbelief as the video plays>

catch: There's no sound. Yet.

Results and Comparisons

Features and Optimizations

Latency Data SizePer page

Web

Latency Data SizePer page

Video

The Future

● Generic Device Support– Sound for the video!!!

● Network resilience● Collaboration● Games● ...