Thin Client Traffic Flow
A special case of the client/server architecture is a thin client, which is software or hardware that is designed to be particularly simple and to work in an environment where the bulk of data processing occurs on a server. With thin client technology, (also known as server-based computing), user applications originate on a central server. In some cases, the application runs on the central server, and, in other cases, the software is installed on the server and is downloaded into the client machine for execution.
Microsoft provides thin client solutions with its Windows NT Terminal Server Edition and Windows 2000 with Terminal Services products. Citrix Metaframe is another popular thin client server system. The Citrix solution uses memory in the server to create memory partitions for each client. Software applications run entirely in the Citrix server in the user's partition. The user accesses the software in a terminal/host mode. The thin client sends mouse or key events to the server and the server sends compressed graphical screen updates to the thin client.
An information appliance or computing appliance is a thin client designed to perform a particular set of dedicated tasks. A computing appliance could be a cash register, a dedicated e-mail machine, or a database-retrieval device. Computing appliances often run the Linux operating system and a Java-enhanced Internet browser.
The main advantage of thin client technology is lower support costs. Network managers can have a centralized base of applications that are managed, configured, and upgraded only once. There is no need to individually configure each user's machine. In addition, because applications are controlled from the central server, security can be better managed. Thin client technology is not applicable to every computing application, however, because users may need computers capable of operating without constant connection to a central server.
A downside of thin client technology is that the amount of data flowing from the server to the client can be substantial, especially when many computers start up at the same time every day. Networks that include thin clients should be carefully designed with sufficient capacity and an appropriate topology. Switched networking (rather than shared media) is recommended, and to avoid problems caused by too much broadcast traffic, each switched network should be limited to a few hundred thin clients and their server(s). The switched networks can be connected via routers for communications between departments and accessing outside networks such as the Internet.
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