wp faq zero client

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Zero ClientFrequently Asked Questions

Issue December 2009

Pages 6

Zero Client: The next-generation desktop environment

While server and storage virtualization have helped companies create much leaner IT environments in recent years,there is still an area where the underlying philosophy of doing more work with less hardware has had much lessimpact: at the office level, most organizations still work with fully-equipped, fat clients, i.e. desktop systems that carryalong their own processor, memory, storage, operating system, and applications. As a result, they are not only costly,but have a tendency to be difficult to manage and maintain. Moreover, they are complicated to protect against potentialattacks and leave a large carbon footprint of their own due to less efficient cooling and relatively high powerconsumption in idle mode. All of these factors add to the expenses and contribute to budget overruns – adisadvantage that may not only put IT, but the whole organization into a critical position.

The Zero Client is the opposite of this: a front end device that runs exclusively in a desktop virtualization environment,minimizing the use of components and the necessity to manage and maintain. This results in greatly reducedoperating costs for the company. Low-cost hardware and a streamlined roll-out process helps to keep initial costs

down, as well as making installation and replacement of user devices very efficient. Extremely low powerrequirements, excellent reliability, a long life cycle and centralized management ensure that the Zero Client savescosts throughout its lifetime.

Contents

What is the Zero Client? 2How do I set up a Zero Client based infrastructure? 2What components are in the Zero Client? 2What displays does the Zero Client use? 2What is the volume of the Zero Client during operation? 3Is the Zero Client hardware prone to failure? 3How is the Zero Client powered? 3How much power does the Zero Client consume during operation? 3

How can I prepare for Power-over-Ethernet? 3How does the user login to their virtual desktop? 3How is the virtual machine allocated? 3How is user authentication carried out? 3How much network bandwidth does the Zero Client need? 3How is USB, graphics and audio information handled? 3Does the Zero Client support VoIP? 3Is it possible for users to roam easily? 4How far can a user roam? 4What options exist for sharing/personalizing virtual machines? 4Does the Zero Client store any data locally? 4Are Zero Clients secure against viruses? 4Can wireless data from the keyboard and mouse be intercepted? 4What is the cost/seat of the Zero Client? 4

How many Zero Clients can run off one server?

5Is the user experience different from a standard PC? 5What effect does the Zero Client have on the work of an IT manager? 5How can the Zero Client benefit a business? 5What are suitable environments for a Zero Client? 5



White Paper Issue: December 2009 Zero Client FAQ / 5

What is the Zero Client?The Zero Client is a front-end device designed from the ground up for a server-based desktop virtualization environment.

How do I set up a Zero Client based infrastructure?Zero Clients run in a VMware based desktop virtualization environment. This requires servers installed with a VMware

hypervisor (ESX / ESXi) as well as operating system software and software stacks optimized for desktop virtualization. In orderto connect to the Zero Clients, the necessary connection broker must be installed. The Zero Client cannot function without aserver backend and the necessary network infrastructure to support it. Support for Citrix desktop virtualization is currently underdevelopment.

What components are in the Zero Client?The Zero Client consists of a display with connectors for 3 x USB, audio out and LAN. It supports a wireless connection forkeyboard and mouse in combination with a USB dongle. The display contains a chipset which establishes the connection withthe desktop virtualization server. There is no local operating system, procesor, memory, flash or moving parts such as a fan orhard disk drive.

What displays does the Zero Client use? The Zero Client builds on either Fujitsu’s B22W-5 ECO or a 19-inch display (model tbd). It has an advanced contrast ratio of10,000:1 (ACR). The 22-inch (55.9 cm) and 19-inch (48,3 cm) sizes offer resolutions of 1680 x 1050 and 1280 x 1024 pixelrespectively.




What is the volume of the Zero Client during operation?The Zero Client has no moving parts so is absolutely silent during operation, providing a working environment conducive toconcentration and productivity.

Is the Zero Client hardware prone to failure?The Zero Client is extremely reliable and has a very low Average Failure Rate (AFR).

How is the Zero Client powered? Power is delivered to the Zero Client using an AC adaptor. Future generations of Zero Client will be equipped with Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), which supplies power via the LAN port only.

How much power does the Zero Client consume during operation?The Zero Client is very efficient in comparison with a standard PC, consuming only 27W. This makes the Zero Client highlygreen and very cost effective.

How can I prepare for Power-over-Ethernet?The current 802.3at Ethernet standard allows for a maximum of 30W (25W for cables longer than 100m). Hence, PoE devicesare needed which support the upcoming standard 802.3at+. Power can either be added to each individual Zero Client’s LANcable using an injector or multiple Zero-Client’s can be simultaneously powered by using a Multi-Injector, which must bemounted parallel with the network switch in a rack.

How does the user login to their virtual desktop? The connection broker displays a login screen and then sends the given details to the assigned virtual machine.

How is the virtual machine allocated?The virtual machine is allocated using the VMware ESX or VMware ESXi backbone.

How is user authentication carried out?User authentication is carried out via Microsoft Active Directory.

How much network bandwidth does the Zero Client need?For normal office applications, a bandwidth of approximately 10 Mb/s is recommended. However, the Zero Client will still beusable down to a bandwidth of approximately 2 Mb/s.

For multimedia applications, a bandwidth of approximately 30 Mb/s is recommended.

How is USB, graphics and audio information handled?The virtual machine uses a virtual graphics card, USB device and Audio device. The data is compressed and transferred overthe network, to be decompressed by the chipset in the Zero Client.

Does the Zero Client support VoIP?The Zero Client does not support VoIP. If required, this must be provided using a separate hardware solution.




Is it possible for users to roam easily?Roaming is made exceptionally easy by the Zero Client. The user needs only to break off the connection to the virtual machineon one Zero Client – by pressing the on / off button for less than 2 seconds – and is then free to go to a Zero Client in a differentlocation and re-establish a connection. This is possible because the virtual machine keeps running on the backend, even whennot being used on a Zero Client.

How far can a user roam?

We have successfully tested the Zero Client over a distance of 80 km, with excellent performance results. We have alsoachieved passable functionality for office uses over a distance of 500 km. We are currently pushing the envelope for Zero Clientconnectivity and are planning to run tests over a 10,000 km distance.

What options exist for sharing/personalizing virtual machines?The virtual machines can configured either as personal or pooled:

In a personal virtual machine configuration, the user will enter the same desktop environment upon every login and isable to customize it as they desire. This gives the user the impression of having their own physical PC.

In a pooled virtual machine configuration, the user is simply assigned a free machine at login, rather than returning to apersonalized environment.

Does the Zero Client store any data locally? As the Zero Client contains no local storage, all data remains on the server. This makes the Zero Client highly secure, as nodata can be obtained through physical theft of the device. Users who wish to store personal documents are able to save themeither on the virtual machine, in which case they remain safe at the backend, or on USB storage via the Zero Client itself, inwhich case, the user is free to keep the data safe on their person.

Are Zero Clients secure against viruses?As the Zero Client has no operating system or local storage, it cannot individually be affected by viruses. If the virtual machinebecomes infected, it is possible for the user to erase the virtual machine and roll back to a previously stable state. Data can be

secured against loss thanks to redundancy at the server back end.

Can wireless data from the keyboard and mouse be intercepted?No. The Zero Client uses an encrypted protocol to communicate with the keyboard and mouse.

What is the cost/seat of the Zero Client?The Zero Client costs approximately € 299/seat. This is less than the cost of a similar Thin Client front end setup.




How many Zero Clients can run off one server?Depending on usage, between 2 and 8 virtual machines / Zero Clients can run off a single processor core. A normal serverequipped with 4 cores will therefore be able to run up to 32 virtual machines. Fujitsu’s PRIMERGY servers such as TX towerservers, RX rack servers and BX blade servers are ideally suited for hosting virtual machines (more information can be found athttp://www.vmware.com/solutions/partners/alliances/fujitsu-products.html and http://ts.fujitsu.com/primergy).

Is the user experience different from a standard PC?In some ways: The virtual desktop can be a familiar Microsoft® Windows® environment, complete with the same software asbefore. Hence, from an interface perspective, nothing has changed.

The difference is in the overall experience. Zero Clients provide a more spacious, quiet working environment than a traditionalPC. Neither data loss, nor viruses will be such a big concern for the user. The user will have no more interruption orinconvenience from hardware faults and, should the device need to be replaced, they can be working again as usual on a newone within minutes, as it is as simple as changing a monitor.

What effect does the Zero Client have on the work of an IT manager?Because the Zero Client’s performance is not dependent on its own hardware, but rather that of the server backend, itrepresents a major time and labor reducing benefit for the IT manager. No more does the IT manager need to manage the

lifecycles of a multiple heterogeneous devices.

Furthermore, because the Zero Client can be centrally managed and automatically set up, the IT manager saves large amountsof time when he has to install new devices at a user’s workplace.

The Zero Client’s security in the face of viruses and the ease with which stable virtual desktops can be reloaded means that theIT manager also benefits from contented users.

How can the Zero Client benefit a business?

The Zero Client benefits a business in several ways. As a device, it is substantially lower in cost than a traditional PC and lesseven than a Thin Client. This allows for considerable savings on large rollouts of devices.

The security of a Zero Client means that companies have a substantially lower risk of losing sensitive data as well as being lessprone to viruses, which would otherwise sap time and productivity from a business.

The ease of manageability that comes with a desktop virtualization based environment saves costs in terms of infrastructuremanagement. The capacity for roaming allows for a high degree of workplace flexibility.

The Zero Client’s very low power consumption helps to dramatically reduce electricity-related operating costs as well as thecarbon footprint of the company.

What are suitable environments for a Zero Client? Governments and banks:

Excellent security and centralized administration. Call centers and terminals:

Small footprint, noiseless, easily exchangeable, centralized user desktop provisioning. Universities:

Saves space, reduced theft risk, university desktop accessible from home. Schools:

Overcomes space/electrical limitations, reduced energy costs, fresh user desktops in class environments.

Which operating systems are supported for the virtual PC?Currently the Zero Client supports WinXP, support for Win7 is in preparation. FTS will release Win7 support not sooner thanPano Logic. For the first release the Win7 support will have the following restrictions: only 32-bit versions of Win7 Business,Professional and Ultimate are supported. Only XPDM display driver is supported, any application or system component thatrequires a WDDM display driver (e.g. Aero) are not compatible with the first release.

http://www.vmware.com/solutions/partners/alliances/fujitsu-products.html


http://ts.fujitsu.com/primergy




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