Linux thin clients make desktop standardization easier

Posted by igelclient on July 4th, 2015

Thin clients with the Linux operating system are an effective way of standardizing the client environment. Linux thin clients are particularly popular on account of their low procurement and license costs as well as their seamless remote management capabilities.

The Linux thin client: inexpensive, secure and yet flexible

The Linux thin client as we know it now has been around for approximately 20 years. It was developed in the early 1990s to allow efficient remote access to central Windows apps and desktops. Nowadays, trends such as virtual desktops and cloud computing are further increasing the popularity of the Linux thin client.

Standards and complementary solutions

Typically, a Linux thin client is used to provide remote access to central IT infrastructures and cloud systems. However , the German Linux thin client market leader IGEL has developed numerous complementary solutions too. Unique within the sector in certain cases, they allow even more comprehensive client standardization. For example, existing and new PCs and notebooks can be converted into centrally administrable software thin clients with the help of the IGEL Universal Desktop Converter 2 (UDC2) thin client software. A further example is the IGEL Universal MultiDisplay (UMD) solution. By allowing up to eight screens per workstation to be controlled in parallel using standard hardware components, it makes it possible to put in place high-performance multi-monitor systems, e.g. for monitoring buildings.

Efficient Firmware Updates

Further examples of the special features offered by an IGEL Linux thin client are the read-only file system, the fail-safe update mechanism and the Buddy Update facility which helps to conserve bandwidth. With the Buddy Update for the IGEL Linux thin client, a widely branched company can provide only one device per site with the new firmware version instead of having to update all clients at the site via the network. Within the relevant LAN, the Linux thin client serves as a local update server for further definable Linux thin clients of the same type.

Changing the Linux thin client firmware securely

By purchasing the optional IGEL Universal Customization Builder (UCB) tool, trained administrators can quickly make customer-specific firmware changes on the IGEL Linux thin client in a secure manner. At the same time, templates and an automatic debugging function make it easier to perform typical administrative tasks. For example, customer-specific drivers or local applications can be installed on the IGEL Custom Partition of the Linux thin client. As a result, companies can achieve client standardization in the most comprehensive, secure and convenient way possible.

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