Top South African companies are finding business value in heading back to server-centric environments by opting for thin-client desktop architectures instead of using PCs.
So says David Weinstein, channel manager for local Wyse Technology thin-client distributor, iT Wise. "We have seen a tremendous uptake of thin-client technology by SA`s top 500 companies, small to medium enterprises, as well as organisations in other parts of Africa," he says.
Thin-client architecture involves hosting all applications and data centrally on a server and accessing it using a graphics-based terminal, known as a thin-client. "This has tremendous security, upgrade and maintenance benefits, which translate into cost savings of up to 50%," says Weinstein.
The thin-client is the successor to the mainframe terminal, explains Weinstein. "The difference is the user interface is as good as a PC, which means thin-clients give all the benefits of a terminal including increased network efficiency without the disadvantages of a PC."
Weinstein lists the disadvantages as labour- and time-intensive software installations, difficult and costly management, difficult remote support, user tampering, short hardware lifespan and every PC being a potential entry point for viruses. "The thin-client eliminates these problems," he says.
Wyse Technology`s thin-clients are particularly beneficial to organisations with remote locations because they are supplied with powerful, but light asset and software management tools, says Weinstein. He says light clients are also well suited to industrial environments like steel works.
"Thin-clients have no moving parts, do not have the same ventilation requirements as PCs and have a much more rugged design, typically lasting four to nine years longer," explains Weinstein.
In addition to the business benefits, a recent independent study by the London-based Winmark market research consultancy found that seven out of 10 users preferred thin-clients to PCs because of their greater speed.
The study found most users (72%) said the thin-client enabled them to start on tasks faster from boot-up and most (55%) rated the thin-client faster at performing business tasks.
Weinstein says iT Wise`s strategy to educate the South African market is to form partnerships to prove that existing technology works in wired and wireless thin-client environments with all the additional benefits that brings, no matter what enterprise applications or platforms are used.
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