Reducing IT Costs through the Design and Implementation of a Thin Client Infrastructure in Educational Environments

Transcription

1 Reducing IT Costs through the Design and Implementation of a Thin Client Infrastructure in Educational Environments G. Reynolds φ and A. Th. Schwarzbacher* φ School of Control Systems and Electrical Engineering, Dublin Institute of Technology, IRELAND φ gordon.reynolds@dit.ie * School of Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering, Dublin Institute of Technology, IRELAND *andreas.schwarzbacher@dit.ie In an effort to provide students with the most up to date learning environment, educational centres, such as Universities and Institutes of Technology, are required to constantly upgrade and purchase new IT equipment. Given that the typical IT environment is modelled on a clientcentric solution, this paper demonstrates how a server-based solution can dramatically cut IT costs without compromising performance or user friendliness. In particular, it is shown how a computer environment for students and staff costing 174,000 to refurbish with new IT equipment can be implemented for 13,637 if a server-based solution is considered. Therefore, the implementation of a server-based computer laboratory environment enables a savings of 160,362 or 92%. Keywords Thin Client, Terminal Services, Server-Based Solution, Server-Centric Infrastructure, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). I INTRODUCTION To date there have been numerous studies published by Information Technology (IT) power houses such as Gartner Inc., IDC Corp. and Wyse Technology indicating the benefits of thin client technologies [1] [2] [3]. Often attributed to a server-based environment is the significant increase in data protection, network security and an extended personal computer (PC) lifecycle [2] [3]. In addition to this, it is said that a server-based technology is capable of reducing the cost of desktop computing by a factor of 57% [3]. It is the ultimate aim of thin clients to transform a complex and diverse desktop environment into a simplified and tightly managed deployment in a cost efficient manner. The focus of this paper is to identify areas within an Institute of Technology or University which can directly benefit from a thin client installation. Thin client or server-based computing is defined as an environment where applications and data are centralised in data centres and accessed via thin clients [2]. Hence, within a thin client environment all data storage and application processing occur on a server while screen views, mouse movements and keystrokes are passed between the thin client and the server via a compressed or thin data stream. Figure 1 outlines the basic concept of a server-based infrastructure. Figure 1: Overview of a Basic Server-Based Computing Solution. Wyse Technology Inc. has described thin clients as being diskless devices connected to a server-based computing environment [4]. To re-phrase, computing devices that rely on resources which are centralised to operate are considered thin clients. Operating in such an environment, a thin client user can expect to experience the same level of productivity and application flexibility as any PC user. Like PCs, thin

2 clients are available in a variety of form factors, such as standard desktop devices, zero footprint monitors and e-kiosks. a) Terminal Services Terminal Services is a server-based architecture developed and distributed by the Microsoft Corporation. The Terminal Server is an installable component for the Windows Server Family which has the ability to provide users with centralised applications and a centralised Windows User Interface. The server-based protocol developed by Microsoft is the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP). The RDP protocol is the bases for Terminal Services and the principle mechanism for passing screen views, mouse movements and keystrokes to and from the Terminal Server [5]. b) Benefits of Terminal Services When using Microsoft s Terminal Services as a server-based architecture it brings with it many advantages. For example, Terminal Services deploys the familiar Window s interface to all of its users. This implies that if Terminal Services is deployed as a server-based technology, it will have a significant acceptance ratio amongst its users due to the existing comfort levels users have with the Windows operating system. Another significant advantage of Terminal Services is that it is compatible with existing campus software. Therefore, the migration of a client-based environment, based on the Windows operating system, to a server-based environment, based on Terminal Services, is possible with the existing software catalogue. II HARDWARE CONSIDERATIONS This chapter provides an overview of hardware requirements and considerations for a server-based environment using Terminal Services. In particular, server resource dependencies and a method for transforming fat clients into thin clients are discussed. a) Terminal Server: Hardware Dependencies With a Terminal Server infrastructure, all data and application processing occur on the server and not on the client. Therefore, the server must be scaled correctly to provide each client with the appropriate type and quantity of server resources when required. The three server resources which are the most critical to any server-based environment are processor, memory and network bandwidth [5]. There is little choice when it comes to scaling a Terminal Server for processing power. Processor manufacturers, such as Intel, determine processor speeds and processor s cache. The only decision required is to estimate the amount of processors required for a Terminal Server and whether dual core or single core processors are appropriate. However, it should be noted that a processor s cache can significantly affect the performance of a Terminal Server. Therefore, careful consideration should be given to the value of processor cache. Memory usage in a Terminal Server is extremely complex to calculate and this chapter only outlines the basic concept of memory usage. Microsoft recommends 256MB of memory to run Windows Server However, operating as a Terminal Server more memory will be required. For example, an application requiring 10MB of memory to run implies that each user of the application will also require 10MB of memory. If twenty users operate this application then 200MB of extra memory is required. An overhead of approximately 4MB is required to run each session per user [5]. Therefore, it can be concluded that 536MB is the total minimum amount of memory required to scale a Terminal Server for the application indicated. Server memory is considered the most critical resource when scaling a Terminal Server [5]. It is only through the availability of a network that a Terminal Service solution operates. Hence, a resilient network and network data management is critical to the success of a server-based deployment. When scaling a Terminal Server, careful consideration must be given to the expected levels of network traffic. The solution must be scaled without causing significant traffic congestion on the network. In general, network traffic can be managed with network routing and Terminal Server placement. b) Client Configuration To implement a true thin client solution and achieve a more efficient PC lifecycle, it is required to convert fat clients into thin clients. To achieve diskless operation a Linux Boot RAM CD was developed to the specifications of this deployment. Linux, which is distributed under the General Public Licence (GPL), was considered because of the advantages it offers in customisation and the high availability of tools to implement such a deployment. It should also be noted that many flavours of the Linux kernel can be freely downloaded and implemented. When the Linux Boot RAM CD is booted, a compressed Linux kernel loads into the client s memory. Once the kernel is loaded and the CD-ROM is mounted, a Terminal Service session is automatically initiated by the Linux Kernel using the rdesktop package. The rdesktop package is available freely for download on the internet. To date, the Linux Boot RAM CD, which was developed for the DELL Gx-1 and the DELL Gx-110 PC, has been tested and proven to operate on PCs with as little as 64MB of RAM installed. The Linux Boot RAM CD is important strategically because it liberates legacy hardware from hard disk failures. This dramatically reduces the client s support time and also increases the

3 client s reliability. The client s local operating system, the Linux Kernel, is a read only operating system and hence has the ability to neutralise virus attacks. This solution also provides advantages in centralised data management. III TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is the total cost of a computer asset throughout its lifecycle, from acquisition cost, management and upgrading by technical staff and finally to its disposal [6]. This chapter will compare the total cost of ownership for a PC and a thin client and show how a thin client can cost 35% to 65% less per year to operate and manage [6]. a) Return of Investment for Deployment Costs To evaluate the advantages a server-based solution offers compared to a client-based solution, a questionnaire was distributed to technicians within the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). The aim of this questionnaire was to identify and evaluate the main tasks necessary and the time required to complete the following three types of deployment: PC deployment, software deployment and user migration. Figure 2 shows the deployment time for each case. The server-based solution is benchmarked against the existing client-based solution. It can be seen that the server-based solution is more efficient in each case. For example, to deploy software in a given computer laboratory environment, a serverbased solution achieves deployment at 40% of the time required when compared to the existing clientbased environment. This implies that the serverbased solution is 60% more efficient. b) Return of Investment for Acquisition Costs The acquisition cost of a thin client is far lower than the cost of a PC. This is because thin clients lack onboard memory and storage and are less complex than PCs. However, acquisition costs only play a minor role in the total cost of ownership. Studies by Gartner, Inc. show that nearly 80% of total IT costs occur after the purchase of the unit, and that nearly half of these costs lie outside the IT department s budget [7]. c) Return of Investment for Power Management Since thin clients have fewer components than PCs, they have a tendency to consume less power. Netvoyager have indicated that the average PC consumes 300 Watts [6] whereas thin clients, as outlined in several manufacturers datasheets, consume between 35 and 70 Watts. Hence, a thin client can offer a saving of 76.7% to 88.4% on power consumption. d) Return of Investment for Disposal Costs The cost of disposing a PC is often a hidden and forgotten cost. With the use of thin clients and server-based technologies, existing and legacy hardware can be utilised longer and hence more efficiently. In doing so, PCs are disposed less often and their TCO is significantly reduced. IV Security Configurations This chapter looks at security arrangements concerned with a server-based environment and shows how a thin client solution can increase operational security. In particular, client and data security is discussed. a) Client Hardware Security Thin clients are essentially dumb terminals and possess practically no functionality without the partnership of server-based services. Thin clients are therefore less prone to theft. In the case of theft, no sensitive or business critical data will be lost due to the operational advantages of a server-based computing environment. That is, all the data is processed and stored at the server level and not at the client level. This also enhances the efficiency of the TCO for a sever-based solution. Time of Deployment Client-Based Solution Vs Server-Based Solution 100% Time / Percentage of Total Deployment Time 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Hardware Deployment Software Deployment User Migration Client-Based Solution Server-Based Solution Figure 2: Compares Deployment Times for Both a Server-Based and a Client-Based Environment.

4 b) Data Access Security Due to the very nature of a thin client infrastructure, data accessed on a client never transverses the network. Only screen shots, mouse movements and keystrokes are exchanged between the client and the server which are encrypted by a 128-bit RC4 algorithm. This establishes a foundation for securing data at the point of access. A server-based solution promotes the ideologies of centralisation. One of the key benefits of centralisation is that all data associated with a business, whether non-critical, critical or sensitive is centrally stored across an array of file servers. This significantly increases the simplicity of data protection and restoration. Data no longer exists at the client level. An IT administrator can confidently secure a complete data-set through back-ups. This enhances the efficiency and contributes to the TCO for a sever-based solution. c) Increased Virus and Malware Protection A server-based technology can play an important role in managing virus and malware attacks. The single most cause of infection is due to operating systems and applications which have not got their current service packs and security updates installed. In addition, out of date virus protection software is another significant attribute for virus infection. It is also important to enable and execute real time virus scanners on the network as well as regular data scans. With a server-based solution, it is possible to deploy thin clients that have Read-Only-Memories. This implies, that any virus propagating the network can not permanently write themselves into the operating system. Instead, the virus can only run in the thin client s memory. Therefore, when the thin client is rebooted, the virus is eradicated. This saves valuable support time and costs for an organisation. It is no longer required to visit each client and install critical virus removal tools. Instead, a network reboot or a short network downtime is sufficient. This enhances the efficiency of the TCO for a sever-based solution. d) Network Security With the introduction of a server-based computing solution, such as Terminal Services, significant benefits can be achieved from an improvement in security at the network level. This increase in security can be accomplished without the need for additional security products, such as an 802.1x enabled network. A server-based solution can provide a method for network perimeterisation, that is, the possibility to define and secure the edge of the network. V RESULTS To obtain results, four case studies were undertaken to examine the suitability and scope of a serverbased solution within the Dublin Institute of Technology. One of these case studies examined the possibility of scaling a number of standard DIT PCs to a server-base solution while the other three case studies identified areas within the Dublin Institute of Technology as being suitable for a server-based deployment. These areas were 1) a computer laboratory environment, 2) a staff/student training environment and 3) the library catalogue OPAC environment. a) Server Implementation To estimate the number of servers required to implement each case study, a test environment was established and the server s processor, available memory and network traffic were monitored for several sessions. Due to the unavailability of server hardware during the investigation, a standard PC desktop with a single 1.7 GHz processor and 1GB of RAM was used to implement the Terminal Server. As a result of this, the performance of the Terminal Server was restricted due to the hardware platform it was built upon. Table 1 displays the average results obtained from each of the sessions. It is clearly seen how important memory is for a Terminal Server and the 1. Lab. Environment (Avg. 8.6 Users) 2. Training Environment (Avg. 9.3 Users) 3. OPAC Environment (Four PCs) 4. Standard PC (Five PCs) Avg. Processor Avg. In-Use Networ k Traffic Loading Memory 29.9 % MB 40 KB/s 44.0 % MB 128 KB/s 6.9 % MB 10 KB/s 5.4 % MB N/a Table 1: Results Indicating Processor Loading, Available Memory and Network Traffic for Each Solution.

5 requirement to prioritise the server s memory over the other two resources. In addition to this, it should be noted, from Table 1, that Terminal Services requires very little bandwidth to operate. Based on the results in Table 1, the number of required servers to service the appropriate number of clients for each case study is indicated in Table 2. In addition to evaluating the client s performance, each user was asked, whether they would prefer to continue using the server-based system. As given in Figure 4, 96% of all users would continue to use the system, were only 4% of users preferred not to. 1. Lab. Environment (75 PCs) 2. Training Environment (25 PCs) 3. OPAC Environment (12 PCs) 4. Standard PC (150 PCs) Number. of Servers 4 Table 2: Number of Servers Required to Implement each Thin Client Environment b) User s Perception To quantify the level of satisfaction from students and staff when operating within the server-based environment, a questionnaire containing eight questions was distributed and completed by each user. The principle objective of this questionnaire was to establish how the thin client performed, from a user s perspective, during each session. The results are summarised in Figure 3 and Figure 4. As given in Figure 3, 85% of all users felt that they noticed no difference from working in a server-based environment to a client-based environment. 14% of the remaining 15% agreed that any difference in performance experienced did not have an impact on their session. It should be noted that both the processor performance and the graphical interface performance was evaluated independently. Figure 3: Shows the User s Response in Regards to the Performance of the Thin Client. Figure 4: Shows the User's Acceptance to the Server-Based Solution. c) Costing the Solution This chapter investigates and compares the costs required to replace the existing client hardware with the installation of a server-based environment. The existing clients are converted in thin clients with the Linux Boot RAM CD as described earlier. The costs are outlined in Table 3. As can be seen from Table 3, a server-based solution is capable of achieving significant cost reductions in a given client-based environment. For example, to replace a lab environment of seventyfive PCs costs 62,250. However, using a server environment the cost can be reduced to 11,201 which provides a savings of 51,048 or 82%. VI CONCLUSION In an effort to provide students with the most up to date learning environment, educational centres are required to constantly upgrade and purchase new IT equipment. Given that the typical IT environment is modelled on a client-centric solution, this generates a significant overhead in revenue. This investigation has shown, through four case studies, that with the implementation of a server-based computing solution, significant cost efficiencies are achievable. In addition to efficient acquisition costs, a serverbased solution also offers savings in many other areas within the IT and business process, for example, deployment management, security management and data protection management.

6 1. Lab. Environment (75 PCs require 4 Servers) 2. Training Environment (25 PCs require 2 Servers 3. OPAC Environment (12 PCs require 1 Server) 4. Standard PC (150 PCs require 5 Servers) Client-Based Server-Based Savings in Solution Solution Cost 62,250 11,201 51,048 21,750 5,420 16,329 10,440 1,324 9, ,500 14, ,677 Table 3: Table of Costs for Each Solution. During this investigation, each case study was evaluated separately and hence, server sizing and costs were also evaluated similarly. However, many of these systems operate side by side in the same environment and further savings can made by reducing the required number of servers purchased to deploy the given infrastructure. For example, Aungier Street Library at the Dublin Institute of Technology has approximately two hundred PCs which form the library s general student PC area, the library s OPACs, the library s training facility and the library s staff environment. Based on the given case studies, eight servers are required to operate this environment. However, it can be shown, due to server redundancy and server load balancing, that it is possible to operate the library environment containing two hundred PCs with only five servers. This is also possible since all PCs are not in use all of the time. OPACs are only periodically used to search the online catalogue and the training room is not in use all day, every day. This reduction in the number of required servers has a significant affect on the cost to deploy a server-based solution in such an environment. The cost of purchasing two hundred PCs for the library environment will cost approximately 174,000. However, implementing a server-based solution with five servers will cost 13,637. This gives the library a total savings of 160,362 or a savings of 92%. Terminal Services is a viable solution as a serverbased deployment for Universities and Institutes of Technology. Typical operational environments have been investigated in which significant cost savings are achievable. In addition to this, this is a solution which students and staff want to use, 96% of all users operating in a Terminal Services environment would like to continue operating in such an environment. VII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Thanks to Frank Duignan (School of Control Systems and Electrical Engineering, Dublin Institute of Technology) for creating the Linux Boot RAM CD and offering the use of his programming labs during this investigation. Appreciation to Aungier Street Library, in particular Anne Ambrose and Fiachra Mangan, for offering their facilities and assistance during this investigation. Finally, thanks to everyone who contributed to this investigation, especially those who have completed and returned questionnaires. VIII REFERENCES [1] Wipro (2004) New Insights on PC Management: Benefits of Controlled PC Hardware Diversity [Online]. [Accessed 17th February 2005]. Available from World Wide Web: < [2] Wyse Technology (2004) Thin Clients: Helping Corporations Do More With Less [Online]. [Accessed 4th December 2004]. Available from World Wide Web: < ZD.htm> [3] Wyse Technology (2004) Thin Clients: Four Facts You Can t Afford To Ignore [Online]. [Accessed 4th December 2004]. Available from World Wide Web: < [4] Wyse Technology (2004) Thin Clients: Solving Business Problems at the Point of Data Access [Online]. [Accessed 4th December 2004]. Available from World Wide Web: < ZDSolvBusProb.htm > [5] Madden, B S. Oglesby, R. (2004) Terminal Services for Microsoft Windows Server 2003.Washington DC: BrianMadden.com Publishing. [6] Netvoyager (2004) RDP What is Total Cost of Ownership? [Online]. [Accessed 4th March 2005]. Available from World Wide Web: < > [7] Hewlett Packard (2004) RDP Getting serious about TCO [Online]. [Accessed 4th March 2005]. Available from World Wide Web: <