Microsoft stress testing Windows Multipoint Server / Zero Clients

[Axel]

Microsoft Education commissioned Axel to develop a specific WMS terminal, and Microsoft (France) are currently testing the Axel M80 WMS terminal (ethernet connected) and

pushing results on the twitter feed as below

 

The M80 does cost a little more than some Multipoint terminals, but have the benefits of:

 

1) Much less load on the server - (no "USB over Ethernet" conversion/driver such as required by HP T200 and Wyse E01/E02) - so provides linear performance as workstation

numbers increase.

 

2) Performance not impacted by graphics card (in fact no graphic card need be installed on server). For "USB over Ethernet" products the graphics card is virtualised, so plays a

significant role in performance

 

3) Specifically Microsoft were concerned by the lower limit of workstation numbers supported by some terminal products. Microsoft designed Multipoint to support 20 work stations, many offerings won't work with more than 15 and suffer performance issues even before reaching 15.

 

The M80 provides the same level of performance for up to 20 connections and this is what Microsoft are testing.

 

For those interested in this subject there is a short video showing installation and operation:

Axel Zero Client on Windows Multipoint Server - YouTube

 

Microsoft's Twitter feed can be followed on:

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Antoine_EducMS

 

MS also give useful information on server hardware requirements.

 

As always if anyone wishes to trial an M80 please PM or call/email

 

[email protected]

[plexer]

Just to say as expected the wms axel clients are extremely easy to setup and deploy and if doing classroom size deployments with wms requirinh thin clients I would use these.

 

Ben

[BHMS]

While I love the overall design, driver free feature and concentration on performance of the M80. How do you arrange your USB audio? I find the lack of audio ports disturbing for a school environment. USB headphones are comparatively expensive and USB dongles are too easy to break/lose/steal.

[Axel]

BHMS,

 

You are quite right, those are the options - you can pick up the USB to phono convertors for less than a pound.

 

We developed the forbearer of the M80 before sound was an option from MS, and when sound was introduced in W2003, it was felt that having an extra

USB port would be more versatile than a phono socket. Back then there was not many TC in schools, and even today most businesses are not interested

in sound - so this was not seen as an issue.

 

As the M80 has no operating system it requires much less hardware (and no embedded license) - so even the cost of M80 + new USB headset would still be competitive against comparative competing products....

[oliphanj]

Does this model suffer from the video streaming issue with the sound getting out of sync? I know several of the other models in the market do.

 

Thanks,

Jason Oliphant

 

 

Microsoft Education commissioned Axel to develop a specific WMS terminal, and Microsoft (France) are currently testing the Axel M80 WMS terminal (ethernet connected) and

pushing results on the twitter feed as below

 

The M80 does cost a little more than some Multipoint terminals, but have the benefits of:

 

1) Much less load on the server - (no "USB over Ethernet" conversion/driver such as required by HP T200 and Wyse E01/E02) - so provides linear performance as workstation

numbers increase.

 

2) Performance not impacted by graphics card (in fact no graphic card need be installed on server). For "USB over Ethernet" products the graphics card is virtualised, so plays a

significant role in performance

 

3) Specifically Microsoft were concerned by the lower limit of workstation numbers supported by some terminal products. Microsoft designed Multipoint to support 20 work stations, many offerings won't work with more than 15 and suffer performance issues even before reaching 15.

 

The M80 provides the same level of performance for up to 20 connections and this is what Microsoft are testing.

 

For those interested in this subject there is a short video showing installation and operation:

Axel Zero Client on Windows Multipoint Server - YouTube

 

Microsoft's Twitter feed can be followed on:

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Antoine_EducMS

 

MS also give useful information on server hardware requirements.

 

As always if anyone wishes to trial an M80 please PM or call/email

 

[email protected]