Server Specifications for Thin Client Environent

[myschool]

We are running Windows Multipoint on a desktop for testing purposes and are looking to expand to 40 thin clients (20 clients per server). We are currently looking at the following set-up and are wondering if it will be sufficient, overpowered, or underpowered. I know MS has server recommendations, however, I still want alternative opinions for our application. We are a school, so most applications will be browsing/video, word processing, etc; typical tasks students perform, in addition to faculty.

 

• Windows Multipoint 2011
  
• Ncomputing L300 connected via Ethernet
  

Possible server build (2 Servers):

 

• 2x Intel Quad Core 2.0GHz
  
• 32 GB RAM
  
• Hard Drives (4) 73GB / 10K Hard Drives
  
• Two Redundant Power Supply
  
• On-board Dual Gigabit Ethernet
  

 

Within a Multipoint environment, I'm thinking RAM might be the most important.

[mikkydoos]

As long as the server is scaleable upwards e.g. you can increase RAM, add CPU's you should be ok. My opinion is that you can't really overspec with something as resource heavy as VDI.

You're going to want more than 40 in the future right ?

 

Hard disks look tiny though. As soon as you RAID them they're going to disappear.

 

 

Maybe take a look at VMWare Horizon or Citrix. Might be more efficient than MS.

Cisco do a cloud VDI host too. That looks clever.

 

Good luck.

[PotNoodleTech]

Disk performance will be your main limit. I would strongly suggest using solid state drives instead of 10k SAS.

 

CPUs are a tad weak compared to modern 6/8/12 core stuff, I assume your repurposing old'ish servers for this?

 

Other than that, should work!

[ICTDirect_Dave]

If you need some servers for a rather lovely price drop me a line. My refurbished HP servers have spectacular specs for the price.

 

For example:

 

HP 1U Server, with 2 x X5650 2.66Ghz Hex Core Xeon, 48GB DDR3, 8 x 2.5" Drive bay, 2 x PSU, P410 controller etc, 2 years Warranty.

 

Expensive? You mght think so, but it's less than £600! And perfect for multipoint

Edited January 27, 2015 by ICTDirect_Dave

[localzuk]

Switch out the SAS drives for SSDs (disk IOPS is the key for multi-user systems) and up the CPUs to have more cores (the clock speed isn't so important, but having lots of cores helps a lot). RAM should be ok though, but RAM is cheap so 64GB isn't going to increase the cost much to be honest!

[SHimmer45]

If you need some servers for a rather lovely price drop me a line. My refurbished HP servers have spectacular specs for the price.

 

For example:

 

HP 1U Server, with 2 x X5650 2.66Ghz Hex Core Xeon, 48GB DDR3, 8 x 2.5" Drive bay, 2 x PSU, P410 controller etc, 2 years Warranty.

 

Expensive? You mght think so, but it's less than £600! And perfect for multipoint

 

that is a cheap deal!

[Oaktech]

My opinion... Don't do it.

 

We have 35 multipoint terminals running on 4x i7 machines with 16gb ram and 120gb SSD and it's horrifically unreliable. I'm looking to sack it off as soon as and go back to running ordinary PCs.

 

I've just re-read and seen the bit that says NComputing. Double don't do it. The support from NComputing is non existent and the drivers are flaky at best.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Oaktech

[myschool]

Thanks for the input here. Regarding disk space/speed, we are actually running everyone's roaming profile from one of our NAS systems. We haven't seen performance issues there so we will likely keep as is. So I guess that relieves that server from any drive related discussions.

 

My opinion... Don't do it.

 

We have 35 multipoint terminals running on 4x i7 machines with 16gb ram and 120gb SSD and it's horrifically unreliable. I'm looking to sack it off as soon as and go back to running ordinary PCs.

 

I've just re-read and seen the bit that says NComputing. Double don't do it. The support from NComputing is non existent and the drivers are flaky at best.

 

Thanks for your input. We've been running 20 on an i7 desktop (we were testing then quickly implemented lol, poor planning), and we really haven't had issues. The one-time was an issue with client screens blinking which we found out was due to Chrome. NComputing quickly helped us make a few registry changes, and answered to many minor things we needed.

[Oaktech]

Thanks for the input here. Regarding disk space/speed, we are actually running everyone's roaming profile from one of our NAS systems. We haven't seen performance issues there so we will likely keep as is. So I guess that relieves that server from any drive related discussions.

 

 

 

Thanks for your input. We've been running 20 on an i7 desktop (we were testing then quickly implemented lol, poor planning), and we really haven't had issues. The one-time was an issue with client screens blinking which we found out was due to Chrome. NComputing quickly helped us make a few registry changes, and answered to many minor things we needed.

 

Then you have been very lucky and I wish you every success.

[myschool]

Then you have been very lucky and I wish you every success.

 

Well now you have me worried! They only real issue that we experienced was where Chrome was causing the terminal screen to blink. However, Ncomputing assisted us making registry changes to avoid the issue.

 

We also either replaced our old scanners, or reconfigured so that users would be able to scan directly to network folders rather than to user terminals, due to Multipoint limitations.

[mikkydoos]

I'm smelling a Citrix implementation here cash depending... ?

[Achandler]

Just so you are aware we have 70 multipoint clients over 9 desktops, well we did have we now have 50 over 6 desktops. They are rubbish, noone likes them and they cause us all sorts fo problems. We are going to drop to 30 hopefully over the summer.

[tmcd35]

For that number of clients, especially with video, I'd look towards dual hex-core Xeons or Opterons with 48Gb Ram per server as a minimum. With any desktop virtualisation you typically want to spec close to standalone (1 core, 2Gb Ram min) specs for each station then had some overhead for the host OS. 8-cores and 32Gb for 20 machines? Okay for light work but a bit meager if you ask me.

[Oaktech]

Well now you have me worried! They only real issue that we experienced was where Chrome was causing the terminal screen to blink. However, Ncomputing assisted us making registry changes to avoid the issue.

 

We also either replaced our old scanners, or reconfigured so that users would be able to scan directly to network folders rather than to user terminals, due to Multipoint limitations.

 

I would be very wary of the N computing terminals for a start. My predecessor installed themand they've been in place for between 6 and 18 months. I've been supporting them for 4 months. We have a mixture of u170 usb clients and l300 ethernet clients. The u170 usb clients are by far the worst, any tiny disturbance to the usb cables makes the multipoint shell lock up. you can still rdp the server but the only way to continue is to restart the multipoint shell - this happens at least twice a day. The l300 are better but we have experienced a lot of issues with their reliability. The terminals themselves seem to crash frequently when using things like scratch and powerpoint full screen presentations. The staff also tried to use windows movie maker on them, you can get about 20 minutes of work before they lock up and the ethernet lights go solid and the only thing to do is pull the power and shelve the session at the multipoint end. They make for just a very nervous computing existence.

 

We've discussed the way forwards with the staff and the overwhelming feeling is they want normal computers, so I'm going to partially ignore that, some of them are going to get axel thin clients to one of our conventional rdp servers for some staff. The ICT suite which is currently 3 multipoint servers running 25 u170 usb and 10 l300 ethernet terminals will get 35 ICT-direct refurb desktops.

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Well now you have me worried! They only real issue that we experienced was where Chrome was causing the terminal screen to blink. However, Ncomputing assisted us making registry changes to avoid the issue.

 

We also either replaced our old scanners, or reconfigured so that users would be able to scan directly to network folders rather than to user terminals, due to Multipoint limitations.

 

I would be very wary of the N computing terminals for a start. My predecessor installed themand they've been in place for between 6 and 18 months. I've been supporting them for 4 months. We have a mixture of u170 usb clients and l300 ethernet clients. The u170 usb clients are by far the worst, any tiny disturbance to the usb cables makes the multipoint shell lock up. you can still rdp the server but the only way to continue is to restart the multipoint shell - this happens at least twice a day. The l300 are better but we have experienced a lot of issues with their reliability. The terminals themselves seem to crash frequently when using things like scratch and powerpoint full screen presentations. The staff also tried to use windows movie maker on them, you can get about 20 minutes of work before they lock up and the ethernet lights go solid and the only thing to do is pull the power and shelve the session at the multipoint end. They make for just a very nervous computing existence.

 

We've discussed the way forwards with the staff and the overwhelming feeling is they want normal computers, so I'm going to partially ignore that, some of them are going to get axel thin clients to one of our conventional rdp servers for some staff. The ICT suite which is currently 3 multipoint servers running 25 u170 usb and 10 l300 ethernet terminals will get 35 ICT-direct refurb desktops.

[Axel]

This is the alternative device mentioned in post above in action !

 

It connects to Multipoint or standard Microsoft server (up to W2012r2)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZLMBqD0c44

[myschool]

Achandler, running 70 clients on 9 desktops? Are they connected via USB? Just wondering why you decided to stick to a desktop opposed to server implementation.

[MatthewL]

If this was me I would spend the money and look at XenDesktop which we used on a VDI project and worked a treat. To be honest we didn't so much more than office and web browsing but worked nicely, biggest cost was licensees. The VMWare stuff looks good to but you are going to need some serious spec'd kit to do it.

[Achandler]

They were here when I arrived. They are "Multipoint Server" but they are just glorified desktops using the x300 (i think) cards to connect via ethernet cables to ncomputing clients, we have the LG screens with built in clients.

 

The clients and the servers dreeze a lot, or randomly a mouse stops working. Staff hate them, students hate them!