Help - Thin client scenario

[johno]

Scenario.

 

I have about 25 users at my workplace and i want to migrate them all to thin client systems.

 

8 have laptops and are executives and the rest are on traditional desktops.

 

They generally use outlook for their email, microsoft excell and word primarily.

And the hr department uses one 32 bit application for their payroll and accounts use another 32 bit application for their payroll which is accessed by 2 employees.

 

1. My main concern however is the data storage and what server spec is suitable for this sort of set up.

 

2. My second concern is the laptop users; my aim is to ensure security especially on these devices without taking away their independent storage capabilities and the ability to work from home.

My question with the laptop users is how do i make sure that all their data is synchronised auomatically with the desktop on the server giving them the independence of downloading information like spreadsheets and docs so that they can also work form home etc.

Main concern is to make sure data integrity policy is followed when execute my periodical backups.

[dhicks]

I have about 25 users at my workplace and i want to migrate them all to thin client systems.

 

As discussed in this thread:

 

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/windows-server-2008-r2/48272-hardware-requirements-terminal-server.html

 

Something similar to a Dell 610 with dual processors, 24GB of RAM, and running Windows Server 2008 R2 should quite capably handle 25 users. Graphics performance shouldn't be an issue for Word and Excel use, so no worries there. The hardware will cost you around £2,000, Server 2008 R2 is around £100 + £25 per CAL at education prices, although that varies somewhat depending on how you organise licensing.

 

I'd treat a terminal services machine as a client, so expect to have to reimage it every now and then and have a separate server for file storage, DC, etc. You'd probably do best to buy another 610 or similar, stuff a bunch of harddrives in it and split it up into separate virtual machines for ease of management.

 

And the hr department uses one 32 bit application for their payroll and accounts use another 32 bit application for their payroll which is accessed by 2 employees.

 

Check and see if said application runs on Server 2008 R2 (which is 64-bit only) - you could always drop back to Server 2008 32-bit instead.

 

My question with the laptop users is how do i make sure that all their data is synchronised auomatically with the desktop on the server

 

Have them use your thin client system from home, too - just have them VPN via broadband. Don't give them any facilities to use local storage on their laptops, just have the laptop be an RDP client. If they need to do stuff on the move, buy them iPads or similar.

 

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David Hicks