Why Use Hp Thin Clients; Why Not Reutilize Existing Devices - Compaq BL10e - HP ProLiant - 512 MB RAM Hardware Manual

Why use HP thin clients?

HP recommends thin clients be deployed to serve as access devices. While it is possible to redeploy
desktops as general access devices, maximum savings and efficiency comes from stateless, low
power devices.
Management savings
HP t5000 series thin clients are stateless devices that remove many risks from user environments.
Recovery and patching the thin client environment can take significantly less time compared to the
traditional desktop environment.
Enhanced manageability also comes in the form of increased reliability. Thin clients do not possess
the failure-prone components such as hard drives and multiple, large fans found in a desktop. In the
unlikely event of a failure, since no user data is stored locally, a thin client can be replaced by the
average end user. This can greatly reduce the need for remote support.
Deployment of thin client solutions is also a key area for management savings. The typical thin client
deployment is completed in only minutes, and the device itself can be installed by the end user and
imaged and configured remotely. Thin clients are managed from a single console with control handed
over to the administrator, not the end-user. Remote administrators can manage images and firewall
settings and even disable external ports to prevent unauthorized copying of corporate data.
Risk reduction
No company wants to be in the headlines as having lost private data, yet all too frequently data is
lost. Generally, it is in a portable format such as USB key, CD-ROM or even a laptop hard drive. Thin
clients that are properly configured allow necessary levels of data access for end users, but can assist
IT in insuring the data is not converted into a portable data format. Typically, a traditional locked-
down desktop still has a hard drive and the ability to write information to external devices.
Power savings
Today's higher performing desktops draw more electricity than ever. Faster processors and hard
drives use more energy. A thin client from HP eliminates the need for local hard drives and allows the
bulk of the processing to occur in the data center. This allows for more efficient processors within the
user environment that utilize less electricity and require less cooling capacity.
Longer lifecycle
HP t5000 series thin clients can extend the lifecycle of end-user devices. Since core application
processing moves to the data center, the thin client does not need cutting-edge processor and memory
speeds to function. Thin clients do not have failure-prone components such as hard disk drives. These
two factors are large drivers for short desktop refresh cycles. Extending refresh by one to two years
adds dramatic savings to managing the end-user environment.

Why not reutilize existing devices?

While there is an initial purchase savings to be found by reutilizing existing access devices
(desktops), HP does not suggest this approach. Reutilizing existing systems can pose the following
limitations which limit longer term return on investment:
• Higher power consumption than stateless devices.
• Component failure remains possible in the user environment, potentially resulting in continuing high
support costs.
• Converting existing resources to be more secure is time consuming and expensive conversion.
• Incurring excessive licensing costs from multiple locations for corporate applications.
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