TCO Continues to Drop: How Server-Based Computing with Thin Clients Cuts the Total Cost of Ownership

Transcription

1 TCO Continues to Drop: How Server-Based Computing with Thin Clients Cuts the Total Cost of Ownership

2 A typical migration to server-based computing (SBC) with thin clients can now cut the overall costs of an IT infrastructure by up to 70%. Modern server environments and universally deployable thin clients can increase these savings even more. Thin client computing has proven its worth: User applications and data storage are both concentrated in a data center. Data backups as well as management of servers and applications are carried out in a centralized and automated manner. At the same time, confi guration and maintenance of the enduser devices can be fully achieved remotely. In contrast, those operating a PC-based network distribute their computing capacity across all workstations, thus having to cope with the resulting high costs of support, security and maintenance. A clear indication of the growing criticism of the PC cost spiral was the resistance of companies to upgrade to Windows Vista as a desktop operating system because it, like every new Windows release, would require yet another round of high investment in support-intensive PC hardware. In fact, in a survey of CIOs by the market research company Forrester, 20% of those asked expressed a desire to delay a Vista upgrade by two years. By comparison, the thin client sector has experienced continued growth since the end of the 1990 s. According to IDC, approximately 3.5 million of such devices were sold worldwide in 2008; the top sales markets in Europe were the UK and Germany. Up to 70% Lower TCO To make a comprehensive cost comparison between PCbased and thin client environments, all expenses associated with the investment and operation of each infrastructure must be taken into account. This amount is the total cost of ownership (TCO). A correspondingly detailed economic analysis has been conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) 1 : This thorough analysis clearly reveals the economic impact that the three different operating models examined Unmanaged PC, Managed PC and Thin Client have on the IT cost structure of a typical enterprise employing between 150 and 300 people. While a PC that is only manually maintained results in an annual TCO of about 4,600 euros, the introduction of a software distribution system decreases this amount to about 2,800 euros - assuming at least 150 workstations are involved. However, with an annual TCO of less than 1,500 euros a thin client workstation is even 46% more economical. Compared directly to a manually managed PC, the thin client saves up to 70% (see Fig. 1). According to Fraunhofer UMSICHT, the results of this study can also be readily applied to larger enterprises. However, migration projects in small companies are also worthwhile starting with seven thin client workstations. In practice these savings could still be even higher because the Fraunhofer UMSICHT study assumed a standard usage period of fi ve years for better comparability. However, the usual service life for PCs is actually more like from three to four years and for thin clients from six to even eight years. This is largely because these rugged end-user devices have no mechanical parts that can wear out or break down, such as hard drives or cooling fans. Fig. 1: Overall Cost Comparison: PC versus Thin Client Source: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) / IGEL Technology: PC vs. Thin Client Economic Feasibility Study ( 5, , , , , , , , , Unmanaged PC Managed PC Thin Client 2/6

3 Power Consumption: 50% and Even Less Furthermore, the lean construction of thin clients - limited to only essential parts - cuts energy costs within the overall IT infrastructure. As a special environmental impact study conducted by the Fraunhofer UMSICHT shows, thin client environments consume at least 50% less power than comparable PC environments 2. Even when the power requirements of the terminal server and the share of the cooling load in the server center are taken into account, a thin client uses an average of 41 W of power, whereas a PC consumes about 85 W. Assuming an electricity rate of 15 cents per kwh, a thin client along with its share of server/cooling capacity has an annual power cost of euros, whereas a PC costs euro annually. Server-side Savings with 64-bit Migration Furthermore, with current migrations to 64-bit systems server-based computing is experiencing major increases in effi ciency, which is greatly increasing the number of users per terminal server (to up to 200), as was shown in an independent comparison test conducted by Scapa Technologies using the 64-bit version of Microsoft Windows Server These results can also be applied to Microsoft Windows Server 2008, whose second release (R2) exclusively features a 64-bit architecture. Because of this huge increase in effi ciency, in the future the power requirements on the server side will drop by 75%. This means that the power-related savings compared to a PC will then increase to over 70% (see Table 1). When both types of end-user devices are ultimately disposed of, the lower amount of materials in thin clients really becomes evident: When recycled, they yield only one third of the electronic scrap (e-waste) that PCs do. This cost advantage also has an indirect effect on the purchase price. Table 1: Power Savings for 32-bit and 64-bit Citrix Environments Thin Client with average effective power including share of server use/cooling 3) (32-bit server OS) Thin Client with average effective power including share of server use/cooling 4) (64-bit server OS) PC (without server share) Power consumption 1) 41 W 22 W 85 W x 8 hours per day 328 Wh 176 Wh 680 Wh x 220 workdays per year 72 kwh kwh 149 kwh Annual power costs 2) for workstation - 10 workstations workstations 1, , ,000 workstations 10, , , Savings from a TC compared 51% 74% - to a PC Savings from 64-bit migration 46% No info available 1) Average share of effective power (Source: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT): Environmental Comparison of PC and Thin Client Desktop Equipment. 2) Base electricity rate assumed to be = 0.15 kwh 3) Worst-case scenario: 20 users/terminal server 4) Calculation based on the study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) with 80 users and 25% power and cooling requirements on the server side. This calculation also assumes an increase in performance and effi ciency resulting from a 64-bit migration (Scapa Technologies) 3/6

4 Virtualization and Cloud Computing Server-side synergistic effects will also support the current trends toward greater consolidation and virtualization in data centers. The goal of both developments is to eliminate the conventional practice of over-dimensioning servers and their cooling systems and to most effi ciently and fl exibly distribute and utilize computing capacity. The virtualization and centralized provisioning of desktops by means of VMware View, Citrix XenDesktop or Microsoft VDI Suite shows a new approach for server-based computing in which the previously used physical PCs are now provisioned from a virtual server along with their local applications. In such a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), these virtual devices can then be readily installed, removed, cloned, changed and centrally managed as needed. In this way applications that are incompatible with terminal servers, are high-performance or even unstable can also be economically provisioned through thin clients. Mixed scenarios combining terminal-server computing and virtual desktops are very economical. Many companies provision their standard applications by means of terminal servers, with virtual desktops being used for specifi c applications or IT workstations requiring an especially high degree of graphics quality and computing power as well as for programming or test environments requiring access to different operating systems. Even cloud services (applications accessed over the Internet and subject to usage-based charges) can be part of such a mixed environment, especially when the thin clients also have an integrated web browser and a runtime environment that allows cloud services to be run in a manner that conserves resources. A Broad Deployment Range The extent to which costs can be cut by deploying thin clients greatly depends on the quality and coverage of their fi rmware: For quite some time now, the software clients, tools and protocols contained in fi rmware have no longer just included the communications protocols necessary to access terminal servers, such as Citrix ICA, Microsoft RDP or the UNIX/ Linux protocol X.11 and the associated protocol extension NoMachine NX. Instead, manufacturers are integrating many additional functions, including business-sector-specifi c or bandwidth-optimized ones, that also help to lower costs. These include frequently used applications, especially Internet browsers, Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and typical plug-ins such as Acrobat Reader, necessary for accessing web-based applications. These packages may also include a media player allowing users to directly view multimedia fi les or streamed data. Other signifi cant fi rmware features include Voice over IP (VoIP) via SIP client as well as integrated broker clients for accessing virtual desktops provisioned by virtual machine solutions such as VMware ESX-Server, Microsoft Virtual Server or Citrix XenServer. In addition to the software clients, tools and protocols, there is also a series of important supporting technologies available. Above all, these include security features such as an integrated VPN client and support for smartcard-based authentication solutions featuring single sign-on (SSO). Consolidating End-User Devices Their long service life makes thin clients perfectly suited for economical integration into other end-user devices. For example, the UD9 series of thin clients from IGEL Technology, Germany s leading manufacturer of these devices, has a space-saving design combining a specially developed thin client and a TFT monitor. IGEL Universal Desktops can also replace other kinds of end-user devices: The terminal emulations integrated in the IGEL fi rmware also provide users with the functionality of host terminals for accessing proprietary mainframe systems. Dedicated print servers can also be replaced by thin clients. The same thing applies to IP telephony: By using a headset and a VoIP client, thin client users can make free calls within the company network or through the VoIP system out to external landlines or mobile networks. A centrally manageable network, standardized end-user devices and low telecommunications costs all combine to create a complementary, future-ready system whose cost savings will allow it to quickly pay for itself. Fast Implementation, Lean Updates The most prominent potential for savings presented by a thin client infrastructure is based on its ability to be centrally managed thanks to an effi cient management solution that is intuitive and easy to use. Management solutions not only simplify the management of thin clients by means of group profi les but are also especially helpful in updating their fi rmware. Software tools from leading manufacturers offer the option of only installing new or modifi ed sections of fi rmware during updates (partial update for the operating system Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard). Individual thin clients can also function as an update server and update all local-area devices, such 4/6

5 as those in a company branch offi ce (buddy update for Linux). Both methods minimize the otherwise bandwidth-intensive data transfer during updates to a degree that greatly lowers the impact on network capacities, especially for narrow-band WAN connections. In this way, related costs and resource usage can be kept within acceptable limits. Helpful functions such as the ability to import automatically generated MACaddress lists for new systems or integrated wizards to support simple and easy confi guration of essential Citrix functions such as Program Neighborhood or Hot Desktop allow system administrators to conduct fast and smooth rollouts. Such functions allow even whole company departments to be placed in operation within a short time. In addition, leading network management tools also provide powerful features for integrating existing databases and fully confi guring all thin client settings remotely. For instance, this is critical for workstations with two monitors or a connection to special USB devices, such as scanners with TWAIN interfaces (ES). Lean and Ready for the Future Thin client computing offers cost-conscious companies a cost-effi cient solution that, on one hand, meets the needs of the end users (see Fig. 2) and, on the other hand, supports the IT department in meeting its most critical challenges: to permanently cut management costs, realize a fast ROI and provide a fl exible, highly available and future-ready computing infrastructure that can also be readily used to leverage worthwhile synergies with the latest technological trends. Fig. 2: Potentials for Improvement from the User s Perspective Stability User-friendliness Error-free operation Performance Functionality 75.20% 62.97% 55.17% 50.67% 23.45% Help and Support 18.28% Age of Equipment Integration of end-user devices Runtime, power supply Smaller size Other 14.52% 9.74% 9.21% 7.46% 1.21% Source: Fraunhofer IAO, OFFICE21 5/6

6 IGEL s Universal Desktop Concept Whether it is server-based computing, virtual desktops or cloud computing IGEL s Universal Desktops work well together with the greatest variety of centralized IT infrastructures. In particular, their powerful hardware and excellent graphics performance, along with continuously developed firmware, provide future-readiness that safeguards this major investment. Thanks to different device designs, operating systems, alternative firmware features (tools, clients and protocols) and a wide range of hardware options, the selection of a suitable model can be tailored to meet the exact needs of the installation and ensure cost efficiency. Other, but no less important, considerations are that IGEL Universal Desktops use minimal energy, have long service lives and come standard with the IGEL Universal Management Suite, a proprietary remote management solution. Head Office United Kingdom United States Singapore Hong Kong IGEL Technology GmbH Hanna-Kunath-Strasse Bremen, Germany Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) IGEL Technology Ltd Parkview Arlington Business Park Theale Reading Berkshire RG7 4TY UK Tel.: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) IGEL Technology America, LLC 2106 Florence Avenue Cincinnati OH USA Tel.: Fax: Toll free (US only): GET IGEL info@igelamerica.com IGEL Technology Care of: C. Melchers GmbH & Co. Singapore Branch 101 Thomson Road # 24-01/05 United Square Singapore Tel.: Fax: IGEL Technology Care of: Melchers (H.K.) Ltd Shun Tak Centre West Tower Connaught Road C. Hong Kong Tel.: Fax: IGEL is a registered trademark of IGEL Technology GmbH. All hardware and software names are brand names or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Errors and omissions excepted. info@igel.com 07/2011 IGEL Technology 99-EN-3-1