Q. Who invented and manufactures the Jack PC?
A. The Jack PC is made by Chip PC Technologies of Israel. Some news articles have incorrectly reported Jade Integration as being the manufacturer of the Jack PC. This is NOT the case. Jade Integration are an independent UK provider of thin client technology solutions and terminals. As such we rigorously test every thin client we deploy.
Q. I can buy proper PC for the same price - what's the point?
A. The Jack PC is a thin client. It is NOT a traditional PC, doesn't work like a traditional PC and shouldn't be compared to a traditional PC. Traditional PCs are overly powerful for most business applications and cost a huge amount of money to power, maintain and manage. Thin client computing is all about removing unnecessary processing power from the desktop and taking it back to the server where things can be managed centrally.
Q. How can I buy one in the UK?
A. There are a network of UK resellers. To purchase from ourselves click here. For a list of worldwide resellers please visit www.chippc.com.
Q. How can I buy one outside the UK?
A. Jade Integration do not currently supply outside the UK. If you're outside the UK and want more information please contact your local Chip PC reseller via www.chippc.com.
Q. Can I distribute / sell the Jack PC outside the UK?
A. Jade Integration are not the manufacturers of the Jack PC. Please speak to Chip PC Technologies via www.chippc.com. Q. I'm a home user but these look amazing, can I buy one?
A. Yes, however they're really designed for business use and to get the most out of them you'll really need a terminal server unless you just want to use them to browse the web.
Q. Are they suitable for Linux and PXE boot environments?
A. The units are currently only available with Windows CE and the only PXE boot option is to boot to another Windows CE image (for more information regarding PXE boot click here). Linux implementations are being investigated by Chip PC's R&D department but there are no timescales for this as yet.
Q. Can they be used for streaming video and audio?
A. We would not advise using them for high quality streaming audio or video since it's not what they're designed for. Try it at your own risk, but test it first. They can however be used quite effectively for low quality audio / video streaming.
Q. What applications are ideal for thin client environments?
A. Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Sage, Access, Internet Explorer, AutoRoute, MapPoint... basically almost every piece of standard office software. 99% of Windows-based applications will work perfectly on a terminal server and the rest normally work with a bit of tweaking.
Q. What applications aren't ideal for thin client environments?
A. Photoshop, Publisher, Illustrator, InDesign, Quark, AutoCad, audio applications... basically anything that uses high resolution graphics or high quality audio.
Q. How do I give a new user access to a specific program?
A. Put them in the relevant group in Active Directory and they'll immediately have access to whatever applications you want them to have.
Q. Should I replace ALL my PCs with thin clients?
A. It really depends what your users are doing. For most office-based applications, yes. However bear in mind that if one user needs access to a very specific and processor-hungry piece of software it might be worth leaving them with a PC to save the load on your terminal server. PCs and thin clients can co-exist quite happily!
Q. Do I need Active Directory?
A. To take full advantage of a thin client environment you should have Active Directory, although it's not compulsory. It's also essential that Active Directory is set up properly - we'll normally check this over for you before we even start with anything thin client related.
Q. What is Citrix exactly?
A. Citrix (or Citrix Metaframe Presentation Server as it's actually called) is a clever add-on for Windows Terminal Services which greatly enhances the whole thin client experience. The biggest single benefit is the efficiency of the ICA protocol which Citrix uses. The ICA protocol makes it quite possible to connect to a thin client environment over very slow links. For example, you can easily access your full office desktop from a slow dial-up modem connection or over broadband. This makes it ideal for remote working or if you're often on the move. The ICA protocol is also largely device independent - i.e. you can access a Citrix server from just about any device - not just Windows-based clients. This makes it ideal for offices with Mac, Unix or Linux clients who need access to standard Windows applications. Citrix also adds a wealth of other features including load balancing, fault tolerance, published applications, conferencing manager and secure Citrix access through a web browser, from anywhere.
Q. How many users can connect to one server?
A. This is a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string' question. We've designed environments where there's been one server for every 150 users. We've also seen environments where servers struggle with just 20 users. Normally this is due to the servers being set up badly, however it also largely depends on what the users are doing and how many applications are being used simultaneously. We always recommend carrying out performance testing or a full pilot study to work out how many servers you need and what specification they should be.
Q. What if my server crashes - all eggs in one basket?
A. We always advise having at least two terminal servers for resilience. Citrix can be configured to 'load-balance' connections between servers so that each does it's fair share of processing. In a properly set-up and managed environment it's very rare for servers to fail, however with load balancing and properly designed fault tolerance failures cause minimal disruption to end-users. In a managed environment we'll also be alerted of problems before they become serious, allowing us to rectify the fault before anyone even notices.
Q. I've heard bad things about Citrix and terminal services - is it any good?
A. If you've experienced problems with Citrix and terminal services in the past it simply hasn't been installed and managed properly. Some rogue applications and printer drivers can sometimes cause problems however these are normally quickly rectified with proper testing and controlled application deployment. A terminal server isn't like a normal Windows server and should be looked after by qualified experts. But when implemented properly it can bring massive benefits to businesses and will be 100% reliable. Fiddle with applications and settings at your own peril though! We don't let engineers anywhere near Citrix servers without at least 1-2 years of training and experience.
Q. How secure is it?
A. Very secure. Citrix can handle up to 128 bit encryption and can also be used with 2-factor authentication mechanisms, ensuring only legitimate users have access to your network.
Q. Thin clients aren't much cheaper than PCs - why should I switch?
A. The capital costs of PCs and thin clients are quite similar. The cheapest thin clients start at around £140 and go up to £400+. However, it's the management and long term capital costs where you really recover your ROI. A thin client environment slashes your deskside support overheads and the clients have a much longer life span than a PC. Application deployment is virtually instant - compare that to a PC-based environment where you might have to install a service pack to 100 PCs over the course of a few weekends. Typical savings over a PC-based environment in 5 years are 50% - often it's much more than this. Not to mention all the added perks that come with a thin client environment, such as remote working and access to Windows applications from non-Windows devices.
Q. Do I have to use thin clients in a terminal server environment?
A. No! Just about anything can be a thin client - even a PC. Simply install a Citrix ICA or Microsoft RDP client on your PC and you'll have full access to your terminal server. This means, since the client device doesn't need to be powerful, old PCs can be used to run new applications! However, you'll not see the biggest benefits and cost savings until you switch to using thin clients.
Q. I want to progress this for my business - where do I start?
A. Give us a call on 0845 125 9622 and we'll either come out to your site to check out what you've got and the best way forward, or we can discuss matters over the phone. From a technical standpoint the switch to thin client technology is simple and painless. Often the biggest sticking point in organisations is misinformation, which hopefully we can help you overcome. |
