VDI hardware comparison: Thin vs. thick vs. zero clients

• VDI hardware comparison: Thin vs. thick vs. zero clients

Thin clients just do less processing than 'fat' clients.
When you deploy VDI, you need to figure out what hardware your virtual desktops will run on
To host virtual desktops, you have a lot of choices: thin clients, zero clients and smart clients -- not to mention tablets and mobile devices
Thin clients and other slimmed-down devices rely on a network connection to a central server for full computing and don't do much processing on the hardware itself.

Those differ from thick clients -- basically traditional PCs -- that handle all the functionality of a server on the desktop itself.

Thick clients
If you use traditional PCs to connect to virtual desktops, you don't get many of the benefits of VDI, such as reduced power consumption, central management and increased security.
It's possible to use thick clients for desktop virtualization, but many organizations don't because it doesn't cut down on overall hardware and requires all local software.

How thick clients compare to thin

Thick clients
a thick client is basically a PC running thin client software
a thick client usually more costly than a thin client device
thick clients have hard drives and media ports, making them less secure than thin clients.
thin clients tend to require less maintenance than thick ones
thin client hardware problems can sometimes lead to having to replace the entire device.

Thin clients
With thin client hardware, virtual desktops are hosted in the data center and the thin client simply serves as a terminal to the back-end server
Thin clients reduce hardware needs by allowing admins to repurpose old PCs.

What to look for in thin client devices
As you choose thin client devices, consider whether you need capabilities such as 3-D, video conferencing and multi-monitor support.
You should also take into account your remote display protocol and how much display processing your back end can supply.
thin clients should also offer centralized management.
you can automatically apply profile policies to groups of thin clients with similar configurations

Zero clients
These are client devices that require no configuration and have nothing stored on them.
zero clients can be less expensive than thick and thin clients.
they use less power and can simplify client device licensing.

Other VDI hardware
Using the iPad as a VDI client

Repurposing old PCs as VDI hardware
you might consider recycling old PCs to use as thin clients.
make sure your PC candidates aren't too old, or else they won't provide solid graphics performance and may be prone to failure.

http://searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com/feature/VDI-hardware-comparison-Thin-vs-thick-vs-zero-clients

• Choosing between ‘Thin vs Zero’ Clients for Virtual Desktop Computing

Thin Clients and Zero Clients are both small form factor, solid state computing terminal devices, specifically designed for VDI

Thin Client devices for VDI are traditionally end-point devices with their own native operating systems, usually offering a version of Windows Embedded Standard (WES) or a Linux based operating system such as DeTOS
Thin clients utilize connection protocols such as Citrix ICA or Microsoft RDP in order to remotely access a desktop that is being hosted on a Virtual Machine stored on a server.   They often include a local browser, as well

Zero clients often require less setup than a thin client.
zero clients are not as flexible and often require that the administrators choose one protocol or another for the device to utilize
While a user may only need to enter their credentials to access their desktop sessions, the options for what they can do is more limited.
Instead of an operating system, Zero Clients have a highly tuned onboard processor specifically designed for one possibly three VDI protocols (PCoIP, HDX, or RemoteFX).
Most of the decoding and display processes take place in dedicated hardware and therefore are more efficient than using a software client and a standard CPU and GPU setup as with a Thin Client
Zero Clients have boot up speeds of just a few seconds and are immune to viruses, decreasing the overall downtime of the device and increasing the productivity to the end-user
The Zero Client device requires very little maintenance and rarely needs an update unless there is a significant change/enhancement to the VDI protocol or the occasional BIOS related update.

Alternative Client Solutions
There are also thin clients such as the Acer Veriton N2010G, that offer a feature through the client operating system that enables fast, efficient deployments of new zero client terminals. Another option is choosing a thin client model that provides an OS ZeTOS allowing it to perform as a zero client terminal that runs in a stateless condition

Thin clients and other slimmed-down devices rely on a network connection to a central server for full computing and don’t do much processing on the hardware itself.
The first step on deciding between thin and zero clients really rests within the requirements of your network and the connection you prefer with your end uses.

http://www.devonit.com/blog/thin-vs-zero-thin-vs-zero-clients-virtual-desktop-computing

• Desktop virtualization clients: Fat, thin, or zero?

a full-blown PC with Windows installed is not a thin client in any sense of the word.
A thin client takes on many different forms but ultimately includes a CPU, RAM, and local storage and allows for the network connection

the zero-client solution.
This ultimate VDI solution pushes the computing back on the data center to the greatest degree possible and eliminates the need to support and maintain a desktop thin (or fat) client
The zero clienthas no operating system, no CPU, and no memory at the endpoint
the zero-client solution does require a ton of bandwidth, and those systems can only be used for VDI clients -- they cannot be repurposed later on

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2627997/vdi/desktop-virtualization-clients--fat--thin--or-zero-.html

• The Differences Between Thin and Zero VDI Clients

Thin clients typically use a minimalist operating system like Linux or Windows Embedded. In contrast, zero clients use an onboard processor designed to handle a protocol such as Microsoft RDP, VMware PCoIP, SPICE, which Red Hat has released under an open source license, or Citrix HDX.
because they are fine tuned for a specific protocol, zero clients typically offer the end user a more robust video experience,
the decoding and display processes take place on dedicated hardware, zero clients boot up “wicked fast,” require minimal configuration, and tend to be more efficient and secure

zero clients, proprietary, which could put you at risk for vendor lock-in.
If a company plans on swapping out protocols or connection brokers, thin clients may prove to be the more flexible option in the end

If you need the ability to drag and drop a wide range of applications,would like to maintain a truer desktop experience, or you want to avoid vendor lock-in,thin clients may be the better way to go
if you need high-quality multimedia support, want to give your workers the flexibility to log into any terminal or other endpoint within your organization, or want to avoid any desktop-side configuration, consider zero clients solutions


http://www.storagecraft.com/blog/thin-clients-vs-zero-clients/

• Administrators have three options:

deliver the virtual desktops to existing PCs (thick clients),
implement thin clients by purchasing dedicated machines or repurposing PCs
provide users with zero clients.

Thick clients
The PC continues to run its own operating system and usually requires no significant hardware or software upgrades.
The easiest way to implement a thick client is to install the VDI client and add a desktop shortcut that connects it to the virtual environment.
The user still has full access to the PCs native functionality with the added benefit of virtual desktop access.
Another approach is to lock down the PC's non-VDI components so the user can access only the remote desktop
With this method, the PC acts as a pseudo-thin client
For an organization full of usable PCs, thick clients are an attractive way to go because the company has already invested in the equipment and it's up and running.
the Windows OS running on that thick client means administrators have two environments to maintain for each user
Thick clients can't take full advantage of all VDI has to offer, such as streamlined management, improved security, reduced hardware maintenance and reduced energy consumption

thin client
thin clients are solid-state machines with the OS locked down and only minimal access permitted to non-VDI components
thin clients can run without an internal hard drive or external media ports, which prevents users from downloading sensitive data to their local devices.
No user data is stored locally, minimizing the damage that can be done if the device is compromised.
thin clients are designed for a single protocol which means an organization can become locked into one vendor, making it difficult to accommodate changing desktop needs.
Another approach to thin clients is repurposing existing PCs to act like thin clients.
IT can use a client conversion tool that strips out the old software, installs a lightweight OS and VDI client, and locks down the system like a thin client
Whichever type of thin client an organization chooses, it's important to note that these devices are still PC-like enough that they can support local applications and persistent storage.
Some thin clients even come with extra PCI slots or external media ports.
if a thin client goes down, administrators cannot simply swap out parts like they can a PC. They will instead have to replace the thin client altogether

zero client
The terminal serves no other purpose than to communicate with the VDI servers and render the virtual desktop
Unlike a thin client, a zero client does not run an OS
it is built with a specialized onboard processor specifically designed to handle a remote display protocol.
Because a zero client contains no hard drive, local storage or any other components that are not directly related to supporting VDI access, it is the most secure of the three options
Zero clients require little to no configuration, so they are quick to deploy, easy to set up, support centralized management, require few updates, and use less power than thick or thin clients.
They also offer users a better video experience because the device can be tuned for a specific VDI protocol.


http://searchvirtualdesktop.techtarget.com/tip/Comparing-three-options-for-VDI-endpoints