The swing to thin-client in South Africa is expected to gain momentum as Windows Terminal Server and Citrix sites across the country begin to deliver key business benefits - not least among them maximising the utilisation of scarce IT resources.
That`s the view of the Managing Director of , Jenny Borrie, whose company enjoys Gold Partner status for the Citrix family of thin-client software solutions.
"The South African market, with its IT skills shortages, is increasingly buoyant about thin-client, as the solution capitalises on those IT skills available by putting them to use in the IT department. In essence, we`re taking IT and IT skills to where they belong - and that`s in the IT department," explains Borrie.
She adds that recent Bateleur successes with Terminal Server and Citrix at partnering customers such as MedScheme and Senwes have been driven by this benefit, along with the advantages server-based computing delivers in terms of Y2K compliance, rapid application deployment, speed of service, total cost of ownership savings, and unparalleled security.
"Citrix offers all these benefits and more, and is certainly establishing itself as a preferred route to thin-client," she argues.
Borrie notes that the concept of taking IT back to the IT department where traditionally the server should reside, means the Y2K challenge is confined to the server environment. Users down the line require nothing more than a Windows Based Terminal, a screen, a keyboard, and a mouse - all at half the cost of personal computers.
The technology also requires less bandwidth, reduces the need for deskside visits, and ensures that control resides at the server end in the IT Department, enabling companies to realise substantial savings on total cost of ownership almost immediately. In addition users are able to concentrate on work-related tasks leading to increased productivity."
Turning to the Citrix product offerings, Borrie says is the only thin-client/server software that provides access to virtually any Windows application, across any type of network connection to any type of client.
Its powerful capabilities come from two innovative thin-client/server technologies, (ICA) and Citrix MultiWin.
Citrix ICA provides the foundation for turning any client device into the ultimate thin client and has become the de facto standard for delivering corporate applications across the broadest variety of desktop platforms and networks. ICA`s licensees and strategic partners include the likes of Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, IBM, Sun Microsystems, and Wyse Technologies.
On the server, ICA has the ability to separate application logic from the user interface while, on the client, users see and work with the application`s interface - but 100% of the application executes on the server. With ICA, applications consume as little as one-tenth of their normal network bandwidth.
Citrix technology is designed to improve the productivity of end-users and IT professionals. Utility tools allow administrators to take control of a single user or multiple users` sessions for support, diagnosis and training.
As all applications execute on the server, a single point of installation or upgrade exists reducing the time and expense associated with physically touching every enterprise machine. This results in more effective virus control as well - users can no longer slip in extra unmonitored applications at the desktop.
Upgrading to maintain leading technology advances also becomes a cost-effective exercise. The Citrix ICA Client software and configuration can be updated automatically from the server.
Citrix MultiWin is an authorised multi-user extension to Microsoft`s Windows NT Server, and allows multiple, concurrent users to log on and run applications in separate, protected Windows sessions on the server. As a result, even a single-processor Pentium Pro server can meet the business-critical applications of dozens of simultaneous users, with excellent results.
"Deploying, managing and supporting business-critical applications throughout the enterprise is becoming an increasingly expensive and complex task. A solution such as Citrix MetaFrame - that gives you single-point control, universal access, bandwidth-independent performance and eyes-only security - offers the local corporate market the real benefit of maximising return on computing investments," concludes Borrie.
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