A thin client refers to a software program or an actual computer that relies heavily on another computer to do most of its work. It works as part of a network, with the client software or computer acting as an interface and the server computer on the network doing all the real work, like saving files, processing data, and controlling certain client functions, as if they can download things or not. This type of setup is commonly used in places with many people using computers simultaneously, such as businesses or schools. While this system is generally easier to maintain and use, it also has some drawbacks, such as a lack of peripherals and limited performance.
A thin client can consist of just a monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
types
A physical thin client can be as minimalist as a graphical display and an input mechanism such as a keyboard, mouse, or touch screen. Generally speaking, these devices contain enough information to boot and connect to a more powerful computer, the server. Many lack the peripherals that come with personal computers, such as an optical drive or input/output ports, which is where the cables that connect the computer to other devices come in. They may also not have a hard drive, which means that if the client computer needs to use a program or save a file, it will connect to the network server computer to do so.
Server racks do the work of thin clients.
The software version is an interface-based program. The user of the client software sees all the data, tools, and features that would appear in normal software, but another program running on a remote server does the work.
applications
Thin clients are generally used in settings where many people need to use computers. This includes public places like libraries, airports, and schools. The thin client configuration is also popular in places where people need to be able to store and access information from a central location, such as an office, call center, or factory. For example, an office might use this type of setup to allow all employees to save all of their work to an office server or to control what programs and information they can access.
Benefits
Reasons why one might use hardware and software versions of a thin client include reduced cost, ease of maintenance, ease of use, and security. Thin clients are much simpler than full computers, which means they are less likely to break. A standard computer has many parts and a thin client has only a few: fewer parts means fewer things can go wrong. The simplicity also makes it much easier to diagnose problems and fix them. Also, in a situation where many people need to perform a similar task, it is often more cost-effective to have one network server computer and many inexpensive client computers than to have many full-fledged devices.
People who are not computer savvy may find it easier to use a thin client than a standard computer or software program because it has fewer features and functions to learn how to use. While thin clients are relatively easy to secure, users are often restricted from accessing programs or features that may be vulnerable to security. Restricting all real computing power to a single network server also means that security can be concentrated in one place.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of this type of setup include the lack of peripheral devices, limited performance of certain tasks, and sometimes the nature of the security system. Those clients that do not have optical drives cannot play CDs or DVDs, and if a client does not have input/output ports, it may not be able to easily connect to other devices, such as a printer. Also, since most thin clients are so streamlined, their performance may not be fast enough for tasks like playing videos, editing graphics, or playing games. This is especially true if multiple clients are performing very intensive tasks at the same time, which can affect the server and slow down other clients.
While the ability to have one endpoint for all security on a network can be beneficial, it also means that a problem with that endpoint can compromise all client computers. Similarly, if none of the clients have hard drives and all data is stored on the server, if the server fails, all data on all clients will be lost.
The simplicity of a thin client makes it much easier to diagnose problems and fix them.
