The concept of thin clients progressed from a terminal/mainframe model to a PC model to something based on the principle of centralizing all storage and applications on the central server, with users being able to access and view only the required application from the dumb terminal sitting on the desktop. All this started in the late 1980s with the launch of Citrix Systems WinView, a multi-user product for IBM OS/2. Sun and Oracle in the mid-1990s strongly believed that thin client devices would replace business PCs. The idea had difficulty in getting acceptance as users were uncomfortable with a system that did not have a hard disk. Microsoft did its bit by highlighting the virtues of thin clients.

It was also felt that thin clients were expensive and unmanageable, and vendors failed to effectively drive home its advantages. The fall in price of PCs also in a way deterred the enterprises to go for thin clients.

Most of the statistics now suggest that the thin clients market is in a revival mode. The growth can be clearly noticed in its shipments. According to IDC, in 2005, thin-clients shipments worldwide increased about 43% from 2.4 mn in 2004. Year 2007 is likely to see an increase to 4.2 mn, which translates to more than 246 mn PC shipped.

With organizations spreading their reach across the country by adding more and more branch offices, and anticipating the problem of adequate IT infrastructure at each locations, thin clients is being seen as a soluition. This will allow companies to consolidate their IT infrastructure. Apart from this, organizations are also realizing the other benefits that thin clients offer. Most important among these are security and business continuity. There is an increasing feeling that if data resides at a central place, it will be more secure and will increase the network uptime as well.

The latest IDC thin client statistics from a study done in EMEA shows the market recovering from weakness in the middle of the year to finish 2006 with healthy 17% growth compared with 2005. The shipment in this region reached nearly 1.2 mn units in 2006 with the UK and Germany leading the pack. The study also named HP, Wyse, and Neoware as leaders in the thin client market in EMEA.

The study also mentioned the considerable growth of smaller suppliers giving an indication of their flexibility, investment plans and ability to customize products to meet needs. It was also found that suppliers continued to develop their systems management offerings and an increased focus on software to improve management and security in the coming years is expected.

In India, Sify and NEC Corporation announced a strategic partnership to promote thin client computing in India. The collaboration will enable thin client computing in India with NEC supplying virtual PC centers to Sify, which will utilize them to provide thin client systems to customers as an outsourced service. This is aimed at enabling the spread of VPCC services to companies in India.

Sudesh Prasad
sudeshp@cybermedia.co.in

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