Hot Technologies: Thin Clients: The Comeback Kid

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