Value of the Managed Client

By Serenity Systems International

More Responsive, Less Cost

The weakness of the present computing model
The general weakness of today's model of computing with Intel based PCs is the independent nature of traditional fat client PCs which dominate the network. Compounding this design weakness, which requires that much support most be provided at the workstation, is the fact that most of these computers are used by 'casual computer' users. That is, these users do not perform most of the work tasks on the computer.

These users can generally be considered application literate, but not selfsufficient. Not capable of supporting themselves, of doing problem determination or other tasks generally required to minimize downtime. In fact, casual computer users generally provide organizations with the largest and most costly support challenges because there are so many of them and because they often require a visit from support personnel to correct problems.

Why is the fat client so dominant?
The fat client PC model is a poor one for most desktop business users, but still dominates the computing environment because the first PCs were fat clients and this model has been perpetuated by Microsoft Windows (tm), which continues to dominate the PC computing environment. It is only recently that acceptable replacements for fat clients emerged.

What makes the fat client a poor model is the user, or local control associated with it. It is the most difficult, and therefore expensive, to support and provides much more power and technology than most users want or need. Early networks, primarily Local Area Networks (LANs), were merely a means of linking fat clients. Little attempt was made to leverage the networked relationship or the capabilities which could be resident in the server. So the fat client continued as the most reasonable model for the desktop.

Another aspect of the early PC was that the machines were not user friendly, so the early users were those who had skills and applications which required the PC. In other words, they tended to be today's "power users", users capable of performing much of their own support. And these early PCs and applications tended to be simple because of the constrained DOS environment. Many early PCs displaced terminals and the applications remained host based, using the PC as nothing more than a terminal emulator.

Emergence of new users
However, as applications like word processing, calendaring, and especially e.mail, began to emerge on the desktop, the PCs began to move to desks which had never had a computer terminal on it before. One of the results was tremendous increase in the expense associated with supporting users who became "application literate", capable of running their familiar applications without difficulty, but these users tended remain "computer illiterate", uncomfortable performing tasks like installing applications or making changes to the computer.

What made support expensive was the fact that support had to be executed at the workstation. A "support sneaker net" emerged. This is the nature of the fat client. End users could access and damage files relating to applications, devices or configuration information. This required intervention by support personnel to correct at the workstation.

Summary
The present business computing environment is the most expensive and least responsive computing model which can be implemented. This is because the focus of the present environment is the end user workstation. Much of today's resources and tools try to make a poor model work well. The best way to improve the model is to change it.

Why the Managed Client makes so much sense
The simple answer is that it is easier to manage a few servers than to manage hundreds or thousands of workstations, but there is more than a simple answer.

User/Application Management
By using WiseManager, it is a simple matter to create users or groups of users, and associate these users with specific applications or groups of applications. These actions are executed with a simple drag and drop. So, users are provided with a desktop which meets their needs exactly. And when the needs change, applications are added or removed without any action required on the end user's desktop system. The user logs on and the appropriate applications are available.

The end user benefits because:


 * 1) Ease of use: The end user gains access to a customized desktop, providing access to familiar applications and tasks required to perform their jobs. No unnecessary applications appear on the desktop.
 * 2) Current software: Software is provided from the server. Therefore users have access to the same, current level of applications and data, regardless of location within the organization.
 * 3) Added security: Because machines can be accessed with log ons, the desktop is not provided until the appropriate log on is executed. And desktops are managed by the server, no external diskette drive or CD-ROM drive is required, eliminating unauthorized copying or installation of files, applets, or applications.
 * 4) Flexibility: The client images reside on the server, so the user may log on to any Managed Client machine and still receive their customized desktop.
 * 5) Reduced "downtime":


 * Hardware problems can be greatly reduced because parts can be reduced, including external drives, diskettes and CD, and even the local hard drive can be made optional. This means a catastrophic hardware failure can be remedied in moments by replacing the desktop hardware and logging back on to the network.


 * Minimal software issues, including damaged config.sys or "ini" file problems. Software issues can be resolved by reloading the software from the server and resuming work.

And these benefits translate into similar benefits for the organization:


 * 1) Reduced cost: The Managed Client lowers the overall expense of computing:
 * Managed Client hardware platform needs fewer physical components and a smaller "footprint" than traditional fat clients, this should result in lower costs.
 * Software expense, including applications, custom desktop allows only needed applications to be associated with users, instead of "full desktop loads" which supply many applications that users may or may not require.
 * IT Support costs because so much of the administration and operations tasks can be executed remotely, through the server. This also allows the IT organization to make better use of limited and expensive resources.
 * 1) More responsive environment because the Managed Client provides the fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to implement changes to the software, application updates, and so forth.
 * 2) Improved security through a server based environment.

Managing Change instead of Reacting to Churn
The Managed Client computing environment is more responsive to users, reduces the associated costs, all the while offering a significant opportunity to manage change in the computing environment.

The Managed Client returns the focus of computing to the tasks done by the user, putting the Technology Tiger back in its cage.
Today, changes in technology, hardware and software, drive change in the user organization. The Managed Client attacks that dangerous and expensive consideration.

Intel users recently watched several new versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system roll out. These were quickly followed by additional "packages" of product "fixes" to the new releases. With the changes to the OS, there tended to be changes to many popular applications. With the changes to the applications came changes to the file formats. All these changes tended to require users to upgrade the software, both operating system and application, to remain current in the ability to exchange documents. And these changes to the software frequently required the user upgrade the computer hardware to support the new software.

If the business desktop PC is a business tool, the question must be asked: What activities of the computer user changed so drastically as to require new software and hardware?

Answer: None!

These changes were driven by the vendor and made the user organizations victims of "techno-churn". Users can look at the industry trends and forecasts and determine that the churn is not over. In fact, a "techno-treadmill" seems to be emerging.

The Managed Client implementation was developed to address two key issues:


 * 1) The Managed Client positions the user to implement change easily, through their network, without the drastic change associated with traditional PCs.
 * 2) The decision about what to change and when to change it is restored to the user, not the vendor.

Can small to medium-sized accounts benefit from the Managed Client, or is it for larger organizations?
Accounts of any size can benefit from the Managed Client. Many smaller organizations have little or no IT resource and don't want to take people and money away from meeting business objectives and servicing customers to manage PC gadgetry.

In this case, Serenity Systems recommends having a Serenity Systems Channel Partner provide the Managed Client as part of a comprehensive service, providing the necessary PC hardware, software, applications, and administrative management to make the entire system work for the user organization. This means the users do not have to buy hardware or software and concern themselves with the useful life of the product, "how long before this becomes obsolete, and what is coming next?" The business can stop minding technology and return to the business of doing business.

The Channel Partner provides all the hardware and software required by the organization. The Channel Partner will work with the account to design the appropriate desktop for each type of user, or each specific user. In many cases, the Managed Client may be able to run the applications currently in use in the organization eliminating costly retraining. Channel Partners can also develop specific applications, customized for the organization, and many general business applications are available through Serenity Systems.

The Managed Client puts the requirement to manage "techno-churn" with the Channel Partner, not the user organization, providing an "exit visa off the technology treadmill".

Larger organizations which have an IT organization can now develop an infrastructure that allows them to manage the computing environment much, much more easily. The organization investment can be better invested, including the investment in skills.

And organizations of all sizes may benefit from Serenity Systems Computer Telephony Integration with business desktop systems, integrating the computer with the other key tool in the office, the telephone.