Chapter 1. Going Thin with Terminal Server

In this chapter:

• The Total Cost of Ownership

  The idea of reducing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a simple one: Maximize the company's return on investment in technology while minimizing the cost involved in doing so. Terminal Server provides the ability to reduce the TCO of supporting users and their local workstations.

• Implementation Flexibility

  Moving the application processing completely off the user's desktop provides much greater flexibility in the implementation process than you would have with a standard desktop deployment.

• Reusing Existing Technology

  Although a business may be interested in standardizing on the latest Windows-based applications, the heterogeneous computing environment of most companies doesn't allow for this change without replacing or upgrading the existing hardware. Terminal Server and MetaFrame provide the mechanism to deliver these new applications while at the same time extending the life of existing desktop hardware.

• Centralized System Management

  Terminal Server centralizes the management of three components that traditionally exist on the user's desktop: application support and maintenance, maintenance of the operating system, and storage management.

• Scalability

  An important requirement for implementing Terminal Server and MetaFrame is the ability to scale to meet the changing needs of a business.

• Enhancing Security

  In addition to the standard Windows NT/2000 Security, Terminal Server includes features that enable you to establish a secure environment in which your user will operate.