Terminal Server Options

[Plotloss]

Anyone know much about Terminal Servers?

Got a requirement for 10 odd clients.

Citrix 10 pack is about £2000, 5 CAL licences for TS2003 is about £500 and I am guessing TS2003 Server is around £1000 meaning its the same approximate cost.

Could I, and its a long shot I grant you, run XP under Linux in Parallels and then TS that out using the Linux TS packages?

Any other options would be gratefully recieved...

[roadsweeper]

What client-side hardware has your client got, or are you expected to spec that?

[Plotloss]

Its for an extensive control system network in a residential job.

So yes, fairly open on the whole kit and kaboodle.

Initial thinking was ITX machines in the rooms.

However there are some pretty innovative thin clients out there.

Discussing the options with my client he tabled the idea of thin clients so I thought I would have a look to see whats out there.

Just seems to be a bit of a minefield unless you want to enlist a company thats geared to installing TS technology across a huge enterprise.

[agent006]

Citrix requires at TS license in addition to their own license packs. If you can base it round Win2k rather than 2k3 then you can wangle the licensing to get effectively free CALs from the clients.

[aldi]

Plotloss said:

Could I, and its a long shot I grant you, run XP under Linux in Parallels and then TS that out using the Linux TS packages?

You mean run 10 virtual copies of XP on one linux box, and thin clients dialing into them, also running linux with the rdesktop client respawning rather than running say gnome? Madness... but interesting

[maddog-uk]

I would use XEN over parrallels, sadly you still need to get hold of 10 ms licenses for XP and you would need a decent box, e.g. dual core amd etc

[_Deejay_]

maddog-uk said:

I would use XEN over parrallels, sadly you still need to get hold of 10 ms licenses for XP and you would need a decent box, e.g. dual core amd etc

As far as I can see it, and in order of cost, you could either:

1) Use MS Terminal Server (just 2003 + TS Cals)
2) Use Citrix Metaframe (as above + Citrix)
3) Use Linux/XP (10x XP licenses)
4) Use Virtualisation technology (perhaps the free VMWare Server) running XP (10xXP + 1x Windows Server)

D