by Janet Pieterse

Created on: January 09, 2011   Last Updated: February 24, 2011

A thin client is a program which uses a minimum of resources on a workstation in order to access a full-function program (fat client) on a remote computer. A typical example is webmail, where the thin client runs inside the browser in order to access a fully functional email program somewhere in the cloud.

There are many advantages to taking a thin client approach to computing and most revolve around cost savings. Workstations running the thin client do not need the system requirements the application demands, thus it is possible to populate the workplace with low-cost computers that do not have the fastest, newest processors, abundant memory and terabytes of storage space. (In fact, many people call these underpowered workstations "thin clients" as well.) Only the computers running the actual application need to be expensive, state-of-the-art machines.

Then there is the cost-saving in licence fees. Not every user of the application necessarily connects to it at the same time. So instead of paying a licence fee for every computer, you pay a licence fee for every simultaneous connection. Of course, not all software vendors offer this option; when choosing software it may be worthwhile to consider how the vendors licence their offerings.

There are also savings in time, which lead to cost savings and increased productivity. When a new version of the application is released, or if there is a maintenance upgrade, there is no need to install it on every workstation, only on the computers running the application. The thin clients on the workstations connect just as easily to the new version of the program as to the old; no adjustments are needed. In a large enterprise, the reduced installation times can save hundreds of hours. Downtime too is reduced, as multiple thin clients can access one upgraded version and get back to work as soon as that upgrade is completed.

Thin clients run just as easily on laptops and netbooks. This means that key personnel can access the application while out of the office, which is especially useful in emergencies.

Not everything in the garden is rosy though. There are disadvantages to thin client computing too. It does rely on a stable network connection, be it local network or Internet. If a router fails, or if there is a network outage for any reason, work grinds to a halt.

Responsiveness is often an issue. Even the fastest network connection is not as fast as working on a local machine. There is always a delay as the information is transmitted

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