How do I make it happen?
To make this happen, you need to first evaluate your campus network. Is your campus network at capacity in bandwidth? If so, then this solution would not be a good one, since you would have to upgrade your network speed. If you have an average or better campus network, then this solution can save you a lot of money.
After your campus network evaluation, the next step is to identify a server and necessary software. Blade Centers make a lot of sense if you are going to “virtualize” many labs; otherwise a standard server with lots of memory will do. You can spend from $5,000 to $8,000 on a good server for this application. If you choose to use VMWare for your virtualization, you would need an appropriate number of licenses. Other types of virtualization, such as Microsoft’s solution, are free and part of MS Server 2008.
Lastly, you should research and purchase the thin clients themselves. They will require a monitor, mouse, and keyboard, but you can use old, surplus equipment if you want. The thin client devices will cost anywhere from $130 to $400, depending on the type and capability.
