l“Virtual Clients”, like thin clients, remove the processing from the local device.  However, Virtual Clients, use a web-based interface to use a “hosted service” to provide the server.  One can use either a computer or a “thin client” to communicate with the web-based server.  In the case of North Carolina, the service is provided by a partnership with NC State University and the Microelectronics Center of North Carolina, or MCNC.  The local computers or thin clients work by communicating with a web-based server hosted by either NCSU or MCNC, where processing occurs.  The only thing that gets passed back and forth is input from the thin client (in the form of mouse clicks and keystrokes) and screen images from the remote server.

Figure 1:  VCL Login Screen

Figure 2:  VCL Reservation Screen
The use of Virtual Clients is ideal for remote users and for local college labs where a decrease in labor cost is in desired.