Thin Client SolutionI’ve been speechless for a while, because Dell have outdone themselves with their new thin client – the Optiplex FX160. Basically, thin clients don’t need hard drives. They run a local operating system such as Windows XP Embedded from solid state flash media. This flash media may only be around 2GB in size – just large enough to hold the operating system image. This makes the thin client very fast and very robust.

The 160′s are supplied with an embedded image providing a cut-down XP desktop with immediate support for Remote Desktop Connection, VMWare and Citrix. A quick modification to the image via a deployment server and you’re booting straight into your virtual environment. The units are fast, ultra-small and have a really low carbon footprint. Once more, this new thin client and a strategy of virtualisation takes away the need to “rebuild” systems on failure. There’s less to go wrong and no maintenance required. There’s more consolidation, security and control.

Dell Optiplex FX160 is now RatwareUK’s thin-client deployment of choice and a perfect partner when virtualising a network and desktop streaming. At approximately £270 + VAT per unit, this product is extremely cost-effective.