The principle behind Terminal Services is that most network users do not require the functionality of full PCs, but can instead work with a keyboard, mouse and display linked to a central server which handles all program execution. This arrangement, similar to that employed by mainframe computers, has many consequential benefits which reduce the total cost of ownership of a network.
Key advantages of Terminal Services include simplified application deployment, a reduced risk of unauthorised or damaging software being installed, and the ability to use dedicated thin clients which require little or no management. For users who primarily run office productivity and Internet software, Atomwide continues to promote solutions based on Terminal Services as a realistic, effective and secure alternative to fully-featured PCs.
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"We have used terminal clients in our school-wide network in order to minimise installation and maintenance costs, and they have proved to be a robust and cost-effective way to manage heavily used computer suites."
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While Terminal Services often operate just within a local area network, sessions can equally well run over a wide area link. For example, with an appropriate dial-up connection or route across the Internet, staff could log in to a company Terminal Server from home, then work at the same Windows desktop that they experience in the office. Similarly, IT managers could administer servers on remote sites from their desktop PC.
Of course, the speed of the wide area link being used will determine the responsiveness of the resulting session, but with broadband Internet connections becoming commonplace, these tele-working scenarios are now entirely realistic.
