[AuckLUG] Linux Terminal Servers

[John]

I have a client site running 7 Linux LTSP thin-clients against a Linux server.
I'm not aware of any trouble with OpenOffice reading MS files.

The LTSP machines are based on the VIA motherboards and are fanless.
The boards and their cases are obtainable from Procase on the North Shore.
The LTSP project is free and opensource and can be installed into any distro.

The original 5 have been working faultlessly for nearly 5 years.
The initial boot is via PXE and a small kernel loads in the thin-client, then 
that in turn load via tftp a cut-down Linux kernel which acts as an X display 
station. The users login to the server and all the apps run on the server.

There is one problem which I have encountered. After a few days we seem to run 
out of DHCP leases. I don't know how to fix this. 
Any one in the LUG group know the answer?

John O'Gorman



On Wednesday 30 April 2008 06:32:57 pm Chilling_Silence wrote:
> Greetings all,
>
> Currently Im supporting a small business that does Cleaning in the
> Auckland region.
> They've got  8 thin-clients currently connecting to a Server2003 Terminal
> Server which also hosts Exchange.
>
> They're taking on 5 new office-staff who will need access, not only
> through Terminal Server seat licensing, but Microsoft Office as well. He's
> looking at OpenOffice instead of Office 2003 / 2007 because pretty much
> all the work they're doing is going to be in a web-based CRM package
> (hosted off-site).
>
> The big boss-man has come to me to find him some prices on Microsoft
> licensing and recommend an office alternative. Im tempted to tell him to
> ditch the whole server setup and opt for a Ubuntu Terminal Server (Im not
> wanting to start a distro war, I really dont care about Distro right now
> to be honest).
>
> I dont know enough about the ins & outs of setting up Terminal Services
> but how exactly do the thin-clients boot? They get the OS through PXE? So
> I change the Server and dont have to worry about any "OS" being installed
> on the thin-clients?
>
> Im not going to make any hasty decisions and go formatting his server
> tomorrow on a whim (That'd just be asking for trouble), but if I can
> convince him to wait a week while I do a bit more research on the matter,
> it could prove fruitful for both him and myself. Plus this means I get to
> take home a thin-client box or two and setup a "test" at home, always fun
> to play with new toys! :D
>
> Also, is there anybody else out there who currently supports a Linux
> Terminal Server environment? Have they run into issues of any kind, such
> as format problems with the latest Office 2007 files being sent to them?
> Users wanting to do funky things you hadnt initially though of?
>
> Im only asking because I think he could save himself a fair bit in
> software costs here, all his Office workers will be using the Web-based
> CRM package, I believe including all emails. They do a little bit of
> spreadsheet work (read: very little) and I think they also use MYOB (WINE
> anybody?).
>
> In a nutshell, Im also just looking for somebody to tell me Im not a total
> idiot for thinking that this could be a viable option. Ive done
> installfests, run Gentoo / Ubuntu at home, converted the odd MS zealot,
> but never done a small-business switch entirely to Linux.
>
> Thoughts / comments / constructive criticism appreciated
>
> Cheers
>
>
> Chill.
>
>
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