Un PC pour plusieurs by Benoit MBOUBATEUVAWE

Case Study Healthcare

CHALLENGE Avcilar Hospital was searching for an economical solution for its struggles with the costs of keeping all of their computers

Avcilar Hospital simplifies IT management The Avcilar Hospital has been providing health care in Istanbul, Turkey since 1998. “Using the latest computing technology in all office departments and in the hospital’s operating and surgical unit is very important,” says Mr. Ersin Soygüzel, manager of the hospital’s computer department.

running; this included maintenance and the cost of electricity.

SOLUTION The NComputing L-series allowed the hospital to easily assist all of its users, and fit well into the hospital environment because of its small size and efficiency.

RESULTS The deployment of the NComputing L-series allowed the hospital to give computing access to all of its employess as well as extend access to doctors’ offices and patient rooms. The cost savings have been so significant that NComputing products are also

The NComputing L-series provides access to all Avcilar Hospital employees.

installed in the hospital’s school.

PARTNER Dojop Technologies, an NComputing distributor in Turkey, enabled Avcilar Hospital to better utilize the power of their computers by using the L-series solution.

PCs break Mr. Soygüzel explains the technical difficulties that the Avcilar Hospital was facing: “It was difficult to manage and maintain all the PCs that were being used throughout the hospital.” He also says that “even the failure of a relatively minor computer part such as a fan would require expensive and time-consuming maintenance and more importantly long downtime while the PCs were being fixed. The hospital had to find a solution to manage all computers centrally. Lack of resources simply made it impossible to maintain all PCs throughout the hospital, and maintenance costs were driven even higher because each PC was using more than 200 watts of electricity. A technological solution was needed that would be easy to use by all staff and could be centrally managed.”

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Case Study Healthcare

Small, easy, and quiet Mr. Timurçin Albayrak, an IT administrator from the hospital’s computer department, explains the benefits of using NComputing products: “When we started to use the L-series we were able to connect to all user computer screens and assist them remotely by using the NComputing software. The other advantages are that it is smaller than a PC, it doesn’t take as much space on our desks, and it is much easier to move and maintain than a PC. It also works soundlessly, which is very important in the hospital environment.”

A more productive staff

A nurse works at an L-series workstation.

“We tried the

By turning to NComputing L-series access terminals, the Avcilar Hospital was able to provide new and secure computer access to all of its employees. The IT department staff is able to effectively manage their time and staff due to centralized management. NComputing delivers significant up-front cost savings, as well as ongoing support and maintenance savings. Through a more efficient and effective deployment of technology, the Avcilar Hospital is now more productive and also deploys their resources more effectively. The solution improves the secretaries’ work area by removing the bulk, heat, and noise of box PCs. Avcilar Hospital was very pleased with the initial deployment and subsequently deployed NComputing products throughout their adjoining school, and in all of the doctors’ rooms and administrative offices.

NComputing L-series and immediately saw that it can be installed quickly and simply. Maintaining the L-series was also easy. And of course, the cost was significantly less than a regular PC.”

Mr. Ersin Soygüzel, manager of AvcılaR Hospital’s computer department

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003-2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers configuration application performance may vary. CS BUS AVCILAR US EN REV5 010609

Case Study Business/healthcare

Chiropractors straighten misaligned computing costs CHALLENGE Cost-effectively streamline chiropractic office management by pro-

Chiropractors, like all medical service providers, need technologies that improve service quality and office efficiency. Software company e-nate provides a web-based chiropractor patient record and billing system that is completely paperless.

viding access to e-nate’s web-based patient record and billing software in every room in the clinic.

SOLUTION Deploy NComputing L-series to connect touchscreen workstations in each office to a central PC, providing internet access to e-nate throughout the office.

RESULTS Huge savings in hardware costs. Simplified deployment, maintenance and support, resulting in ongoing cost savings. e-nate delivers a complete chiropractor office management software solution with NComputing.

Delivering innovation Ready to build on the success of their web-based practice-management solution, e-nate wanted to take the next step: deliver a complete hardware/ software solution that would help their customers cost-effectively migrate to a paperless office, streamline patient flow and management, and improve user-friendliness by incorporating a touch-screen interface. “We wanted to make our solution as easy to use and deploy as possible,” said Dr. François Poulin, vice president, research and product development for e-nate. “We looked at thin-client technology, but found that the operating system wasn’t flexible enough to meet our needs, and required the use of proprietary touch screens.” e-nate also found that the thin-client approach came with higher-than-expected costs for both hardware and ongoing support and maintenance.

Case Study Business/healthcare

Faster deployment, lower costs NComputing showed e-nate that today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. Web-based applications like e-nate’s use even less. NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware tap this unused capacity so that it can be simultaneously shared by multiple users. Each user’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connect to the shared PC through a small and very durable NComputing access device. The access device itself has no CPU, memory or moving parts so it is durable, fast and easy to deploy, and requires virtually no maintenance. “As with any business, the bottom line for our customers is cost,” said Dr. Poulin. “Our web-based software was already being well-received. After researching and testing the NComputing devices, we quickly saw that we could leverage that success by delivering a complete solution at a very reasonable price. That’s a critical competitive advantage for our company.” Chiropractors can now automate an entire office with just one PC

“NComputing has

helped us deliver a complete solution at a very reasonable cost.” DR. FRANÇOIS POULIN VICE PRESIDENT RESEARCH AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT E-NATE

Immediate alignment For customers, the benefit of maximizing the power of their PCs is immediate and tangible. One customer, Dargis Charest—a large chiropractic practice in St. Constant, Quebec—deployed NComputing access devices throughout its office and exam rooms, all running off just one PC. That alone resulted in substantially lower hardware costs. Dargis Charest also realized savings because NComputing devices are so simple to set up and maintain. “It’s so easy. We had the office up and running in the time it took to plug in the devices and turn on the machines,” said Dr. Poulin. “Because Dargis Charest only needs to maintain one PC, we have also helped them realize huge savings in support costs.” “NComputing has enabled us to bring even more innovation to our customers,” added Dr. Poulin. For example, by connecting cameras to the system via the NComputing access device’s USB port, each doctor’s assistant can upload patient x-rays for viewing on monitors. e-nate also connected a large plasma TV to the network so that educational videos could be shown in the waiting room. Because of the revolutionary economics of NComputing, e-nate is also using the NComputing solution as the basis of a hosted, monthly fee-based solution. With e-nate maintaining the hardware, chiropractors won’t have to worry about keeping their systems up and running. “We will bring cost-efficiencies to a new level,” concluded Dr. Poulin.

Case Study Government

Library expands computer access and cuts support costs CHALLENGE Provide reliable computing access throughout the library system while cutting costs.

SOLUTION Deploy the NComputing L-series throughout the library.

RESULTS

In just a few short months, Hamilton East Public Library, with two branches in central Indiana, had five PCs used for accessing the online public access catalog (OPAC) overheat and fail. The OPAC PCs were kept in locked cabinets for security purposes, with monitors mounted on poles at each station. With little ventilation, heat built up in the cabinets, drastically shortening PC life. With tight budgets and a two-person IT staff, the library needed to find a cost-effective solution that required little support. Systems department head Rob Brown went online to research options and checked with colleagues for recommendations. Both paths lead him to NComputing. “Traditional thin clients cost too much. Plus, our Windows-based software won’t work on proprietary platforms,” said Mr. Brown. “We wanted to add more OPAC access without increasing our budget.”

Hardware costs reduced by more than $17,000 in initial deployments. Improved reliability and reduced IT support calls.

PARTNER PC Mall, an NComputing Platinum partner, supported the deployment.

Hamilton East Public Library replaced existing desktops with NComputing.

Mr. Brown contacted PC Mall, an NComputing reseller. “After talking to Rob, I knew NComputing was a perfect fit for their situation,” said PC Mall sales rep Tim Rivard. “We talked about power consumption, heat generation, and the fact that using a PC at every station was overkill. When we listed the NComputing features and figured out the cost difference compared to dedicated PCs, I knew it wouldn’t be long before they made their decision.”

A very cool solution “Simple setup, more access stations at a fraction of the cost, and support time slashed. Needless to say, we went with NComputing,” said Mr. Brown. NComputing virtual desktops are perfect for libraries because today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing taps this unused capacity so it can be simultaneously shared by multiple users. Each user’s monitor, keyboard and mouse connect to the shared PC through the small and very durable NComputing access device, and every user has their own settings and

Case Study Government

applications, so they feel as though they are working on their own machine. The NComputing access device itself has no CPU, memory or moving parts, so it’s rugged, durable and easy to deploy. By spreading out the cost of the shared PC over many users, libraries can provide four times the number of computing stations for the same budget. “Before NComputing, our PCs would draw up to 200 watts of power each. That’s expensive, and generates a lot of heat,” said Mr. Brown. “With NComputing, each access device uses just 5 watts. That’s a huge electricity savings. Then there’s the savings in cooling costs. With NComputing devices replacing the PCs in the cabinets, heat failure has been eliminated. Deploying NComputing was simple, too—less than half an hour per machine from start to finish, including pulling down the old PC. That’s fast.” The L-series runs in the secure cabinet without overheating.

“We eliminated 50 PCs - that’s $17,000 just in hardware costs.

Rob brown Systems Department head Hamilton East Public Library

Unbeatable value: NComputing and Microsoft Server Over 40 more NComputing L130s are now deployed as OPAC stations, with 20 OPAC stations in one building connected to a single PC running Microsoft Windows Server. “We eliminated 50 PCs – that’s $17,000 just in hardware costs,” added Mr. Brown. “We also saved a fortune in software costs. While there’s a perception that server software is more expensive, Microsoft offers substantial discounts to public libraries through its academic licensing programs. We only needed 2 operating system licenses for the servers and 50 very affordable Microsoft client access licenses. Combining Microsoft Server with NComputing brings the cost of computer access lower than any other comparable solution.” “Maintenance and support is a snap,” said Mr. Brown. “Patches, reconfigurations and software updates take minutes because we only deal with the shared PC. And the NComputing devices are so durable, I expect them to last for years. NComputing has a much lower total cost of ownership.”

A reference for success Hamilton East is deploying NComputing throughout its system. The library chose the NComputing L230 for its subscription database stations because it features a USB port for users to save their work to a storage device. The 60 station public computer lab will be outfitted with the NComputing X-series which has a low $70 per-user cost.

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2009. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers’ configuration application performance may vary. CS BUS HAMILTON US EN REV5 013009

Case Study

Business/manufacturing

CHALLENGE Streamline computer maintenance in the corporate office to eliminate viruses and unauthorized files, and provide rugged computers that could withstand the harsh

Furniture manufacturer assembles efficient computing solution Modernform Group is a Thai conglomerate that manufactures office and residential furniture for both domestic and international markets. Its centralized IT department provides computer access and support to users in all nine divisions of the corporation, from the sales and marketing offices to the factory floor.

manufacturing environment in the factory.

SOLUTION Install NComputing L-series virtual desktops in the office to improve manageability. Additional virtual desktops on the factory floor survive the harsh environment.

RESULTS Significant cost savings without compromising the usersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; computing experience. Reduced maintenance costs due to rugged NComputing access devices, even in a factory environment.

PARTNER Siam Network & Computer, an NComputing distributor for Thailand, supported the Modernform deployment.

Office staff enjoy the reliability of the NComputing L-series.

Rebuilding an inefficient IT network With many diverse users to support, the Modernform IT team found that it spent too much time maintaining the computer infrastructure. The company had a dangerous virus problem and many users were saving unnecessary data on their computers. The company had even hired additional technical staff to support users with computer problems. During a department meeting for a computer replacement project, the IT team assessed the needs of the various user groups and realized that most of the corporate users were using office applications and some web-based applications in their work. The factory was transitioning from a paper-based instruction set to a web-based ERP system that allowed users to enlarge diagrams to better understand the task. These users required rugged machines that could withstand the hot and dusty environment that can easily cause computers to malfunction.

Case Study

Business/manufacturing

One solution designed for many end users Siam Network & Computer Co., Ltd. (SNC) introduced the NComputing solution to the Modernform IT team. The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s computers are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of their capacity. NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware tap this unused capacity so that multiple users can simultaneously share it. Each user’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connect to the shared computer through a small and very durable NComputing access device. The access device itself has no CPU, memory, or moving parts so it is rugged, durable, and easy to deploy and maintain. NComputing L-series in the factory improved uptime.

“The system works

well, and it’s convenient for us to maintain and monitor several users on a single machine. This reduces our tasks as everything can be done from a single point.” Mr. Sompoch Phongsai assistant manager, production planning Modernform Group

Installing the NComputing solution solved Modernform’s infrastructure concerns. The rugged devices withstand the heat and dust of the factory floor, eliminating paper-based instructions on the production line while improving the quality of work. In the corporate office, maintenance and support time was reduced as the same number of users are supported by fewer computers, which are securely managed to eliminate viruses and unauthorized data. “It’s a win-win situation as it meant that Modernform did not need to buy new computers for every user. NComputing L-series virtual desktops cost less than a new computer so they saved money while solving their problems,” said Mr. Wichai Amatamahutana, managing director of SNC.

Streamlined IT maintenance throughout the company “By putting multiple users on each shared computer, our users have found that there’s no difference in performance compared to what they had before. The system works well, and it’s convenient for us to maintain and monitor several users on a single machine. This reduces our tasks as everything can be done from a single point,” explained Mr. Sompoch Phongsai, assistant manager for production planning at Modernform. Modernform plans to increase the number of NComputing virtual desktops throughout its factories. The company has also identified new uses for the technology, including information kiosks in its showroom and trainee workstations in its seminar room.

Case Study Manufacturing

SITUATION The Pollmeier sawmill needed a reliable computing solution that would keep their state-ofthe-art production running where industrial computers have failed

European sawmill sharpens their IT systems Based in Creuzburg, Germany, Pollmeier is the global market leader in highquality beech lumber. Customers in 60 countries purchase over 500,000 cubic meters of Pollmeier lumber annually. The lumber is processed at state-ofthe-art sawmills that use cutting-edge systems and technology. Computers are used in the facility for machinery monitoring, quality assurance, process visualization, and access to SAP software.

because of the brutal operating conditions.

SOLUTION Pollmeier turned to NComputing L-series virtual desktops to increase dependability and reduce maintenance costs.

RESULTS The L-series implementation in the Pollmeier factory reduced costs and downtime that is caused

Pollmeier’s state-of-the-art sawmill.

by the constant upkeep of traditional industrial computers.

A harsh environment Even though the factory is high-tech, the operating conditions are brutal. Sawdust jams up disk drives and fans. And the movement of timber and heavy machinery creates continuous vibrations that dramatically shortens computer life. The factory also has large temperature swings as the lumber moves through the production line. The factory temperature can range from 0º to 45º Celsius (32º to 113º Fahrenheit). Initially Pollmeier tried industrial-grade PCs. The industrial PCs were housed in special protective cases, which were expensive, difficult to access, and required a lot of space. In addition, dust filters on the cases required constant replacement. As a result, the total cost for each industrial PC and cover was €2,050.

Case Study Manufacturing

No moving parts

The NComputing L-series access devices are extremely durable.

Pollmeier turned to NComputing. NComputing desktop virtualization enables a single PC (located centrally) to be shared by multiple remote users at the same time. For example, Pollmeier placed a small number of shared PCs in their central administration building that power NComputing L-series access devices located throughout the factory. The solid-state NComputing devices are small, rugged, and can handle the environmental challenges posed by the harsh production floor at Pollmeier. Since the devices have no fans, sawdust is no longer a problem and the need to replace filters has been eliminated. Finally, with a mean time between failure (MTBF) of over 100,000 hours (7 times longer than a PC), Pollmeier can enjoy unmatched reliability. Pollmeier also centrally manages their virtual desktops via remote control, minimizing IT staff trips into the factory.

Savings now—and into the future

“The L-series is a

real alternative to industrial PCs for use in rough industrial environments. These devices are rock solid and just work!”

Sven Raab, IT administrator for Pollmeier in Creuzber

Pollmeier deployed L-series virtual desktops in its Creuzburg factory and has been very pleased with the solution. The key benefit is the 30% reduction in PC hardware costs because the solution eliminated the need for specialized industrial PCs and protective cases. In addition to the cost savings, Pollmeier also realized several operational benefits. First, the IT staff does not have to waste time constantly replacing dirty filters because the protective cases and filters have been eliminated. Second, PC downtime has been nearly eliminated because the shared PC is in a dust-free, vibration-free, temperature-controlled location (in the administration building). Finally, in case a shared PC has a problem, the IT staff can maintain it from within the administration building which is quicker and easier to access. Based on the positive results at its Creuzburg facility, Pollmeier decided to equip its other existing and planned factories with NComputing systems as they are built and upgraded.

Case Study Business

SITUATION Valley Yellow Pages needed a way to give every account executive computer access but it did not have the infrastructure or budget

Valley Yellow Pages dials NComputing to outfit sales offices Valley Yellow Pages is the largest independent phone directory publisher in Northern California and the third largest independent publisher in the nation. Headquartered in Fresno, California, Valley Yellow Pages maintains 16 sales offices throughout Northern and Central California and publishes directories to households and businesses that reach more than 14 million people.

to support such a large implementation.

SOLUTION Valley Yellow Pages installed the NComputing L-series in its sales offices across California, giving each team of six to eight account executives computing access to both their in-house and enterprise applications, all from one shared PC.

One of the many Valley Yellow Pages offices across California using NComputing.

RESULTS NComputing’s L-series was

The sales productivity killer

installed in all 16 California offices.

Bill Wynne, technical support supervisor at Valley Yellow Pages, needed to provide computing access to over 500 account executives working out of sales offices spread throughout California. Account executives needed computing resources for Web access to e-mail, for in-house sales management software, and office productivity.

With reliable computing access, Valley Yellow Pages was able to not only make sure its account executives had the tools to succeed, they were also able to cut computing costs and easily monitor computer usage.

Sales teams were organized in groups of six to eight account executives reporting to a district sales manager. Each team shared just two PCs that could only be accessed one at a time. “This created bottlenecks, frustration, and a lot of administrative overhead for us in the information systems department,” said Wynne. Wynne and his staff considered purchasing PCs for each account executive but decided that PCs would be overkill. Support would have been an enormous issue because our IS department is at our corporate office in Fresno and the sales offices are scattered around California,” said Wynne. Enabling their sales teams with guaranteed computing access would enhance Valley Yellow Pages’ competitiveness and operational efficiency.

Case Study Business

Computing access for each account executive Valley Yellow Pages deployed the NComputing L-series to give each salesperson access to computing at any time. While Valley Yellow Pages was already sharing PCs, they were limited to one user at a time even if the processor’s average utilization was less than 5%. NComputing harnesses the unused power of a PC to share it among multiple users, and it does so at a fraction of the cost of individual PCs. In addition, this highly efficient system requires less electricity, less space, and less time to setup and manage, making it an ideal fit for the branches at Valley Yellow Pages.

“The NComputing

L-series is affordable, reliable, easy to deploy and add very little administrative overhead.” Bill Wynne, Technical Support Supervisor at Valley Yellow Pages

Today, each district sales manager has a PC that simultaneously serves all users in their team of six to eight account executives. The PC runs a 2.8 GHz processor with 4 GB RAM and is connected to NComputing L-series virtual desktops. Referring to the peripherals used, Wynne stated, “The L130 has no USB ports, which is very attractive to us. We connect only a flat-panel monitor, PS/2 keyboard and mouse. If an account executive needs to burn a CD or connect a camera, then the district sales manager’s machine must be used. This gives us an acceptable level of security and control.” The sales teams use the NComputing systems primarily to run applications developed in-house. These tools enable account executives to research accounts, prepare for sales calls, and report sales results. The team also uses graphics software to create advertisements for their customers. Standard office applications are used for web access to e-mail and for other typical office tasks.

A competitive advantage The NComputing solution helped Valley Yellow Pages give computing access to each account executive. This ensured that they could continue to provide a differentiated and competitive directory. While the challenges of deploying individual PCs to each account executive would have been substantial, “the L-series negated most of these problems,” said Wynne. With 16 offices ranging from 16 users to 48 users each spread throughout California, Valley Yellow Pages found that the NComputing solution kept computer management simple. Since the L-series has no moving parts and no local operating system, Wynne has found them to be “more reliable than PCs.” Summing up the benefits to his team, Wynne said, “The NComputing L-series virtual desktops are affordable, reliable, easy to deploy and add very little administrative overhead.”

WINNER

100

N. AMERICA

RED HERRING

Case Study

Emerging economies/education

Joining forces to bridge the digital divide in Africa CHALLENGE

How does a country that struggles to buy textbooks for its schools manage to afford computers? That’s the dilemma facing many developing nations today. It’s also the problem that two European organizations— Ateliers Sans Frontières (ASF) and Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF)— are solving with the help of innovative virtual desktop solutions from NComputing.

Ateliers Sans Frontières (ASF) in France and Digital Solidarity Fund (DSF) in Switzerland want to help bridge the digital divide by expanding computer access to developing countries in Africa. But even refurbished computers can get expensive and demand far exceeds supply.

SOLUTION The NComputing X300 economically extends the use of a single PC to four or seven users. ASF and DSF are jointly placing NComputing solutions in schools, training centers, and businesses in Morocco and Senegal.

RESULTS Thanks to NComputing, ASF and DSF are providing more computer access in developing nations. The low-cost and durable X300 is environmentally friendly and requires less maintenance and electricity than computers, making it an ideal solution for developing countries.

Not enough Computers and the Internet bring a wealth of information and knowledge to our fingertips. They allow us to conduct research, communicate, Student works on a computer powered by the NComputing X300. and access news and events around the world. Over the last quarter century, most people in the Western world have grown up with computers. In contrast, the only computers that many school-age children in developing nations have seen are in photographs. ASF is dedicated to bridging the divide. The France-based company, with facilities in Morocco and Senegal, collects used computers that are donated by companies, refurbishes them, and sends them to countries in Africa. In the three years since ASF launched, it has supplied over 3,000 computers to countries in Africa. Although the program is successful, demand has far exceeded supply. For example, the government of Senegal asked ASF for 30,000 computers for their schools. ASF has struggled to meet the demand. The 1,000 computers it had been able to send only created a thirst for more. That’s when another company, DSF in Geneva, Switzerland, stepped in. DSF funds worldwide IT projects with corporate donations. But the non-profit wanted to do more than just offer ASF money. It had an idea to broaden the scope of computer access in developing countries using a unique solution from NComputing.

Learning to share Today’s PCs are so powerful that most people use less than 10% of a computer’s power at any given time. NComputing takes advantage of that untapped power and makes it available to several users who simultaneously share the resources of a single computer.

Case Study

Emerging economies/education

An ideal solution for schools, training centers, and businesses, the NComputing X300 includes virtualization software, a PCI card that goes into the shared computer, and three access devices. The access devices, which are about the size of a deck of cards, hook up to standard peripherals, such as a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. With two X300 kits, one shared computer can power seven users—three for each PCI card and a seventh on the shared PC. The solution saves space and money. The access devices connect to the PCI cards via a standard network cable, which also supplies power, eliminating the need for a separate power cable. The cost of the NComputing portion of the solution comes to around US$70 per seat, substantially less than purchasing individual PCs. And each user feels like they have their own computer.

An X300 computer lab provided by ASF and DSF.

“We believe

that everyone, not simply the people in wealthy nations, has a right to computer access. NComputing is helping make that dream come true.” Medhy Davary, director of DSF

“NComputing offers huge potential to expand the reach of computer access in developing nations,” says Mehdy Davary, director of DSF. “Even refurbished computers can become expensive, not to mention the costs of keeping them running. NComputing access devices require almost no maintenance and that’s a huge plus.” The low energy consumption of the X300 is another bonus. A large network of individual PCs would overwhelm the electrical capacities of many facilities in developing nations. The X300 consumes only 1 watt of power per user, compared to 115 watts for a typical PC.

A critical tool NComputing helps countries like Morocco and Senegal make giant strides in reducing the digital divide. DSF and ASF sent Morocco enough equipment for 40 computer access seats—10 refurbished computers, 40 monitors, and 10 NComputing X300 kits. NComputing allowed ASF and DSF to quadruple their efforts, extending 10 computers to 40 users. “We are running a test in five different organizations in Morocco, one training center, two schools, and three businesses, to uncover the best ways to implement these solutions,” says Alexandre Guilluy, director of ASF. “Initially, we want to understand how to best use NComputing, so we can get the most out of it.” “NComputing is a critical tool in enabling us to bring more computer access to these countries. Right now they have few computers, and without computer access, they stand no chance of catching up with the rest of the developing world,” says Davary. ASF and DSF are implementing more solutions in Senegal and Morocco and then in Eastern Europe. NComputing expands their horizons for these groups. “We believe that everyone, not simply the people in wealthy nations, has a right to computer access,” says Davary. “NComputing is helping make that dream come true.”

Case Study Education

SITUATION Rural Fremont County Joint School District 215 wanted to increase computing access across all of its schools, but did not have the budget to purchase additional

Rural Idaho school district supports large area with limited resources The Fremont County Joint School District 215, located just west of Yellowstone National Park in St. Anthony, Idaho, has as its mission, “...to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills, and behaviors to be contributing members of society.” With over 2,100 students in nine elementary, middle and high schools spread out over 160 square miles in rural Idaho, Fremont County shares the same technology challenges faced by most rural school districts in the United States.

computers, upgrade existing workstations, and maintain more computers across a large geographic area.

SOLUTION Rather than simply replacing older computers, the Fremont School District upgraded and expanded access. Using the NComputing X300,

South Fremont High is one of nine schools in the district.

they economically extended each computer to accomodate four or seven users at a fraction of the cost.

RESULTS The Fremont County deployment allowed the district to keep all of its computer labs up to date and add at least three computers in every classroom. The X300 also saves the district money on maintenance and electricity and requires fewer computers to be replaced each year.

Not enough money—or people Fremont County’s core challenge stems from a limited IT budget that restricts computer access and keeps students one upgrade away from the latest computing technology. Compounding the problem for District 215 is a limited staff that must support and maintain systems spread out over a large geographic area. “Being a rural Idaho district, we don’t have a lot of funding and we have a lot of computers that we’re trying to upgrade,” said Tracy Smith, director of technology for Fremont County Joint School District 215. Like most school technology directors, Smith wanted to give students more access to new technology but could only buy new computers when the budget permitted. Unfortunately, his budget only allowed for a few additional computers every year since most of the budget was used to replace older computers no longer practical to keep in service. “With our budget it would have taken us years to replace close to the 240 computers we needed across the district,” said Smith. This meant that not only would students be working with older technology, but the computer-to-student ratio would not improve over time. Smith was challenged to find a better, more cost-effective and practical solution to meet his technology goals.

Case Study Education

A recommendation from a colleague While attending a regional technology meeting, Smith heard about the NComputing solution from a colleague at another school. Based on the endorsement of his colleague and intrigued by its potential, he ordered an NComputing X300 kit for evaluation, with the promise that if he was not satisfied, he could return it for a refund. One NComputing X300 kit allows 4 students to share 1 PC.

Smith deployed it in one of the school computer labs. The X300 allowed Smith to harness the unused power of his PCs by efficiently sharing them among multiple students. Soon after the first evaluation, Smith ordered more X300s and began reallocating his PCs to be shared in the classrooms so more students would have access to modern computing resources. By using the X300, Smith lowered his per-seat computing cost, allowing him to put more seats in each classroom. The X300 system also relieved any concerns about overloading electrical circuits in the classrooms, since it uses far less electricity than a standard PC.

A definite recommendation

“With our budget it would have taken us years to replace close to the 240 computers we needed across the district.” Tracy Smith, Director of Technology for Fremont joint county school District

“We were able to deploy more than 200 computers at a fraction of the cost and that allowed us to go into every elementary school in our district and upgrade every classroom. Now we’ve got at least three more computers in every classroom that’s an up-to-date workstation,” said Smith. “The installation was really slick,” continued Smith. “It was a matter of plugging in a PCI card in the computer, then plugging in a keyboard, mouse, and monitor at each station. Then we installed the software, and a few clicks later, we were up and running.” In addition to reducing his acquisition costs, Smith and his staff have reduced the amount of time spent on maintaining computers and deploying software. Another benefit that no one expected was making it easier for students to adhere to the district’s technology acceptable-use policy, specifically the part which states that a student will “…not load any program onto any computer without the permission of the teacher or a network administrator.” Because most students don’t have direct access to the shared PC, it is difficult for students to load software without the teacher’s approval. Is Smith happy with the overall results? “We will definitely buy more in the future, and I would definitely recommend NComputing products to other school districts,” he concluded. “It’s a great way to get quality workstations to more students at a low price.”

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003-2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers’ configuration, application performance may vary. CS EDU FREMONT US EN REV6 060608

Case Study Education

SITUATION Half of Macedonia’s 360,000 public school students attend school in a morning session, and the other half in an afternoon session. The chal-

Republic of Macedonia first nation to provide a computer for every student Once considered the least developed of the former Yugoslavian republics, Macedonia is leaping into the 21st century. Thanks to low-cost virtual desktop technology from NComputing, Macedonia is the first country ever to provide 1:1 computing (one computer per student) to its entire public school population.

lenge is to deliver one computer per child to all of the nation’s primary and secondary students for less than US $200 per seat.

SOLUTION 160,000 NComputing X300 access devices, connected to 20,000 desktop PCs running NComputing virtualization software, deliver 180,000 student seats.

RESULTS A two-year rollout across 430

Macedonia is the first country ever to provide 1:1 computing for an entire school population.

schools. The NComputing X300 enables seven users to access to a single computer simultaneously. Long-term maintenance costs are a fraction of what they would be if the country had purchased individual laptops for every child.

Toward a knowledge-based economy Computers are taking a leading role in education. The Macedonian government wants to create a knowledge-based economy and is undertaking a series of bold steps to make that happen. A key step is to give every student in the nation (all 360,000 of them) access to a computer. “The Computer for Every Student” initiative is the largest and the most important education undertaking in the 15-year history of the Republic of Macedonia,” said Ivo Ivanovski, the country’s Minister for the Information Society, who is driving the project. The program will have a profound effect on how lessons are taught. All science, math, biology, and chemistry classes will include some online component, according to Ivanovski.

Case Study Education

Laptops are too expensive But how to make it a reality? Like many developing nations, Macedonia has limited funds and infrastructure. If the cost of the program came in too high or required too complex an implementation, it wasn’t going to happen. The country began its search with low-cost educational laptops. But at $175 per laptop, the price came out to a whopping $63 million. And it didn’t stop there. The school system would need an additional 20,000 laptops each year for newly enrolled students, not to mention replacing those computers that get damaged, lost, or stolen. Finally, the costs for providing ongoing maintenance and support for so many individual laptops drove Macedonia to look for a more affordable option. They chose the NComputing X300. The X300 uses regular PCs and inexpensive virtual desktops, and are a fraction of the cost of providing a laptop to every child. Computers will be a part of everyday life for Macedonian children.

“NComputing

offers significant cost advantages over individual PCs. It requires 95% less electricity to run and greatly reduces maintenance and replacement costs.” IVO IVANOVSKI MINISTER FOR THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

Choosing Linux Two NComputing X300 kits enable seven students to use a single PC simultaneously. An X300 kit includes a PCI card and three small access devices (one per student) that connect to the PCI card via a standard CAT5 cable. Each device has ports for connecting a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers. A seventh user works directly on the shared PC. NComputing supports Windows and Linux, and Macedonia is running Ubuntu Linux, a free operating system, on their shared PCs. In addition, each computer is installed with OpenOffice, Mozilla Firefox and Thunderbird, Evolution, and Wine. The entire rollout will include 160,000 access devices and 20,000 NComputingenabled PCs. The logistics are massive. Fortunately, virtual desktops, which make up a vast majority of the seats, install in minutes. And the solution itself requires little training. Typically, a staff teacher with some PC experience can learn the system in a few hours. The NComputing X300 offers significant cost advantages over individual PCs. It requires 95% less electricity to run and greatly reduces maintenance and replacement costs. And with NComputing, only 20,000 computers will need to be upgraded five years down the road. With the help of NComputing, computer access will be a part of everyday life for a growing generation of Macedonian children. And the country will meet its goal of having an entire workforce educated in using information and communication technology in the next five years.

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003-2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers configuration, application performance may vary. CS EDU MACEDONIA US EN REV3 052908

Case Study Education

SITUATION Working under tight budget constraints, school districts throughout North Carolina needed an affordable solution to upgrading old computers and adding more computer access.

SOLUTION Thanks to the NComputing X300, over 25 school districts throughout North Carolina now benefit from a total of more than 10,000 additional computer seats. Because the X300 enables four to seven users to share a single PC, the districts saved a substantial amount of money over having to buy individual PCs.

RESULTS With fewer computers to buy, North Carolina school systems can now afford to upgrade their computers more often. The environmentally-friendly X300 also saves schools money on maintenance and electricity and requires fewer computers to be replaced each year.

North Carolina schools expand computer access despite limited budgets In North Carolina, over 25 school districts have found a way to stretch their IT dollars while placing more students in front of computer screens. The districts purchased NComputing desktop virtualization solutions that enable four to seven students to access a single PC simultaneously. The results add up to big savings, newer PCs, and happier kids.

Never enough

Computers are more important than ever before in education as students depend on them for a wide variety of school work—everything from developing basic technology skills, to researching and writing, to using Computer lab powered by NComputing specific education programs for in the McDowell School District. learning. The current challenge for schools is increasing computer access for students. Yet many schools have to keep within the constraints of a tight IT budget. Insufficient funds usually means schools have to hang on to old computers beyond the normal four-to-five year replacement period, and that leads to a host of other problems, such as higher maintenance costs, frequent crashes, and not always being able to run the latest version of their educational software—a frustrating scenario for IT directors, who want more but have to work with less. With over a dozen schools, McDowell County Schools in Marion, North Carolina represents a typical scenario. “One of our top priorities is to engage, prepare, and educate students on using technology,” says Barry Pace, director of technology at McDowell. “But limited state and local budgets were making it a challenge to keep our PC labs up to date. We were forced to maintain six-to-nine year life cycles on the computers.” Like many school districts in North Carolina, McDowell County needed an affordable solution that would give students more access to better computers.

A virtual computing solution

McDowell School District’s Pace and his counterparts in 25 other North Carolina school districts found their answer in the NComputing X300, a virtual desktop solution that enables four to seven students—depending on whether they use one or two X300 kits in each PC—to benefit from a single shared personal computer.

Case Study Education

Each X300 kit includes virtualization software, a PCI card, and three access devices. The card, which plugs into a standard PCI slot in the shared computer, has three RJ-45 ports that connect via standard network cables (which also supply power) to the access devices. Standard peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, and headphone, hook up to each access device to create a separate workstation. The cost of the NComputing X300 comes out to as little as $70 for each added user. “We piloted our first X300 in a junior high science classroom and determined that the X300 was certainly capable of supporting four students on a single 3.2 GHz desktop with 1GB of memory in any classroom in our school,” says Pace. Although up to seven students can work on a single host, according to McDowell’s network engineer Kelly Combes, schools deploying NComputing should pilot their specific usage environment to determine the best ratio of users per PC. “We have some environments where seven users per PC works well and others that work better with four users—either way, the cost savings are substantial,” says Combes. Students use a variety of multimedia applications.

“One of our top

priorities is to engage, prepare, and educate students on using technology, but limited state and local budgets were making it a challenge to keep our PC labs up to date.”

Barry Pace, Director of Technology at McDowell County Schools

Benefits extend well beyond the initial dollar savings. The NComputing devices are also easier to maintain and use less electricity than individual PCs—just 1 watt for each X300 user versus a typical 115 watts per PC. Electricity savings alone can pay for the cost of each seat in just one year. Perhaps best for the future is that the NComputing solution will keep paying off for years. Because the total number of PCs is limited, the number that have to be replaced every three to five years is much lower. And because NComputing access devices almost never break, maintenance costs are much lower.

Virtual computers - real success

The McDowell County district alone has benefited from an additional 1,000 seats of computer access by deploying 350 NComputing X300 kits on over 300 PCs. McDowell has installed the systems mainly in elementary classrooms in 11 of its 12 schools. Use of the new system has caught on. Over 25 school districts in North Carolina have used NComputing systems to deploy over 10,000 computer seats in hundreds of schools. The growing popularity of the system comes as a result of district IT managers sharing their experiences with their counterparts in other school districts. What do districts do with all the money they save? They usually buy more seats to advance their goal of increasing PC-to-student ratios. Students are excited about having access to newer technology, and IT managers are thrilled with the X300’s efficiency, ease of use, compatibility with standard software, and overall lower maintenance requirements. What’s more, principals, administrators, and taxpayers are pleased to see their limited budgets stretching so much further. “I was blown away when I saw NComputing’s X300 in action,” says Dr. Louis Johnson of the Rockingham school district in North Carolina. “Now my students no longer have to wait in line to use a computer.”

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003-2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers’ configuration, application performance may vary. CS EDU MCDOWELLNC US EN REV3 052908

Case Study Education

Medicine Hat schools handle tight spaces and tight budgets SITUATION The Medicine Hat school district wanted to upgrade its aging computers. At the same time,

Schools often have to find creative ways to squeeze more out of less. Medicine Hat, a school district in Alberta, Canada that includes 18 schools and 6,600 students, needed to do two things: upgrade its aging fleet of computers and increase computer access in the classroom. But it was running aground on both budget and physical desk space.

it also needed to find a way

Old computers

to fit more computers into a

Typical of many schools, Medicine Hat had to work within the constraints of a limited IT budget. As a result, it was holding onto many of its computers past the typical five-year replacement period. Some of the district’s computers were seriously outdated.

classroom.

SOLUTION The district installed 740 NComputing X300 kits, creating

“They were massively slow beyond the point of being effective,” says Richard Potter, administrator of information technology at Medicine Hat.

3,000 new seats throughout the district. The X300 devices took up much less space than regular PCs, making it easier to fit more of them into a classroom.

RESULTS Medicine Hat has found an affordable, reliable way to squeeze more computer access in a classroom. Thanks to NComputing virtual desktop technology, the district can upgrade computers sooner. Also, maintenance costs are reduced, and with fewer cables, computers are easier to shut down during summer months.

Old age caused other problems as well. The legacy systems needed extra maintenance and support to keep them ticking, and new software NComputing’s solution increases didn’t always run properly on them. access in classrooms. But an even bigger problem for teachers was that students tended to get distracted and start talking in class while the older computers took their time processing commands. Space was another issue for the growing Medicine Hat district. In order to make room for more students, the district was dismantling many of its old computer labs and turning them into classrooms. The labs originally housed 30 computers each. Additional computer access needed to go into classrooms, but where? PCs took up too much desk space. The district needed a solution that was costeffective and space-efficient.

New solution NComputing answered Medicine Hat’s budget and space woes. Using the NComputing X300 virtual desktop solution, Medicine Hat extended the power of a single PC to four users. Each X300 kit includes a PCI card and three access devices. The devices—which are about half the size of a small book—include hookups for standard peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse, monitor, speakers, and headphone. The devices connect to the shared PC via a standard network cable, which also supplies power, resulting in fewer cables and less mess.

Case Study Education

Three students work on the virtual workstations, and a fourth sits at the shared PC. Like all NComputing products, the X300 works with standard PC applications and the added users have simultaneous access to the same programs. Before installing the X300 in its schools, Medicine Hat ran extensive tests using Intel Core Duo computers with 1.5 GB of RAM. Results showed that a single user only consumed 3-12% of the computer’s processing power. Even with four users, the computer was still running at a mere 32-48% of its capabilities. “The tests demonstrated that our main computers had plenty of additional processing power to support the extra users,” says Sai Wong, network technician at Medicine Hat. “We immediately went ahead and started implementing NComputing into our schools.” Medicine Hat began in two of its high school computer labs. Feedback from the staff was excellent, and technicians—who normally had to support 30 or more individual computers in a lab—now only had to support 4 or 5. It was a win-win situation. Then Medicine Hat installed the NComputing solution in classrooms. NComputing’s X300 at work.

“Once you find

something that works, you simply stick with it. And we’re sticking with NComputing.” Richard Potter, administrator of information technology at Medicine Hat

Medicine Hat used flat-screen displays and built innovative custom desks to minimize the space needed. Teachers were offered shelf configuration options for single, double, or quad stations. Each configuration included a wiring molding and a box to hide computer wires and cables.

Spreading the benefits Medicine Hat sees several advantages. “The new system consumes only a fraction of the energy of having four computers,” says Wong. “And when we upgrade one computer, four students benefit.” The small footprint of the X300 access devices enables the NComputing solution to fit neatly into classrooms. “In previous configurations, we could only put three to four computers in a classroom. With NComputing, we fit eight computer access devices in K-3, four in K-6, and twelve in Grades 4-6,” says Potter. “And we have money left over, so we can easily afford to return to a four- to five-year replacement cycle on all of our computers.” The access devices also require less maintenance and less support staff to keep them up and running. And the reduction in the number of power cables means that custodians don’t need to unplug as many when they close the schools down during the summer. NComputing also produces less electronic waste by reducing the number of computers the school has to replace each year. Medicine Hat has made NComputing standard equipment throughout its district. The school system will deploy 3,000 seats in total, consisting of 740 PCs and 740 X300 kits. “Once you find something that works, you simply stick with it,” says Potter. “And we’re sticking with NComputing.”

Case Study Higher education

CHALLENGE Meet growing demand for computer access while cutting costs and reducing IT maintenance and support.

SOLUTION Deploy the NComputing L-series

NComputing helps Palm Beach Community College overcome budget freeze When Florida adopted an open-door admissions policy, community college enrollment surged by more than 50,000 students in one year. Palm Beach Community College (PBCC), the state’s largest community college system, saw its own student population jump by 5% (to more than 45,000). At the same time, the state of Florida projected education budget cuts of 4% to 10%, forcing a freeze on major equipment purchases. With PCs now integral to higher education and office functions, PBCC faced a severe challenge in meeting demand for computing access for both its staff and growing student population.

across multiple campuses.

RESULTS PBCC cut hardware costs and significanlty reduced deployment and support costs.

Palm Beach Community College has installed NComputing across multiple campuses.

Stretched budgets, strained staff “In recent years, the number of computers supported by our IT staff has grown from 2,000 to 4,800 on four campuses,” said Michael Merker, director of technology infrastructure for PBCC. “Our IT budget didn’t grow at the same pace, and our 12 IT staff members are increasingly stretched. We had a goal of replacing our computers every three years to stay current with technology, but with $1.25 million in cuts planned for PBCC’s budget, we needed a new approach.” PBCC had previously used a traditional desktop architecture of 1 PC per person. But setting up and supporting all of the computers was very timeconsuming for IT staff.

Case Study Higher Education

“We have 50 stations for computer-based testing in our nursing education testing center alone. With traditional PCs, setting up that many stations would have taken us a massive amount of time. NComputing showed us how its desktop virtualization solution could dramatically cut both our equipment costs and the time and effort we devote to desktop deployment and support,” added Mr. Merker.

Substantial savings, simplified support The NComputing solution is based on the simple fact that today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware tap this unused capacity so multiple students can share it simultaneously. That translates to four times the number of students having computer access for the same money. NComputing access devices are easily mounted and secured.

“Deployment took

less than 15 minutes per station to set up both the hardware and the software in our nursing education testing center. With six NComputing devices to one PC, our school saved about $50,000 on that installation alone.” Michael Merker Director of technology infrastructure Palm Beach Community College

NComputing virtualization software works with standard Windows and Linux computers, with each student’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected to the shared PC via a small and highly reliable NComputing access device. The device itself has no CPU, memory, or moving parts. NComputing showed PBCC how deploying a ratio of six NComputing L230s to one PC (for a total of seven seats) would cut hardware costs by more than 40% and dramatically reduce support and maintenance costs.

Standardizing on NComputing “The NComputing devices were incredibly easy to set up,” said Mr. Merker. “Deployment took less than 15 minutes per station to set up both the hardware and the software in our nursing education testing center. With six NComputing devices to one PC, our school saved about $50,000 on that installation alone. Better yet, installing a new test, application, or performing other maintenance takes us a fraction of the time it used to.” PBCC has also reduced its carbon footprint and energy costs because NComputing access devices consume as little as 1 watt per user, versus 115 watts for a PC. Because the NComputing devices generate almost no heat, energy costs for air conditioning have also been cut. “A cyber café using NComputing at our Lake Worth campus has been very well received,” Merker added. “Since USB memory sticks are now the standard for portable memory, the NComputing devices’ built-in USB port make them the perfect solution. We are standardizing on NComputing, and will deploy them to all areas where we have large concentrations of PCs used for office applications and Internet browsing. We’ll then deploy NComputing across all of our campuses. It’s a no brainer.”

Case Study Education

SITUATION New software wouldn’t run on old PCs; not enough money to buy new ones.

Ramona Unified achieves e-learning goals The challenges seemed insurmountable. The Ramona Unified School District (California) computer labs’ aging PCs were unable to run innovative and costly e-learning software it had recently purchased, and they had too few of the outdated machines to allow the students time for effective learning.

SOLUTION Install NComputing virtual desktop solutions in the district’s labs and classrooms to increase available desktops while limiting impact to budget and the IT support team.

RESULTS Costs for deploying the new computers are reduced by more than half. Powerful new e-learning applications run problem-free, preserving the district’s significant software investment. Noise, heat, and space problems in the lab are eliminated.

NComputing’s solution eliminated heat and noise in Barnett Elementary School’s computer lab, vastly improving the learning environment.

Worse still, the heat generated by the old PCs and CRT monitors made the computer labs unbearably hot and noisy, and the lab’s crowded desktops had little room for papers, notes, and books. With a limited budget and IT staff, finding a cost-effective solution was daunting.

A wasted investment

With 33 classrooms, a large library-media center, and a computer lab, Barnett Elementary School exemplified the Ramona district’s challenges. The computers in the school’s lab couldn’t run a new e-learning application that cost them more than $20,000, and there weren’t enough computers to meet the needs of the students. “We realized it would take us three years to save the money we needed just to buy the computers for the lab,” said Barnett principal Shelagh Appleman. “And that meant our investment in the new software would be wasted.” As with most schools, Ramona’s budget for purchasing new PCs was extremely limited, as was the size of the district’s IT staff, which would have to deploy any new machines and the applications they would run. “We had used refurbished machines in the past, but we found that with their limited lifespan they weren’t cost-effective,” said Keith Wright, director of information and education services for the Ramona USD. “We also looked at a thin-client solution but found the upfront costs for servers, hardware and network bandwidth was prohibitive.”

Case Study Education

“We needed to find a solution that the district could afford, and that our IT team could deploy and support without being overwhelmed,” added Mr. Wright. “We also needed a flexible solution that would bring more PC desktops to our classrooms and computer learning pods. After testing an evaluation unit, we decided NComputing’s solution would help us meet all of those needs.”

Leverage existing computing capacity

“NComputing was able to show us how we could take advantage of the computing power in desktop PCs,” said Mr. Wright. “They also showed us how we could dramatically cut the time it took our IT team to deploy and support our district’s computers.” NComputing’s desktop virtualization software and hardware taps the unused capacity of today’s powerful PCs by simultaneously sharing it among multiple users, spreading out the cost of the PC, and typically providing four times the number of seats for the same money. Ramona Unified’s students can now take advantage of the new software.

“A fantastic solution It has been a great investment for our district.”

- Keith Wright Director of information and education services Ramona Unified School District

The NComputing virtualization software works with standard Windows and Linux PCs, and each user’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connect to the shared PC through a small and highly reliable NComputing access device. The device itself has no CPU, memory or moving parts, so it’s easy to deploy and maintain. And the model Ramona chose gets its power through the network cable, reducing cable clutter and the need to install extra power outlets.

NComputing made me a hero

“The complete installation at Barnett Elementary took just one day. Before, it would have taken the better part of a week,” said Mr. Wright. “And the environment was immediately more pleasant for learning, with the heat and noise eliminated. Just as important, we were able to install the NComputing devices along with high-end Dell PCs, new flat screen monitors, keyboards and an optical mouse for less than half of what we spent when we last upgraded the lab.” “NComputing made me a hero,” said principal Appleman. “Our new e-learning software now works perfectly, preserving our $20,000 investment. And we have more computers available to our students than we ever thought we’d be able to afford. We literally would not have a lab today at our school if not for the NComputing technology.” “NComputing has provided us with a fantastic solution. Rolling it out has been very easy, and we’ve experienced virtually no problems,” said Mr. Wright. “It has been a great investment for the district, and has made a huge impact on our ability to increase the number of computers in each of our schools. As a result of increased student access to our e-learning programs, we are seeing learning improvements throughout the district.”

Case Study Education

SITUATION The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) wanted to provide over one million students in 1,500 schools the tools to help bridge the digital divide.

SOLUTION The WCED adopted the ambitious Khanya Project to provide each school with a functional computer lab. The NComputing X300 was identified as the ideal solution for computing access because of its reliability and low costs.

RESULTS The Khanya Project installed the NComputing X300, which allowed WCED to extend their budget and leverage the excess

South Africa’s Western Cape schools bridge the digital divide Schools throughout the world are faced with new challenges as computer skills become increasingly important in the digital age. Affordable access to computing technology has become a priority for many school administrators. South Africa’s Western Cape school system found that the NComputing solution is an effective way to give more students access to computing and thereby bridge the digital divide.

Donated computers are not a solution The Western Cape region of South Africa has over one million children Saint Andrews school in Western in its K-12 school system. The region Cape South Africa uses the X300. is economically poor and most of the schools cannot afford computing technology. Without access to computers and associated curricula, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) was concerned that its students would not be ready to join the digital economy. The WCED launched the ambitious Khanya Project to deploy PCs in the schools. Khanya’s goal is to take the digital age into the schools and lives of nearly one million students in 1,570 schools throughout the Western Cape.

capacity of their existing refurbished computers.

PARTNER NComputing partner Yellow Penguin, a distributor in South Africa, helped the WCED identify the X300 as the solution to help accomplish its goals.

The first stage of the project is to provide each school with at least one computer laboratory consisting of 20 to 40 PCs and peripherals that are networked and linked to the Internet. At the beginning of the Khanya Project, used PCs (donated) were deployed in the schools in an effort to save on deployment costs. However, the equipment was unreliable and difficult to maintain. In the Khanya annual report, the project director wrote: “One of the early lessons learned is that refurbished (used) computers do not do justice to the project. Used computers have already reached a point where it is no longer cost-effective for an organization to maintain the equipment, and by giving such equipment to a poor school, where little technical expertise is available, one can expect break-downs, delays, and lack of funding to repair, all of which lead to disillusionment with the use of technology. The lesson that Khanya has learned is that one must give the best equipment possible to the poorest of the poor schools.”

Case Study Education

So how can an ambitious project like Khanya install new computing gear on its relatively small budget and still meet its ambitious objective to bring computing to a million students? The Khanya Project turned to the NComputing X300 solution provided by Yellow Penguin, NComputing’s distributor in South Africa.

Sharing excess CPU power NComputing harnesses the unused power of a PC to share it among multiple users and it does so at a fraction of the cost of individual PCs. In addition to better use of processing power and lower acquisition cost, this highly efficient solution requires less electricity and less space at each desktop (users connect through devices that are smaller than a paperback book). Best of all, the NComputing solution is simple to install and maintain, with far fewer PCs to manage and update. All of the components in the X300 system can be reused through multiple generations of PCs, saving time for IT administrators and saving money for school systems. An X300-powered computer lab in South Africa.

International recognition The Khanya Project concluded that the X300 solution is well suited to address the requirements of their computer laboratories and further stated:

“This technology can

successfully be integrated into an existing Khanya laboratory providing an extension of the existing lab at a fraction of the cost.” Khanya project summary report

“This technology can successfully be integrated into an existing Khanya laboratory providing an extension of the existing lab at a fraction of the cost. The X300 system delivers the same full functionality as the existing Khanya computers.” Khanya noted the following features and functionality of the NComputing solution in their summary report: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Runs on Windows Cat5 cable connects to the stations and includes power Terminal boxes are small and can easily be secured Installs easily via a PCI card into the shared PC Lowers maintenance cost (smaller number of PCs) Reduces the risk of theft of PC components Requires less network cabling and electrical infrastructure

The report also stated that the “X300 model can thus be seen as a more cost effective way of providing schools with computer laboratories, while the performance can be compared to that of a normal client network.” By deploying innovative and affordable solutions like those enabled by NComputing, Khanya has enriched the lives of students and educators throughout the Western Cape. In fact, Project Khanya has received numerous national and international awards such as the Standard Bank Public Sector Innovation award. They were also the only finalist for the prestigious Stockholm Challenge Award from Africa. In addition, the National Department of Science and Technology recognized them as one of the top 100 IT-related organizations in South Africa.

Case Study Education

CHALLENGE Mandated state tests are moving online, but schools donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have enough PCs to move students through their labs fast enough.

SOLUTION An innovative Minnesota district

Winona makes the grade with state-mandated tests Most states are moving their mandated tests from paper-based to computer-based, but schools have too many students on too few PCs. Winona Area Public Schools faced this challenge. The majority of the 1,000 desktop computers they were using were old and unable to run current versions of test software. The older lab computers were not capable of accessing the online testing websites. The district had no choice but to find a solution that would allow them to upgradeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;but they had to do it with a very limited budget.

used NComputing virtual desktops to increase the number of seats and solve the problem without any extra funding.

RESULTS The district IT staff passed the test with an A+ by providing more computing access while saving money and increasing reliability.

Students now take state-mandated tests on NComputing virtual desktops.

The situation was dire and compounded by inadequate technology funding from the state. A number of local tax hikes that would have provided funding were defeated at the polls. The previous best method for dealing with these shortcomings was to continually repair aging machines and accept donated used machines. The district looked desperately for a better solution. They looked at traditional thin clients and server-based computing, but balked at the high software and server prices.

Case Study Education

Virtual desktops solve the problems The district finally found a solution, maximizing their investment in PCs with NComputing’s virtual desktop technology. The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware tap this unused capacity so that multiple users can simultaneously share it. Each user’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connect to the shared PC through a small and very durable NComputing access device. The access device itself has no CPU, memory, or moving parts so it is rugged, durable, and easy to deploy and maintain. NComputing enabled the district to finally deal with the limited and inconsistent technology funding that it had been struggling with for the past decade. Because the district now has fewer PCs to maintain, their technical support burden is reduced and they now make more efficient use of their technical support staff. Winona schools are providing more access without extra funding.

Top grades and extra credit In addition to establishing wide-scale online state testing, the NComputing solution is helping the district reach their goals of:

“The NComputing

solution significantly improved our efforts to accomplish our goals. It doesn’t require us to buy multiple servers or expensive software. And it is easily adaptable and upgradeable, while maintaining our investments in staff development and infrastructure.” -Kevin Flies Director of Information Systems winona Area public schools

• Cost effectiveness • Reduced maintenance, repair, and support • Hardware efficiency • Compatible, acceptable, comfortable equipment • Reduced energy use • Simplified adaptability to change • Reduced obsolescence • Single consistent hardware & software platform Kevin Flies, Director of Information Systems at Winona Area Public Schools says, “staff and students have not really noticed any difference between using this system and having individual PCs. The installation and setup is extremely simple and takes very little time.” The district figures their cost per seat is 40% less than that of a traditional desktop lab. More importantly, it will yield a 70% savings when the next PC upgrade cycle comes around (they only have to purchase shared computers— not monitors, keyboards, mice, speakers, or access devices). The success of the state testing paved the way for upgrading student computer labs in eight more buildings. Best of all, even though the systems were purchased for statemandated testing, they will engage students and enrich their learning experiences throughout the school year.

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003-2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computers, configuration application performance may vary. CS EDU WINONA US EN REV13 102208

Case Study Green computing

SITUATION Cost-effectively upgrade Lindsay Park Elementary School’s computer lab while reducing the lab’s carbon footprint.

SOLUTION Install twenty-four NComputing virtual desktop solutions and four

British Columbia school goes green When British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell launched his green initiative, a primary goal was the reduction of greenhouse–gas emissions by 33% from current levels by 2020. “This is about changing the way we think,” said Premier Campbell, whose plan includes a greater focus on conservation, with seven to nine million tons per year in CO2 emission reductions from electric power generation. He asked that businesses and government do their part wherever possible. Lindsay Park Elementary School in Rocky Mountain School District #6 took that request to heart.

Energy Star® PCs in the lab to create twenty-eight student stations, while planting 100 trees to serve as carbon offsets.

RESULTS Lindsay Park is recognized as the first school in Canada with a carbon neutral computer lab. Noise and heat problems in the lab are eliminated. Equipment costs are cut by 40%, while electricity use and emissions are reduced by 80%.

PARTNER BlueCurl, a Langley, British Columbia IT services provider, installed, and supported the project.

Lindsay Park School’s computer lab, the first in Canadian schools to achieve carbonneutral status, is now quieter, cooler, and more conducive to learning.

Refurbished PCs don’t help

Lindsay Park was already leading the way to a greener Canada with its recognition as an Earth Award School by the Seeds Foundation for completing more than 1,000 environmental projects. Looking ahead, Lindsay Park faced another challenge common to schools today—find an environmentally sound way to upgrade the hardware in its computer lab with both a limited budget and IT staff. The school had tried refurbished computers, but found that they added just three years to the lab’s life expectancy, were expensive to maintain, and continued to draw significant amounts of electricity. “The 28 fans from the lab’s refurbished computers created a big noise problem, while the heat that both the PCs and monitors generated forced us to retrofit air conditioning into the room,” said Dave Hlady, IT Specialist with Rocky Mountain School District #6. “There was no room on the desktops for the kid’s books or notes, it was uncomfortable and loud, and maintaining the

Case Study Green computing

older computers was costly. Combined with our continued high energy costs, we knew we had to find a better way.” At that time BlueCurl—an IT services provider and NComputing partner— presented the district with a solution that would meet both the computing needs of the students and the school’s environmental objectives.

Going green and saving green

According to Mr. Hlady, “The lab’s refurbished computers cost more than $30,000. With 30 labs in our 20 schools, we knew we couldn’t afford to meet the future computing needs of our students, even without environmental considerations. NComputing and BlueCurl showed us that it was possible to cut our costs dramatically and achieve our environmental goals.”

BlueCurl showed Lindsay Park School how to cut costs

“It took just four

hours to set up the entire computer lab. And ongoing maintenance is easy because we only have to look after four machines in the lab, instead of twenty-eight.” DAVE HLADY, IT Specialist at Rocky Mountain School District #6

“Initial costs for NComputing are about 40% less,” said BlueCurl CEO Chris Slattery. “But it really hinges on sustainability. When it’s time to replace, you don’t have to buy 28 new machines, just 4. It’s less to landfills, eliminating 85% of waste.” Mr. Slattery also explained that today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. He demonstrated how NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware would enable the district to tap this unused capacity so that multiple users could simultaneously share it. Ultimately, BlueCurl showed how they could plant 100 trees as carbon offsets to make Lindsay Park the first school in Canada with a carbon neutral computer lab, while creating a blueprint for a green computing future in all of the district’s schools.

A great lesson

“Setting up the new equipment turned out to be a huge time saver,” said Mr. Hlady. “It took just four hours to set up the entire computer lab. The old way would have taken us at least two days. And ongoing maintenance is easy because we only have to look after four machines in the lab, instead of twenty-eight. Best of all, it’s now a quiet place, with plenty of room for the kids’ books and papers on the desktop, and no need for us to run the air conditioning.” BlueCurl estimates that the new computer lab uses 80% less electricity than a traditional lab, while reducing emissions by as much as 80%. “The kids had a great time planting the trees, while asking lots of questions about the new lab’s environmental impact, and how the tree plantings offset the lab’s carbon footprint,” said BlueCurl’s Greg Protti. “They were genuinely excited to learn that CO2 emissions were being reduced by as much as three and a half tons per year, and electricity use was cut by more than 5,000 kilowatt hours per year.” With the lab complete and the carbon offsets from the newly planted trees in place, Lindsay Park School was recognized as the first school in Canada with a carbon-neutral computer lab. “We now plan to roll out this approach to another elementary school in the district, and eventually system-wide,” said Mr. Hlady.

Case Study

Education/Green computing

SITUATION The Kultur school system maintained two computer labs in their primary schools. The labs overhead costs—which included software and hardware upgrades, and over 10,000 watts of electricity—were too much for the school system to maintain.

Turkish school system keeps it cool in the computer labs The Kultur School system is a leading private school system in Turkey with about 2,000 students and 300 staff. The system includes five preschools, two primary schools, two high schools, and a science-focused high school. “Bringing computing technology into daily teaching and exposing the students to the broader world is a key mission of the schools,” says Mrs. Esra Ataç, chief of the school’s computer department. “Information and technology is moving extremely fast and we want our students to use computers to creatively find information and solve problems.”

SOLUTION The NComputing L-series allowed Kultur to cut their costs by dramatically reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs, while also allowing them to expand access across all their schools.

RESULTS The Kultur school system experienced immediate cost savings by installing the NComputing L-series solution. The solution worked so well that Kultur was able to expand computing access outside of the labs to the libraries, classrooms, and administrative offices.

PARTNER NComputing partner Dojop, a distributor in Turkey, was instrumental in providing and implementing the L-series in the Kultur school system.

NComputing L-series in a Kultur school classroom.

PC labs too hot to handle Kultur had two computer laboratories with 26 PCs in each. The 52 PCs required constant attention by the computer department for hardware maintenance, software issues, security, and virus problems. Each PC used more than 200 watts of electricity, so the laboratories were using over 10,000 watts combined. The PCs also generated a lot of heat, which required even more electricity for the air conditioning system to cool the laboratories. It was a vicious cycle of expensive electrical waste.

Case Study

Education/Green computing

NComputing to the rescue Kultur’s Technology Committee researched alternative solutions and learned about NComputing, which is distributed in Turkey by Dojop Teknologi. NComputing harnesses the unused power of a PC to share it among multiple users at a fraction of the cost of individual PCs. In addition, this highly efficient system requires less electricity, less space, and less time to setup and manage, making it ideal for educational institutions like Kultur. Since the benefits of NComputing were so clear, the L-series was deployed in both computer laboratories.

A cool solution

L-series (inset) is used in Kultur computer labs.

“We were planning

to upgrade the computers in the laboratories and wanted to find a more suitable system that was easier to manage and a lot less expensive to maintain”

Kultur first installed the L-series in the primary school’s computer laboratories. Mrs. Ataç’s computer department realized several benefits of the NComputing solution. First, since the school did not have to buy 52 new PCs, there was a significant up-front cost savings. Second, the computer department staff spent much less time fixing hardware and software problems because there were fewer PCs to manage. Third, the school will only need to upgrade a few PCs instead of 52. Finally, the L-series only uses 5 watts of electricity (vs. 200 watts for a PC) so it provides dramatic savings in electrical use and air conditioning costs. The teachers like the NComputing solution because they can monitor, track and control the student sessions. “We use software to track the student’s screen and help them with their computer learning. Occasionally, we have a student wander off to an unsuitable website or play a video game and we can control that.” says the IT teacher, Mr. Tuncay Karaçelebiearch. Kultur has been very pleased with the deployments and is deploying NComputing throughout the school. Kultur has also installed NComputing in the library, teacher room, and administrative offices.

Mrs. esra Atac, chief of technology, Kultur School system

Case Study Government/non-profit emerging economies

CHALLENGE Salvation for the Deserving (SFD) is a charity based in Bangladesh that provides health services, education, and vocational training for disabled people in rural areas. Teaching computer literacy to enable disabled people to get jobs is an important part of the program. SFD needed a low-cost, easy-to-

Bangladesh non-profit provides job training for the handicapped Computer literacy and internet access is critical in emerging market economies. It provides access to fair crop prices and agricultural best practices. It is also the only way to prepare the next generation of workers for higher paying jobs. The need is just as acuteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;if not more soâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for the disabled. Salvation for the Deserving (SFD) provides disability and poverty alleviation assistance in Bangladesh. The charity was founded by Nasir Sinha, who was himself born with a disability. As a focal point of assistance, the SFD community center in the village of Singair Union provides healthcare, education, and vocational training services to help disabled people in the community earn their livelihood and become self-reliant.

maintain computing system in its community center.

SOLUTION The NComputing X-series enabled SFD to share a single PC with multiple simultaneous trainees at minimal cost.

RESULTS Disabled students graduate with computer literacy certificates. The environmentally-friendly X-series requires almost no maintenance or electricity, making it an ideal solution in developing

SFDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s computer training center.

countries.

PARTNER AMD contributed the computers for the solution, while leading NGO bracNet provided internet access.

Vital skills; serious challenges Computing skills provide disabled and poor villagers with better job and economic opportunities. SFD wanted to set up a computer literacy training program in its community center and a way to provide better information access for the local community. The solution had to be low-cost and easy to maintain. Because the area experiences frequent power outages, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) was also required. A room full of PCs would need a large and expensive UPS, which was not affordable. So the solution for SFD could not consume much electricity. Providing internet access in the rural areas of the country can also be quite challenging.

Case Study Government/non-profit emerging economies

Creativity and charity SFD solved all of their problems with a combination of creativity and charity. AMD, a leading processor company, donated the computing equipment. The center needed more training stations, so they multiplied the power of the donated PCs with NComputing X-series virtual desktop kits.

Disabled adults learn on NComputing virtual desktops.

“Favorable conditions and willpower enables a person to reach at the peak of success.” Nasir sinha SFD Founder & Chairman

The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. NComputing’s virtualization software and hardware tap this unused capacity so that it can be simultaneously shared by multiple users. Each user’s monitor, keyboard, and mouse connect to the shared computer through a small and very durable NComputing access device. The access device itself has no CPU, memory, or moving parts so it is rugged, durable, and easy to deploy and maintain. A single NComputing X550 kit allows 6 users to simultaneously access a shared computer. An additional kit can be installed for a total of 11 users sharing a single PC. This solution not only saves money, but saves space and power as well. Just one small UPS protects all of the users from brownouts. bracNet, a local NGO and internet service provider, donated internet access. A single modem that connects to the shared PC can be used simultaneously by all users. This eliminates the need to set up a local network—greatly simplifying the installation and maintenance of the facility.

Beneficial for the whole community The training program teaches basic computer use as well as Microsoft Office and internet skills. At the completion of a 4-week class, students receive a certificate of completion that will help them find administrative jobs that require computer knowledge. Thus empowered, they proceed to use computers to improve their own—and their village’s—economic conditions. The local community benefits from the additional computer access as well. Villagers now have email access, which they use to connect with relatives living around the world, as well as with doctors who provide remote medical services. Farmers now have internet access to research the latest agricultural technologies and modern farming methods to further improve the value of their crops. SFD will install additional PCs combined with NComputing X-series virtual desktops to meet the increasing need for computing access for the students and in the community. And the success goes beyond the individual and the community: the Singair Union computer lab is a model of success for expansion into every district in the country.

www.ncomputing.com ©Copyright 2003 2008. NComputing, Inc. All rights reserved. NComputing is the property of NComputing. Other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Specifications subject to change without notice. Depending on the host computer’s configuration application performance may vary. CS NP SFD US EN REV9 121808

Case Study Public access

SITUATION When delegates from Iraq and surrounding countries came together for a high-profile multinational meeting, conference organizers needed to provide reliable and secure computer access to attendees and 400 members of the media.

Global conference on Iraq stays connected When officials from Middle Eastern countries came together for the second annual Neighboring Countries of Iraq Foreign Ministers meeting, conference organizers had to work fast to come up with a cost-effective way to provide convenient, reliable computer access throughout the convention hall.

SOLUTION Thanks to the NComputing L230, the conference organizers were able to quickly and efficiently assembly 60 computer access stations throughout the main areas of the event, using only one server and two shared PCs.

RESULTS

Delegates at the Iraq Foreign Ministers Confernce.

The NComputing solution was extremely easy to set up and take down. It provided secure and reliable computer access during the eventâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;at a fraction of the cost of individual PCs. The solution also used less electricity and required less IT support.

High stakes

PARTNER

Constantly on the move throughout the convention area, delegates and over 400 members of the press needed computer access for writing articles, putting finishing touches on presentations, and corresponding with each other and their home offices.

NComputing partner Dojop Technologies in Istanbul, Turkey provided the computing equipment and handled the complete NComputing setup.

The multi-national conference, which took place at the Ciragan Palas Kempinski Hotel in Istanbul, Turkey, was a meeting ground for leading officials and delegates of the countries that surround Iraq. Among the prominent attendees were representatives of Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Syria as well as members of the United Nations Security Council, and representatives from the United States, France, England, China, and Russia. Delegates convened to share critical viewpoints on current developments in Iraq and to discuss ways to control Iraqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s borders, reduce violence, and help stabilize the country.

Conference organizers scrambled to find a quick, easy, and efficient way to place computer access points in the press center, lobby, and main operations area of the conference. The network had to be assembled and dismantled in a matter of days. Organizers considered individual laptops and PCs, but realized they would be too costly, as well as a hassle to set up and maintain for a temporary venue. With so many important people converging in one place, organizers needed a solution that was not only affordable, but reliable and secure.

Case Study Public access

Quick and easy The perfect solution presented itself in the NComputing L230, which works on the principle that computers today are so powerful that they use only a fraction of their capacity. The L230 taps this unused power and makes it available to multiple users. NComputing desktop virtualization software and L230 access devices reduce the acquisition, integration, maintenance, and energy costs of computing. With the L230, up to 30 users can connect to a single shared PC running typical office productivity applications. Each user still has their own monitor, keyboard and mouse. However, instead of connecting directly to a PC, these peripherals connect to a small NComputing access device.

Monitor mounted L230 devices in use.

“This would have

been a major headache to pull off using individual PCs. NComputing is the best solution for this type of venue.” Mustafa Canoglu, president of Dojop Technologies

The access devices use sophisticated virtualization software and a powerful communications protocol to connect over Ethernet to the shared computer. The solution delivers excellent performance as if the users were sitting in front their own dedicated PCs. The L230 access devices also provide a USB port, which journalists at the event used to upload digital photos to send with their stories. Conference organizers hired NComputing partner Dojop Technologies to supply and set up all of the computers and L230 workstations. Istanbul-based Dojop installed one main computer in the press area connected to 30 access devices. In the operations center, they used two PCs supporting 20 users, and in the lobby, one PC supporting 10 workstations. The entire setup was ready to use when conference attendees arrived.

Flawless performance “This would have been a major headache to pull off using individual PCs,” says Mustafa Canoglu, president of Dojop. “In order for us to setup and maintain individual computers, we would have needed several more workers and it would have cost the client a lot more money. NComputing is the best possible solution for this type of venue because it is so economical and easy to use.” In just one day, Dojop technicians were able to set up 60 computer access points throughout the convention center—a fraction of the time it would have taken them to set up 60 individual PCs. The system proved itself to be highly reliable and worked continually without a problem through the entire event. The ultra-small access devices also fit conveniently on the long rectangular desks at the conference. In contrast, individual PCs would have been large, bulky, noisy, and hot. The solution saved money in other ways too. The highly energy-efficient NComputing devices have very low power requirements—about 5 watts per user—compared to 115 watts for a typical PC. And because the entire 60-seat setup required only three computers, support costs were next to nothing. The solid-state NComputing devices themselves require little or no maintenance. “This was a world event,” says Canoglu. “It had to be flawless and it was. Thanks to NComputing, we were able to get everything prepared quickly. Dismantling was equally as easy. NComputing was the perfect solution, and the customer was very pleased. By using NComputing solutions, we were able to lower the total IT costs of the event by 80 percent and still provide users with full computer access.”

Case Study Public access

SITUATION The WTO hosted 11,000 delegates at its annual conference. Finding a way to provide reliable computing access to the participants in one of the worlds’ largest convention centers at a reasonable price and

The World Trade Organization trades up to NComputing The World Trade Organization (WTO) is a non-profit international organization responsible for the global rules of trade between nations. Its 149 member countries account for 97% of global trade. The WTO’s mission is to ensure that international trade flows as smoothly, predictably, and freely as possible throughout the world. As part of this mission, the WTO hosts an annual conference with 11,000 delegates. The conference has global economic and political implications and impacts the lives of nearly every person in the world.

within the paramaters of the organization was challenging.

SOLUTION NComputing’s L-series solution was chosen by the WTO to provide 500 computing access stations across the convention center; located in press center, delegate center, cyber cafe, NGO center, and lounges.

RESULTS The L-series access devices were World Trade Organization press center powered by NComputing.

cost effective, highly reliable, and easy to install and maintain. The delegates were pleased with the performance of the L-series and the

Demanding delegates

conference used 80% less energy

The Sixth Annual Ministerial Conference was to be held at the massive Hong Kong Convention Centre—one of the largest conference facilities in the world. The delegates and organizers needed easy access to computing resources to make presentations, access the Internet, interact with fellow delegates, and communicate with their home countries. Since the delegates were constantly on the move, computer access points were required throughout the convention centre, including conference rooms, hallways, cyber cafes, and meeting rooms. To meet these requirements, the computing solution needed to be:

than it would have with standard computers.

Partner Targa, NComputing’s reseller partner, was instrumental in the successful implementation of the L-series access devices at the WTO.

• Cost-effective • Highly reliable and secure • Easy to set up and dismantle • Environmentally friendly • Compatible with PC software and the Internet

Case Study Public access

Notebooks and desktop PCs were considered, but were found to be too expensive and space-inefficient while requiring too much time to set up and dismantle.

A workable solution

The WTO deployed NComputing technology to meet the challenge. NComputing is the world leader in efficiently harnessing the power of a desktop PC so that up to 30 people can use a single PC at the same time. Normally, with only one user on a PC, the processor’s average utilization is less than 5%. In public access applications, many PCs sit idle much of the time. NComputing harnesses the unused power of a PC to share it among multiple users and it does so at a fraction of the cost of individual PCs. In addition, this highly efficient system requires less electricity, less space, and less time to set up and manage, making it ideal for the WTO’s conference needs. The WTO retained NComputing reseller partner Targa Hong Kong, Ltd. to deploy over 500 NComputing L-series throughout the convention centre, including the press centre, delegate centre, cyber café, NGO centre, and lounges.

WTO delegate center.

It looked easy

“The major criteria

were hardware and software reliability, ease of use, maintenance and security. NComputing passed all tests and proved to be the best solution,” WTO IT project leader

WINNER

100

N. AMERICA

RED HERRING

The NComputing solution was a perfect fit for the demanding needs of the conference. Over 500 seats were installed in a fraction of the time that it would have taken to install 500 desktop PCs. The solution worked flawlessly throughout the conference. The delegates, the conference centre, and the support team were pleased with the simplicity and effectiveness of the solution. The delegates appreciated the simplicity and performance of the solution. “The computing platform is efficient and user-friendly. The performance is excellent and there is no difference compared to a PC,” said a delegate from Uganda. Other delegates appreciated that the small size of the device meant there was more work space for their documents and belongings. The conference centre benefited from the access device’s electrical efficiency. Each terminal used 5 watts of electricity, compared to over 110 watts for a typical PC. This meant a 95% reduction in electrical usage at over 500 access points in the conference. The Targa team appreciated the ease of deployment and overall project efficiency enabled by the solution. “The NComputing solution performed brilliantly,” said Mr. Charles Kwan, General Manager of Targa and team leader of the project, “By using NComputing, we lowered the computer costs for the WTO by 80%, while providing the delegates with full computing access. The efficiency of the solution made the delivery of exceptional services look easy.”

Deep Freeze and NComputing

NComputing Shares System Resources The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today’s PCs are so powerful that only a small fraction of their computing capacity is required for the vast majority of applications. NComputing taps this unused capacity by enabling up to 30 simultaneous users to run their own applications from a shared PC at a cost as low as $70 per additional user.

Deep Freeze Delivers Absolute System Integrity

Deep Freeze Server Bulletproofs NComputing Environments Organizations often turn to thin client solutions when trying to reduce the number of workstations that are deployed and require maintenance. However, a major problem with thin client solutions is their reliance on expensive server technology and endpoint devices that are ultimately unable to deliver a rich computing experience. Combining Deep Freeze Server and NComputing solutions creates an endpoint experience that delivers the best of workstation and thin client technology.

Deep Freeze Server’s ability to make computer configurations indestructible is a perfect way to secure your NComputing solutions. Once Deep Freeze Server is installed, any changes made in any of the user sessions—regardless of whether they are accidental or malicious—are never permanent. Deep Freeze Server provides immediate immunity from many of the problems that plague computers today—accidental system misconfiguration, malicious software activity, and incidental system degradation.

Lowers IT Complexity and Costs

Deep Freeze Server enables users to enjoy a pristine and unrestricted computing experience, while IT personnel are freed from tedious helpdesk requests.

Provides Fully Functional User Experiences

By using standard PCs as servers and lowering the number of workstations deployed, the IT support and expertise required to keep systems running are greatly reduced. Up to 30 NComputing endpoints could rely on a single NComputing server, which is why Deep Freeze’s ability to ensure servers run trouble-free at all times is so invaluable.

Unlike most thin client solutions, NComputing environments provide users with a rich and powerful computing experience. Layering Deep Freeze on top of an NComputing solution provides user sessions with total system resiliency in an unrestricted, fully functional computing environment. Balances Security with User Needs By mapping user and application data to a Thawed (unprotected) partition or drive, users are able to store their documents, pictures, music, etc., while still enjoying the total system resiliency that Deep Freeze Server offers. Reduces Energy Consumption Reducing the number of workstations deployed also lowers energy consumption and technology costs—all of which go towards making a combined Deep Freeze and NComputing environment an extremely cost effective solution.

800-943-6422

sales@faronics.com

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Datasheet l130 & L230

Key features & benefits • Share one PC with up to thirty users • Slash acquisition and support costs up to 70% • Easy to set up, maintain, and secure

L-series virtual desktops Today’s PCs are like supercomputers

Most PC users only use a small fraction—as low as 5%—of the power of their machines. NComputing takes the excess capacity and allows up to 30 users to each enjoy their own rich PC experience. They feel like they have their own PC, but at a fraction of the cost and without all of the maintenance headaches.

• Compact, reliable, and energyefficient (no fans or disks, 5 watts per user) • Includes powerful vSpace virtualization software • Mount to a monitor with included bracket

The L-series is ideal for: • Factories • Offices • Task workers • Schools • Call centers • Branches

Dramatically reduce your computing costs

The L-series costs less than half the price of entry-level PCs. And the ongoing savings are even higher. With no moving parts or local storage, repairs are rare and your maintenance costs are kept in check because you only have to maintain and upgrade the shared PCs—not the L-series. In fact, whenever you refresh to the latest PC technology, your L-series users will automatically enjoy the increased performance. Going green? Compare the 5 watts of power consumed by the L-series to the 115 watts or more in a typical PC. The small L-series access device (about half the size of a paperback book) consumes less power, generates less heat, produces less e-waste, and makes no noise.

Easy to install, simple to manage

Plug in your Ethernet cable, mouse, keyboard, and monitor. Install the included vSpace desktop virtualization software on the shared PC. It just takes a few minutes. You now have added multiple users, each with their own rich Windows or Linux environment. Best of all, you can run standard applications and your staff and users won’t need any special training.

Powerful and flexible

The L130 features a compact design, a stereo jack, and 16-bit widescreen video support. The L230 has all of that, plus a USB flash drive port, a microphone jack, and 24-bit video support. Both support 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, and 1440x900 video modes.

DATAsheet l130 & L230

Connect up to 30 users to a shared PC with the L-series

L130 & L230 front

SPECIFICATIONS

L130 & L230 back

1 2 3 4 1 – Ethernet 2 – Monitor 3 – 5V DC IN 4 – On/off switch

L130 side

Kit contents*

Each L-series kit includes an access device, power supply/cord, NComputing vSpace software CD/ license, software installation & user’s guide, Quick Install Guide, monitor mounting bracket and LAN cable. PC, monitor, PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse, speakers, and other peripherals are NOT included and must be purchased separately.

Max # users**

30 users per shared PC, plus one on the shared PC

User software

NComputing vSpace desktop virtualization software with User eXtension Protocol (UXP)

Supported OS

Microsoft Windows and Linux (refer to the support section of the NComputing Website for the latest supported versions)

Size Weight

Width: 115 mm / 4.5 inches, Height: 26 mm / 1 inch, Depth: 115 mm / 4.5 inches 154 g / 0.34 lbs, Shipping weight (includes power adapter, packaging, documentation, etc.): 0.77 kg / 1.7 lbs

Power supply

Input: 100-250 VAC, 50-60 Hz, Output: 5 VDC, 2 A, Nominal consumption: 5 W

LED indicators

Power: connection to power supply, LAN: network activity, Ready: device status

Connection to shared PC

Via 100 Mb/s switched Ethernet connection

Audio out

Stereo output via speaker port

1 2 3

Internal hardware

All solid-state design. No moving parts, no fans, no local user storage. NComputing System-onChip with embedded NComputing operating firmware (no local user OS).

1 – Speaker jack 2 – PS/2 keyboard 3 – PS/2 mouse

Reliability (MTBF)

>100,000 hours (calculated using Bellcore Issue 6 TR-332, Case 2, Part I at 40°C)

L230 side

1 2 3 4 5 1 – USB 2 – Microphone jack 3 – Speaker jack 4 – PS/2 keyboard 5 – PS/2 mouse

Certifications

FCC Class B, CE, MIC, NOM, GOST R and RoHS compliant (China RoHS (50))

Host PC configuration

See Recommended Host Configuration Guide in the download section of the NComputing website

Video resolution***

USB flash memory port Audio input

L230 HARDWARE

L130 HARDWARE

640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 (at 60 or 75 Hz refresh rate), 1280x1024 (~63 Hz) and 1440x900 (60Hz). All feature up to 16-bit or 24-bit color support.

640x480, 800x600, 1024x768 (at 60 or 75 Hz refresh rate), 1280x1024 (~63 Hz) and 1440x900 (60Hz). Up to 16-bit color support.

Supports USB 1.1 flash memory devices requires Windows OS on host (USB function can be disabled for security in the administration console)

No local USB port

Microphone port

None

*Application software, client access, and OS licenses for the shared PC and L-series may be required by the respective software vendor and must be purchased separately. **The number of users an individual host will support depends upon the host system capabilities as well as the applications used and performance expectations for those applications. It is recommended that new customers test their application(s) before adding additional users. ***Does not support 3D games or full-screen home theater applications.

Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries Windows® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. Additional software licenses may be required by the software licensors. Please check your software user license agreements to ensure your continued compliance with such agreements.

Datasheet vSpaceTM

Key features •

Creates multiple user workspaces within a single OS

•

Extends each user workspace to a remote NComputing access device

•

Communicates with access devices via the User eXtension Protocol (UXP)

•

Highly optimized for best performance

•

Supports multimedia applications, such as video and Flash

•

Includes administration console

•

Compatible with operating system virtualization solutions

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Supports Windows and Linux

vSpaceTM desktop virtualization software NComputing allows multiple users to share a single computer—all at the same time, and at revolutionary low costs. Right out of the box, a PC can be used by multiple users—but not all at the same time. That’s what NComputing vSpace software does. It allows the computer’s operating system and applications to be simultaneously shared. But how do multiple users each connect their screens and keyboards to the shared computer? That’s the role of the hardware (also known as access devices). And because we design the entire solution—the hardware, the software, and the communications protocol that connect the two— NComputing has the best performing and lowest cost virtual desktops in the world.

A breakthrough protocol

NComputing created its own optimized and highly efficient User eXtension Protocol (UXP) in order to give users a full, rich PC experience. As a result, NComputing solutions give users the most responsive and interactive experience possible.

Flexible operating system support

vSpace™ desktop virtualization software

Our mission is to drive complexity and cost out of computing. If you want to do the same in your organization, you’ll be glad to know that vSpace supports multiple versions of Windows and Linux. And vSpace is compatible with operating system virtualization technology, giving you the flexibility to configure your environment to exactly meet your needs. Refer to our website for more information and for case studies on these various configurations.

Administration console

vSpace includes an administration console. With the console, you can easily set up, configure, and manage shared computers and access devices. For the L-series access devices, the administration console allows an administrator to remotely monitor and if necessary, control a user’s session. Access device settings can be configured centrally from the administrator console, including the ability to lock-out connection of USB devices. For the X-series, the vSpace console lets you assign host computer USB ports to individual users. Best of all, the vSpace console is easy to use and requires no special training.

Over a decade of development

NComputing vSpace software has been developed and refined for over ten years. It is continually optimized to make the most efficient use of a PC’s resources. And it is proven every day with millions of users throughout the world.

DATAsheet vSpaceTM

• Automatically distributes shared computer resources among multiple independent user sessions • Developed specifically for NComputing access devices to deliver the best possible performance at the lowest possible price Key features

• Communicates with access devices via NComputing’s own optimized and highly efficient User eXtension Protocol (UXP) • Compatible with operating system virtualization solutions for both 1:1 and 1:many configurations • Includes administration console to manage access device settings, sessions, and updates • Excellent multimedia support with synchronized audio & video

A license is necessary to use NComputing vSpace software. One software license is included with each L-series access device, and that license entitles to run a single virtualized desktop session connecting to the supplied Licensing* you NComputing access device. Each X-series kit includes a license to run three or five virtualized desktop sessions associated with the number of access devices included in the kit. • Shows information about active sessions • Shows applications running, station names, user names, connection status, IP address (L-series only) Administration console features

• Send message to a currently connected session • View station and remotely control the mouse and keyboard (L-series only) • Stop station for any current session • Network broadcast of a message to any session on the same network.

Supported operating Microsoft Windows and several variants of Linux (refer to the support systems section of the website for versions supported) Supported access devices

• L-series (L130, L230) • X-series (X350, X550) • Core vSpace desktop virtualization software • Internet registration utility

Software components

• Update utility • Virtual Audio Driver • Virtual Video Driver • Virtual USB Driver (L230 only)

*Application software, client access and operating system licenses for the shared PC and access devices may be required by the respective software vendor and must be purchased separately.

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