A Performance Evaluation of an Ultra-Thin Client System

Abstract

Power consumption of individual devices is often ignored in the development of computer networks. The traditional approach to a local areas network, such as might be deployed in a cyber-café or classroom environment, has a number of workstations attached to a server, where the workstations have very similar specifications (and hence power demands) to the server. Intuitively, this means there is significant over specification of the workstation, and that much of the capability of the device is not used, with consequential wasted energy. Alternative topologies exist, particularly those which make use of thin client technology, and are meeting with success particularly in developing countries, where cost and power consumption take on a much greater importance. One such design is the ndiyo project, which is delivering thin-client based network solutions to a number of nations, allowing IT support to be deployed in places where it would not have otherwise been achievable. In this paper, we report our work in developing a simulation model to allow us to study the behaviour and operation of ndiyo, offering us the opportunity to carry out some “what if” analyses of the behaviour of such systems under differing network loads.