Cut costs, reduce carbon emissions and improve business efficiency with Thin Client Technology

The business IT environment must consistently offer effective communication, lower administration costs, reduce energy consumption and offer optimal stability. These needs are clearly coming together to provide faster and easier transactions however there is a problem. The current desktop computing architecture can often seem to conspire against meeting these market demands. In the financial services sector this is compounded by an increasing pressure to enhance security, mobility and cost efficiency.

By taking a fresh look at the way that the current infrastructure evolved, we have identified improved routes to reach such business objectives. The solution can be found by deploying a highly innovative, environmentally sustainable Virtualised solution. Advantages of such a solution include centralised management, simplified deployment and maintenance and reduced TCO with no compromise to the performance of the business.

This approach offers a value-added solution which is fast becoming the norm in the business IT context. However, it is important to define what we mean by value. Primarily we are talking about real tangible benefits for low market costs which, in essence, have already been achieved with the implementation of thin clients. The increased presence of the thin client has meant enhanced security with minimal intrusion or attack from PCs; easier administration; reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and space saving with smaller unit sizes.

In response to the positive impact of the thin client and the demands of the business market, we have furthered our commitment and innovation in the sector with the launch of the revolutionary Virtual PC Center (VPCC) which offers unparalleled enhancements to a range of financial service businesses. This innovative hardware, the US110 and the mobile TCM270 and software for virtual PCs is the first unified solution combining computing and IP telephony. Through the convergence of data and voice, the VPCC thin client architecture makes administration of workstations easier whilst reducing costs and ensuring data protection.

By concentrating applications and data on the server and by depriving the workstation of any means of local storage, the thin client architecture significantly reduces the risks of malicious intrusions including viruses and data loss. This can be further enhanced by a biometric ID card reader for user authentication. This high level of security is an attractive feature for those within the financial services industry who are charged with achieving optimum performance and a 100% secure environment.

In addition, the issue of mobility continues to remain high on the corporate agenda and one which has been a major factor in the development of the thin client architecture. In fact, it is true to say that this enables a shift in the mobility model as users don’t physically transport their system with them, they can access it anywhere from any terminal in the company. The benefit of such a solution provides a clear ROI within an enterprise. As the VPCC reduces the need to move PCs with users, savings up to £150 per move per user could be possible. Whilst it is fair to say that the acquisition costs are higher than for a traditional PC infrastructure, it is believed that the ROI can be delivered within 18 months.

Electricity consumption and systems overheating is a major issue within the banking environment. The thin client architecture offers a reduction in energy consumption of up to 70%, 0cm2 desktop footprint and a longer product lifecycle than regular desktop products, the VPCC is overall a far more environmentally sustainable IT solution for businesses. As greater attention is turned to carbon emissions and energy savings with increasing pressure form the Government to reduce carbon footprints, businesses will increasingly be required to address their consumption.

The VPCC solution can reduce the Total Cost of Ownership by up to 40% over a 3-year period in comparison to the traditional PC. For example, for 1,000 users, the VPCC only requires one IT support administrator. The centralisation of the administration of virtual PCs in a single point removes on-site interventions. The US110’s have a life span of up to six years versus three or four years with PCs and they guarantee improved reliability as they have no moving mechanical parts.

Furthermore this thin client architecture offers IT managers both resource optimisation and easy migration into current network structures. The migration from a classic PC environment to the VPCC can be progressive, whilst remaining effective. Once established, it can ensure that servers are used to their full potential by dynamically reallocating resources.

This state of the art architecture successfully combines four key elements. The US110 and TCM270 enables the user to access an extremely powerful thin client for video and audio offering multimedia capabilities surpassing regular thin clients; the virtual server provides each user with access to their own Microsoft Windows XP Pro environment and can support up to 20 virtual PCs; the administrative server maintains the profiles of the virtual PCs and allows the deployment of applications and patches and the IP telephony server provides Voice over IP services and can support up to 16,000 connections.

By addressing the demands of today’s business IT arena both strategically and practically, the Virtual PC Center offers heightened security and an attractive return on investment whilst contributing to durable development. This effectively sets the scene for what we believe to be the next technological trend – this is what is known as the ‘ubiquitous society’ for anytime, anywhere, any network convergence. The VPCC will enable quicker convergence between thin clients which in turn can deliver better mobility and wireless connection. Perhaps more practically, this VPCC will ultimately free users from the traditional desk environment and allow secure access to data anytime and anywhere. This is the first step in delivering this level of mobility and accessibility and towards the trend of ‘always-on’ systems and infrastructure which will undoubtedly become crucial to the IT makeup of the financial services.

About NEC Computers

NEC Computers is a subsidiary of the Japanese group NEC Computers. It offers a full and innovative range of IT solutions, both infrastructure (servers, storage, software) and client terminals (desktop PCs and portables), as well as a broad range of professional services.

NEC Computers has a presence in the European, Middle Eastern, African and Latin American markets. Its industrial and technological site at Angers in France is unique in Europe, designing and implementing customised solutions for the public and private sectors.

The Japanese group NEC Computers is a world leader in information technology, networks and electronic components. It has a turnover of 39 billion dollars (figures to 31-03-2007) and employs over 150 000 people worldwide.

NEC Computer’s slogan is “Empowered by Innovation”. It dedicates over 6.5% of its turnover to Research & Development, from bio plastics to supercomputers, bringing technological innovation straight to its clients.