Very Computer

Looking to move to something like this:

30 floppyless, diskless Linux workstations that boot from the ethernet PROM.
All running X and using that for their desktop.  Traffic would be mostly
order processing, but some web browsing, and a few people possibly running
Star Office applications.  Presumably 100BaseT due to the obvious bandwidth
need for running such a scenario.

I know it can be done, but what about bandwidth and speed issues?  You're
essentially running your entire desktop across a network.  How far will this
scale?  Is there a better way to do such a diskless, floppyless workstation?

Thanks for any opinions!

-D

Quote:> Here's the scenario.  Currently, we have 30 workstations (Windows
based)
> that use a terminal emulator to hit a mainframe type central machine
to do
> order processing.

> Looking to move to something like this:

> 30 floppyless, diskless Linux workstations that boot from the ethernet
PROM.
> All running X and using that for their desktop.  Traffic would be
mostly
> order processing, but some web browsing, and a few people possibly
running
> Star Office applications.  Presumably 100BaseT due to the obvious
bandwidth
> need for running such a scenario.

> I know it can be done, but what about bandwidth and speed issues?
You're
> essentially running your entire desktop across a network.  How far
will this
> scale?  Is there a better way to do such a diskless, floppyless

Traffic would only suck when booting the machines I suspect, assuming
that they had a decent ammount of ram.  (like as much as you could
afford).  You might also look at an X-terminal solution, there are
people who sell these, but I don't know whom offhand.
        Greg

--
It's pronounced "*" not "scuzzy"!

Sent via Deja.com http://www.veryComputer.com/
Before you buy.

miguel

miguel