Diskless systems, this is my first.

[ElementalWindX]

I have a client who is in need of 12 desktops that he wants to use in a diskless configuration. The software on the desktops is just going to be cloud based software and office suite software.

If he has to do windows based servers to make this happen he will.



How do you guys go about doing diskless systems? This is definitely my first.

 

[smashedbotatos]

Honestly this would be much more work than it is worth.

You would need a network capable of transferring all that data. I would assume fibre is the best way.

You would need a SAN that is fast enough to deal with 12 clients booting at once.

I think in the end you need a local disk anyway to hold some files. (not 100% on this)

Diskless clients would network boot, and at every boot have to load the OS to RAM and mount a user home directory.

Not that it can't be done. It very well can be done, but it really isn't a great solution.

With that said. I would stick to local disks, active directory, and roaming profiles.

 

[Altster]

There are a lot of places to go read up on how to do something like this. I'm willing to bet he is really thinking of setting up a 12-unit Thin-Client network booting into a local server via PXE.

More info: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/diskless_workstation.html

And here: http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2006/thin_client_applications.asp

 

[Paul Rodgers]

I would definitely utilize a terminal services based thin client setup instead of a diskless network boot setup.

 

[ElementalWindX]

There are a lot of places to go read up on how to do something like this. I'm willing to bet he is really thinking of setting up a 12-unit Thin-Client network booting into a local server via PXE.

More info: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/diskless_workstation.html

And here: http://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/2006/thin_client_applications.asp

The idea was the business owners idea. I am shy about doing them as I see little gain to doing them in an actual business other than something like a sweepstakes place or a college campus library.


I really do not even know what are the pros of doing a thin client setup vs a diskless?

I've done thin client setups before, but I guess my lack of knowledge is knowing the pros of a diskless system vs thin client system.

 

[smashedbotatos]

If I am not mistaken, a thin client has the processing done by a central server. Where as a diskless client does all the processing itself. I don't see an advantage at all especially in this situation.

It's going to cost a lot more to do it this way than having normal clients. I guess it all depends on his budget.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

If I am not mistaken, a thin client has the processing done by a central server. Where as a diskless client does all the processing itself. I don't see an advantage at all especially in this situation.

It's going to cost a lot more to do it this way than having normal clients. I guess it all depends on his budget.

Diskless more commonly is still a thin client. Just no local disk to boot up on. Still typically uber small form factor little Atom units. Can be configured to different ways of booting up....boot up from PXE and hit a VDI server (virtual desktop)..or bootup to a RDC and hit a terminal server...or boot up to a different PXE based OS or from a firmware based OS and hit a cloud hosted app.

 

[smashedbotatos]

Diskless more commonly is still a thin client. Just no local disk to boot up on. Still typically uber small form factor little Atom units. Can be configured to different ways of booting up....boot up from PXE and hit a VDI server (virtual desktop)..or bootup to a RDC and hit a terminal server...or boot up to a different PXE based OS or from a firmware based OS and hit a cloud hosted app.

Thank you for explaining. I have seen this done with a VDI, and at a local hospital via pxe to a small OS.

To me it sounds like the OP's client wants Windows and Office on a diskless client. How would he achieve this, I am very interested if there is a viable solution.

I guess VDI would be the way to go in this situation?

 

[ElementalWindX]

Thank you for explaining. I have seen this done with a VDI, and at a local hospital via pxe to a small OS.

To me it sounds like the OP's client wants Windows and Office on a diskless client. How would he achieve this, I am very interested if there is a viable solution.

I guess VDI would be the way to go in this situation?

Im also wondering how licensing would work. I would bet it has to be volume licensing on everything.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

To me it sounds like the OP's client wants Windows and Office on a diskless client. How would he achieve this, I am very interested if there is a viable solution.

I guess VDI would be the way to go in this situation?

If he wants Windows and Office and typical desktop apps...it's through remote desktop on the thin diskless client...which hits either a terminal server, or a VDI environment (bunch of hosted virtual Win7 desktops that they RDP into instead of a vanilla Terminal Server).

And Yes elemental...this is all done via volume licensing.