What Is a Thin Client?

Thin clients offer several benefits that can improve the efficiency and cyber safety of an organization.

1. Increased security: Security can be enhanced if you employ thin clients instead of typical PCs. The thin client itself is incapable of running software unless it has been authorized at the server level. This means that if three users were to accidentally begin a download of three different kinds of malware, they could all be blocked by the same firewall protecting the server each thin client is connected to. Also, if someone tries to save data corrupted with malicious code, they will be unable to do it on the thin client computer itself. They would have to put it on the server. If the server is protected, getting the malicious code onto it will be impossible, thereby protecting all thin client users from having their operations interrupted by malware they accidentally installed. In addition, it is easier to monitor a system based on thin client architecture because all endpoints connect to the same central server.
2. Less cost: It is more effective to deploy thin clients than it is to deploy normal PCs. Thin clients do far less work than regular PCs, and therefore, they need fewer resources. A thin client will not have a high-end graphics card, for example, or an expensive hard drive for storage. It will also have less memory than a PC. Each of these components comes with considerable cost. Because thin client manufacturers do not have to invest as much in sourcing the various piece that a regular PC would require, they can pass these savings on to the consumer.
3. More manageable: Thin clients are often easier to manage because all endpoints are connected to the same server. This means you can focus much of your management efforts on that one physical unit. Because one IT team member can handle routine tasks such as upgrading security software at the central server, several users can be serviced at once. This eliminates the need for IT staff to visit individual workstations for installation or troubleshooting.
4. Scalability: Using thin client architecture, you can easily scale up through the deployment of virtual desktops. In addition to the benefits typical of a thin client setup, a virtual desktop environment enables you to allow users to bring their own device. The server used for the various thin clients in the office can also be used as a full-fledged virtual desktop base, giving seasonal workers or temporary contractors a simple way to connect and get work done.

A thin client is used for desktop virtualization, shared services, or browser-based computing. With a virtualized desktop setup, including one where each user has a remote desktop, each individual desktop exists within a virtual machine, which is simply a partition inside a centralized server. NComputing is a popular desktop virtualization solution. Several partitions exist side by side, and each one serves a different user. Each of these users has their own applications and operating system, similar to when they use a normal PC. 

The difference is that these resources are housed on the central server instead of on their individual devices. Further, as long as a device can connect to the server, it can make use of the resources that are run on it, allowing for greater flexibility and more agile deployment.

When terminal services are shared, the users at the various thin client stations can use the same operating system and applications because they are run from a central server. Users are limited with what they can do because all activity has to be approved by the IT department. This can benefit the organization, as user activity can be limited to the use of specific, safe, or protected applications.

With browser-based architecture, the application-related functions of a device are executed within a browser instead of via a remote server. While data processing happens on the thin client itself, software and data have to be accessed by connecting to the network.