Thin client receives fat support at PC Expo 98

Vendors have given Citrix' thin client concept their full support.

The thin client concept has received its strongest show of industry support, following a series of major announcements at PC Expo 98 in New York.

Citrix began shipping its MetaFrame software with the support of more than 100 hardware and software vendors. The software, which is designed for Microsoft's NT server 4.0, Terminal Server, follows Citrix' WinFrame software which works with enterprise Windows applications.

Among the vendors supporting Citrix were Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and NCD.

NCD claims its ThinStar 300 series of Windows-Based Terminals (WBTs) is the first device based on the Intel lean client initiative. The ThinStar supports Microsoft's remote desktop protocol.

Yoghurt company Muller is planning to buy ThinStar terminals instead of PCs. James Huntington, infrastructure manager at Muller, cited installation and support costs of PCs as the main reason for the corporate switch to thin computing.

At the show, IBM displayed its updated Network Station software, which connects Network Station terminals to Windows Terminal Server.

Cruise Technologies announced a wireless Windows-based, handheld terminal that connects to WTS using either Microsoft's remote desktop protocol or Citrix' independent computer architecture.

Meanwhile, Esteem Computers in the UK announced plans to sell Citrix thin client solutions to the public sector and Wyse Technology said its WBTs will support MetaFrame.

Neoware Systems will display new models of its NeoStation thin client WBTs at Networks telecom 98.

MetaFrame enhancements include support for heterogeneous computing environments.

It can bring server-based, 32-bit Windows applications to all types of client hardware, operating platforms, network connections and Lan protocols.

It can run over standard phone lines, Frame Relay, ATM or wireless connections on Wans.