[Robotgroup] Gigafast, dual networks, and thin clients

[Robo Al]

All LTSP claims of "out of the box" have proven to be
inconsistent with my experiences.

I am very successfully using PXE booted thin clients
in several environments and for several different
uses. Due to the above, I always rolled out my own servers
and used LTSP for the thin clients NFS tree only.

Of course, I still have issues (ie. USB never worked
for me after LTSP v4)

For servers, I recommend dual xeons with 4GB RAM. I don't
know how many thin clients you are trying to use, but
the above runs well for computer science labs.

As for setting up a home network, Don, you can over think
the problem too much. Most modern Cable/DSL routers work
quite well out of the box. Just plug them in using the
diagrams that they come with and they work. I always
recommend the WRTG54GL as it works well, it is easy to
setup and can run Linux (although I've had several go bad)
I do NOT recommend you flash your router though, I don't
see any reason why you would want to go into that level
of network management.

Alberto

On Wed, 2008-04-02 at 15:39 -0500, Vern Graner wrote:
> Bruce Waters wrote:
> > Edubuntu linux supports this kind of configuration
> > out of the box for schools with lots of kids and 
> > thin budgets.   I think they call the software LTSP.
> > You can have one powerful computer and lots 
> > of super cheap thin clients.
> 
> <soapbox>
> Heh. Edubuntu "Out of the box". :)  Yeah. Took me about FOUR WEEKS to 
> get it setup and running with LOTs of back and forth on various forums. 
> Then, when I finally had PXE boot from a PC with 800mhz Intel proc, 256m 
> RAM and 100mb full duplex switched dedicated network connection to the 
> LTSP server (an Athalon 64 3200 w/2 gig of RAM), the things ran LIKE A 
> DOG! :P
> 
> Wanna talk s-l-o-w? How about click the "start" button then wait 15 
> seconds before the KDE menu populates. Launch Firefox? 1.4 minutes. 
> Launch Open Office Write? try 4.5 MINUTES! :O
> 
> I was *so* excited for this solution to work when I was trying to get it 
> setup. I really wanted to move Kym's classroom to Linux terminal-server 
> based systems so they could use all the junky older PCs they had laying 
> around, but bottom line is (at that time) LTSP=SLOW. Some gory details 
> here for any who care to look:
> 
> http://osdir.com/ml/ubuntu.user.edubuntu/2006-08/msg00042.html
> 
> FWIW, I was *SO* stoked when I got the PXE boot to work and got a 
> session to launch, only to really feel let down when the system was so 
> bad. So, they're still using Windows 98 on all those machines over there. :(
> </soapbox>
> 
> Vern
> 
> PS: Still love Linux on servers and FOSS software like Open Office, but 
> Edubuntu was not ready for prime time IMHO.