I’m wondering what people are using for Thin Clients. We were looking at using some Dell Wyse ones, and they run Windows embedded. My understanding is the Windows Embedded doesn’t allow for full Java installation, so you can’t run the native Ignition client on them and would have to run a web client.
We tend to prefer the native client instead of the web client. From Ignition support, they said
[quote]It is typically not possible to install full Java SE on embedded operating systems ( including Windows 7 Embedded). Oracle provides special “Embedded” editions of Java fro those cases, but those editions are not supported for Ignition. This means that you will not be able to run a classic Ignition Client in such setups. The solution is to either run a mobile client, which does not require Java on client machines at all, or to use an operating system that supports full Java.
Mobile clients tend to have some limitations due to the size of an additional JVM you will want to run on your Gateway server for each of the mobile clients launched (you will need more free memory on the Ignition server, in addition to what is used for the Gateway. There are also limitations for how much data the network you use to connect to the Gateway will support as the Client screens will be generated on the JVM launched on the Gateway server and then transferred to thee Cleint , in addition to the data that needs to be sent to the Client)
[/quote]
And then to ask around on the forums. So, here I am. Ideas?
You’ll need to experiment a bit with what the Wyse devices really have. Windows CE doesn’t support a proper Java install, but Windows Embedded generally can. At least the little bit I played with a few years ago.
I have used HP t610 thin clients in the past (still operating) running the HP Thin OS, which is a stripped down version of Ubuntu Linux. It will run the full Java jre, but you will have to be familiar with Linux and install it yourself.
Response is pretty good, if the client is not too intense. If you have anything heavy duty, I would not recommend it.
HP has more powerful versions out there now (t730), but I have no experience with them. For about the same price, however, you can get a fanless PC from someone like Logic Supply with Windows or Linux.
We use the Wyse clients pretty often however we’re always RDPing into a VM. The windows 7 embedded clients tend to be a little lacking in the horsepower for my taste but they do get the job done, they are nice since you can get them with support for quad monitor.
I’ve worked with some of the HPs before and they seemed pretty good but I can’t remember which model we used.
If you’re really wanting to run Ignition native on the thin client I’d have to agree with pphillips the fanless PC is the way to go you can often VESA mount them to the back of the monitor and they are about the same size as the thin clients. The thin clients only really shine when your using terminal services or VMware they’re not really meant to run any applications locally.