Problems all around with our Thin Client solution!!!

[lilcam]

Here's our setup.

Windows 2000 Terminal Server
Citrix Metaframe XP
Compaq T20 Thin Client
HP Scanner (I forgot the model # but it's pretty new)

1 - Many of our thin clients are having problems connecting to the citrix server. We get various messages about not being able to locate the citrix server or the citrix server not accepting connections. And, once we get them to connect and a student logs off and then logs on many hours later, it says it can't find the server!

2 - In a class of about 20+ users, students access various websites and complain about it being slow. At first I thought maybe the site contained too much java/flash/shockwave stuff, but with a class of less than 10 students, the kids are fine. The can disect their frogs or play flash games w/o any delay. This is also the same with writing documents in Word or doing a powerpoint presentation.

3 - How the heck do I install a scanner? The server is located in our server room in the basement. We purchased five scanners with USB connections in preparation that we were going to utilize them in our lab. Upon connecting the scanner to one of the thin client, it asked for a device name. Ok, I input "HP Scanner" (how generic huh)? Ok, so how do I install it? No drives, so I can't input the CD. Can I download the drivers via HP's website? Ok, where do I save it? Can I just point it to the terminal server's drive?

BTW ... it wasn't my idea to setup. The decision was made before I came on board. Now, I am stuck supporting this thing, and I really don't think it's appropriate for our setting. We are a K-12 private school with about 300 students. The Citrix solution has been implemented in our new computer lab. The thin clients are intended for the kids to access word, excel, powerpoint, their emails, the web, Photoshop 7, QuarkExpress 5, Flash 5, and Dreamweaver 4. Someone please save me?! Any suggestions to fix this mess!?

 

[Blutch]

For your USB scanner you must at least have FR2.

What kind of network connections do you use?

Do you have one citrix server or are there more in one farm?

Which connection protocols do you use on your network and on citrix?

Many questions to ask, more answers to give ...

 

[ModularIT]

Running hardware intense graphics programs such as Photoshop on a single Terminal Server spread amongst multiple users is pretty courageous! How does it run?? (That's a serious question)

 

[lilcam]

>> For your USB scanner you must at least have FR2.

What's 'FR2?'

>> What kind of network connections do you use?

CAT5s

>> Do you have one citrix server or are there more in one >> farm?

Just one

>> Which connection protocols do you use on your network
>> and on citrix?

ICA? TCP/IP?

We haven't utilize Photoshop amongst the 25 students as of yet, but I am dreading it. We are already experiencing problems with the kids visiting Flash intensive sites.

I wish FAT clients would've been considered instead!

 

[OzDog]

lilcam - I must say that I agree with a Citrix solution, but it sounds like you might need to consider a couple of ideas.

Firstly to get scanners working:
1. "Hybrid" environment - have 1 PC in the classroom with the scanner hooked up. Students scan from here and then upload to their own Home drive and edit through standard Terminal Session.

2. Network Scanner Server - Axis and others have a product that plugs into your scanner and makes it a network scanner (like a HP Jetdirect Server for a printer). It automatically e-mails the scanned image to the students mailbox.

FR2 - Feature Release 2 for Metaframe. It's like an upgrade (you get extra funtionality), and it requires the purchase of licenses. I don't know what Blutch was referring to with regards to that, but am VERY interested in what he has to say. Blutch - if I could get scanners going on thin client devices... oh the possibilities. Tell me more...

Also, as an aside - how many concurrent users have you got on average? 1 server just sounds way too small. I run a system with a total of 1100 users, and around 450 concurrent users, and use 10 Metaframe Servers. Cheers,
Sam

Please let members know if you found their posts helpful.

 

[lilcam]

>> lilcam - I must say that I agree with a Citrix solution, >> but it sounds like you might need to consider a couple >> of ideas.

The problem we have is we dove right into Citrix w/o reading about it. I have this so-called boss who knows everything and will want to implement everything he reads in eweek and network world. if it sounds cool he wants to do it, yet it's either overkill or unappropriate for our setting. I like what citrix has to offer, but he should've researched the thin clients a little better. We had to replace 5 already!

>> Firstly to get scanners working:
>> 1. "Hybrid" environment - have 1 PC in the classroom
>> with the scanner hooked up. Students scan from here and >> then upload to their own Home drive and edit through
>> standard Terminal Session.

Hmmmm ... might work ... I'll try it

>> 2. Network Scanner Server - Axis and others have a
>> product that plugs into your scanner and makes it a
>> network scanner (like a HP Jetdirect Server for a
>> printer). It automatically e-mails the scanned image to >> the students mailbox.

We've spent enough money on stuff so I doubt this will work for us.

>> FR2 - Feature Release 2 for Metaframe. It's like an
>> upgrade (you get extra funtionality), and it requires
>> the purchase of licenses. I don't know what Blutch was
>> referring to with regards to that, but am VERY
>> interested in what he has to say. Blutch - if I could
>> get scanners going on thin client devices... oh the
>> possibilities. Tell me more...

Yes... i would like to know about FR2.

>> Also, as an aside - how many concurrent users have you
>> got on average? 1 server just sounds way too small. I
>> run a system with a total of 1100 users, and around 450
>> concurrent users, and use 10 Metaframe Servers.

The most we have is probably like 20 at one time