If you’ve ever wished that you could access another computer remotely, then a terminal server is the answer to that wish. The purpose of such a server is to manage the connections required to make remote operation possible. Terminals, however, require software to function and on that front you can run into some problems. The difficulty arises when you try to license terminal server functions.
Like any other software, server suites are subject to EULAs or End User License Agreement, which means that you can only license terminal servers to be operated by a limited number of users. This can be a problem as, by definition, servers are used for creating multiple connections and, while you will have an idea of the number of users that will make use of a server, your requirement can change over time.
Most server suite packages, however, come with many licensing options, so you should be able to find a configuration that will fit your needs. License packages tend to be more expensive the more clients you want to install on various machines that will, in turn, log onto the server in question. Packages can allow for anywhere from ten to an unlimited number of installations.
Often, it is not desirable to enable remote access for all users. You might want to have everyone in a corporation to have access to the e-mail server, but not everyone will have a reason to have administrator access to such a system. There are, however, exceptions such as the case of mainframe computing or situations where you have high security requirements. Imagine, for example, a company with employees who use laptops to access extremely sensitive information. Each laptop that actually holds the relevant files on their drives represents a separate security risk. In some cases, the liability can be reduced substantially by storing the sensitive files on a remote server and transferring them to the working machine only when necessary. An even higher level of security can be achieved by logging into a server over a VPN (Virtual Private Network) using a computer as what is called a “thin client.” The client-operating machine gives you direct access to the server and all programs, processing and file accesses are handled by the server. All the thin-client does is handle the user interface and display the visual and output from the server. The files and sensitive data never actually leave server. Once the terminal session is closed, the thin-client holds nothing that represents a significant loss if is misplaced or stolen.
There are also cases when operating thin-clients can be an extremely cost-effective alternative to having the same number of high-power machines. In certain usage conditions, a server can handle the operations required by hundreds of thin-client terminals, making configuring and maintaining an organization’s work stations a breeze. In such cased multiple license terminal server packages can be extremely valuable, but you will need to make sure that the amount of money saved on hardware and technical support is offset by the cost of acquiring licenses for the requisite number of thin clients.
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