Thin-client vendor Neoware is rolling out several new devices designed to improve manageability and security while reducing costs.
Neoware Systems Inc. is filling in its lineup with more offerings aimed at the low end and midmarket.
“We really have a soup-to-nuts offering,” said Roy Zatcoff, executive vice president of marketing for the King of Prussia, Pa., company.
Thin client environments house the key PC components—including the hard drive, memory and processors—in centrally-located servers, with users access them from the keyboards, mouse and monitors sitting on their desks.
The new systems, introduced Monday, include the Neoware c50, aimed at the low end. The c50, starting at $299, supports Linux and Microsoft Corp.s Windows CE and XPe, and supports USB 2.0, which makes it easier to connect to outside devices.
In addition, the e100, priced at $369, is easily expandable, offering four USB 2.0 ports, as well as serial, parallel and PS/2 ports. It can also be used in a flashless configuration in conjunction with the companys Image Manager software, which enables the streaming of applications and Windows operating systems from the server to the PCs and thin clients. The software removes the limitations flash memory puts on upgrades.
The e370 is an all-in-one thin-client device integrated into a 17-inch flat panel screen, aimed at environments with space constraints, Zatcoff said. Pricing starts at $369. All the systems are managed by Neowares ezRemote Manager software.
Server-based computing has been around for years and has seen consistent growth, but still remains a niche part of the overall PC space. However, industry analysts say they expect the high rate of growth to continue—sales of thin clients are expected to jump about 46 percent in the third quarter, according to IDC—as end user demand for better manageability and security rise.
In addition, vendors are ironing out a lot of the problems in the architecture, and larger players—including IBM and Hewlett-Packard Co.—are moving into the space.
Neowares Image Manager and Wyse Technology Inc.s new Streaming Manager give users a full desktop experience. In addition, a similar form factor—PC blades—also is growing, fueled by vendors such as ClearCube Technology Inc. and HP, with its Consolidated Client Infrastructure.
IBM recently moved into the space with its Virtualized Hosted Client Infrastructure, which uses technology from ClearCube and Citrix Systems Inc. to tie end users into back-end servers virtualized via products from VMware Inc. In addition, both IBM and Lenovo Group Ltd. resell ClearCube products.