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List:       suse-linux-uk-schools
Subject:    Linux Terminal Workshop 2nd, 3rd and 25th May
From:       Malcolm Herbert <mherbert () redhat ! com>
Date:       2001-04-17 16:21:12
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hi all

there are still places for the workshops on Linux/public access terminals, 
they will cover the following areas:-

- enabling thin client terminals using the K12 Linux Terminal server 
distribution
- demonstration of desktop solutions and configuration
- examples of recycled and new hardware solutions. 
- discussion on solutions for remote booting Linux, and other OS images (yes 
incl Win9x) from a Linux server
- some case studies

more details on the meeting below, and attached an outline of the course 
notes. 

if you'd like to attend please let me know asap and return the email form 
below. 

regards

Malcolm
------------------------------------
Malcolm Herbert
Red Hat Europe
t:+44 1483 734955 m:+44 7720 079845
------------------------------------


Linux Terminal Server / Public Access Terminal Workshop 
2rd/3rd May 2001 - Sandwell EMU, West Midlands
25th May 2001 -	Bryngwyn School, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire
-----------------------------------

Introduction
--------------
Red Hat and Sandwell LEA have joined together to provide a workshop on 
developing low cost terminals, which can developed on a range of hardware. It 
can make the ideal lab or public access terminal and has the benefit of using 
open source applications. 


Overview
--------------
This workshop presents an effective means of providing a thin client network 
solution for education and community network access. It can provide both 
fully functional desktop environments (incl. productivity tools, browsers, 
graphics and multimedia etc) and bespoke solutions, such as public access 
terminals providing using browser-based interfaces. The approach uses a thin 
client-server approach, where the terminals can use both legacy hardware 
(early Pentiums will work) or new hardware built specifically for the 
purpose, starting as low as £200. 

The workshop will look at both strategic and practical issues of designing 
and implementing terminal server solutions. It will also cover the issues of 
using open source applications and the benefits that they bring, including 
being free of licensing costs, having the freedom to develop applications, 
integrating with existing networks, applications and platforms and 
versatility to deploy something you want. There will be plenty of opportunity 
for discussion and networking, with a fairly informal atmosphere. 

There will be plenty of time to look at the practical issues involved, please 
feel free to bring some prospective client hardware (ie nearly anything, 'run 
wot u brung') with you. 


Agenda
--------------
The workshop will be run on both days, with an emphasis on commercial 
organisations on Wednesday 2nd and Schools and LEAs on the Thursday 3rd May.
  
9.30am           Registration and Coffee
10.00            Introduction: Linux, open source and how it can be used
10.30            Server: the K12LTSP distribution, hardware specifications
11.30            Coffee
11.45            Clients: new and legacy hardware, configuration and 
deployment
12.45pm          Lunch
1.45             Configuring desktops, window managers for public, labs and 
office users
2.45             Discussion and future developments
3.30             Tea and Close

Space is limited (we've already had considerable interest), priority will be 
given to early respondents. 


Links
------------------
Linux Terminal Server Project    http://www.ltsp.org
K12LTSP Project                  
http://www.riverdale.k12.or.us/linux/k12ltsp.html

Venue
------------------
2/3 May
Sandwell EMU
Popes Lane
Oldbury
West Midlands B69 4PJ
Tel: 0121 544 2001

25 May
Bryngwyn School
Llanelli
Carmarthenshire

Travel Arrangements
-------------------

Sandwell
--------
Road -
Sandwell EMU is located less than 10 minutes drive from Junction2 of the M5. 
>From the junction you will come immediatly to another roundabout (next to 
Retail park), take the 4th (last) exit towards Oldbury and along a dual 
carriageway until the next roundabout (by Mecca bingo), turn right and along 
back underneath the motorway. Take the second right (into Popes Lane). EMU is 
immediatly on the right. 

Rail - 
The nearest station is Langley Green, about 5 minute walk from EMU. The 
nearest mainline station is Sandwell and Dudley, which about 15-20 minutes 
walk away, or a short taxi ride. 


Bryngwyn
--------
Further details will be available soon

Accomodation -
Please contact Malcolm Herbert if you require assistance in finding 
accomodation. 

You can find a location map on http://www.streetmap.co.uk, postcode B69 4PJ


Registration
-------------------
Please can you confirm attendance by completing the attached form with 
payment. You can reserve your place in advance by sending an email to Malcolm 
Herbert, mherbert@redhat.com. 

Costs. 
-------------------
The costs for schools, LEA staff and academic institutions is £25 for the 
day, will for commercial insititutions it will be £50. For an additional 
people from the same institution the charges are £15 and £40, sorry max of 
two people from each place at the moment. These charges will be used to cover 
costs (room rental etc). Please make cheques payable to 'Red Hat Europe' and 
we will deal with expenses with Sandwell LEA. 

Payment and forms in the post to (you can book provisionally by Email):-

Malcolm Herbert
Red Hat Europe
10 Alan Turing Way
Research Park
Guildford
Surrey GU2 7YF




<cut>
=========================================================

Linux / Public Access Terminals Workshop
----------------------------------------

Name:

Organisation:

Address:




Post Code:

Telephone:                       Mobile:

email:                           

Preferred Date:          2 May   3 May   25 May   *please indicate
==========================================================


["CourseNotes.html" (text/html)]

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\documentclass[11pt]{article}


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\usepackage{graphics}
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\usepackage{palatino}


<P>
\title{K12LTSP and Public Access Terminals using Linux}


<P>
\begin{document}


<P>
\section{Overview}
This document should be seen as both a guide for strategists, in how to deploy public \
access terminals using an open source solution, but also a useful document for \
technical people wishing to build and develop systems using things like the Linux \
Terminal Server Project application or the K12LTSP distribution. 


<P>
This document should be read alonside other documentation, including:-


<P>
Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP): Documentation on installation and configuration \
and troubleshooting.  http://www.ltsp.org \
K12LTSP:http://linux.riverdale.k12.or.us/k12ltsp.html Public-Web-Browser mini-HOWTO: 


<P>
There are also a number of useful mailing lists:
LTSP: http://www.ltsp.org
K12LTSP: http://linux.riverdale.k12.or.us/k12ltsp.html
Suse Schools Mailing List: 


<P>
\section{Introduction}
This document is aimed at educational or public-facing institutions who wish to \
maximise the number of computers available to their students or customers, but at the \
same time wish to minimise both the overall running costs and the management \
overhead. 


<P>
\subsection{Why thin client?}
Thin client machines have been in and out of fashion for a number of years, they do \
however have a number of significant advantages over the 'traditional' fat clients \
(ie standard PCs) that have been dominant for the last 10-15 years. These include: \
\begin{enumerate} \item Management: By having centralised configuration, the last of \
client management is significantly easier.  \item Resilience: There is simply less to \
go wrong with a thin client (no local hard disk for example). Improvements in network \
design and performance also means that this is now a significantly lower risk that \
previously.  \item Flexibility: Thin client networks can be configured in a number of \
ways, providing a range of desktops and services. This can theorectically enable \
mutlifunctional labs and access points to be set up.  \item Purchase Cost: Thin \
client hardware is again becoming cheaper to obtain, and high prices in the past \
compared with standard PC hardware have prevented widespread uptake.  \item Total \
Cost of Ownership (TCO): It is the lower ongoing costs that make open source thin \
clients an attractive solution. By removing licensing costs, increasing reliability \
and reducing the management overhead, using thin client equipment can significantly \
reduce the cost of IT provision.  \end{enumerate}


<P>
\subsection{Why open source?}
There is a growing amount of evidence, including case studies, of the potential \
benefits of using open source software as the basis for developing viable and robust \
IT solutions. Open source software is 'freely available', that is free to use, \
distribute and development, usually under the conditions of a suitable license \
\footnote{Information on licenses can be found on the \htmladdnormallink{OSI web \
site}{http://www.opensource.org/licenses/index.html}}


<P>
By using open source software, the developer and the end user benefit from not only \
having to pay ongoing licensing costs (not insignificant in propretiary thin client \
solutions), but also from not being tied to individual manufacturers or applications. \
The open source community has developed some significant applications (the Linux \
kernel and Samba, the SMB networking server for example) and as shown below has also \
developed some excellent applications for thin client solutions, such as the \
\htmladdnormallink{Linux Terminal Server Project}{http://www.ltsp.org}. 


<P>
\subsection{Introduction}


<P>
\subsection{Performance}
In terms of reliability and resilience, thin client can greatly increase performance. \



<P>
\subsection{Management}


<P>
\subsection{Flexibility}


<P>
\subsection{Security}
Public access terminals need to be very secure and by using a thin client strategy \
this can be done effectively. 


<P>
\subsection{Scaling}


<P>
While Citrix has raised the awareness of thin client, its big limiter is the \
excessive license costs, which have a high entry level even for academic pricing. \
Although it is not a linear increase, there are cost considerations for extending the \
network.  This is not a consideration for a LTSP solution.


<P>
\section{Design}


<P>
\subsection{Lab/Desktop Terminal}


<P>
\subsection{Public Access Terminal}


<P>
\subsection{K12LTSP Design}
The K12LTSP distribution has specifically 


<P>
\section{Building Your Server}


<P>
\section{Constructing Clients}


<P>
\subsection{Introduction}


<P>
\subsection{Legacy Equipment}


<P>
\subsubsection{Introduction}


<P>
\subsubsection{Selecting Your Hardware}


<P>
\begin{itemize}
\item CPU. Anything from an Intel  66MHz 8x486  will work well enough to give you a \
viable client,  \item Memory. 8Mb will work, but most machines should have at least \
16Mb.  \item Graphics. You really need something that can support SVGA graphics and \
that has a decent amount of graphics memory. It should allow for a resolution of at \
least 800x600 pixels. Check if the chip is supported by XFree86, and that ideally it \
runs using XF86 SVGA server. Other accelerated servers are supported, but it requires \
a little additional configuration.   \item Network Card
\item Other issues
\end{itemize}


<P>
\subsection{New Equipment}


<P>
\section{Desktop Configuration}


<P>
\subsection{Getting the right desktop}


<P>
\subsection{Enabling Desktops}


<P>
\subsection{Gnome (Ximian)}


<P>
\subsection{KDE}


<P>
\subsection{Nautilus (Eazel)}


<P>
\subsection{Netscape}


<P>
\subsection{Star Office}


<P>
\subsection{Alternatives}


<P>
\section{Remote booting other OS's}


<P>
\subsection{Bpbatch}


<P>
\section{Remote Booting Servers}


<P>
\subsection{Why?}


<P>
\subsection{Web Server Example}


<P>
\section{Links and Further Reading}


<P>
Bpbatch - Remote Booting: http://www.bpbatch.org


<P>
K12Linux Project: http://k12linux.riverdale.k12.or.us


<P>
Linux Terminal Server Project: http://www.ltsp.org


<P>
Linux Web Station (formerly Public Web Browser) mini-HOWTO: \
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/mini/Public-Web-Browser.html


<P>
Remote Boot mini-HOWTO: http://cui.unige.ch/info/pc/remote-boot/howto.html (using \
Bpbatch) \end{document}


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