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Compare a thin and a fat client ?

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Question added by Emad Mohammed said abdalla , ERP & IT Software, operation general manager . , AL DOHA Company
Date Posted: 2015/01/08
Muhammad Adeel
by Muhammad Adeel , Sales And Marketing Executive , TANZEEM HEAVY EQUIPMENT RENTAL LLC

Basically, a thin client is a web based application and most of the processing is done on the server side.

A thick client is installed into the client side. It is still connected to the server, but most of the processing is done on client side. With thick client, there won't be much processing via the network. In a way, it will be a much faster option if your network is slow or congested.

The codes are different for thick and thin clients. I think if you code in components, you can reuse the code about60% -80% of the time depending on the requirements.

Alex Al Yazouri
by Alex Al Yazouri , General Manager , Al Mushref Cooperative Society

Thin Clients

- Easy to deploy as they require no extra or specialized software installation

- Needs to validate with the server after data capture

- If the server goes down, data collection is halted as the client needs constant communication with the server

- Cannot be interfaced with other equipment (in plants or factory settings for example)

- Clients run only and exactly as specified by the server

- More downtime

-Portability in that all applications are on the server so any workstation can access

- Opportunity to use older, outdated PCs as clients

- Reduced security threat

Thick Clients

- More expensive to deploy and more work for IT to deploy

- Data verified by client not server (immediate validation)

- Robust technology provides better uptime  - Only needs intermittent communication with server - More expensive to deploy and more work for IT to deploy

- Require more resources but less servers

- Can store local files and applications

- Reduced server demands

- Increased security issues

 

Vinod Jetley
by Vinod Jetley , Assistant General Manager , State Bank of India

Thin Clients

A thin client is designed to be especially small so that the bulk of the data processing occurs on the server. Although the term thin client often refers to software, it is increasingly used for the computers, such as network computers and Net PCs, that are designed to serve as the clients for client/server architectures. A thin client is a network computer without a hard disk drive. They act as a simple terminal to the server and require constant communication with the server as well.

Thin clients provide a desktop experience in environments where the end user has a well-defined and regular number of tasks for which the system is used. Thin clients can be found in medical offices, airline ticketing, schools, governments, manufacturing plants and even call centers. Along with being easy to install, thin clients also offer a lower total cost of ownership over thick clients.

Thick Clients

In contrast, a thick client (also called a fat client) is one that will perform the bulk of the processing  in client/server applications. With thick clients, there is no need for continuous server communications as it is mainly communicating archival storage information to the server. As in the case of a thin client, the term is often used to refer to software, but again is also used to describe the networked computer itself. If your applications require multimedia components or that are bandwidth intensive, you'll also want to consider going with thick clients. One of the biggest advantages of thick clients rests in the nature of some operating systems and software being unable to run on thin clients. Thick clients can handle these as it has its own resources.

 

Ibrahim Hussein Mayaleh
by Ibrahim Hussein Mayaleh , Sales & Business Consultant and Trainer , Self-employed

I really have no idea, my knowledge in this field is very limited. But thanks for the invitation. 

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