A Thin Client is a mini Personal Desktop Computer with the following Exceptions:

• Thin Clients have no moving parts like a spinning Hard Drives, Processor Fans, Power Supply Fans, etc. (Fewer points of hardware failure)
• Thin Clients use 'Solid-State' Flash Storage instead of a Hard Drives. (The type of Flash Storage you would see on an iPod or USB Thumb Drive.)
• Thin Clients consume a fraction of the power than a regular PC.
• Thin Clients put out a fraction of the Heat compared to a regular PC.
• Thin Clients are typically immune to Virus or Malware Threats. If infected, a simple re-boot eliminates the threat and restores it to a clean state.
• Thin Clients use 'Embedded Operating Systems'. Rather than desktop versions of Microsoft XP Professional, Vista, or Linux, a Thin Client uses Embedded Microsoft XP (XPe), Embedded Linux, or Microsoft CE.

Thin Clients can replace Desktop Computers in some environments, but Thin Clients are not Desktop Computer replacements. Thin Clients are used when the application processing is performed by Networked Servers (i.e. Web-Servers, Terminal Servers, Virtualization Servers, Host/Mainframe Systems, etc..)

To fully realize the benefits from a Thin Client computing environment, centralized 'Server-Centric' hardware and data-center applications and databases are needed.

Businesses benefiting from Thin Client computing initiatives are realizing the following benefits:

• A Simplified IT Infrastructure. By using Thin Clients to connect to Citrix Terminal Services, Microsoft Terminal Services, Virtualized 'VDI' Desktops, Browser-Based Applications, or Host or Mainframe connectivity, the IT infrastructure is centralized and simplified.
• Centralized Secure Data. Secured in server rooms and data centers, data cannot be copied or stolen and is easier to back-up.
• Reduced IT Maintenance Costs and Centralized Application Maintenance. IT Staff manages applications, patches, and Help Desk Support from central locations using IT Management Tools like Symantec's Altiris Deployment Solution.

• Longer Return on Investment (ROI). Because the moving part failure points are eliminated, Thin Clients will last longer than PCs. The main capacity and hardware/software upgrades are more focused on the servers, rather than the high number of PC clients.

• Reduced Electricity Utility Bills. Because of the lower power consumption and minimal heat output, large organiations realize significant reductions in power consumption needed to run the IT infrastructure and Air Conditioning Systems)
• More Focused Employees. Employees are given only what they need to do their jobs and experience less downtime when problems occur.

The following are some examples of the use of Thin Clients:

• Call-Centers with Browser-Based applications

• Bank Tellers accessing centralized bank systems

• Retail Showroom terminals accessing centralized inventory information

• Point-of-Sale Terminals

• Hospitals using Citrix Terminal Services or Windows Terminal Services

• Terminals for Cruise Ships accessing Centralized Systems

• Internet Terminals for Trade Shows and Conventions

• County Library System Terminals and Library Internet Terminals

• School Computer Labs

• Insurance companies with centralized systems and spread-out geographic offices

• Manufacturing and Distribution Center Data Capture Terminals

• Customer Support Representatives using Browser-based applications

• IBM AS400, iSeries, and Mainframe Terminal emulations

• VMWare VDI Desktop Connectivity