Affordable + High Value = A Lesson on Why Real Thin Clients for Education Are Best in Class

You don’t have to be a scholar to know that affordability does not have to, nor should it, equate to less value, less power, less quality, or less performance. Do the math; while alternative virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) devices are seemingly on-the-fly, cheap, quick fixes–nothing can offer your schools an enterprise classroom experience with value-class pricing like Thin Clients for education. Thin and Zero Clients are the best–and yes, are affordable–options out there for VDI environments, including education.

Real Life Challenges Require Real Thin Clients for Education

Let’s get real. Just as business professionals need to do business, teachers need to teach! Not spend time troubleshooting computer problems. Likewise, students need to be able to focus on learning. Virtualized schools and universities require high-performance endpoints for high-demand environments for IT professionals, teachers, and students. As a world market leader in Thin and Zero Clients for education and other sectors, 10ZiG is all too familiar with the real life challenges that IT departments in school environments face when it comes to VDI and related hardware decision-making.

One particular university demonstrated a need to increase IT desktop control, a consistent end user experience, and a significant reduction of their carbon footprint, all while having minimal impact on their current set up of existing users. The choice of Thin Clients was integrated into their new and existing environments with little effort or disruption. In fact, nearly 100% of students didn’t even realize that they were using Thin Clients. A high school wanted a timely, low-cost solution that was easier to maintain with low replacement costs, yet still matched or exceeded performance levels of standard PCs. Again, Thin Clients were the solution.

Another high school was looking to refresh worn out PCs that couldn’t even run the latest OS. They transformed to VDI, then tested out and used Thin Clients for secure, manageable, cost-saving, energy-efficient endpoint devices. A K-12 District was is the midst of a VDI POC, actively replacing over 500 aging PCs that were under constant repair or redeployment. Happy with not only performance, but also energy-saving affects, they went with Thin Clients and ended up saving money on labor, replacement parts, and IT headaches.

The ABCs of Shopping For Thin Clients for Education

In the above real life challenges, a real Thin Client was needed–and every solution earned an A+ when it came to reliability, affordability, quality, power, and speed–for IT professionals, educators, and students alike. When it comes to VDI hardware solutions, nothing beats the features or harnesses the power of a real Thin or Zero Client. Don’t let other devices fool you–the classroom setting and learning environment would be average at best, and you also may end up spending more in the long run.

Just as in business, if your district’s or schools’ classroom environments are running on loud, energy-hungry, overpowered fat PCs with a local Windows OS requiring regular patching, anti-virus, and imaging, it may be time to start up a POC with Thin or Zero Clients. At 10ZiG, we know that Thin and Zero Clients as endpoint devices should be constructed to provide the best performance possible in both VDI and Server-Based Applications/Desktops for hosted and cloud environments. Look for Clients that are built and optimized for the latest desktop technologies including VMware, Citrix, and Microsoft, and support the power of protocols such as PCoIP, Blast Extreme, HDX, HDX Premium, HDX 3D Pro, and RDP. They should also be purposefully designed and customized to meet the needs of all teachers and students, from simple task-based users to power users requiring full HD multimedia, 3D, CAD and/or Quad Screen support.

Avoid devices that may require separate parts, certifications, licensing, third-party OS, or offer poor support service. Easier connectivity, lower carbon footprint, affordability, and high-graphic functionality should all make the grade when it comes to end user hardware. Also, your devices are only as good as their management utility. A Centralized Management Software program should come at no cost to you with the purchase of devices, unlike Google Chromebooks or other options, wherein management software may have to be purchased. Rebooting and updating firmware capabilities for hundreds of classrooms from one single location in a matter of minutes should also be expected and standard.

Let’s not leave out the desktop experience. While other options are non-traditional one-offs, you can’t discredit the desk/chair/keyboard/monitor scenario that offers students a more traditional, holistic learning environment, mindset, and focus. Thin and Zero Clients should come fully equipped for all educational needs and if sourced from the right vendor, also come with a several-year warranty and excellent, easy-to-understand customer support. You can also repurpose your PCs by converting them into Thin Clients with PC Repurposing Software while budgeting for future hardware. PCs can be repurposed and built to personal specifications and requirements, with ongoing updates–never leaving you with outdated programs, applications, or OS.

Back to School with 10ZiG Thin Clients For Education

10ZiG Technology is a world market leader in cutting-edge Thin Clients and Zero Clients for Education, Government, Medical, Finance, Hospitality, Business sectors, and more. We live and breathe Thin & Zero Technology, as it is our sole focus. With a wide range of Clients to fit every virtual desktop infrastructure solution, including Thin and Zero Clients for education, what sets us apart from the rest is our unsurpassed level of available and reliable customer service, our no-charge 10ZiG Manager Software; our no-registration, instant 3-Year Warranty with Advance Replacement program; and our hassle-free, 30-day Complimentary Demos.