[RULE] LTSP

[Jason Bechtel]

Thanks for your thoughts on this, Eugene.  I'd
like to continue the thread and make some comments.

You and Ingo are both right to doubt the utility
of RULE as an LTSP client.  RULE can certainly be
used as a client to a terminal server, but it
wouldn't be an "LTSP client", per se, because it
wouldn't use the LTSP network booting process. 
I'll get into this more later...  RULE is
basically a streamlined GNU/Linux OS installed
locally.  It can use ssh, telnet, X, XDMCP,
Citrix, RDP, VNC, and any other remote connection
software just as well as any other GNU/Linux
workstation.  You are right to think that RULE
could use local applications and server
applications simultaneously.  This can be
achieved with things as they are, however.  No
RULE-LTSP hybrid needs to be created for this to
happen.

RULE could certainly be the basis for an LTSP
server, though.  Most people use modern, powerful
machines as their LTSP servers.  If you want to
do LTSP on older hardware, however, RULE would
make a nice server install base.  It would just
need to be configured to install all of the
necessary server packages for LTSP (DNS, DHCP, etc.).

One correction: LTSP does not have as a goal to
use light apps.  LTSP allows you to run all of
the modern bloated apps on a big beefy server in
the closet while sitting at a P100 w/ 32MB RAM at
the front desk.  The tendency for people to use
lighter apps and desktops with LTSP is purely a
cost-benefit tradeoff.  Rather than spend $1,000
more on server hardware, just use IceWM instead
of KDE.  This is not part of the goal of LTSP,
however.

RULE and LTSP do share the goal of using older
hardware at the workstation.  There has also been
some interest on the LTSP list in the past from
people interested in netbooting their firewalls
and other low-resource appliances.  It's possible
that there is room for some collaboration between
the projects, but probably not to the degree that
you envisioned.  Here's the part where I talk
about what makes a client an LTSP client...

LTSP clients are the epitome of the "thin
client".  The only thing unique to the client is
the MAC address on the network card.  This is
what the server ultimately uses to identify the
client in the LTSP configuration.  Because
absolutely nothing is installed on the client,
clients can be swapped out with minimal fuss. 
Software management is also easier.  Since
everything is running on the server, you only
have to upgrade, patch, update, and tweak the
server!  You don't need Red Carpet or some
complex set of shell scripts to update every
machine on the network.  So, RULE really only
fits into this scheme if it's used as the server.

Jason


---- Begin Original Message ----
 From: "Eugene Wong" <disposable_eugene at hotmail.com>
Sent: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 23:01:03 -0800
Subject: RE: [RULE] LTSP (was: minimum hw
requirements)


>From: Ingo Lantschner <ingo.lists at vum.at>
>Subject: [RULE] LTSP (was: minimum hw requirements)
>Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2004 11:39:43 +0100

>How do you see the cooperation/relation
(technically) between "The RULE 
>Project" and LTSP?
>
>* RULE as base for the LTSP-Server?
>* RULE as the base for the LTSP-Client (propably
not, since this should be 
>a floppy - or?)
>* RULE as solution for the single-WS whereas
LTSP is for Classrooms?
>* other relations I did not mention?

Hi Ingo, & all.

I don't think that I see RULE as a base for the
client because RULE seems so big by comparison.
However, it would be kind of useful to be able to
all RULE to attach to the network & be able to go
into client mode. Maybe the user could just
reboot, & make a selection @ the LILO prompt or
GRUB prompt. Another interesting client option is
to just have the user run a normal console on
"<Alt><F1>", & a client connection on <Alt><F2>".
This could allow him to upload & download, & ssh
on the 1st console, & actually have full access
to the applications on terminal server with the
2nd console. With these kinds of options, RULE
becomes a powerful tool for old laptops.

Since they already have a terminal server, they
probably don't need RULE as a terminal server. I
wouldn't know, though.

I think that RULE & LTSP should work together
because they definitely have some common ground.
Both groups want to use light applications to get
the job done. Both are trying to make use of old
hardware. They could share experiences to avoid
overlapping. If they were 1 project, then there
would be more servers available to mirror the
same page.

If they did join together, then maybe they could
have various installation versions:
* server
* workstation
* terminal server
* terminal client
* firewall
* customized system
* docking bay [use PLIP to connect to old laptops
to give better Internet access, & upload &
download files]

These are just my thoughts.

---- End Original Message ----







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