The fattest PC on earth can boot from the server and be serviced as if it were a thin client. Instead, the compelling value proposition and attendant reductions in TCO are almost exclusively found in the arena of management and control. Changes made to the server are immediately effective, requiring no further attention to individual users. In times of IT talent shortage, this model allows each IT staff person to capably support many more users than in the fat-client environment. Lock-down of desktop prohibits the installation of unauthorized applications or data and decreases the risk of viruses or unintentional desktop corruption.
Users are able to access their applications from any desktop for roaming user work scenarios.
Centralized, server-based management simplifies application deployment and upgrades, speeding up rollouts. The range reflects the equally broad variety of device types that can be accommodated by this model - the more control exercised over the desktop, the greater the savings. The single largest drawback to the thin-client model turns out to be cultural rather than technical. Thin client adoption is related to the tasks at hand. In general, optimized communications and networking as well as improved manageability and failover of servers makes the model both feasible and reliable.