KNOWLEDGE COMMUNICATION INNOVATION WORLDWIDE Network Computers The Future

KNOWLEDGE. . . COMMUNICATION. . . INNOVATION. . . WORLDWIDE. . . Network Computers: The Future Clients Some of the presentation data got from IDG survey results Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 1

The Network Defines the Client • Network maturity and bandwidth satisfies demand • Software development delivers the opportunities • Established platforms offer best integration Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 2

The NC defined. . . • The NC is not a product, it is a spectrum of client devices • NCs will differ in capability from consumer devices • NCs will be used to access corporate information • Intranet and Extranet growth will feed NC adoption in early stages • The next generation client needs to be designed for intranet/extranet implementation Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 3

What is a Network Computer? • Apple, IBM, Netscape, Oracle and Sun are introducing a Reference Profile for the Network Computer: the NC&trade • This Reference Profile is intended to provide a common denominator of popular and widely used features and functions across a broad range of scaleable network computing devices, including personal computers Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 4

In practice what is a NC? • One of the simplest example of Client-Server network based application • Powerful low cost RISC CPU and RAM • Disk or diskless peripheral device • LAN card for the comminucation I/O • Monitor, Keyboard, Mouse and Audio Output Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 5

IP-based protcols defined • TCP - Transmission Control Protocol • FTP - File Transfer Protocol • Telnet - Terminal emulation and remote login • NFS - Network File System • UDP - User Datagram Protocol • SNMP - Simple Network Management Protocol • DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol • Bootp - Boot Protocol Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 6

World Wide Web Standards • HTML - Hyper. Text Markup Language is the publishing format for WWW sites • HTTP - Hyper. Text Transfer Protocol • Java Application Environment – Java Virtual Machine and runtime environment – Java class libraries Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 7

Mail protocols • SMTP - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol • IMAP 4 - Internet Message Access Protocol Version 4 • POP 3 Network Computers - Post Office Protocol Version 3 Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 8

Common Multimidia Formats • Pictures and bitmap images: GIF and JPEG • Sounds and audio: WAV and AU And security supported • ISO 7816 (Smart. Cards) • Europay / Master. Card / Visa specifications • Open. Card Framework Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 9

In practice a particular evolution of the classical X-Terminals • But with local CPU running applications capability: – HTML Browser – Java Developer Kit and Java class libraries – Java interpreter – Java Virtual Machine – X-Windows – Windows NT Operating System (Windd, etc) – Security for the Intranet and Extranet Massimo Pistoni Computing Service Network Computers support Jun 13 th, 1997 10

Cost-To-Use analysis is key • IDG research utilises Cost-To-Use model • Established model measures business computing costs • IDG survey contacted 125 IT managers in France, Germany, UK and US • All businesses had networked PCs and Xterminals (Intranet NC) • Cost-To-Use model reveals significant savings when deploying X-terminals Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 11

Survey finds Intranet NC attractive • NC has lower acquisition cost • Offers reduced costs for software and for software maintenance and distribution • Offers reduced administration, support, training and backup costs • Costs less to upgrade and maintain • Provides universal access to applications and information together with Internet integration Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 12

Cost-To-Use model reveals potential Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 13

Cost-To-Use reveals savings • All line items yield a cost saving for the Intranet NC over the networked PC • Most significant savings in hardware upgrades and applications development staff • Five year costs of Intranet NC show 44% savings compared to networked PC ($39, 114 vs $69, 686) Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 14

Down time critical to user productivity Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 15

Upgrades impact productivity • Hardware and software upgrades extend the user down time • Loss of productivity due to scheduled upgrades for intranet NC 25% of networked PC costs • Loss of productivity due to unscheduled down time for intranet NC 36% of networked PC costs Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 16

Intranet NC easiest to install. . . Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 17

…and to manage Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 18

System attributes top purchase criteria Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 19

NCs: high growth expected Source: IDG 1997 Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 20

Network offers choice • Rise in network development offers choice to IT managers for occupational fit • NCs provide the ideal client characteristics: simple, standard access without the cost and support expenses • NCs promise is low-cost, low-administration, highly secure, enterprise access client desktops • Intranet NCs deliver the NCs promise Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 21

Tests in the LNF • Already tested: – IBM – Tektronix – Sun • To test soon: – HP – NCD Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 22

IBM Network Station • H/W: Low cost Power PC, 32 Mbytes RAM, no disk (with partnership of NCD) • S/W: Net. Station Support downloaded from an IBM AIX system • Advantages – Good X-Terminal – Java Virtual Machine • Disadvantages – HTML Browser not yet available Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 23

Tektronix Network Station • H/W: RISC CPU, 24 Mbytes RAM, no disk (model: XP 421 C) • S/W: XPress. Ware Version 4. 1 downloaded from a Digital OSF system • Advantages – Good X-Terminal – HTML browser (NAVIO = Netscape) • Disadvantages – Java interpreter and JVM not yet available Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 24

Sun Net Station • H/W: RISC CPU 32 Mbytes RAM, no disk (model: Java Station) • S/W: Name Netra J Version 3. 1 downloaded from a Sun Solaris system • Advantages – JAVA Interpreter and Java Virtual Machine – HTML browser • Disadvantages – X-Terminal S/W not yet available Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 25

HP and NCD (not tested yet) • We don’t know anything yet about HP NC • For the NCD are available both HTML Browser and Java Virtual Machine (the XWindows S/W is already well known in the LNF) • The already installed NCD (Explora series only) are upgradable to become Network Station with a simple S/W reinstallation on the X Server • HMX model has best performance of Explorapro Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 26

SUN JAVA chip • Sun announced PICOJAVA chip • Specifically engineered to run Java applications • Built to execute in H/W many Java instructions • Available in late 1997 at very low cost Seconds Network Computers Javac tests Jun 13 th, 1997 Seconds Ray. Tracer tests Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 27

Questions? Network Computers Jun 13 th, 1997 Massimo Pistoni Computing Service 28