Low-Energy Computing

Low-Energy Computing
Replacing PCs with more efficient thin clients can reap business, environmental benefits

Traditionally used only for basic applications, energy-efficient thin clients are growing into greater capabilities. (Photo: Wyse Technology)

IT Innovation
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Example: Thin client computing pays off for Enterprise Rent A Car
Customer Snapshot: Verizon Communications' Power Management
From Wyse: Energy consumption comparison
From Wyse: EarthSmart computing
From HP: Energy-efficient computing
From HP: Considering a thin client
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When it comes to corporate computer networks, it's smart to be thin—even if that means the machines on your employees' desks are dumb. Thin client computers are designed to be dumb: They are stripped-down devices that run programs and store data on central servers, unlike conventional PCs which work from their own processors, disk drives and memory.

Why adopt thin clients? According to Hewlett Packard, a leading manufacturer of thin terminals, "Thin clients provide a higher level of security, can reduce maintenance costs and consume less electricity compared to other desk-based computing products."

Traditionally, thin clients were used for very basic applications, such as terminals in bank branches or call centers. Wyse, which created the thin client category in the mid-1990s, is improving the capabilities of its thin clients so they can be sold in more office settings.

The environmental benefits of thin clients are substantial. Thin clients use as little as 6 watts of electricity and almost never more than 20 watts, compared to 70 to 150 watts on most personal computers.

Although they require more centralized computing power, because data processing and storage occurs over the network, thin client adopters say they are saving 25 to 50% of their energy costs. Thin clients also last longer and use fewer materials than conventional PCs, meaning less e-waste.

The future of thin client computing appears bright. According to IDC, an independent firm that provides market research to the IT industry, "the general health of the thin client industry is solid with good prospects for growth."

Specifically, IDC expects that the worldwide thin client market will grow from 2.9 million units in 2007 to just over 7 million units in 2012, representing a compounded annual growth rate of just under 20%. Revenues for the category will double from just under $1 billion in 2007 to just over $7 billion in 2012