Comparative inventory model of conventional end-user devices and thin clients

Panel: 6. Appliances, product policy and ICT

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Marina Proske, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany
Lutz Stobbe, Fraunhofer IZM, Germany

Abstract

In the German technology program IT2Green heterogeneous approaches for the improvement of the energy efficiency of ICT system are developed. IT2Green shows the considerable environmental improvement potential in the field of high efficient data centers and telecommunication infrastructure (load-adaptive operation and utilization of renewable energy).

At the same time, storage “in the cloud” and “software as a service” applications become more widely used in the business and private sector. Such applications reduce the necessary hardware at the user side, but increase the data traffic for the telecommunication networks and the computing load in data centers.

Against that background, the paper investigates the improvement potential of a thin client-based ICT system. We will present a respective inventory model for a comparative long-term assessment of a conventional and a thin client-based ICT structure. This will include the technical parameters regarding the computing hardware when shifting memory and logic from the end-user “into the cloud” and a model of a telecommunication network capable of such services. Utilization data (data traffic, user profiles) will be needed as much product/stock data (e.g. number of end-users per infrastructure element).

The model should be scalable to show e.g. differences between urban and rural areas and should be usable to analyze the total cost of ownership for such an ICT system.

A thorough understanding of the whole ICT system including the infrastructure will allow well-founded policy decisions regarding network expansion and "fibre to the X" options.