Linuxlookup.com: Linux Terminal Server Project

“I guess that it is true: “Necessity is the Mother of
Invention”. I know that this paradigm drives most open source
software development, but it was also the motivation for me to
eliminate the constant clamor for internet access by my
family….”

“My first stop was the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP).
This solution seemed to fulfill all my requirements: it ran
everything off of the server; I could build custom kernels to
activate only those services I needed; and I could run it headless
(no keyboard or monitor). The downside was the killer. The LTSP
gains access to the server using the trivial file transfer protocol
(TFTP – poor security) and uses NFS to mount home directories (a
security nightmare). While I couldn’t use this project to solve my
particular problem, the concept still seemed worth investing some
time to investigate. What I learned in the process was, I felt,
worth passing on to LinuxLookup readers.”

“I began this exercise with the LTSP-Core release 2.0.4. There
were several problems with the setup scripts, and the documentation
left me with more questions than answers. However, the latest
version (2.0.7), has resolved all of my initial reservations and
has produced a true straight-out-of-the-box implementation of a
thin client solution. For those who may not see any particular
application for this project, consider a diskless client running an
X windows front end WITH NO FAN! I thought that in itself was worth
the effort to explore the LTSP. Imagine running a small internet
appliance on your desk that only comes to life when you tap the
keyboard or move the mouse and doesn’t have the constant noise of a
fan. Nice, to say the least.”

Complete
Story