Expanding Thin Client's Viewpoint
Boundless Technologies (Hauppauge, NY) has released Viewpoint Administrator 2.1--a management software utility designed to reduce administrative costs and allow network administrators to serve both local and remote users more effectively. The ability to remotely update and configure the flash software resident in thin-client devices is an important tool to help the administrator reduce obsolescence and problems associated with user configurations.
Viewpoint Administrator 2.1 has expanded capabilities to configure, manage and upgrade the Boundless Viewpoint Thin Client (TC) and Capio product families of Windows-based terminals from a local or remote location without end-user intervention. To simplify administrative functions, the interface is based on the familiar Microsoft Explorer browser.
The target market includes transportation, retail, hospitality and kiosk environments where knowledge workers need access to Windows-based applications but where there may be limited IT support, or any industry with a terminal emulation requirement for transitioning from old green-screen terminals to Windows application access.
"Our product is the only one in the marketplace that currently does everything from within one application. Other vendors have applications with fragmented utilities--one utility for configuration, one for updates, one for monitoring, etc.," said Steve Sims, Boundless Technologies product manager. "Viewpoint Administrator 2.1 does it in a single, integrated application. Also, our application works with CE devices, as well as older DOS-based devices."
Some of the new features include:
- Auto configuration Templates send a default configuration to the thin-client when the software first detects a device.
- Enterprise and hierarchical management Additional Viewpoint Administrators can be controlled remotely by a single master Viewpoint Administrator that creates hierarchies to allow management of large numbers of thin-client devices, while reducing network traffic.
- Event/configuration logging Enhanced event logging allows the administrator to view any event concerning Boundless thin-client devices and Viewpoint Administrator software. Security enhancement logs every function performed by Viewpoint Administrator and every user of the software.
- Scheduling tasks Boundless thin-client devices can be automatically updated and configured at a specified time and date.
- SNMP support Viewpoint Administrator allows SNMP event traps for specific events that may be reported to third-party utilities.
- Thin-client grouping Thin-client devices can be arranged in groups or clusters to allow the administrator to build a manageable environment, according to specific purposes.
- User grouping and permissions Every function has built-in permissions, with the ability to assign them to groups and limiting certain users to only perform specified functions.
"Each Viewpoint Administrator Server is capable of handling 100 thin client devices; once an environment is set up with multiple Viewpoint Administrators, thousands of thin client devices can be managed," said Sims. Remote offices that have satellite installations of Viewpoint Administrator can be independently monitored via remote thin-clients, and still have the software managed from anywhere in the world through hierarchical management.
Viewpoint Administrator 2.1 supports Microsoft NT Workstation 4.0, Microsoft NT Server 4.0 and Microsoft NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition with Citrix MetaFrame. Server requirements include a 233 MHz Pentium or higher, 128MB RAM minimum, 20MB hard drive plus 7MB per registered user/release.
Viewpoint Administrator 2.1 has a list price starting at $129 for five managed thin-client licenses. Additional add-on licenses are available. A 50 percent discount is available for end-users upgrading from any previous version of Boundless' Viewpoint Administrator software. A free 30-test drive program is available for end-users at
their Web site.