# Thin Client technology - Linux Terminal Server Project HOWTO

*The text below was copied with permission from post by Harry Mangalam, <span class="caps">UCI</span>, to [UC-<span class="caps">CSC</span> Mailing List](https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/uccsc)*

I typed up the notes I took as I was evaluating the <span class="caps">LTSP</span> for Lab and   
Office deloyment, added a few introductory paras and got this:

[http://moo.nac.uci.edu/~hjm/LTSP\_HOWTO.html](http://moo.nac.uci.edu/~hjm/LTSP_HOWTO.html)

Feedback, criticism, corrections, and suggestions how to improve it   
welcome. If you have additional links that should be added, let me   
know.

Those at <span class="caps">UCI</span> are welcome to visit for a demo until the hardware gets   
redeployed. I’ve tested with 64bit PCs netbooting 64 &amp; 32bit OSs, and   
an old 32bit <span class="caps">PIII</span> laptop netbooting the 32bit OS.

From the introduction:  
<del>-</del>————-  
There are many technologies tempting your wallet these days with   
promises of secure, easy, efficient, low-cost, scalable desktop   
computing. Many of these are based on virtualized Windows, with   
proprietary technology at each layer of the whole solution. (Tom Holub   
and crew evaluated this Windows-based onion/parfait at Berkeley in   
2008-2009.)

I say … meh.

Linux and the Linux Terminal Server Project (<span class="caps">LTSP</span>) have provided this   
kind of technology for at least a decade for free. It is being used in   
large rollouts in the 3rd world where the technology cost issue is   
most important and in the 1st world where the human costs are the main   
issue. Before you sink $thousand$ trying to stack proprietary   
technology upon proprietary technology, why not see what some free   
software can provide? If you have the (minimal) hardware, you can have   
an <span class="caps">LTSP</span> system up and running in about 2 hours. No licenses, no   
signatures, no faxes, no crippleware, no POs, no RFPs, no bids, no   
lawyers. And surprisingly few tears.

---

```
Table of Contents1. Introduction2. Assumptions3. Pre-Requisites3.1. Prep work3.2. Hardware3.3. Software4. Installing the LTSP server4.1. Installing a preconfigured LTSP system4.2. Installing over an pre-installed system5. Creating the client OS6. Server vs Client Applications7. Changing the client BIOS to PXE-boot8. Booting the client9. Upgrading & Changing the client OS10. Adding / upgrading applications11. Adding storage12. Multimedia to LTSP clients13. Shared printers.14. Local storage devices15. Handling Application versions16. Adding LDAP, Kerberos, NIS/NFS17. LTSP coexistence with Windows apps18. Thin Client Promotion, Propaganda, Discussion19. Copyright notice
```