“Thick & Thin Client”

Thick Client

Thick clients, also called heavy clients, are full-featured computers that are connected to a network. Unlike thin clients, which lack hard drives and other features, thick clients are functional whether they are connected to a network or not.

While a thick client is fully functional without a network connection, it is only a "client" when it is connected to a server. The server may provide the thick client with programs and files that are not stored on the local machine's hard drive. It is not uncommon for workplaces to provide thick clients to their employees. This enables them to access files on a local server or use the computers offline. When a thick client is disconnected from the network, it is often referred to as a workstation.

Thin Clients
Typically, thin Clients are low powered computers that (strictly speaking) do not have a hard diskdrive. Since there is no hard disk drive, there is also no operating system. And since these are low powered systems, all processing is done on the server instead of the thin client itself. Certain types of thin clients (running on embedded XP or embedded Linux) may have full fledged OS capabilities complete with installed applications such as Microsoft or Open Office and browsers such as Internet Explorer and/or Mozilla Firefox.
Comparison between Thin Client and Thick Client

Thick vs. Thin - A Quick Comparison
Thin Clients Thick Clients
- Easy to deploy as they require no extra or specialized software installation
- Needs to validate with the server after data capture
- If the server goes down, data collection is halted as the client needs constant communication with the server
- Cannot be interfaced with other equipment (in plants or factory settings for example)
- Clients run only and exactly as specified by the server
- More downtime
-Portability in that all applications are on the server so any workstation can access
- Opportunity to use older, outdated PCs as clients
- Reduced security threat - More expensive to deploy and more work for IT to deploy
- Data verified by client not server (immediate validation)
- Robust technology provides better uptime

- Only needs intermittent communication with server

- More expensive to deploy and more work for IT to deploy
- Require more resources but less servers
- Can store local files and applications
- Reduced server demands
- Increased security issues