Solstice AutoClient 1.0 Product Spec, 1/95

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Product Benefits / Product Features / Requirements / Operating System Software / Minimum System Configuration (on Client) / Typical Configuration / Distribution Media / Availability

AutoClient 1.0

A new ease of administration model for Solaris 2.4

Solstice AutoClient 1.0 software represents a revolutionary new step in SunSoft's enterprise management strategy - without peer in the industry. Solstice AutoClient turns the desktop's disk into a cache between the desktop and the network server for Solaris and applications. This eliminates the need for local desktop installation, backup, and software management, all without the performance drawbacks normally associated with centralized data.

Product Benefits

Solstice AutoClient software provides the foundation for a new client/server workstation configuration that combines the advantages of traditional Solaris diskless and dataless client/server configurations with the benefits of distributed computing performance. It allows data centralization and optimizes disk utilization by "caching" data and portions of the operating system that the client actually utilizes. This substantially reduces the server CPU load, network traffic and the requirements for local disk capacity, and can increase the client/server ratio. The Solstice AutoClient client configuration provides several system management benefits. All client data is centralized on the server, making desktop backups unnecessary. And, since the data is centralized and loaded on-demand, client failures are more easily dealt with by simple hardware replacement and a reboot.

The Solstice AutoClient product also represents a significant advancement in ease of administration and simplification of the install process, making it much quicker and simpler than a traditional stand-alone installation. The addition of Solstice AutoClient desktops can be performed in "batches" by answering a few simple questions per client; reducing an administrator's effort and totally eliminating the wait time between each client installed.

The result for the system administrators that Solstice AutoClient creates a "hands-off" desktop, a Field Replaceable Unit that can be quickly and easily swapped out for another. It provides a centralized, diskless administration model without sacrificing diskfull performance, lowers the cost of operation, and minimizes user downtime.

Product Features

By taking advantage of a diskless model, Solstice AutoClient optimizes administrative efforts. System administrators can apply the same tools they normally use on individual, discrete desktops across all the Solstice AutoClient network clients at one time. In addition, other common applications can also be "cached" to the desktop, downloading only what is needed. This means that one no longer has the problem of distributing software with different revision levels on the server and the client - with Solstice AutoClient they can be easily synchronized. With all the data centralized on the Solstice AutoClient server, system administrators no longer have to worry about backing up remote clients.

System administrators no longer need to visit each desktop to install software. They configure the Solstice AutoClient client on the server, and after an initial "boot net" the OS is automatically "cached" to the desktop. Solstice AutoClient provides an alternative to the traditional "push" software distribution model by allowing Solstice AutoClient clients to "pull" software, eliminating the need to explicitly install software on desktop systems.

The Solstice AutoClient client holds no data; all data is securely held and managed on the server. Workstations can be treated as interchangeable units, facilitating asset management and depot-level maintenance economies. Instead of troubleshooting hardware in the user's office, the system administrator replaces the entire system with a known good one. The user gets a working system much faster because hardware troubleshooting occurs in a dedicated maintenance area, instead of the user's office. The administrator saves time because maintenance is done with the proper tools and facilities and because restoring and re-customizing a machine would otherwise take hours or days.

Preserves existing investment. Solstice AutoClient caches only as much as it needs, when it needs it. It can do this with a small disk footprint, without installing the entire OS on each desktop. In a world where files proliferate to fill all available physical disk space, this can save on hardware.

Solstice AutoClient product reduces NFS reads and network traffic, improving the NFS server scalability. It is not uncommon to run 50 clients on a single Solstice AutoClient server.

Requirements

Operating System Software

Minimum System Configuration (on Client)i

Typical Configuration

Distributed Media

Availability

SunSoft will introduce Solstice AutoClient 1.0 in January 1995 and the product will generally be available in March, 1995 .