Linux TS ?

HI chaps, wondering if you can point me in the right direction here.

I'm looking at a way to grant work-at-home users access to their favourite
Windows applications (Outlook, certain MS only applications etc ).

Now, I was thinking maybe TS would be the way to go. I'm looking at a few
users to begin with, maybe 20-30, scaling up to maybe a few hundred over
time..maybe even as high as 500.

I would like to be able to put 1.5 meg ADSL connections in their houses and
supply them with company hardware all set up and ready to go.

So I was thinking diskless linux based thin clients (customised so the
machine boots from CD maybe and then presents them with a simple log-on
screen...they put in their Active Directory corporate login details and
bang, they're presented with a WinXP desktop or something via Terminal
services)..

Now, I'd need to run secure connections back to the corporate network. I'm
thinking IpSec tunnels back to HQ..... my main sticking point is...what am
I missing in all this? can you guys think of a better way to do this?

Basically as far as the end user is concerned I want them to wander into
their home office, turn on their computer and then have a simple login
screen pop up, they put in their username/password and bingo..they get a
Windows desktop so they can run their finance package or send email via
Outlook or check their calendars or whatever... plus they could save files
direct to maybe a USB key (still dunno about that one) AND that they can
print stuff to a local printer (so they can save a .doc on their network
share but print out a hardcopy at home).

This system needs to suit people who are working from home ..they might not
actually come into the office for days or weeks on end.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, I've been googling....seen the
knoppix cd's, the various thin client linux distros, the LTSP project etc
etc but I am really after something simple, reliable and dependable running
over ADSL back to a Terminal Services or Citrix machine..

I am obviously VERY VERY concerned about security of the network..


Thanks in advance!!!


Billy

what about tightVNC?
--
Geeks Home
www.fahimzahid.com




"Billy" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:43941341$0$30065$(E-Mail Removed) u...
> HI chaps, wondering if you can point me in the right direction here.
>
> I'm looking at a way to grant work-at-home users access to their favourite
> Windows applications (Outlook, certain MS only applications etc ).
>
> Now, I was thinking maybe TS would be the way to go. I'm looking at a few
> users to begin with, maybe 20-30, scaling up to maybe a few hundred over
> time..maybe even as high as 500.
>
> I would like to be able to put 1.5 meg ADSL connections in their houses
and
> supply them with company hardware all set up and ready to go.
>
> So I was thinking diskless linux based thin clients (customised so the
> machine boots from CD maybe and then presents them with a simple log-on
> screen...they put in their Active Directory corporate login details and
> bang, they're presented with a WinXP desktop or something via Terminal
> services)..
>
> Now, I'd need to run secure connections back to the corporate network. I'm
> thinking IpSec tunnels back to HQ..... my main sticking point is...what am
> I missing in all this? can you guys think of a better way to do this?
>
> Basically as far as the end user is concerned I want them to wander into
> their home office, turn on their computer and then have a simple login
> screen pop up, they put in their username/password and bingo..they get a
> Windows desktop so they can run their finance package or send email via
> Outlook or check their calendars or whatever... plus they could save
files
> direct to maybe a USB key (still dunno about that one) AND that they can
> print stuff to a local printer (so they can save a .doc on their network
> share but print out a hardcopy at home).
>
> This system needs to suit people who are working from home ..they might
not
> actually come into the office for days or weeks on end.
>
> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated, I've been googling....seen the
> knoppix cd's, the various thin client linux distros, the LTSP project etc
> etc but I am really after something simple, reliable and dependable
running
> over ADSL back to a Terminal Services or Citrix machine..
>
> I am obviously VERY VERY concerned about security of the network..
>
>
> Thanks in advance!!!