| World's largest Linux desktop deployment? |
Feb. 19, 2009
 Calgary, Alberta-based desktop virtualization vendor Userful announced what it claims is the world's largest deployment of Linux desktops. Working with the Brazilian government and virtual terminal vendor ThinNetworks, the company has won a contract to deploy 356,800 virtualized "Userful Multiplier" desktops to Brazilian schools.
(Click for larger view of Userful Multiplier kit)
Userful's Multiplier technology, derived from its earlier DiscoverStation product, will cost less than $50 per seat for the Brazilian deployment, says Userful. Multiplier uses virtualization software to enable up to ten users to share a desktop PC, so all that is required are monitors, keyboards, and mice, all of which plug into the supplied USB hubs. The PCs may also require additional video cards, says Userful.
Userful Multiplier supports any Linux distribution, says the company, but in this case, the schools will use the government-sponsored Linux Educacional 2.0 distribution developed by the Brazilian Ministry of Education (MEC). Last year, MEC started deploying Linux Educacional 2.0 in school labs used by 52 million schoolchildren. The Debian-based distro (see image below) incorporates KDE 3.5, KDE-Edu, KDE-Games, and several MEC-developed tools.
Linux Educacional 2.0
(Click to enlarge)
In partnership with MEC, Userful is working with Brazil-based ThinNetworks, as well as Brazilian PC firms Positivo, Daruma, and Itaultec, to deploy the systems. The first phase of the project, covering 18,750 workstations in rural schools, is already up and running, says Userful. Further deployments will extend the technology to all of Brazil's 5,560 municipalities.
Userful typically provides its own branded USB hubs (pictured at top), but in this case is using hubs from Brazil-based ThinNetworks that were especially designed for the project. The hubs are built to work reliably in harsh conditions with little supporting infrastructure, says Userful. ThinNetworks, which is overseeing the project, is the exclusive distributor of Userful products in Brazil. After the MEC deployments, ThinNetworks says it will have deployed over 800,000 of its Linux- and Windows-based thin clients and terminals in Brazil.
The $50 per seat bill covers the cost of the software and the USB hubs, but does not include the cost of purchasing monitors and keyboards. Other additional costs may be needed for additional low-cost video cards or the optional USB/2-way-audio hubs from ThinNetworks.
Cost savings and carbon reductions
Compared to offering a similar number of individual PCs, Brazil was able to save 60 percent in up-front costs, 80 percent in annual power savings, as well as additional savings in administration and support costs, says Userful. In addition, the Brazil deployment will save more than 170,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, or the equivalent of removing 28,000 cars from the road, claims the company.
Stated Tim Griffin, President of Userful, "Userful is very happy to have been selected to participate in this historic opportunity to help millions of children get the computer education they need in a sustainable way."
Stated Luiz Ferreira, President of ThinNetworks, "This project will bring access to information technology to almost every young student in Brazil."
Availability
Userful Multiplier typically costs $70 a seat for educational institutions, and $100 for commercial enterprises, but prices are lower in exceptionally large deployments, says the company. A free two-user version of Userful Multiplier should be available here. More information on ThinNetworks may be found here.
-- Eric Brown
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