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Using Thin Clients with PeopleSoft?

Posted by Cliff on from the working-with-the-absolute-minimum dept.

lsmft2001 asks: "We're busy implementing a big ERP project with PeopleSoft. We currently run a mixture of Windows 95, 98 and 2000. These machines run most of the time, but all too often they fail for various reasons. Our IT department spends too much time fixing these machines, basically patching them enough so staff can get back to work. It's frustrating for them and for the users. PeopleSoft only requires a browser to run. Has anyone implemented PeopleSoft without Windows machines? What I would really like to see is some kind of plug and play solution. If a PC fails, the maintenance folks replace the whole machine or the hard drive and everyone is back to work. I would like to see this solution for the 'power users' as well, where they could log on to any machine and have all their files and applications available to them. Everything here runs Novell Netware. Has anyone implemented PeopleSoft with minimal client software? Could it be done with Novell and SuSe?"

5 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. We use Peoplesoft at my Work.... by Prien715 · · Score: 4, Informative

    We recently upgraded to PS 8.8 at my work and though I don't use Linux at work, I do use FireFox/Mozilla. Both of which have rendering issues on some of our pages. Some relatively new versions of mozilla won't even respond to menu clicks. It's really not the OS you ought to be worried about with Linux IMHO, it's browser compatibility. (And about people writing applications with browsers and standards in mind).

    As an alternate solution, I'd recommend Norton Ghost. Keep a backup of a "good" image for each PC model in the office. When a client fails, simply refresh the image (takes like 20 minutes). It's not especially elegant, but it gets the job done.

    --
    -- Political fascism requires a Fuhrer.
    1. Re:We use Peoplesoft at my Work.... by DShard · · Score: 3, Informative

      Or better yet, check out Novell's ZenWorks for Desktops. It handles both imaging and application/patch deployment. I work for A holding company which owns a general contractor. We service over 20 locations with two helpdesk individuals. These guys handle over 400 PC's and keep them patched and reimaged. We have only been struck twice with virii (once was due people bypassing sp4 and another was on a jobsite using kazaa, both situations are now permanently fixed).

      Having seen how well it scales I have to say I'm a true believer.

  2. Well by adamshelley · · Score: 2, Informative

    There is a citrix client for a multitude of platforms. Setup a farm and they can connect no problem. Let their sessions stay open so even if they diss they can join back up. Spend some time setting up the servers so u don't have to reboot them every monday morning. but... it will cost you major cal $.

    Crossover office can run IE. Never tried it but nomachines.com sounds like a citrix like platform.

    If you are not IE specific then I'm not sure why the question is here.

  3. PeopleSoft supports most current clients by linuxhansl · · Score: 5, Informative

    Currently PeopleSoft supports the following clients: IE 4.X, IE 5.x, Netscape 4.x, Netscape 6.x, and Netscape 7.x on all platforms where these browser run.

    As server platform PeopleSoft supports Windows, Linux, AIX, HP-UX, Thru64, Solaris, etc.

    Supported Databases are Oracle, Sybase, DB2, MS-SQL.

    So there is no need at all to use Microsoft Software with PeopleSoft. Neither on the server nor on the client.

  4. Cut your losses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
    Cut your losses and ditch PeopleSoft. I'm aware of about 5 colleges and universities, including my alma mater, that have tried or are still trying to get the PeopleSoft built to the stage where it can begin to handle daily tasks. Three of these eventually ran out of money early on.

    It would be a more efficient use of resources to urge support for standard data formats rather than specifying specific client software. However, if they did that , then it would be obvious whether or not PeopleSoft works. So instead, departments are kept in turmoil as they chase a moving target and never get to find out whether they got sold some snake oil.