FAQ
ThinHost Service
What
applications / service does ThinHost provide me with?
What
are the key benefits of ThinHost?
How
quickly do my applications run?
How
much storage space do I get? Can I have more storage?
Can
I have more applications than those provided as standard?
How
is my data backed up?
Can
I access my email from a web browser?
Can
I run applications other than those provided by ThinHost?
ThinHost Additional Information
What
specification of computer is needed to run ThinHost? What do I need
to run ThinHost?
Can
ThinHost be used with a Mac?
Can
I access my local hard drives? Can I access my local USB storage
devices, CDs and DVDs?
Can
I move and copy files between ThinHost and my local
computer?
Can
I access my local and network printers?
Can
I listen to music?
Can
I run graphical applications in ThinHost, such as Photoshop or
Dreamweaver?
What
happens if my network connection becomes unavailable?
What
do I do with my existing hardware?
What
are the differences between Citrix and Remote Desktop
Connection?
ThinHost Security
Is
the data centre secure?
Is
my data secure from ThinHost / partner engineers?
Is
my data secured from other clients running ThinHost?
Can
anyone view information being transmitted over the internet? How
secure is communication between the client and ThinHost?
Does
ThinHost have a security policy document?
ThinHost Service
|
What applications / service does ThinHost
provide me with?
|
top |
- Microsoft Office 2003
- Microsoft Exchange, Outlook 2003 and Web mail
- All Windows accessories and Adobe Acrobat
- Bespoke applications
- Spam protection
- Triple level virus protection
- Applications run on high end clustered servers
- Daily off site backup
- BlackBerry BES pluggable
- All software upgrades
- All hardware upgrades
- All first line support
|
What are the key benefits of ThinHost?
|
top |
- Future proof software/hardware inclusive
- Ease of administration
- Full disaster recovery inclusive
- Fixed monthly costs
- Flexible, scalable and on demand
- Guaranteed service levels
- Bolt-on BlackBerry integration
- One single provider of your IT services and support
|
How quickly do my applications run?
|
top |
- Applications run faster through ThinHost than by being run
locally.
- Applications care run on high end servers rather than desktop
PCs.
- The only information passed from ThinHost to your screen is
keyboard stokes, screen updates and mouse movements.
|
How much storage space do I get? Can I have
more storage?
|
top |
- Each user is allocated 1gb of storage.
- This is aggregated across each company.
- Therefore a company with 10 users will have 10gb of space.
- This will handle all documents, data, emails and
databases.
- This is upgradeable with a license fee calculated on
request.
|
Can I have more applications than those
provided as standard?
|
top |
- Yes
- ThinHost can host almost any Windows 32 bit application, such
as Sage, Act, Voyager, Goldmine, etc
- We have a list of currently hosted applications on our partner page
|
How is my data backed up?
|
top |
- A backup of ThinHost data is undertaken on a daily basis
- The backup service is provided by a third party company
- These backups include all user data, shared corporate data,
emails, databases and all other client data managed within
ThinHost
- All data is stored offsite in a 128-bit encrypted format
- The data passed from ThinHost to the backup provider is
encrypted using a 128-bit key
- In the case of ThinHost or ThinHost clients requiring their
data, the backup provider is able to provide this within 72 hours
of the request
- Further details are provided on www.core-consultancy.com
|
Can I access my email from a web
browser?
|
top |
- Yes
- The Outlook Web Client has the same rich functionality as the
standard Outlook client
- You can view your Inbox, Calendar, colleague's Calendars,
Tasks, Contacts and Public Folders exactly as if you were accessing
them through Outlook
- This is the same email account you view through Outlook. There
are not different versions of your mail, folders, contacts, etc
based on which client you are using. At the back end is a single
Exchange user account.
|
Can I run applications other than those
provided by ThinHost?
|
top |
- Yes
- Your computer continues to work as normal whilst you’re running
ThinHost
- So you can run additional applications locally, whilst having
your corporate applications provided by ThinHost
- Or, have ThinHost host your applications.
- This can be achieved with most Windows 32 bit applications such
as Sage, Act, databases and other corporate and administrative
applications.
ThinHost Additional Information
|
What specification of computer is needed to
run ThinHost? What do I need to run ThinHost?
|
top |
- All processing and data storage is undertaken on the central
servers
- The client computer is used simply as a dumb terminal – a means
of accessing ThinHost over the internet which can be:
- Any PC running Windows 98 or above.
- Any Mac running Mac OS 10 or above
- Ways
of accessing ThinHost are listed here
|
Can ThinHost be used with a Mac?
|
top |
- Yes
- Any Mac running Mac OS 10 or above can access ThinHost
- The Remote Desktop Connection client can be downloaded for free
from the Microsoft website
- The application is only 4mb in size
|
Can I access my local hard drives? Can I
access my local USB storage devices, CDs and DVDs?
|
top |
- Yes
- When running the remote desktop application before connecting
to ThinHost server, you have a number of options
- This includes the following (available from the Local Resources
tab):
- Local Devices > Disk Drives
- Selecting this option maps your local drives into
ThinHost.
- When you open My Computer within ThinHost, your local drives
are visible and can be browsed and used as normal
|
Can I move and copy files between ThinHost
and my local computer?
|
top |
- Yes
- You can copy and paste files from ThinHost to your local
computer in exactly the same way as copying files from one folder
to another on your local computer
- For example, you have a document on your ThinHost Desktop that
you’d like to move them to your local computer. You would right
click the document and select “Copy”. Then minimise ThinHost
screen. Right click on your local computer desktop and select
“Paste”
- Multiple files and folders can be moved or copied in the same
way
- You can also copy and paste text from ThinHost to your local
computer as normal
- In addition you can browse your local hard disks and external
devices from ThinHost
|
Can I access my local and network
printers?
|
top |
- Yes
- In the same way as setting up ThinHost to access your local
hard disk
- When running the remote desktop application before connecting
to ThinHost server, a user has a number of options
- This includes the following from the Local Resources tab:
- Local Devices > Printers
- Selecting this option maps the local and network printers into
ThinHost
- When you want to print a document within ThinHost you simply
select the printer required from the Print Options dialog box in
the application that you want to print from
|
Can I listen to music?
|
top |
- Yes but not from within ThinHost
- You can continue to listen to music (MP3s, CDs, etc) from your
local computer
- Simply run your music application as normal before logging into
ThinHost
- To change tracks or settings of your music, minimise ThinHost
and access your music application as normal
- Note that applications on the local computer can be run at the
same time and without in any way affecting ThinHost or ThinHost’s
performance
|
Can I run graphical applications in
ThinHost, such as Photoshop or Dreamweaver?
|
top |
- Yes. Although Terminal Services is not yet suited to graphical
applications
- Performance of these applications will most likely be below par
across a broadband connection of average speed due to the nature of
passing high-res images in this manner
- These applications should be run locally with files
synchronised to ThinHost when possible
|
What happens if my network connection
becomes unavailable?
|
top |
- ThinHost provides a package that includes ThinHost service as
well as hardened broadband communications to negate this risk
- As clients no longer have to spend budgets on depreciating
capital assets such as servers and desktop PCs, savings can be put
towards hardening communications links. For example the use of
leased lines, lines with a 99.9% SLA or using dual lines through
bonded ADSL
- If an internet connection does fail, then users are able to
work from any location with an internet connection. For example,
from home, using 3G or GPRS, from an internet café or wifi hot
spot. A backup dial up connection may also be sufficient for a pair
of users
- Users can work on email remotely (this works for travelling
users) by using RPC over HTTP. This makes a local replica of the
Exchange mail box within Outlook which can be updated (adding
emails, contacts, calendar entries, etc) whilst disconnected from
the network and synchronised upon the next connection
- Communications reliability is improving dramatically and
improved further through the unbundling of BTs exchange hardware.
Therefore the probability of a line failing is dramatically lower
than an equivalent failure of a server or desktop PC
|
What do I do with my existing
hardware?
|
top |
- I have already bought a server
- ThinHost may not replace the use of the existing hardware
- ThinHost removes the need to purchase any further hardware and
software
- Existing servers can be used within the new architecture as
backup or network servers if required
- If considerable budget has been used on a new infrastructure,
ThinHost may not provide substantial benefits. However, the
benefits of ThinHost, such as removing the IT headache, remote
working and having a single supplier of all “hardware”, software
and support may outweigh the cost of this procurement
|
What are the differences between Citrix and
Remote Desktop Connection?
|
top |
- Citrix requires a program to be downloaded onto the local
machine before a user can log on remotely. Many public access /
corporate computer systems restrict this download. With Microsoft
technology, the Remote Desktop Application is already available
within the Windows XP operating system and so nothing needs to be
downloaded.
- If accessing ThinHost through Internet Explorer, only an
ActiveX component needs to be rather than an .exe (executable)
program for Citrix.
ThinHost Security
|
Is the data centre secure?
|
top |
- Yes
- In 99.9% of cases security surrounding ThinHost is greater than
within an individual SME
- Protection from theft, fire, flooding and hardware crashes are
often neglected within an SME
- Physical PC value can be insured against loss, but not the
business critical data stored thereon
- ThinHost servers are housed in an ultra-resilient Redbus
Interhouse data centre
- Redbus data centres are used by blue chip companies
- Redbus includes the following levels of security:
- Stable high-capacity power supplies
- Fire protection
- Environmental control
- CCTV video recording
- Sophisticated alarm systems
- PAC security card access system
- 24 hour manned security with keycard access.
- All data is backed up daily to a 3rd party disaster recovery
firm independent to ThinHost
|
Is my data secure from ThinHost / partner
engineers?
|
top |
- Yes
- Unicorn Ltd trading as ThinHost collects, stores and uses data
in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and our Privacy
Statement
- Unicorn Ltd trading as ThinHost is registered as a data
controller with the Information Commissioner's Office (reg:
Z9126331)
|
Is my data secured from other clients
running ThinHost?
|
top |
- Yes
- Each client is provided with their own server within the data
centre server cluster
- This is not a unique physical server, but a virtual / logical
server
- Several virtual servers can be run on a single physical
server
- Virtual servers are protected in the same way as if each client
had a server physically separate from the others in the data
centre
- This security is managed through Windows Server 2003
- Users with authority to view documents, data and applications
for Company A have no access to do the same for Company B
|
Can anyone view information being
transmitted over the internet?
How secure is communication between the client and ThinHost?
|
top |
- Communication between a client computer and ThinHost servers is
undertaken using the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
- RDP uses RSA Security's RC4 cipher, a stream cipher designed to
efficiently encrypt the small amounts of data passed between the
client screen and ThinHost
- RC4 is designed for secure communications over networks
- The RDP is encrypted with a 56-bit key which is being upgraded
to 128-bit
|
Does ThinHost have a security policy
document?
|
top |
- Yes. This is made available on request
|