Table of contents:

• Before you start to configure
• How to work with the openThinClient Manager
• Configure environment
  • 1. Create location
  • 2. Create device
  • 3. Create hardware type and assign device(s) to it
  • 3. Create ThinClient
  • 4. Create Usergroups
  • 5. Create Application groups
  • 6. Create Application
  • 7. Create a new user
  • 8. Assign applications to a user

Before you start to configure

Take a sheet of paper and a pencil :).
Give yourself some time to think about how your company is structured and write it down. Its always good to have a plan before you start working and its not different with the openThinClient Manager. Write down the structure of your company top-down. Start with the locations where your company is seated and work your way down the structure, till it meets your requirements.

How to work with the openThinClient Manager

To understand how the openThinClient Manager functions, it is necessary to separate the real work place of an employee from the network "work place". Compared to a common PC, the ThinClient is not an inherent work place, but rather an in- and output terminal. The actual work place consists of the user profile and the profile of the used ThinClient. Both profiles provide the sum of access rights to applications and devices in the network. Thus the work environment of the very same user profile may differ on different ThinClients.
The ThinClient Manager offers the following categories for the network's structural configuration:

ThinClients	Contains all logically connected and registered ThinClients
User	Contains single profiles of users registered in the network
User groups	Single users can be combined in groups
Applications	Contains all applications existing on the servers
Application groups	Single applications can be combined in groups
Devices	Administrates all registered devices like USB-sticks, monitors etc.
Locations	Single locations, like subsidaries or buildings, can be created.
Printer	Administrates all printers connected to the network
Hardware types	Listing of different physical ThinClient hardware models

Configure environment

Several "first configuation steps" are described in this example.

Please note: If you don't configure the devices on your ThinClient, it will start with a screen solution of 1024*768, english keyboard layout and a Vesa grafic driver.

1. Create location

After "Right click" on "Location" and selecting "new" the "New location" wizard will guide you to configure a location.
Enter the desired name (and description).



And do some configuration on the next screen if you wish to change the default settings.
The language and time settings should be of special interest.



After finishing the wizard the location becomes visible at the "Locations" node.

2. Create device

To open the "New device" wizard "right click" on the "Devices" node and select "new".
In this example a graphics card device is created.



At the configuration screen "vmware (VMware SVGA)" is choosen as graphics card driver.

3. Create hardware type and assign device(s) to it

"Right click" on the "Hardware type" node and select "new" to open the "New hardware type" wizard.
Enter the desired name (and description)


Click on "Devices"


Now that the "Devices" screen is shown click on "Add"


Choose the "Graphics card: Vmware" device and any other you want to add to your hardware type then click "Cancel" to get back to the previous screen


You should see the devices your added. For this example we choose the "Graphics card: Vmware"


After you clicked finish you should see the new hardware type "VMware" in the node.


After creating a location and a hardware type it is time to create the first ThinClient

3. Create ThinClient

The easiest way for creating a new ThinClient is to just let it boot and assign it afterwards.

The running openThinClient server "listens" on the network and tracks all PXE-request. So just initiate a network boot of the ThinClient you wish to configure.
Hint: The ThinClient won't boot the openThinClient os right now but the openThinClient server recognizes it's attempt to boot over the network.

Open the "PXE clients" node and you will find a ThinClient entry


"Right click" on the desired MAC-entry and select "edit" to start the "Convert to Client" wizard. Enter a name (and description).


Assign the ThinClient to a location and hardware type



After finishing the "Convert to Client" wizard the ThinClient will show up at the "Clients" node.


Now start the desired ThinClient (again) to let it boot the openThinClient OS.

4. Create Usergroups

To open the "User group" wizard, right click on the "User group" node and select "new".



In the next window, give the "User group" a name and if you like a description.



The next window is used to add "users" to the "User group".



After clicking on finish, the new "User group" will be created.

5. Create Application groups

Works just like usergroups. Except that you use the "Application group" node ;).

6. Create Application

To open the "new Application" wizard right click on the "Application" node and then choose "new"



In the next window you can give the application a name and choose the application you want in the dropdown menu. Click next after you made your choice.



Now you can configure the applications, after you have done that click on finish.



After you have clicked on finish, the new application will appear in the "Applications" node.

7. Create a new user

To create a new "user" right click on the "Users" node and then select "new".



In the next window, give the user you are about to create a name, then press next.



Now you can give the user a password and add him to a "User group" for Example. Once your done with the configuration click "finish".



The new user will now be visible in the "Users" node.

8. Assign applications to a user

A user with no application(s) is not productive at all, so lets assign him one or more applications to work with.

Right Click on the User and choose "Edit"


Go to the applications tab and select "Add"


If you need only one application, click on it and then on "Ok".


If you want to add multiple applications at once, hold down the "Ctrl" key and select them one by one. It is also possible to deselect them this way if you added one by mistake.

After you finished selecting click "Ok".

Now all selected "Applications" should be shown in the "Applications" tab.

If you are satisfied with your choices click "Ok"