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Is It Time for Diskless PCs? (continued)

• Seamless software transitions Because everything is done at the server level, there's no need to install software on separate machines or individually upgrade applications. "Everything is done behind the scenes, without disturbing users. This dramatically reduces hardware maintenance costs and keeps employees productive during major software transitions," says Seidner.
• Enhanced security One of the biggest security risks for the enterprise network is unauthorized downloads of programs or content from the Internet. That simply can't happen with thin clients. Likewise, because all antivirus and anti-spam protection exists at the server level, IT management needn't be concerned about security breaches on individual machines. Finally, data residing on the server is much easier to back up and protect against loss or theft -- a prime concern when individual users keep important data on their own personal hard drives.

Network PCs have been on the verge of making a breakthrough to more widespread use for more than a decade. As their advantages are leveraged by the ubiquitous availability of high-speed Internet access and the growing interest in virtualization technologies are making them increasingly attractive to enterprises, the diskless PC's day may finally have dawned.

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