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The other side of client computing...

By Anu

Last month, we discussed the growing opportunity to reduce energy consumption at employee desktops. In that scenario, employees would have a thin client computer on their desks that sent/received instructions from a server. To do that, firms need to run end-user applications (e.g. Word, PowerPoint, etc.) on servers.

Recently, Cisco purchased a company that enables this computing environment. In press releases, Cisco officials cited the growing demand of "greening" computing environments as a reason for the acquisition.

The growing functionality of thin client computing, coupled with significant improvements in server software, is increasingly enabling firms to reduce electricity consumption, even as their workforce grows.

In the next few years, it will be interesting to see which firms take the lead in embracing this low-consumption computing environment.