The idea of distributed, easily managed terminals has been around for some time, but remote and distributed computing has always come with serious performance hit. Now new technologies from firms like HP and IBM are enabling high-performance computing at a distance and could pave the way for enhanced, distributed computing throughout the enterprise.

This week HP released its HP Remote Workstation Software, a software package that enables the viewing of workstation displays at remote locations. The software works over existing TCP/IP network infrastructure, consumes a low level of bandwidth, and enables a full set of traditional workstation capabilities at each station.

The product uses an advanced compression technology that was developed at HP Labs, according to Ken Tidwell, Product Marketing Manager, HP Workstations Global Business Unit. "The remote system sends a packetized capture of the screen information over a TCP/IP network," Tidwell says. "Then for a few hundred Kbps worth of connection the user can access the system just like it was in front of him."

You can also view displays from multiple systems and have them come up on a single desktop. The number and type of graphics cards will limit the number of monitors displayed on the receiving system. Four displays are very common, but eight or more could be viewed depending on the hardware configuration.

The initial release support two-dimensional images only; 3D will come in later versions. To capture 3D correctly out of the frame buffer requires some additional engineering, according to Tidwell, but the technology should scale to cover very graphically demanding applications.

The ability to map users to any number of systems or any number of users to a system creates a high degree of IT flexibility. The software also helps enable IT staff to manage low cost moves and changes in hardware configurations.

Typical usage is a few hundred kilobits, according to Tidwell, and you could have a few hundred users on a singled switched network domain. "So if you wanted to serve a bunch of users in Manhattan, you could have five or six hundred users on just 1 GB worth of bandwidth."

This remote computing software should enable central management of IT resources that are deployed enterprise-wide, regardless of distance. Locating compute resources in an adequately cooled, protected environment ultimately improves system uptime, reduces maintenance costs and staffing requirements, and makes replacement and upgrades much simpler for the IT department.

"It would greatly simplify the lives of IT managers to have all of their equipment centralized, says Tidwell. The software also enables users to set up a provisioning system among users. "They can set it so User A gets access to #1 and #2 workstations and User B gets #3 and #4," explains Tidwell, "and they can share the#5 workstation."

One thing the software won't do is keep your data safe in transit. "The data stream itself is not encrypted, but it will work with whatever existing network VPN or encryption system you have deployed," says Tidwell.