server, a switch/hub, and a number of thin clients. The switch/hub is the first
piece of hardware we discuss.
For simplicity, we show only 4 thin clients in each example, but this is not an
actual limit. The number of thin clients is limited by your switch/hub, and
even an inexpensive hub supports 4 connections, although it is common for
quality enterprise-grade switches to have 48 or more ports. A switch is
generally faster and more expensive than a hub and is often preferable for
reasons beyond the scope of this chapter, but hubs and switches both serve the
same basic purpose, and either can work in an LTSP setting. Hubs and
switches are used to control traffic on a network and make sure that
communication happens between computers as it is intended to happen.
FIGURE 38.1 A default LTSP install without an Internet connection.
Ideally, you want a piece of hardware that supports a Gigabit connection
between the server and a switch, with at least 100Mbps connections between
the thin clients and the switch, and enough unused communication ports to
make future expansion easy, without requiring the addition of another switch
or hub and, therefore, layer of complexity. If money is an issue and ideal
performance isn’t vital, an inexpensive hub with only 100Mbps ports all
around and just enough ports to connect everything will certainly work. If you
are connecting more than 10 clients to the server, a Gigabit connection to the
server is strongly recommended. Life is full of trade-offs, and money supplies
are not limitless, so use your best judgment and buy the best you can afford.
For the server, recommended specifications depend greatly on the intended