1. LTSP - Linux Terminal Server
Project
Luca Foppiano <luca.foppiano@lolug.net>

2. Summary
What is LTSP?
How it work!
Why is useful?
Costs comparison
Credits
These slides are derived by Jim
McQuillan slides. You can find
original one directly here.

3. What is LTSP? /1
● Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) is an
add-on package for Linux that allows
many people to simultaneously use the
same computer.
● Applications run on the server with a
terminal known as a “thin client” handling
input and output.
● These thin clients are also known as X
Terminals. Generally, they are low-
powered and lack a hard disk.

4. What is LTSP? /2
● This technology is becoming popular in
schools as it allows pupils access to
computers without purchasing expensive
desktop machines.
● Some examples of distributions using
LTSP are K12LTSP, Skolelinux and
Edubuntu.
● Old computers can easily be turned into
thin clients.

5. A sample infrastructure
Clients:
● Thin client
● Old PCs

6. Thin Client Terminals

7. How to work /1
Services accessed by client:
– DHCP server
– TFTP
– NFS
– XDMCP

8. How to work /2

9. Installing LTSP
● Install the ltsp-utils package
– RPM for Redhat,Suse,Mandrake, etc...
– .deb for debian and friends
– .tgz tarballs for everybody else
● Run ltspadmin
– This will download the packages that
make up the root filesystem for the thin
clients.

10. Costs
● LTSP and Thin client allow cost saving
● Example: Imagine a school where 50
client need to be updated:
– Case 1: buy new 30 clients: ~700x30 € =
21000€
– Case 2: buy only a new server and reuse
old workstations as thin clients: ~5000€

11. More info
● www.ltsp.org
● wiki.ltsp.org
● ltsp_discuss mailing list
● IRC (#ltsp on irc.freenode.net)
● www.k12ltsp.org
● www.rom-o-matic.net
● DisklessWorkstations.com

12. Thanks