DOE to test thin clients

The Energy Department could begin testing thin-client computers within three months and could launch the computers in the agency’s Washington headquarters in as early as half a year, said Tom Pyke, the department’s chief information officer.The time line depends on when Energy chooses potential test candidates and how smoothly the pilot goes.Thin clients are computers or software that include the barest of input and output. Most of the processing power is on remote servers. Because of this, thin clients use less wattage and have fewer security holes.“There’s a lot of interest because they combine energy efficiency with cybersecurity,” Pyke said at Input’s Federal Executive Breakfast this morning. “Blend those two together and it’s very convenient.”Several of the agency’s national laboratories are already testing thin clients.