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Product Overview

So, How Does Userful Multiplier for Linux Work?

Turn 1 PC into 10 Full-featured Desktops!

The Desktop Multiplier, powered by Userful, is a software add-on for SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop that allows up to 10 independent user sessions to run at the same time on a SINGLE computer. Each user has his or her own monitor, USB keyboard and mouse. Standard NVIDIA or ATI dual-head video cards are used to connect the monitors (so a 6-user system would require three inexpensive dual-head video cards). You can use powered USB hubs if additional USB ports are needed.

One of the recommendations we make for 6-user, 8-user and 10-user systems is to find keyboards or monitors with two built-in USB ports. That way you can plug your mouse into the keyboard, reducing the cabling by half, and have an additional USB port available for a USB memory key (savings files locally) or a USB audio headset (for listening to music and audio on the Internet).

Outperforms LTSP Systems and Other Thin Clients

Multi-station SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop outperform LTSP systems and other thin client technologies because each station has dedicated video access (no choppiness, great for video and Flash animations) and all processing happens locally on the desktop. Plus, you eliminate the thin client hardware and associated maintenance and electricity costs.

Maximize Your Fixed Budget

With Userful Multiplier, school districts, universities, colleges, governments and businesses can consolidate their hardware and dramatically reduce maintenance, network infrastructure, back-up, anti-virus and electricity costs. Switching 1% of the world's PCs to Desktop Multiplier systems is equal to taking 26 million cars off the road—making Multi-station SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktops the Ultimate Green Desktop.

Desktop Multiplier for Linux was a huge hit at BrainShare South Africa

Desktop Multiplier for Linux was a huge hit at BrainShare South Africa

Userful Multiplier has captured the interest of leaders in business, education and as a way to maximise fixed desktop budgets, bridge the digital divide and cut down on digital waste.

Following is a list of a few customer success stories:

Userful Multiplier has been featured at major Linux and Novell trade shows around the world from San Francisco, New York, Toronto, Mexico City, London, Johannesburg to the Middle East.

Leverage the Benefits of Linux

There are numerous benefits of deploying next-generation, Virtualized Linux Desktops in your organization. Linux is a very stable, multi-user, multi-tasking operating system that runs effectively on inexpensive PC hardware. Linux desktop licensing costs are much lower than those of Windows XP or Vista (particularly if you also need to purchase new hardware).

In fact, stand-alone PCs represent more of a liability than an asset because of their quick rate of obsolescence. Userful Multiplier frees you from 9/10ths of these hardware and maintenance costs, making it finally affordable to achieve wider desktop access and 1-to-1 computing ratios in schools.

Following is a list of other Linux Desktop benefits:

Less vulnerable to viruses and security threats than Windows
Unsurpassed in computing power, portability and flexibility
User-friendly graphical user interface
Runs a wide variety of applications and corporate applications
Can be easily networked to NetWare, OES, Windows and SUSE Linux Enterprise servers
Constantly being improved by thousands of developers around the world
Readily adopted by more and more organisations
Enterprise support available from Novell

How Userful Multiplier Works

Userful Multiplier is a thin layer of software that sits on top of the SUSE Linux kernel. In fact, it wraps around the Linux kernel and listens for: (1) keyboard input; (2) mouse input; and (3), monitor output.

The Multiplier assigns these three items to a unique user session and can manage up to 10 completely independent user sessions running on a single SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop computer. Effectively, the Multiplier virtualises X, so that a single X instance can deal with multiple interfaces.

Userful Multiplier is perfect for computer labs, classrooms, libraries, and data capture stations where users need access to standard office productivity, email and web applications.

Need to run Windows applications on Linux? Take a look at WINE, Crossover Office, Windows Terminal Server, Win4Lin or Citrix.

Is Userful Multiplier a Thin-Client Solution?

No, each local user session is a full-featured, thick client with dedicated video, keyboard and mouse access. This means that users will not experience the keyboard lag and choppy video that are commonly associated with LTSP and other thin-client deployments. In addition, Userful Multiplier for Linux involves much lower deployment and licensing costs, and is easier to set up and deploy because it runs on standard desktop hardware.

This is one of our most frequently asked questions, so we have created a Desktop Multiplier vs Thin Client section with more detailed information.

Desktop Multiplier Licensing

Userful Multiplier is licensed at $99 per seat (approximately 80 €), plus an additional 30% of the total purchase price for annual software support and upgrades (optional). Volume discounts are available for deployments of 500 or more seats. Contact us for a price quote for your environments.

K-12 school districts and univerisites can now purchase Userful Multiplier for $59 per seat plus support! Limited-time offer. Pricing subject to change. Contact Omni for a price quote.