Version 2.4.5
The ThinMan Gateway is an additional component of the Praim ThinMan suite.
Under the guise of a hardware and/or software solution representing a useful tool for managing thin clients installed on remote branch offices or, even locally, on network that have to be strictly separated.
It is available in three different solutions both hardware and software only:
- ThinMan Gateway hardware appliance (model G1000A);
- ThinMan Gateway virtual appliance (based on a Linux kernel) (model G1000V);
- ThinMan Gateway Application for Microsoft Windows operating system (model G1000W);
THINMAN GATEWAY POWERFUL ADVANTAGES!
The most powerful advantages offered by Praim ThinMan Gateway solution are:
- It enables a powerful Praim ThinMan operation on remote branch offices, accessing your remote clients without requiring a VPN infrastructure;
- Neither remote client nor system exposed on internet is required (i.e. none special firewall or router configuration as NAT, PAT etc.);
- No incoming connection towards remote branch office networks is required;
- It enables to manage different site with the same IP network address range without worries;
- It extends the WOL (Wake On LAN) feature up to remote branch office devices;
- A remarkable time and bandwidth saving in the client update thanks to ThinMan Gateway Repository replica service.
¶ ThinMan Gateway Architecture
The typical architecture will consider:
- A single ThinMan Server installed by the main office. This ThinMan Server has to be published on the Internet. See Port Utilization for more information on which ThinMan Server ports has to be published on the Internet.
- Multiple ThinMan Gateways installed at branch offices. One ThinMan Gateway for every remote office.
A ThinMan Gateway will manage the devices at the specific branch office where it is installed.
¶ Scenario
The first scenario will use the ThinMan Gateway as a pass-through for the device notifications. It allows sending notifications to the ThinMan Server through the Internet. In this case, the ThinMan Server needs to be published on the Internet; you can forward the HTTPS port of the ThinMan Server on the firewall/router (see Port Utilization for more information).
The communication also works from ThinMan Server to a device. In this case, the ThinMan Server sends a command to a device using the ThinMan Gateway "pass-through" feature. This scenario is useful for all the commands based on ThinMan Scheduled Events like an upgrade, power-on/power-off/reboot commands, etc.
The second scenario avoids that all devices in the branch office are upgraded contacting the ThinMan Server. In this case, all the ThinMan Gateways synchronize their Package Repository to the ThinMan Server Package Repository. When an upgrade occurs, the device will use its ThinMan Gateway Repository to upgrade itself. This scenario reduces bandwidth consumption and needed time because the ThinMan Gateways in the network will download (aka sync over the Internet) the packages files only once (from ThinMan Server Repository to ThinMan Gateway Repository). All the devices' requests of packages will be satisfied by the local ThinMan Gateway Repository in the local environment (LAN). This feature is named Repository Replica and has to be enabled on the ThinMan Server (see Manage the ThinMan Gateway from the ThinMan Console for more information on how to enable and disable this features).
Another scenario is the ability to power on the devices at the Branch Office using a local Wake On Lan (WOL) Magic Packet. In this case, when needed, the ThinMan Server sends to the ThinMan Gateway a command through the Internet to power-on a device. The ThinMan Gateway will then send to its network the correct WOL Magic Packet to power-on the devices. This feature is named "WOL Relay" and can be disabled/enabled on the ThinMan Server (see Manage the ThinMan Gateway from the ThinMan Console for more information on how to enable and disable this features).
¶ Internet or VPN?
Usually, the branch offices are not connected to the central office by a VPN, and so the ThinMan Gateway allows you to manage the devices over an Internet connection avoiding to expose them on internet.
In some cases, you can also use the ThinMan Gateway when branch offices are connected to the central office by VPN or similar connection. In this case, you will also have benefits regarding bandwidth consumption and the ability to power-on devices. Read the recommendation in the Configuring the ThinMan Server Address chapter.
¶ Prerequisites and Technical Specifications
¶ G1000W - ThinMan Gateway Software
¶ Software Requirements
The ThinMan Gateway Software can be installed on these supported Operating Systems in both 32-bit or 64-bit architecture:
- Windows 2022 Server
- Windows 2019 Server
- Windows 2016 Server
- Windows 2012 Server (also R2)
- Windows 2008 Server (also R2 SP2)
- Windows 2003 Server
- Windows 10
- Windows 8, Windows 8.1
- Windows 7
All these OS can be installed on physical hardware or in a virtual machine environment.
Do NOT Install the ThinMan Gateway where a ThinMan Server is already installed
Do NOT Install the ThinMan Gateway G1000W on the same system where a ThinMan Server is already installed. The two installations will conflict with each other and will not work properly.
¶ Resource Requirements
Your system must meet the following requirements:
- At least 2 GHz Dual Core processor
- At least 2 GB free RAM required
- At least 10 GB of free disk space (plus Repository system)
¶ G1000V - ThinMan Gateway Virtual Appliance
¶ Resource Requirements
The ThinMan Gateway Virtual Appliance has the following initial characteristics:
- CPU will depend on the VMware hardware.
- 4 GB RAM
- 128GB disk space
If necessary, it is possible to modify the processor and memory as well as to increase the disk size.
ThinMan Gateway Disk space
Consider that ThinMan Gateway will synchronize the ThinMan Package Repository on the local disk. You need enough space to store every package that has to be available to the branch office thin clients.
¶ ThinMan Server Requirements
As mentioned before, a ThinMan Gateway NEEDS a ThinMan Server to work.
A ThinMan Gateway can be managed only from ThinMan Server version 7.8.9 or greater. Previous versions of ThinMan Server are not able to manage the ThinMan Gateway features.
The ThinMan Server needs an "Advanced" licence with the Network+ Feature Pack.
¶ Types of devices supported by ThinMan Gateway
Currently, these types of devices are supported:
- Windows Embedded Standard 7 devices with firmware vers. 2.1.2 and higher
- Windows Embedded Standard 8 devices with firmware vers. 1.0.0 and higher
- Windows PC mounting Agile/Agile4PC/Agile4Pi Client vers. 2.0.0 and higher
- ThinOX/ThinOX4PC devices with firmware vers. 10.1.0 and higher
¶ More about Gateway
- Installation, Configuration and Upgrade Procedures
- Download ThinMan Gateway Installation and Upgrade File
- Installing and removing ThinMan Gateway Software G1000W
- Installing ThinMan Gateway Software G1000V
- Configuring ThinMan Gateway Application G1000W
- Configuring ThinMan Gateway Appliance G1000A and G1000V
- Devices and ThinMan Gateway
- Upgrade ThinMan Repeater to new ThinMan Gateway G1000W
- Network
How-To
Check also the How-To section.
FAQ
Check also the Frequency Asked Questions section.