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Multi-Seat Linux
This project will have you setting up a multi-seat Linux configuration (one machine, many users)
Prerequisites
To do this project, you will need to have successfully completed:
Ingredients
You will need:
- PC to be multiseat host
- multiple LCDs, keyboards, mice
- Userful Linux Desktop install CD
- USB docking stations
Background
Computing in recent times has predominantly surrounding the notion of single-seat computing- ie you are the prime user of the computing resource you use. While there are certainly some exceptions to that rule (Lab46, being a multi-user, multi-tasking system, allows for multiple logins, but truth be told, there can still only be one physical user at the system's main console).
Multi-seat is an approach of computing that has some throw backs to the original days of mainframe computing, where systems were designed for multiple physical users.
Although still not perfect, there have been efforts to bring this functionality to present day hardware, as it presents a number of advantages:
- hardware cost savings
- administrative cost savings
- power savings
Requirements
Configure and document the process of setting up a Linux machine to serve as the host machine to support multiple physical users.
Functionality to explore:
- graphical login on each head
- no interference between seats
- administration
- adding new software
- configuring settings for all users
- screen capture by administrator
- screen broadcasting
- individual USB flash drive access
- per-seat audio
Analysis
Things to be on the lookout for:
- How is overall CPU load with respect to the number of heads?
- idle
- active
- Is there a sweet spot with regards to number of seats and host hardware?
If possible, we'll want to try the configuration with both a 32-bit machine and a 64-bit machine (how well can the older 32-bit machine handle the load, how much more work can the newer 64-bit machine adequately handle?).
References
