we still use our old computer and the only investment we will have to make is buying the Windows 2K/2003 licenses and hardware .

The solution is actually an integration of the following Sub systems :  LTSP, rdesktop and wilisystem , fortunately those systems are integrating quite naturally as you will see .

LTSP  (  http://www.ltsp.org ) :

Is the backbone of all the system which provide the Linux terminal services for the diskless client. after installing LTSP it create the /opt/ltsp/i386  Directory.

So after your client finish its boot process you will be logged to your LTSP Server and your file system will be the /opt/ltsp/i386 Directory. and then the Wilisystem start Working.

Microsoft has developed a protocol called RDP which is used for the Terminal Server communication with the client.

The rdesktop package is an application that opens  RDP Session with a Windows Server and by doing it , the Linux station become a Windows Terminal Client.

The Wilisystem is actually a patch for the LTSP server. what is does is make the connection to the Windows Terminal Server as easy as it can get.

The Wilisystem uses the rdesktop package and finish the Diskless client boot process with the Windows login screen. by doing this it make the LTSP Session invisible to the user who feel as if he is plugged directly to the Windows Server .

I must thank the wilisystem developers for a great job !

Rom-O-Matic :  www.rom-o-matic.net

This is where you get you boot image for you selected boot Device ( I used a floppy ). after specifying your Ethernet card model you can download your boot image.

 Great implementation for a great idea.

please read the documentation from the Above web site's.  when you read the documentation you will discover all the options and benefits that you can get from this system and how to tune it to your needs.

        # cd /opt/ltsp/templates/ltsp_initialize 

        #  ./ltsp_initialize

Copy /etc/dhcpd.conf.example to /etc/dhcpd.conf and check that all the network numbers match your network Configuration.

Here is my /etc/dhcpd.conf :

            ddns-update-style none;

            default-lease-time 21600;
            max-lease-time 21600;

            option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
            option broadcast-address 192.168.1.255;
            option routers 192.168.1.100;
            option domain-name-servers 192.168.1.100;
            option domain-name "my-domain.com";
            option root-path "192.168.1.100:/opt/ltsp/i386";

            option option-128 code 128 = string;
            option option-129 code 129 = text;

            shared-network WORKSTATIONS {
                        subnet 192.168.1.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
                                                                                            }
                        }

            group {
                        use-host-decl-names on;
                        option log-servers 192.168.1.100;
 

                        host ws009 {
                                                hardware ethernet 00:02:B3:2D:B0:D2;
                                                fixed-address 192.168.1.113;
                                                filename "/lts/vmlinuz-2.4.21-ltsp-1";
                                            }                       

                        }
 

Here is my Wilisystem Config , I added my remarks for the configuration part:

# Config part for the http://www.wilisystem.com
# example ws009 accessing the W2K/NT4 TSE
[ws009]
RDPSERVER = 192.168.1.3                  # The ip of your W2K/NT4 Terminal Server
RUNLEVEL = 7                                     # runlevel 7 for wilisystem
SERVER = 192.168.1.100                      # The IP of your LTSP server
XSERVER = auto                                  # auto Discovery of your Display-card

# if your display card fail in the auto mod, you should download the proper ltsp_x336-XXX from www.ltsp.org and specify it like    XSERVER      = XF86_Mach64

X_MODE_0 = 1024x768        # The Resolution that you want, ( 1024x768 , 800x600 ...)

X_COLOR_DEPTH = 15      # The color Depth .. i think win2k server only support 8 bit (256) color.
 

# the folowing line configure your mouse , check the Documentation page for more mouse type configuration : http://www.ltsp.org/documentation/

X_MOUSE_PROTOCOL = "PS/2"    
X_MOUSE_DEVICE = "/dev/psaux"
X_MOUSE_RESOLUTION = 400
X_MOUSE_BUTTONS = 3

then you will be able to debug the system.