diskless workstation

    A personal computer or workstation
   which has neither a hard disk nor floppy disk drive and
   which performs all file access via a local area network
   connection to a file server.  The lowest level bootstrap
   code is stored in non-volatile storage.  This uses a simple
   protocol such as BOOTP to request and download more
   sophisticated boot code and eventually, the operating
   system.

   The archtypal product was the 3Station developed by Bob
   Metcalfe at 3Com.  Another example was the Sun 3/50.

   Diskless workstations are ideal when many users are running
   the same application.  They are small, quiet, more reliable
   than products with disks, and help prevent both the theft of
   data and the introduction of viruses since the software and
   data available on them is controlled by the network
   administrator or system administrator.  They do however rely
   on a server which becomes a disadvantage if it is heavily
   loaded or down.

   See also breath-of-life packet.

   (1995-03-28)