Our client is a regional social services organization that supports families through legal protection, housing assistance, and support services.
Faced with the need to modernize its IT infrastructure, the organization wanted to simplify workstation management, strengthen security and ensure a smooth user experience across multiple sites.
ZeeTim has helped this organization achieve these goals with its secure thin client OS, flexible licensing, and powerful Web Management Console (WMC).
In this case study, TT, the IT Manager explains how the transition to ZeeTim’s solutions was deployed, the benefits of the WMC, and how this partnership has optimized their daily IT operations.
How did your collaboration with ZeeTim begin?
Quite simply, through an online search. I wanted to switch to thin clients, so I did a comparison and sent emails to several providers. It was the ZeeTim team who got back to me. Very friendly, very attentive.
Whereas other companies just sent me a typical sales reply like “I’ll send you a quote”, ZeeTim said, “Hold on, let’s first understand your needs and what you already have. I’ll send you a link to test, and set up a license for you”. We were immediately able to set up a small test lab. It was really pleasant. What I really appreciated was that you took the time. You asked questions and we built a project together. That left an impression on me.
What was your initial need?
We already had server-side virtualization but nothing on the workstation side. Our users were still working with fat clients, which was very time-consuming for us to manage. And with the announced end of Windows 10, we knew we’d have to reinstall and redeploy everything… which is extremely time-consuming. We wanted to avoid that.
Yes, we still had to deploy with ZeeTim, but we figured this would likely be the last deployment for the next ten years.
You also tested other solutions. What did you think of them?
We still had terminals from an older brand, but we weren’t really managing them anymore. They were running Windows, with one admin console for Windows and another for Linux. And the Linux side really wasn’t great. To switch from Windows to Linux, we even had to pay for new licences… In the end, we just said, “Well, if you don’t want to work with us, we won’t work with you.” Zero flexibility.
They eventually put Linux on the terminals, but even then, it wasn’t good. Their admin console was heavy, you had to do a huge number of steps just to configure the terminals. We even had to flash the devices ourselves. Honestly, it was awful.
We also tested another major thin client and PC provider, but we weren’t convinced either. At the time, we didn’t have Citrix yet, so we just did a basic test, but there was nothing special about their solution. It worked like any other, nothing more.
And in terms of responsiveness, they were completely absent. When I contacted them, they were supposed to send me a proposal using VMware, but they took forever to reply or just never got back to me. So once we had Citrix in place, we told them we no longer needed them.
That’s where ZeeTim’s responsiveness really made the difference. The funny thing is that some of these companies used to reach out to us all the time, but when it’s us reaching out, they don’t necessarily respond. It’s paradoxical.
I don’t have time to reassess my infrastructure every two days. When I have a need, I look, I find, I reach out. That’s when you need to respond. Not three weeks later. That’s the difference between a responsive company and one that misses out on an opportunity.
What does your current infrastructure look like?
We have a Citrix infrastructure. All our users need to do video calls, so we needed something stable, lightweight and easy to configure. We looked at VMware and RDS, but they weren’t suitable for video calls. Citrix, as it was presented to us, was the ideal solution. We did have a bit of RDS on some sites, but it wasn’t conclusive. It worked well for apps, but not for video.
Had you already set up Citrix when you contacted ZeeTim?
No, that came with INSIA [ZeeTim’s sister company for systems integration]. We put everything in place at the same time: the Citrix infrastructure, the ZeeTim workstations, all for part of the network. All users outside of HQ switched to ZeeTim workstations. We started with about ten devices for testing, with a Citrix trial license that INSIA provided. We were able to test the entire setup for two months. That was really valuable.
Which ZeeTim tools interested you most?
ZeePrint. We wanted users to have access to resources as if they were at HQ and for us to be able to manage everything easily.
How is your organization structured?
We have a headquarters and two remote sites, plus another since we merged with another association. One small department also had to relocate. So altogether, we have four remote sites. We needed a quick solution.
At the beginning of August, we found out that a department was moving at the start of September. We had to act fast, without investing in heavy infrastructure because we knew we’d bring them back later. We needed a flexible solution. And ZeeTim was able to respond very quickly.
So you set up a Citrix infrastructure with ZeeTim in 15 days?
Yes. We took advantage of the relocation to run a test, and within 15 days, we had a Citrix test setup with ZeeOS workstations, fully integrated. People were working as if they were still on-site. For them, nothing changed. It was impressive. We tested for two months, until the end of October. Then, I managed to convince management to approve ZeeTim’s proposal.
Was the switch to Citrix and thin clients hard to get accepted internally?
Yes. We took advantage of the relocation to run a test, and within 15 days, we had a Citrix test setup with ZeeOS workstations, fully integrated. People were working as if they were still on-site. For them, nothing changed. It was impressive. We tested for two months, until the end of October. Then, I managed to convince management to approve ZeeTim’s proposal.
Was it hard to get internal buy-in for the switch to Citrix and thin clients?
Yes, it was tricky at first because it was a big change. We were changing both the virtual infrastructure and the workstations, so naturally, there were lots of questions.
But when we put things into perspective over five years, it wasn’t that big of an investment. We didn’t need to buy new computers, apart from the ZeeTim workstations we used to replace them. And even replacing them later on, we’re still way ahead compared to fat clients, which cost far more. Internally, we hadn’t changed our fat clients for seven years anyway, so we were due for a refresh, whether hardware or software.
I told them: let’s spend the money now, we know exactly what we’re paying for and for how long. Replacing one workstation at a time is not the same as replacing an entire fleet at once, especially with so many devices. That’s a significant budget.
And it also lets us focus on other things, like user comfort, screens, peripherals. When you start talking about comfort and security, it’s easier to get people on board.
From a security perspective, having thin clients is clearly an advantage. If there’s ever an issue, the machine holds nothing. If we need to shut everything down urgently, we can do it in a few clicks. In case of a virus, for example, there’s no need to ask everyone to shut down their device: we just switch everything off remotely. That gives us real responsiveness, and that’s invaluable.
When there was a problem on a fat client, it was extremely time-consuming. You had to fix each device one by one, solve the problem individually… And honestly, spending that much time for just one user is burdensome.
Especially since it’s usually very basic actions. So wasting time on that is frustrating. With thin clients, everything is centralized. You reboot the terminal and normally everything works fine. It’s simple, fast and efficient.
Did you convert PCs into thin clients with ZeeOS?
Exactly. With ZeeOS, they connected remotely to the Citrix infrastructure without changing their habits. And all this was thanks to the ZeeTim team. The strength of the project was really the speed of deployment.
What are ZeeOS’s strengths and weaknesses in your view?
At first, there were a few limitations, especially regarding configuration for remote users.
My goal was to reduce the management workload as much as possible. The more users could handle things themselves, or the more the terminal could reset itself automatically, the better. Initially, that wasn’t quite the case, but then you reacted really quickly.
You set up a standard configuration we can push to devices remotely. So now, if there’s an issue, we just reset the terminal remotely, it reboots with our standard config, and the user can reconnect. We can even take control remotely without them needing to come in physically. That’s a real plus.
So yes, there were a few weaknesses at the start, but they were all addressed very quickly. With you, as soon as there’s a problem, it’s heard, analyzed and then improved. That’s what makes the product strong. The responsiveness is truly exceptional.
The weaknesses don’t really matter because they get fixed almost immediately. These are small things which, once resolved, save us loads of time. Honestly, today, I don’t see any major drawbacks.
What do you think of the Web Management Console?
We use it to reinstall, configure devices, change settings remotely… We knew ZeeConf, the first local management tool. It was comprehensive. I never had any issues with that older version.
But the web interface is very good too. You recently installed version 2, which includes all the improvements we requested. That too is a real strength.
And how is the support?
Honestly, I’ve had several different contacts throughout the project, and they’ve all always been very available. When I mention something, you sometimes call me back a month later to say “we did it”. I was the only one who asked for it, but you did it anyway. Of course, it’ll benefit others too. But what I mean is that you don’t brush aside requests just because only one person asks for something. You’re able to judge if a request is valid, and that’s really cool. It’s genuine collaboration, a continuous improvement approach.
What role has ZeePrint played in your organization, especially for remote users?
Clearly, for managing external users, ZeePrint has been fantastic. At first, we had many remote sites. Thanks to ZeePrint, remote printers were seen as if they were connected locally. For users, it was seamless. And server-side, it was smooth.
What was the issue before?
Before, it was simple: If a local printer wasn’t connected to HQ, it couldn’t be seen in a remote session. On Linux, that didn’t work. If it had been Windows-based, maybe, but not in this case.
Basically, if someone plugged in a printer to their terminal, it wouldn’t show up in the session. The two systems didn’t communicate. So we needed a solution to create a virtual printer attached to the terminal, with real transfer between the terminal’s OS and the system hosting the session.
And above all, we needed to save time. Printing is heavy. If the system doesn’t compress data, users can wait ages for something to come out. With ZeePrint, we saw an immediate difference compared to a standard Windows solution. It’s much faster.
Did you try Citrix’s universal drivers?
Yes, but it wasn’t enough. Citrix’s universal drivers are fine if the systems are compatible. But with a Linux kernel on the client side and a Windows session on the server side, they don’t communicate well. So it wasn’t suited to our environment.
And you’re also testing ZeeScan?
Yes, one of your engineers is testing it with my colleague. We want to see if it makes scanning easier, faster and simpler in a virtual environment. We’re often happy to test new things. It helps everyone move forward.
Do you benefit from the concurrent licensing model too?
Exactly. Our users aren’t all connected at the same time. For example, when someone is working remotely, they use a laptop; when they’re on-site, they use another device. So we need fewer licences than total users. It’s flexible, adaptable and cost-effective.
What are your priorities for the years ahead?
Stabilize the infrastructure, properly size the servers, support the growth in usage. We’re also thinking about outsourcing some services or pooling resources with other associations.
Could you say a word about your organization?
We’re essentially an association of family associations. We have several areas: housing, social action, guardianship (legal protection for vulnerable adults) and, more recently, home care. We’re a private structure with public funding, so we’re free to make our own choices, including IT. Today, we have several hundred employees spread across three sites in the region.
Would you recommend ZeeTim to your other branches?
Yes. In fact, I often mention you when people ask what we use. Many have opted for thin clients, but the real difference is in management and security. Anyone can deploy thin clients. What matters is how you deploy them, how you manage them and the support you get. And on that front, ZeeTim is top notch.
Any final thoughts?
I’m always praising you, but it’s well deserved. The team is skilled, available, and pleasant to work with. It’s not just a customer-supplier relationship, it’s a genuine human partnership. You have a rare mentality in this industry.
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