What is appliance computing?
Appliance computing is a type of computing platform that provides the entire client workstation with software resources over the Internet.
Appliance Computing is a hybrid cloud computing software as a service architecture that makes central software services available to end users. These services are hosted online and accessed and executed through a web server. The computers in this architecture are known as appliances or thin clients because these client workstations generally only consist of an operating system and a web browser. This facility makes remote management easier and is less expensive.
Appliance computing can also be referred to as Internet computing architecture.
Client-in-appliance computing is typically a slim or stupid client to which little or no computing power is coupled. It can access the server over the Internet and use software applications installed and hosted on that server.
A household computer tends to be an inexpensive machine with limited functionality. Even if this is cheaper and more efficient for business, critics argue that a lack of flexibility could become an IT management problem in the future.
Appliance computing is commonly implemented in exchanges where a central supercomputer provides appliances or software services for thousands of connected thin clients / dummy nodes.