Government Computer News
PC blades gain acceptance
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ClearCube’s blade PCs fit neatly into a server-style rack for easy, centralized management.
In this report
From the wilds of Afghanistan to the depths of Cheyenne Mountain—and at numerous civilian agencies in between—a novel approach to desktop computing is solving some of government customers’ thorniest problems.
PC blades—server-style blades that reside in a data center and hold the same basic components as traditional desktop computers—are gaining a foothold as a cost-effective way to conserve space and comply with security requirements in environments that require multiple operating systems. The computing model gained a measure of legitimacy last year when Hewlett-Packard Co. began selling its own line of blade PCs.
“I can see where space or power constraints are big drivers for early adoption of these technologies,” said David Friedlander, senior analyst for desktop and mobile management and security at Forrester Research Inc. of Cambridge, Mass. “The box on the desk draws around 20 or 25 watts. The monitor will draw more energy, but the box will draw very little power compared to a computer, so there’s definitely an opportunity for blades to help in those environments.”
At Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., blade PCs from ClearCube Technology Inc. of Austin, Texas, support 14 people developing and testing software builds and hardware updates to the Air Force’s F-15 fighter jets.
Biggest kick
ClearCube has provided its PC blades to more than 50 government installations, including numerous military bases, the departments of Energy, Justice, Homeland Security and State , and agencies in the intelligence community. The systems run on Intel processors and support Linux or Microsoft Windows.
“The biggest kick for me is when I have someone visiting the server room, I pull out a blade and say, ‘Here’s the PC,’ ” said Roger Chilcott, senior engineer at Eglin.
Chilcott’s users need to switch among five different networks, each with its own operating system and clearance requirements.
“Because we have to have so many PCs—it’s such a dense environment—we don’t have to go out and enlarge office areas to support more people,” he said. “We’re using the technology to give everyone the space to do their work.”
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