You certainly have heard about blade technology, which packs computers vertically in enclosures themselves squeezed into racks. And all the big names in the computer industry have announced blade servers. Now, a company named ClearCube is selling blade clients.
In a column named "Blade Technology Goes Back to the Future", Yvonne L. Lee tells us about this company's product.
The company, ClearCube, is promoting its product as a way to cut down on maintenance headaches. Under ClearCube's architecture, users' computers aren't on their desks; they're stacked up in the server room. The company flogs this innovation as a techie's dream: When there's a problem, the technicians don't have to waste time getting to users' work areas to troubleshoot and repair hardware problems.
What ClearCube doesn't publicize is that its architecture offers more privacy, reduces the risk of abuse, and is more attractive in situations where neatness and quiet count.
ClearCube is the only company to design a system where the blades operate as client computers. The company's client blade architecture uses a paperback-book-size device called a C/Port to extend a video signal as far as 200 meters (220 yards) from the computer to the user's monitor across an Ethernet cable, which is also used to send the data back and forth. Only the C/Port, a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and approved peripherals are on each user's desktop.
This approach has already been adopted by companies like British Petroleum North American Gas & Power or the U.S. Air Force. Customers like the idea that users can't beat their computers when they're unhappy.
On ClearCube homepage, you can read the following.
ClearCube’s unique Business Computer architecture solves the issues that plague desktop deployments in the enterprise and in government. The architecture returns control of the desktop to the IT manager without sacrificing the flexibility and performance that users expect from a Wintel computer. The result of ClearCube’s centralized approach is a reduction of over 30% in desktop operating costs, 99.9% client availability, tighter data and hardware security and remote manageability.
For system specifications instead of marketing stuff, head on to the ClearCube Client Blade page.
Source: Yvonne L. Lee, Business 2.0, January 23, 2003
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