JEFF'S PICKS! JEFF'S TOP RACKMOUNT COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Originally Published in the January Issue of COTS JOURNAL

COTS JOURNAL, VOL. 18, NO. 1, January, 2016 – For many military applications the priority is to pack as much compute density into a system as possible. To achieve that, a popular choice is a rackmount blade-computer architecture. By using the 1U form factor, it’s easier to integrate together systems that include existing off-the-shelf IT-based 1U boards. Systems of larger sizes such as 2U, 3U and 4U are also gaining acceptance in military systems where compute density is paramount. Unlike backplane-based architectures like VME or CompactPCI, rackmount systems are bus-less and typically use Ethernet or other cable-based technology to link boards with one another.

Virtual-machine technology, fast interconnects, innovative thermal-management techniques, and modular architectures bring data-center power to embedded computing.

Originally Published in the January Issue of MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS

MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS, VOL. 27, NO. 1, January, 2016 – Sometimes even more exotic thermal-management techniques are necessary, including refrigeration in which chassis are air-conditioned. Designers at General Micro Systems (GMS) in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., are taking an entirely different approach with RuggedCool computers.

Originally published by John Keller for Military and Aerospace Electronics Magazine

THE MIL & AERO BLOG, October 13, 2015 - Military displays are taking a leap forward, and offers to overlay maps, video, imagery, and other important real-time information for command posts and ship bridges on displays as large as dinner tables, or even entire walls.

Originally Published in the September Issue of Military Embedded Systems

MILITARY EMBEDDED SYSTEMS, September 8, 2015 - There are lots of standards out there, such as VPX. But what actually makes a standard standard? I'll use VPX as my example. According to my definition of a standard, I should be able to remove a CPU board from the box and replace it with another CPU board, regardless of the manufacturer, and have it come up and running with fairly minimal effort.