Servers offer quiet operation

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 26, 2007

The Kontron KISS-1U server is particularly attractive for densely packed, rugged server applications that require long-term availability.

Kontron has released the KISS-1U Industrial Silent Server 19-inch/1U server family.

The new slimline Kontron KISS-1U is one of the most compact, quietest and fastest high-availability servers for long-lifecycle applications under harsh conditions.

With its installation height of 44mm, the Kontron KISS-1U server is particularly attractive for densely packed, rugged server applications that require long-term availability.

Flexibility in choice of processors, drives and expansions enables customisation for applications in industrial automation, process control, high-speed image processing, medical technology, defence engineering, transportation and building control technology.

The quiet (less than 35 dBA) Kontron KISS-1U server combines multi-core performance with low power and high availability.

It is equipped with a PICMG 1.3 SHB slot and can accommodate up to two client-specific PCI extension cards.

Future extension options include support for the PEG/x16 and PCIe x4.

Other PIGMG 1.x variants are available on request.

This flexiblity in a compact server design makes the KISS-1U suitable for customised industrial server solutions.

Performance for the first available Kontron KISS-U1 is supplied by the mobile Intel Core Duo and Intel Core 2 Duo processors up to the T7400 processor (2 x 2.16GHz) and a Thermal Design Power of only 31W.

The Intel 945GM chipset, up to 4Gbyte of DDR2-SDRAM and a 800MHz FSB add to the performance.

Shock and vibration protection for the internal 3.5-inch HDD and the flexibility of two full-size 32bit PCI make the low-maintenance KISS-1U server suitable for tough applications.

In addition to its internal 3.5-inch HDD, the Kontron KISS-1U server has enough space to accommodate another 3.5-inch HDD or two 2.5-inch HDDs, also shock and vibration-protected.

The KISS Stor Slim RAID 1 sub-system provides enhanced data safety via two, 2.5-inch HDDs in a single, hot-swappable carrier.

Connection is via a single SATA cable and one power cable for minimum hassle and easy maintenance.

The first standard configuration of the Kontron KISS-1U server also comes with a slim DVD drive option as well as three Gbit Ethernet, six USB 2.0 interfaces and one VGA interface.

The PSU with controlled fan has optional 24 and 48V DC for direct connection to industrial power grids.

The server's two temperature-controlled, extremely quiet fans are hot-swappable for reduced down-time and higher availability.

Together with the shock and vibration protection for the server's HDDs and PCI slots, they contribute to the KISS-1U server's MTBF of 50,000 hours.

System reliability is enhanced while availability is increased with the Kontron PC condition monitoring solution (PCCM) that remotely and continuously monitors the status of the Kontron KISS-1U server.

Critical system conditions such as the fan speed, HDD parameters and system voltages are monitored.

Any potential problems are then reported via SMS, e-mail or internet to the system administrator before the failure of individual components, guaranteeing the highest availability and the lowest maintenance costs.

The server is shallow enough to provide additional space for cable installations inside racks.

The closable front cover also offers IP20 protection.

The Kontron KISS-1U systems are designed for continuous operation, they are CE-certified and are also designed to meet UL.

The high-availability Kontron KISS-1U servers support Windows XP/Vista and are available direct from the warehouse as standard systems November 2007.