GMS develops multi-domain server/switch/router and mobile battlefield data center
October 13, 2017
GMS has launched two products aimed at the military space, each adding significant capabilities to the battlefield.
General Micro Systems, aka GMS, has launched two products aimed at the military space, and each adding significant capabilities to the battlefield. First is a 1U rackmount, multi-domain server and managed multi-port Ethernet switch/router that’s based on Intel’s Xeon E5 server CPU. The system is designed to lower cost, improve efficiency, and enhance battlefield network security.
The S1U401-MD Cyclone operates with two isolated domains (Red and Black), each of which offers a 6X improvement over traditional motherboard-based blade-servers, according to the company. Isolating Red and Black network domains to ensure security or designing for redundancy is normally handled by two chassis: one full depth box for each Red and each Black network domain. The S1U401-MD goes a few steps further, with two physically separate servers with PCIe Gen 3 backbones; two separate Ethernet multi-port switches with 1/10/40 Gigabit Ethernet ports on separate secure subnets; and two separate optional routers; eight encrypted RAID-ready removable Gen 3 speed NAS drives.
The second offering from GMS is the S402-LC/SW server system, an enterprise-class, mobile battlefield data center, housed in a compact, rugged chassis. It’s a fully sealed, low-cost, and small-size rugged conduction-cooled family of servers that are suited for either military/defense/aerospace environments or industrial and commercial platforms. Also based on Intel’s Xeon E5 processor, the self-contained system comprises a server, optional router, and multi-port switch plus network attached storage (NAS). And it all fits a ruggedized, conduction-cooled system that’s about the size of a laptop.
The 11.75- by 7.75- by 2-in. system consolidates multiple separate system functions onto one pc board, yielding a single-chassis multi-functional server at a price point that looks more “commercial” than “military,” although it operates over a range of -40° C to +85° C with no fans. It supports up to 256 GB of DDR4 memory with ECC and can hold up to four removable 2.5" SATA or NVMe SSDs. The S402-LC/SW can be ordered with Windows or Linux pre-installed, along with hypervisors from VMWare. Enterprise-class software routers from Cisco are also available.
