| 8-30-2005
ClearCube Management Software Aims to Eradicate PC Downtime
ClearCube Switch Manager 4.5 Enables Greater Functionality for Enterprise Users and IT Administrators
Austin, Texas – August 30, 2005 – ClearCube Technology, the market leader and pioneer in PC Blade computing, today announced the availability of ClearCube Switch Manager 4.5, an updated browser-based management interface that enables in excess of 99.9 percent uptime for PC Blade deployments. Switch Manager makes this relentless availability possible because it arms administrators with the ability to quickly and efficiently switch users to spare PC Blades in the event of system problems rather than making them wait for a desk-side visit from the IT department.
“The new capabilities included in Switch Manager 4.5 allow our customers to extract additional value from their ClearCube hardware architecture by bringing server level availability to the user, while also empowering IT administrators with unprecedented management capabilities,” said Carl Boisvert, president and chief executive officer, ClearCube Technology. “We’re constantly on the lookout for ways to improve the user experience for our customers and the release of Switch Manager 4.5 is a clear demonstration of our efforts to provide maximum technology value.”
“Since we began using ClearCube PC Blade technology in 2004, our IT staff has significantly reduced the amount of time spent troubleshooting, setting up and moving around computing equipment,” said Roger Neal, director of information technology at Duncan Regional Hospital in Duncan, Okla. “With the introduction of Switch Manager 4.5, we expect this trend to further accelerate as we take advantage of its valuable management features. This will help enable our employees to dedicate their full attention to providing the community with critical health care services.”
ClearCube Switch Manager is a browser-based graphical management tool for PC Blades, Cages and BackPacks that can be utilized from anywhere in the world. In addition to ensuring the highest level of availability, Switch Manager 4.5 features several new capabilities that enhance the effectiveness of IT administrators. These include:
Remote Hardware Reset
Switch Manager 4.5 allows administrators to remotely reboot PC Blades when a software reset doesn’t immediately work. This is the equivalent of using an invisible hand to reach into the system and press the PC Blade’s power button. No standard PC offering can match the feature.
Improved Security
With Switch Manager 4.5, administrators can now access the graphical user interface (GUI) via HTTPS, which utilizes the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), the leading security protocol on the Internet. SSL is universally recognized as the most secure way to access Web-based applications.
Active Directory Integration
Switch Manager 4.5 bolsters user authentication by enabling administrators to choose local Windows accounts and Active Directory accounts in addition to using the standard Switch Manager method. What this means is that Switch Manager login permissions can be easily derived from existing enterprise directory services. This is a critical factor in enterprise accounts where it’s not practical to create a new user name for every user and every application.
SQL Database Support
Switch Manager 4.5 provides the ability to store all information related to ClearCube PC Blades, Cages and C/Ports in an SQL database. This SQL integration provides the scalability that is required in large enterprise deployments.
Enterprise Search Functionality
Administrators in large enterprise settings manage thousands of connection nodes. To maintain the highest level of availability, administrators require the ability to quickly pinpoint any device without having to scan through a lengthy list of devices. Switch Manager 4.5, when using the back-end SQL database, allows administrators to search for devices using 16 criteria. Previously, administrators were limited to three search criteria; now they can scan by model, name, serial number, MAC address, user name, and a host of others.
Improved Environmental Information
Switch Manager 4.5 enables PC Blade and Cage temperature readings to display in either Fahrenheit or Celsius, making the technology adaptable to users around the world. Switch Manager also allows administrators to easily monitor the temperature, voltages and fan speeds associated with an enterprise’s Blades and Cages.
These Switch Manager enhancements are designed to make ClearCube’s hardware offerings more effective for existing customers and more attractive to future customers. ClearCube’s hardware line includes PC Blades, which are Intel®-based computers that deliver full PC functionality to the user from a centralized location; Cages, which are the chassis that can house up to eight PC Blades; and BackPacks, which are the units that plug into the back of the Cage and connect the PC Blades to the User Ports and network. The BackPack also enables hot-swapping and IT administrative control.
ClearCube has established a proven track record of success, having been widely adopted across multiple industries. ClearCube has an expanding customer base that includes leading firms and organizations such as Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Lehman Brothers, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Air Force, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group and Oklahoma Heart Hospital, America’s first all-digital hospital.
About ClearCube Technology
ClearCube Technology is the pioneer and market leader in PC Blade computing solutions. ClearCube enables customers to reduce their support costs while dramatically improving availability and security throughout their computing infrastructure all while improving the end-user’s experience. For more information, visit www.clearcube.com.
ClearCube Press Contacts:
Ken Knotts
ClearCube Technology
512-652-3425
ken@clearcube.com
Kevin Doak
Text 100
617-399-4931
kevind@text100.com
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