Virtual Machine Hardware: Mini PC

When it comes to virtual machines a hot topic is “power.” Power usage VS CPU Power to be exact. Whether you are running 100 VMs at 128 MB RAM each or 5 VMs at 5GB RAM each, the critical issue comes down to power consumption and CPU availability.

It’s no surprise the Rugged E3 Mini PC is designed with a passive CPU heatsink that connects to the thermal transfer housing, helping move heat away from the CPU with the presence of cooler ambient air. It’s a Mini PC with a big mission.

This Mini PC enables your virtual environment to be ran on a dedicated physical host that’s engineered to be reliable under industrial applications and harsh conditions, (perhaps Tesla can use this on their new bumpy tunnel in LA).

 

Linux, Windows Hyper-V, XSi, VMware, choose your weapon, configure your platform and load your VMs. Step into the digital arena with up to 32GB of ECC ram -this ant of computer can carry much more than its own weight. Don’t forget to pair it with a solid state drive and multiple power inputs, your computational powers will be unstoppable.  

A bridge between virtual and reality: The built-in 4 USB 3.0 ports can communicate directly with your virtual machines. This gives them access to external resources. Now things start to get interesting. Imagine loading DDWRT (open source router software) to a VM, then forward some USB WiFi devices VIA the USB 3.0 ports and Hyper-v, you just created hardware that can support a cloud router with a physical antenna array.

Live Monitoring, Remote or Physical with 3 monitor ports (2 HDMI, 1 DVI) you can view as many VMs that can be cascaded across your displays, with as many as 10 per screen on a 1080p monitor. No monitor? No problem. The Rugged E3 Mini PC is equipped with two 1000Mbps (1GBe). Remoting into windows or linux is an almost real-time experience when combined with the built-in i7CPU and DDR4 RAM, expect no delays.

RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 equal availability and power, It’s Monday at 10am and 5 of your VMs just got hit with 400 users, your hard drives deliver data without a glitch  or a single 404 page because you have 2 hard drives working on the same job for you, if one fails, the other picks up the slack. Read more on RAID at PCWORLD.com

 

Read full specs for the Tangent Mini PC: Rugged E3

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SPECIFICATIONS

System

Processor

Intel 6th Gen. Core i7/i5/i3, Pentium or Celeron Processors

System Chipset

Intel Q170 Express Chipset

Graphics Controller

Intel HD Graphics 530 (Core CPU)

Intel HD Graphics 510 (Pentium & Celeron)

LAN Chipset

1x GbE: Intel I210-AT

1x GbE: Intel I219-LM

Audio

Realtek ALC888S

System Memory

Up to 32GB DDR4 2133 (2x SO_DIMM)

BIOS

AMI 128Mbit

TPM

TPM 1.2 (Infineon)

vPro

Yes (Processor Dependent)

Watchdog

Software Programmable Supports 1~255 sec. System Reset

Storage

SSD/HDD

2x 2.5” SATA Bay (Internal)

2x 2.5” SATA Bay (Removable)

mSATA

2x mSATA (shared with 2x Mini PCIe)

RAID Support

RAID 0, 1, 5, 10

Expansion

Mini PCI Express

2x MiniPCIe (Full Size)

SIM Socket

2x External SIM Sockets

2x Internal SIM Sockets

Other

Cooling Method

Fanless

I/O

Video

1x DVI-I

2x DP (Display Port)

COM

2x DB9 Serial RS232/422/485, COM1 & COM2

2x Internal headers RS232/422/485, COM3 & COM4

USB

6x USB 3.0 (4x Rear, 2x Front)

2x USB 2.0 (Front)

LAN

2x GbE RJ45

WLAN

Intel Wireless AC-7260 + BT (Optional)

Audio

1x Mic-in, 1x Line-out

DIO

8 IN / 8 OUT (Isolated)

Other

1 x Power Switch

1x AT/ATX Switch

1x Remote Power Switch (2 pin Phoenix Connector)

Operating System

Windows

Windows 7 Pro 32/64bit

Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Power

Power Mode

AT/ATX

Power Input Voltage

9-48 VDC

Power Ignition Sensing

Yes

Power Connector

3-pin Phoenix Connector

Power Protection

OVP (Over Voltage Protection)

OCP (Over Current Protection)

RPP (Reverse Polarity Protection)

Power Adapter

External Power Adapter, 12V @ 5A

Environment

Operating Temp.

-13°F – 158°F (-25°C – 70°C)

Storage Temp.

-22°F – 185°F (-30°C – 85°C)

Relative Humidity

10% – 95% non-condensing

Shock

With SSD: 50 G, half sine, 11 ms

Vibration

With SSD: 5 Grms, 5 – 500 Hz, 0.5 hr/axis

With HDD: 1 Grms, 5 – 500 Hz, 0.5 hr/axis

Certification

CE, FCC Class A

Physical

Enclosure Materials

Extruded Aluminum with Heavy Duty Metal

Dimension (WxHxD)

9.45″ x 10.27″ x 3.11″ (240 x 261 x 79 mm)

Weight

9.61 lb (4.37 kg)

Mounting

Wall Mount Only

Warranty

Warranty

1-Year Standard

A Powerful Yet Unassuming Panel PC

A Powerful Yet Unassuming Panel PC

At a glance, the Tangent VITA 474 19” panel PC looks just like a nice monitor. Sure, it’s very slim, sleek and unassuming. One could very easily pass it by on a wall or desk and never imagine that it is a powerful, fully featured all-in-one touchscreen panel PC. It even goes beyond just PC features and incorporates popular tablet computer components like a front-facing camera, integrated HD audio, wifi connectivity and Bluetooth wireless. With the Windows 10 app store and android emulators, you can take advantage of the highly responsive touchscreen while running mobile apps. But that’s not to say the Vita is just an oversized tablet. This panel PC is an industrial grade workhorse that can operate 24/7, at extreme temperatures, and has no fan or other moving parts. The front panel is rated at an IP64 level of protection against dust, water on contaminant intrusion.

This panel PC’s hardware setup is customizable to suit the needs of business, be it as an infotainment station for customers and patients, an electronic medical records keeping computer, or as an in-room patient care system. It is offered with an Intel 6th Gen Core i5 or an Intel Celeron processor, an Intel Skylake chipset, up to 32GB of memory, an optional RFID module for easy login, and hard drive/SATA drive options with storage of up to 2TB. The VESA 75/100 mounting bracket and optional stand allows for versatile placement of the panel PC for nearly any desired place: walls, arms, desks, or in-vehicle. The touchscreen is a sensitive, but durable PCAP 10 point multi-touch with a non-glare LED backlit LCD. All these features are packaged up in a flat panel that is only 16lbs.

If 19” isn’t quite the size you’re looking for, Tangent offers industrial panel PCs that range from 15” to 24”. Tangent also has lines of panel PCs that are more rugged and sealed for use in harsh or highly sanitized environments. The S-series panel PC has an enclosure that is rated at an incredibly secure IP69k, meaning that it can withstand being washed with jets of high heat water. The F15 panel PC has a cast aluminum chassis that is ruggedized for use outdoors or on vehicles, and has function buttons on the front for one-handed operation. Even with specialized features like these, the panel PCs all still retain the same functionality as all-in-one computers and tablets as to be truly versatile systems.

Toss the Mouse and Keyboard, the Future is Touchscreen

Toss the Mouse and Keyboard, the Future is Touchscreen

We are truly living in the age of touchscreen technology. According to eMarketer, 2.4 billion people were using smartphones worldwide in 2017, and 1.2 billion people were using tablet devices. The adoption figures are projected to increase even more over the coming years. An entire generation of children have now grown up using touchscreen tablets and telephones. So considering that most of the world is comfortable with touchscreen computing, it makes perfect sense that touchscreen panel PCs are gaining a lot of traction in businesses.

 

For a very long time, keyboards and mouse devices were cumbersome requisite peripherals to the computing experience. The roller balls in computer mice were like magnets for dust and lint and that would foul up the device very quickly. Optical and wireless mice were an an improvement, but contaminants could still block the sensors and running out of battery was a major inconvenience to one’s work day. The amount of gross things a keyboard can collect over its lifetime is a whole topic on its own. And at the end of the day, if either device failed, one had to pray that they had a backup on hand lest they lose valuable work time.

 

An industrial grade panel PC with a touchscreen that is built to work with gloved hands is perfect for medical settings where contamination or infection control is a critical factor for health and compliance. The Vita KW series of panel PCs from Tangent offers a wide range of sizes from
15 inches to 24 inches and many mounting options to suit a variety of uses, for example, a patient information kiosk, a medical cart panel PC, an in-room computer, a medical records and billing panel PC, and so much more. For medical computers that don’t require the use of gloves, but do need to be kept clean, the KW series panel PC can be sprayed and wiped with disinfectants without any threat of harming the panel PC or worry that it won’t be completely cleaned. The  KW series panel PCs are rated at an IP65, meaning that they highly protected against dust and water ingress. That cannot be said of keyboards or mice for the most part. Unless a waterproof mouse and keyboard are used (which are also offered by Tangent), there’s a good chance that contaminants are lurking in the cracks and crevices of the device.

 

For harsher environments that are even tougher on a panel PC like industrial meat packing plants, food production facilities, and any other enterprise requiring high levels of sanitation and hygiene, the Tangent S Series panel PC is best suited to the job due to it’s IP69K rated, fully waterproof enclosure. The S series touchscreen panel PC can be sprayed with hot, high pressure jets and endure stringent wash downs without any damage to the unit. The S series is also offered in a variety of panel sizes and mounting options. Workers can used gloved or ungloved hands on the touchscreen equally well to conduct their business. It’s quite remarkable how a touchscreen panel can be both sensitive and very durable at the same time. This is the level of ingenuity and quality that Tangent offers.

Medical Tablets for Sanitation

Medical Tablets: Handheld and Sanitary Computer Solutions    

 

People tend to forget that public computers and touchscreens are prime breeding grounds for bacteria and infection. Just this week, a study done by a British newspaper, Metro, announced that they found gut and fecal bacteria on the touchscreen computers in all eight of the McDonald’s chain restaurants that they checked. The main bacteria found was coliform but the dangerous listeria bacteria was also found on some of the screens. The restaurant chain responded that the touchscreens are regularly cleaned, but how much stewardship and regulation goes into a restaurant’s computers cleanliness? There didn’t appear to be much foresight into how easily communicable germs and bacteria are.

It’s no small surprise that infection control is one of the top priorities within medical facilities. Any reputable hospital system has written and publicly published policies and procedures related to infection control for everything including computer equipment. An industrial panel PC from Tangent is the optimal choice for tackling the threat of infection. For example, the KW series panel PC is rated with an IP65 level of protection which precludes any sort of dust or contaminant ingress into the panel PC, and can also withstand direct water jets and cleaning solutions. The panel PC can be sprayed and wiped down an innumerable amount of times and never get damaged from it.

The industrial grade metal enclosure offers a rugged, corrosive resistant surface that is also treated with an antimicrobial coating to further protect patients and staff from the spread of infection. The inside of the panel PC also plays a large part in promoting cleanliness and durability. The computer operates entirely without fans or moving parts. Failures within a computer are often attributed to components that wear out. The Tangent panel PC requires less maintenance, has more uptime, and doesn’t blow any dust particles around.

Another feature that’s making panel PCs the new norm in medical facilities is their compact size and all-inclusiveness. Having no separate PC box or cabling drastically cuts down on the space needed. Keyboards and mice are notoriously hard to keep clean, so the option to cut them out of the equation is very possible and attractive with a Tangent panel PC. They are offered with 4-wire resistive touch or PCAP multi-touch screen to provide a range of functionality based on the client’s needs. Optional Intel Wireless AC-7260 and Bluetooth functionality also adds to the cord-cutting versatility of Tangent’s panel PC line.

Tangent took the extra step of ensuring that their medical tablets and industrial panel PCs are validated to be fully compliant with both Epic and Cerner applications, two of the biggest providers of health information technology solutions and services in the world. A lot of effort was put into creating a line of purpose built industrial panel PCs that would give medical practices powerful computing capabilities, ease-of-use, reliability, and to help avoid infection scares like with the fast food touchscreen fiasco. It’s a big enough scandal for a big name restaurant, but it would be catastrophic for a small health facility.