Plat'Home, the maker of small, tough, eco-friendly servers that I've blogged about before, ran a contest this summer about ideas.
It was dubbed the "Will Linux Work? Contest" and solicited ideas about how to use Linux, how to abuse Linux, how to push the limits.
Part of it was marketing, sure. But it focused on Linux users' ideas--with the best ones winning a free Plat'Home OpenMicroServer worth $600 to test their ideas.
So which ideas won and how did the actual testing go? On Tuesday, Plat'Home released the results of the experiments.
These chickens roost with Linux.
(Credit: Gordon Smith)Gordon Smith of Lakewood, Colo., wanted to do a Linux project and also had a chicken coop. Obviously, they go together. His system is built around an inexpensive Webcam with infrared capability to see in the dark, along with a computer vision library to count the chickens.
To determine when nocturnal predators come out, the server runs simple network time protocol (SNTP). A stepper motor controller and power supply from a document scanner are used to open and close the coop door. The combination should make sure the door closes after all the chickens are home to roost. I love the image of raccoons trying to outsmart Linux.
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If it works like you wanted, you get to keep the OpenMicroServers. If not, then the servers will probably be dead anyway. Fun and destruction go hand-in-hand!
Official rules are on the Plat'home blog.
Previously:
Japan's Plat'Home launches palm-sized Linux server for extreme heat and cold conditions
Plat'Home launches coffee-cup-sized Linux network box
Plat'Home, a Linux company from Japan that specializes in combining eco-friendly, small, tough hardware with their own version of Linux, is announcing another in their series of MicroServers. Kanshi BlockS Pro, made to monitor servers and various network applications, is now available in North America.
This is a great example of applying technology where it's needed. A large percentage of IT budgets are spent on infrastructure monitoring and management. Up-time can be anywhere from just important to mission-critical. The problem for many companies, however, is that the medicine is worse than the disease. Implementing expensive, complex monitoring solutions regularly strains budgets or is simply out of reach, even if necessary.
Plat'Home's Kanshi BlockS is an "it just works" alternative based on open-source software and interesting Japanese hardware. Plat'Home claims that their devices "can be installed in minutes." And because of their small size, offices without server rooms--or server rooms that are overcrowded--can easily use them. Tomoyasu Suzuki, Plat'Home President, is quoted as saying, "Customers always comment on how they love the option of placing it virtually anywhere. For companies, departments, or remote offices tight on space, it's a great fit."
Hardware
KANSHI BlockS offers compact, fan-less, hard-disk-less design for high reliability. Roughly the size of a coffee cup (4.5'' x 3.2'' x 1.5''), it can fit virtually wherever needed -- on a rack, next to a wall socket, or inside bigger appliances. Even without a fan, it can withstand temperatures of up to 104° Fahrenheit, great for offices without climate-controlled server rooms.
Software
On the software side, there's as much flexibility as you would expect with Linux. Alive monitoring by ping, port monitoring, network monitoring with SNMP, graphical stats with Multi Router Traffic Grapher (MRTG), and lots more. Up to 255 devices, "regardless of manufacturer," can be monitored.
More details on hardware specs and software features are here
Previously:
Japan's Plat'Home launches palm-sized Linux server for extreme heat and cold conditions
Japan's Plat'Home launching palm-sized Linux server in U.S.
Plat'Home server for extreme temperatures
(Credit: Plat'Home)The OpenMicroServer is kind of an "extreme" use server pushing the boundaries for normal, low-cost hardware. In a 624-day endurance test, the OpenMicroServer performed normally under 122 degrees F conditions. The unit also employs a power efficient AMD Alchemy (MIPS) CPU and precise part placement based on thermo-fluid analysis to achieve semi-hermetic construction. It can handle down to the freezing point (0 degrees C), too. Detailed hardware specs are here.
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