Servers
FT NavVision Workstation
The workstation/Central processing Unit (CPU) is a fully solid state and embedded software based control and monitoring station. All CPUs can perform various roles (server, client and/or alarm panel), and are able to automatically switch roles when needed. As a minimum, there are always two servers present in the system, one acting as a main server and one acting as a backup server.
These systems are suitable for life at sea, as shown by the following features:
- Shock proof and solid state design
- Useful in areas where low power and high performance computing is essential
- Useful in space critical installations.
All servers, clients and alarm panels run a customized Operating System, based on Windows XP embedded. For each different type of computer, FT creates a tailor-made OS for the specific hardware of the computer. In comparison with standard Windows (XP or Vista) installations, embedded environments offer these benefits:
- Increased stability due to a minimum of running processes
- Virus-proof through read-only access: the OS reverts to original state after reboot
- Small disk-space requirement by leaving out unnecessary software
- Fast boot-time because less processes are loaded upon boot
- Increased performance because only vital processes are running
- High energy efficiency due to the light load on the inner hardware.
As with most network-based systems, there are servers and clients within the FT NavVision installation. Usually, servers and clients are hugely different pieces of hardware. In an FT NavVision system, the main difference between the two is a simple license-number. Not only is this more cost-effective; it also greatly contributes to the vessel’s overall redundancy. Should a server fail, any client can step in and assume the server’s role, without it being too light-weight (in terms of specifications) for such a task.
Alternate FT NavVision Workstation
Industrial PC’s vs. home- & office PC’s
We are often asked why we don’t use regular home- & office PC’s for our systems. Surely the new generation of such systems are just as stable and, more important, cheaper? The list below sums up just exactly why standard desktop or office PC-systems are no option on board any vessel:
- High power consumption;
- Operates on 220 Volt;
- Presence of a fan;
- Large physical space consumption;
- Unregulated voltage;
- Unstable on a moving platform.
Laptops suffer from these same issues as well, but have some additional problems:
- Risk of dropping, causing defects;
- Spilling on the keyboard is fatal to the entire system;
- Is ventilated, so sensitive to salt;
- Risk of causing ground loops;
- Vulnerable & unprotected screen, not equipped with high brightness.
The issues mentioned above are severe enough to decide not to use any regular desktop PC. Instead, Free Technics opts to use rugged, industrial systems running on Windows XP Embedded.
These systems are tailor made for life at sea, as shown by the following features:
- Fan-less
- Solid State hard drive;
- Exceptionally low power consumption;
- Minimal physical space requirement;
- Operates on 12-24 Volt;
Alternate FT NavVision Server
An Embedded Operating System is much more compact than a “regular” Windows-installation, plus the fact that the user can no longer change settings or delete vital files of the system, ensuring stability. Any virus caught, no matter how or what, is completely removed by a single reboot.
Because the OS is rebuilt every single reboot, all changes made prior to the reboot are reverted back to their original state, giving FT NavVision® a clean workspace.
Below are some of the benefits of an embedded system:
- It is reliable; in fact, so much more reliable that we haven’t experienced any hard- or software breakdown.
- It is compact; by using embedded hard- and software it is possible to use smaller computers which require less power and storage space, and therefore save costs.
- The computer registry is reset at start-up. Therefore at every startup, the software setup always reverts to the basic mode, leaving the computer registry uncluttered and less likely to have problems.
- The embedded OS assures that only the data which is truly required will be written back to the storage medium. Therefore the storage medium is more efficiently utilized, and can be sized to smaller capacity.
- It is possible to use fl ash memory for data storage. The fl ash memory will remain usable for a longer time than traditional storage devices like hard drives and will probably survive the computer.
- Because of the benefits mentioned above, a conventional (and thus unreliable) hard disk is no longer necessary.
