Welsh force tackles overheating desktops

A Welsh police force has solved the problem of over-heating desktop computers by rolling out PC blades.

Dyfed Powys Police had experienced difficulties supporting PCs in its old control centre, said Aled Williams, the force's IT services manager.

The force used to site the PC processing units under users' desks. It was difficult to do maintenance work on them and there was no cooling. "There were no problems in 1995, but as the spec of the PCs gradually increased and they became more power-intensive, the heat built up. We experienced a high number of failures this way," said Williams.

Through IBM Global Services, ClearCube Technology provided a system of PC blades to get around the overheating problem.

PCblades are individual computers slotted into a rack system with common management and cooling. Unlike thin clients, they are full-spec PCs, but the machines are housed in a different location from the desktop and are connected through a network.

Williams said since rolling out the system in the force's new expanded contact centre there have been no PC failures. "I am confident we will make the business case targets for reduced PC support costs," he said.

Should failures occur, the PC blades have a failover capability which allow repairs without interrupting service. Reduced office noise was an added benefit of the system, Williams said.