Rugged military servers

What is a rugged military server?

admin2023-01-20T15:13:14+08:00Categories: News, Rugged-Military-Server|Tags: mil-std server, Rugged military servers|

Definition of a rugged military server

A rugged military server is a type of server that is specially manufactured for military use by the army, navy, air force and other parts of the military. It is designed to endure the extreme conditions and environments frequently found in military operations. This includes extreme temperatures, vibrations, dust, and exposure to water and other elements. Additionally, these servers are constructed to adhere to strict military durability and reliability standards, such as MIL-STD-810G. They might also have specialised parts and design to guard against electromagnetic interference and other sorts of interference that can impair standard server function.
Requirements of rugged military servers

Rugged military servers often need to meet a list of specified specifications to ensure that they can resist the demanding conditions of military operations. Since sensitive data is essential to military operations and must be kept confidential, they must adhere to tight security guidelines. This is unlike industrial servers which do not require such a high level of protection. The requirements for rugged military servers include the following:
Vibration and shock resistance

Military servers must be capable of withstanding the vibrations and shocks that are frequently present in military vehicles and other equipment.
Operating temperature range

Military servers must be able to function without harm or performance deterioration in a wide range of temperatures, from very hot to very cold.
EMI and EMC Protection

Since electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems can interfere with regular server operation, military servers must be able to withstand them.
Dust and water resistance

Military servers must be able to function without harm or performance deterioration in situations with high amounts of dust and exposure to water.
MIL-STD-810G Compliance

Military servers must adhere to the requirements outlined in MIL-STD-810G, a set of test procedures designed to assess the environmental characteristics of equipment.
Servicing rugged military servers

There must be an adequate level of routine maintenance on robust military servers, which helps to make sure that the servers are functioning properly and that any possible problems are rectified before they become serious. This makes it easier to make sure the servers are capable of carrying out their tasks in the field.

Rugged military servers may require varying levels of maintenance depending on a number of factors, such as the particular needs of the military unit or organisation using the servers, the operating environment in which those servers will be used, and the level of dependability and durability required of those servers.
Rugged military servers certification

In order to guarantee that they match the precise specifications and criteria established by military organisations and governments, rugged military servers often go through a rigorous certification process.

These certifications may include MIL-STD certifications, which attest to the rugged military server’s ability to withstand environmental stress tests and hence be suitable for use in the military. The MIL-STD certifications include MIL-S-901, which tests for high-impact mechanical shock at two different grades, and MIL-STD-461, which evaluates electromagnetic capabilities.

To obtain a MIL-STD certification, a fully configured server is shipped to a third-party testing facility where it is stressed tested under a variety of conditions, including sand, fluid contamination, acidic and explosive atmospheres, and dust.
How Ocean Communications can support your business needs

At Ocean Communications, we have expertise in deploying and integrating technology to support local military operations. We have a skilled engineering team that is knowledgeable about the necessary technical skills and well-versed in the qualities of a good tough military server. To learn more about our assortment of military-industrial applications and how we can support your business needs, visit our website at https://ocean-comms.com.sg/military-defense/

New Product: Considerations for selecting a rugged military server

pin up

While the market for market for rugged military servers today is already mature with a multitude of players, changing technologies and requirements today require multi-faceted considerations.

New applications of rugged military servers
● Over the years, many R&D organisations, solution providers and integrators in the defence industry are developing platforms and products for unmanned and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and analytics. Servers today are expected to perform with much higher computing power while being in a smaller package that consumes lesser power and often being at the edge.

Bridging the advances of commercial performance with military considerations
● In the world of commercial computing, controlled conditions of the datacentre and also gaming environments allow for the latest GPUs and processors to run without consideration of high impact shocks, vibration and wide temperature conditions often faced in the battlefield.
● Defence computer manufacturers need to take into account bringing in the latest technologies to the military while ensuring the product is ruggedised to the required levels meeting required MIL-STDs. This becomes a larger problem when the R&D of today on AI & Analytics is conducted using the latest releases of GPUs and processors to take advantage of high speed computing yet ruggedised computers are lagging far behind.

Windows 11 OS Support
● As we are in a transitional period towards the windows 11 OS, boards will need to support TPM2.0, this is a key consideration for developers and integrators.

Customisable I/Os
● Each project brings to the table unique requirements of inputs and outputs.
● For land vehicles, heavy usage of CAN bus is a common consideration while for rack mounted applications, often the ease of maintenance is required in accessing ports with possible requirements for more serial communications to link to various alarms and other industrial systems.

Power Supply
● Having variants to cover both AC and DC versions of a rugged server ensures it is especially versatile for both land shelter and vehicle applications, where 28VDC is commonly used.
● Meeting Mil-Std 1275 for vehicle power supply and the ability to handle voltage dips for sensitive equipment is a key consideration in server selection.

Ocean Communication’s ruggedised dual GPU Box servers and 19’’ rack mount server adequately solves the challenges highlighted above and even more unique rugged computing challenges specifically for land army and naval projects. Find out more about our rugged computer solutions: https://ocean-comms.com.sg/military-defense/