Data centers are an excellent place to deploy high performance workstations. They are secure, temperature-controlled environments with redundant power grids and high-speed core networks that provide low-latency access to critical resources such as shared storage pools, streamed data, and more. Data centers also pose real challenges for traditional workstation solutions including rackmount workstations that have some data center optimizations.
In this post, we examine these challenges and how the Amulet Hotkey CoreStation HX platform bridges the gap to unlock the benefits of centralizing workstations in secure data centers.
The Workstation and Data center Gap
High-performance workstation systems are typically only available in a large tower footprint, or at the other end of the scale, deployed as a stack of small form factor workstation models that trade-off performance due to space and cooling constraints. In both cases, these systems require custom mounts that do not efficiently make use of valuable data center rack space and can be hard to access for maintenance. Even 1U and 2U rackmount workstations, with some data center optimizations, make it difficult to scale data center workstation deployments.
Traditional workstations usually have one power supply, resulting in a single point of failure risk and are hard to manage in a data center as they often lack the out of band management needed for remote system provisioning and management.
Server systems can be adapted as workstations, which Amulet Hotkey has been doing for almost 30 years. However, server-class CPUs may not fit workload requirements and the trend is toward further divergence with larger system enclosures to support very high-power CPUs and GPUs which have more cores at slower clock speeds compared to desktop or workstation CPU models.
Bridging the Gap
To bridge the gap, the Amulet Hotkey CoreStation HX platform is engineered for the data center, balancing competing requirements to deliver a highly efficient, powerful, and scalable data center optimized workstation solution. The CoreStation HX addresses a range of desktop and workstation performance needs in a compact footprint while ensuring enough space for roadmap flexibility to incorporate new technologies. The result is a long-term and stable platform to adapt and grow according to your needs. In addition to reliability, CoreStation HX enables organizations to leverage proven data center workstation deployment advantages in cost, security, maintenance, and disaster recovery/business continuity.
The CoreStation HX has a compact footprint and deployment flexibility to address a range of desktop and workstation performance needs while maintaining roadmap flexibility to incorporate new technologies and a stable platform to adapt and grow according to your needs.
Modular upgrades and platform longevity
When designing a compact workstation platform there is a fine line between delivering a very small footprint solution, which could potentially limit workstation performance and the ability to add things like GPUs, or a larger system which cannot scale effectively. If the platform is too small/dense then rack space can be underutilized when a handful of systems hit the rack power and cooling limits. Conversely if a platform is too large then it wastes expensive data center rack space.
With almost 30 years of experience and innovation with centralized workstation deployments, Amulet Hotkey has designed and engineered the CoreStation HX to balance a compact design for efficient scalability, support for a wide range of performance options while ensuring room to support current and emerging workstation technologies.
The CoreStation HX5 is a 5U enclosure that supports up to twelve single-width workstation nodes. The modular system is designed for ease of upgrades with no backplane, replaceable I/O module and hot swappable high-efficiency power supplies. The workstation nodes are fully independent and can be removed, replaced, or upgraded without affecting other users.
The workstation nodes leverage Intel Core processors with high clock speeds and AI-ready options with dedicated NPU. Something that VDI solutions are yet to be able to deliver. There are a range of graphics options that scale from integrated Intel Graphics, discrete mobile NVIDIA GPUs, or double-width nodes[PO1] that can incorporate discrete PCIe GPU cards from NVIDIA and Intel. This includes in-field upgrade options where CPUs can be upgraded, or a discrete GPU added later when needed.
The result is a platform designed for adaptability and longevity to maximize flexibility and return on investment.
Remote Management
Remote system management is a critical aspect of deploying workstations in a data center. The CoreStation HX system management is designed for desktop support team needs and expertise. It covers core management capabilities such as secure remote access, power control, BIOS-level KVM access, physical maintenance access to deployment automation, and system-wide firmware updates. CoreStation Management provides an intuitive web-based system and workstation node management as well as SSH access for SSH command line, Redfish RestFul API and SNMP monitoring for automation, multi-chassis management and integration with 3rd party management tools.
While management is performed remotely, HX nodes also include physical video and USB ports enabling local access for troubleshooting and maintenance. Together these options provide enterprise desktop IT teams with a set of tools focused on centralized workstation management.
Enterprise Readiness
Beyond compact modular design and comprehensive remote access for maintainability the CoreStation HX incorporates other key enterprise-ready capabilities. System uptime and reliability are critical aspects whether the systems are in-production or part of disaster recovery and business continuity planning.
The CoreStation HX5 enclosure provides shared resources such as the rear I/O Module, hot-swappable fan modules and redundant hot-swappable power supplies. There are multiple chassis power modes from non-redundant, 3+1 redundancy and 2+2 redundancy. The hot-swappable dual rotor fan modules can remain operational in the event one fan fails so users are not affected while a fan module is replaced.
To simplify workstation environments, customers may want to standardize on a small set or a single workstation node type to address a range of user types. The CoreStation HX provides performance profiles that can be used to tune power consumption for mid and lower user workstation tiers to fit within datacenter power limits, to optimize efficiency and reduce operational costs.
While simply deploying workstations in an access-controlled data center provides a level of security, CoreStation HX is designed with security and compliance in mind to boost physical and operational security. The CoreStation HX solution has been built from the ground up, designed and manufacturered by Amulet Hotkey providing an exceptionally deep level of understanding and control over the system including firmware updates and security fixes. Ownership from the system architecture, board design, and manufacturing to extensive mission-critical deployment experience complements Amulet Hotkey and partner technical support teams (for true enterprise-readiness or that enterprise customers can leverage, or that enterprise customers can count on.
Move your workstations to the data center today
Whether you have data center workstations in need of a refresh, maybe as part of a Windows 10 to Windows 11 migration, or if you are looking at alternatives to aging desktop hardware, consider migrating to Amulet Hotkey CoreStation HX. Before rolling out new hardware consider the reliability maintenance and cost advantages of centralizing your desktops and workstations in a secure data center. We are ready to help. The CoreStation HX is an innovative enterprise-ready solution that can help you take your business to the next level.
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