Cutter Project Limited
Sustainable Computing for Smart Users

Manageable Computing

Computing on the desktop has been with us for close-on thirty years now, nearly half the time that we've had electronic information processing. Long ago two recognisable strands developed in the computer industry. On the one hand, closely-managed systems that had to be up and running 24 hours all day and every day in banks and warehouses, on the other, 'personal' or desktop computing with a laissez-faire approach and the belief that a reboot or system re-install can be shrugged off with 'so what'. Few people have experience of both kinds of systems, most inhabiting one world or the other and viewing their counterparts on the other side with something approaching disbelief.

At Cutter, we believe that it's possible to learn from the 24x7 world and apply their techniques to desktop delivery. It's not only good for the users, who really mostly want systems that 'just work', most of the time it can be done in ways that save money too. Harrassed network administrators who in the past have had to paper over crevasses with techniques like nightly re-imaging of desktop systems can be freed up to focus on actual administration rather than firefighting. Users can get real work done instead of fighting systems that crash, lose their work or take for ever to boot up. Data can be backed up regularly so if disaster strikes, recovery is possible.

We select hardware that offers 'lights out' administration. If a serious problem arises, this allows the administrator full access to the computer just as if sitting in front of it with a keyboard and monitor - but that access is secure and available from a web browser anywhere in the world. Unless a hardware fault has developed there is no need actually to be present in the computer room. Remote administration is a big help in keeping high availability and reducing the time to fix problems.

System administration is hard to do well and hard to define, but good practice and good techniques can more easily be implemented on well-designed and structured systems. Most commercial products to ease the process are comprehensive and eye-wateringly expensive but good low-cost alternatives exist so Cutter's approach here is based around value for money over the search for perfection.

Typical aspects of the systems that we recommend include:

Extensive use of desktop thin-client devices which are fit-and-forget and easily replaced on a swap-out-swap-in basis in the rare event of failure. There is no management or configuration associated with these, a crucial element in a world where up to 80% of administrative time can be spent dealing with PC configuration and software installation.
Reliance on centralised servers each supporting a large number of thin-client devices. Configuration of these servers is still an important matter, but proportionately much less than the equivalent in traditional desktop PCs
As a consequence of the above, centralised backup and recovery of user data, including the ability to provide replication of live data so that if disaster strikes one part of the site, a safety copy should still be available.
The use of low-cost yet highly functional software which provides trend analysis and alerting of faults so they can be fixed early
Deploying highly reliable and virus-immune software for basic tasks like web services, email, virtual learning environments and others
Installing some servers on an 'appliance' basis - no user serviceable parts inside, so zero administration involved. We look after them so you don't have to bother

In this field there are no silver bullets, but we think we've developed a pragmatic approach which is manifestly better than many of the alternatives. It's not uncommon to hear from our customers that 'The Cutter part of my system is the one I no longer think about, it just works'.

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Manageable Computing

Time Saved

Systems Monitoring