Why ClearCube Technology for Multiple Independent Secure
Networks (MILS) Solutions?
Client Cube KM
Moving desktops to the datacenter.
Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
“In the rugged terrain of Afghanistan, it’s raining fire, the sound of helicopters and gunfire drowns out
voices, and chaos seemingly reigns. This is the fog of war — and the tactical edge.
But what if, hours before engaging the enemy, U.S. forces had tossed a small robot with a built-in
camera over a concrete wall or into a burned-out structure to gain a
view of enemy activity? And what if those images were logged into a
database and accessed by officers planning the assault and by squad
members using a handheld computer while advancing on the ground?
Perhaps then the gunfire and helicopters would be those of U.S. forces
descending on the adversary, a unified front facilitated by a team-wide
plan of action. Whether it was planned hours earlier or unfolded within
seconds, that firefight could have been executed with a stream of digital
communication.
That is situational awareness. The principle behind it is wide in scope,
but in the simplest form, it is knowing what is going on around you.” –
FCW 2012
ClientCube KM supports 1 to 4
zeroclients per switch
In order to make critical decisions in complex, dynamic areas, Command needs persistent real-time
uncompromised situational awareness. The operator/analyst must see all updates to his displays in real
time and traverse through multiple networks -but seamlessly and instantly interact and work as
if there was only one network. That has been
the desired goal for multiple independent secure
networks since the beginning.
That goal has not been easy to achieve
efficiently. The challenge still exists, created by
simultaneous information updates being
delivered to the desktop’s single set of
peripherals from multiple classified networks at
the same moment in time.
However, for the first time, the challenge has
been met with the creation of ClientCube KM.
ClientCube KM is the answer to the problem that
has plagued command centers with multiple
security domains (e.g., Top Secret/SCI, Secret,
Confidential, and Unclassified, etc.) for years.
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Rear
Front view
ClientCube KM support 4 simultaneous network connections
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Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
ClientCube KM allows an operator/analyst to
view and seamlessly interact with multiple
secure domains in real time in a completely
secure 100% hardware-implemented manner.
ClientCube KM provides uncompromised
situational awareness for the operator/analyst
in a normal workflow manner on a desktop
platform that saves space, power, and effort.
From a single device with a single set of
peripherals, the operator/analyst can see his
Windows desktops from up to 4 separate
network sources simultaneously, mouse over
to the Windows display of the desired
network, click, and connect his
mouse/keyboard/audio for instantaneous
interaction with his applications.
Each secured network operates in complete isolation.
With ClientCube KM, video
to each display is constant
and uninterrupted from
separate sources. The
operator/analyst can see
updates such as email,
video streams, program
output, etc., from multiple
Mouse driven network access increases ease of use and productivity
networks but he is
prevented from
commingling any data such as cutting and pasting from one source to the other because the sources are
separated/isolated in the datacenter and do not communicate with each other.
The only capability that moves between the
sources is keyboard/mouse/audio activation.
ClientCube KM can map four displays into four
quadrants, or 8 or 16 displays into four quadrants.
ClientCube KM comes equipped with 40 pre-set
display layouts to accommodate up to 16
displays, supporting four displays per zero client.
Customized orientations are also supported by
using a software configuration tool. Once
configured, ClientCube KM retains the layout it
has been assigned.
© 2013 ClearCube Technology - All Rights Reserved
Hotkey presets offer 40 standard configurations
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Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
The operator sees when a mouse cursor moves from one quadrant to another, and hears a mouse click
in the new quadrant that indicates that ClientCube KM has assigned the mouse, keyboard and speaker
to that quadrant. The display boundary directly correlates with the source zero client, so in essence,
ClientCube KM senses when the operator moves from one secure network to another by way of the
mouse cursor position. The front of the KM switch also illuminates for the network/zero client/display
where the cursor currently resides.
The operator/analyst’s work flow is completely natural. Networks with color frames that serve as
identifiers (green, red, yellow, blue, for instance) are clearly visible on the operator’s displays, just as
they would be in a normal secure operational setting using four individual PCs at the desktop. The
mouse cursor showing on the display of the designated network is clearly visible as well. The operator
simply clicks the mouse to interact with whichever network he/she desires. ClientCube KM provides
uninterrupted workflow by allowing the operator/analyst to seamlessly move from network to network
without having to stop and push buttons to select the source.
Finally, the multiple domain chasm has been crossed with a 100% hardware based product, ClientCube
KM, that supports multiple secure level networks by using zero clients to support multiple displays using
one mouse and one keyboard.
ClientCube KM versus Distributed PCs
The most prevalent deployment implementation to date in command centers with multiple secured
networks is distributed PC networking. Every network
requires a separate PC and separate sets of peripherals at
ClientCube KM vs. Distributed PCs
each operator station.
 More secure
 Reduced number of peripherals
This strategy is straightforward but not space efficient,
 Better workflow
power efficient, operator-friendly, easy to manage,
 Better managed
completely secure, or cost-effective.
 Better desktop space utilization
 Better power utilization
More secure
 Better working environment
Distributed PCs process data locally and have local hard
 Faster restoration of service
drive storage, memory, operating systems, and USB ports
 Support for both physical and
virtual desktops
that enable data to be extracted from the network or
malware/viruses to be introduced to the network. Locating
hard drives and data in the worker areas is asking for
trouble and security breaches.
ClientCube KM processes data remotely in the secure data center and has stateless zero clients with no
local storage, memory, and operating systems. Policy-based USB enable/disable is controlled by the
network administrator. Data never leaves the data center. Only pixel changes are transmitted from the
host processing platforms, either physical Blade PCs or SmartVDI virtual desktops, over PCoIP AES 256 bit
encrypted links to the ClientCube KM zero clients’ desktops.
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Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
Reduced number of peripherals
Distributed PCs require peripheral sets for each PC, or the use of a KVM switch to share the mouse and
keyboard between them. KVMs only allow the operator/analyst to view and interact with one source at
a time, and switching from source to source requires the push of a button. For some missions, this type
of operation may be completely acceptable. But it limits total situational awareness.
ClientCube KM allows one mouse and keyboard to be shared among four zero clients with seamless
movement from isolated network to isolated network with complete situational awareness.
Better workflow
Migrating between distributed PCs takes time and thought on the operator’s part. If a KVM switch is not
used, the operator/analyst must physically move from system to system, from keyboard to keyboard,
from mouse to mouse. He/she may have full situational awareness but with a huge sacrifice in
responsiveness and productivity. If a KVM switch is used, full situational awareness is lost because only
one network source is viewed and interacted with at one time.
ClientCube KM solves both problems. Operator/analysts have full situational awareness and seamless
navigation from source to source with just mouse movements and clicks. Work flow is completely
natural.
Better managed
The downside of trying to manage distributed PCs is well-known. Servicing must be done in the work
areas, updates/patches are difficult to administer, and the hardware assets are out of the control of the
network administrators.
ClientCube KM’s centralized host resources are much easier to manage, whether using physical machines
(BladePCs) or virtual machines (SmartVDI). Updates/patches and servicing, if necessary, are completed
in the datacenter and not in the work areas. End point devices in ClientCube KM are zero clients;
therefore, no driver or operating systems updates/patches are made there because zero clients have no
processors, memory, video controllers or operating systems.
Better desktop space utilization
Distributed PCs take up quite a bit of space, especially when four PCs need to be deployed for four
networks.
ClientCube KM is sleek, requiring a fraction of the space and one-fourth the power connections needed
by PCs.
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Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
Better power utilization
Multiple distributed PCs require power that may range from 150w to 600w each, depending on the
types of applications that are being used. Multiply the power consumption times four per
operator/analyst and the range can be 600w to 2400w per station. Then multiply the power
consumption per station by the total number of operator/analysts and the scope of the problem in the
work areas becomes readily apparent.
ClientCube KM’s power requirement ranges between 40w and 60w for all four zero clients per
operator/analyst station.
Better working environment
The power that distributed PCs require to operate generates a lot of heat. Two negative consequences
result. Fans in the PCs are needed to cool the machines, and fans produce noise. If there are four PCs
per operator/analyst the noise gets magnified by a factor of four. In addition, operator/analysts near
the PCs will typically turn up the air conditioning to combat the heat generated by four PCs in a confined
area.
Supports up to 4 displays per network.
ClientCube KM’s energy consumption is so small that almost no heat is produced, evidenced by the fact
that it operates entirely without fans. Without fans, ClientCube KM is noiseless.
Faster restoration of service
A PC failure can result in a long downtime for the operator/analyst. Restoration of service is typically
lengthy, with failure assessment related visits to the work areas, removal of the failed PC, replacement
hardware acquisition and dispatch, and re-connection of cabling.
ClientCube KM’s Sentral software supports source routing, which provides the network administrator
with the ability to automatically route the user to a different secondary source in the event of a primary
source failure. With hot spares allocated, Sentral can be configured to switch a failed user to an active
spare. Operator/analysts using ClientCube KM can immediately resuming work on secondary host
platforms without having to wait for a technician to repair or replace their primary systems.
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Why ClearCube for Multiple Independent Secure Networks?
Support for both physical and virtual desktops
Distributed PCs are physical machines by definition.
ClientCube KM supports connection to physical Blade PC machines, SmartVDI virtual desktop machines,
or third party virtual desktop machines running VMware View. This flexibility provides the network
architect with options for deploying the most appropriate host resource for the tasks at hand emanating
from each individual secured network source.
Unlike space-consuming, power-consuming, hard to manage, noisy, security-challenged, distributed PC
products, ClientCube KM is more efficient, cost-effective, and straightforward, supporting both high
performance physical Blade PC requirements as well as virtual desktop requirements in a complete
situational awareness setting.
Conclusion
If you are seeking secure access to multiple domains with natural workflow and complete situational
awareness
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With reduced peripherals
With better desktop security
With optimized desktop space utilization
With less complexity
With higher cost effectiveness
With total flexibility
With vendor independence
With no performance compromise
With lower power consumption
With better management
And deployed in the most cost-effective straightforward manner
Your answer is not distributed PCs.
Your answer is ClientCube KM.
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