*** For immediate use April 24, 2012
Tokyo, April 24, 2012 - NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701)
recently announced the completion of an educational
computer system for Kyoto University (President: Hiroshi
Matsumoto) that began operating in March 2012.
The new computer system is an information processing
facility for use by students and teaching staff in the
university's classrooms for educational and research
purposes. Kyoto University has updated the approximately
1,400 terminals in its computer classrooms with a thin
client system and introduced virtual desktop services that
permit the remote use of the system.
The new system requires only half the number of core
servers and features compact, low power consumption
workstations. This permits a 60% reduction in power
consumption compared with the previous system, resulting in
an energy-saving environment. The system is also
user-friendly for the increasing number of overseas
students. It utilizes a multilingual operating system,
which permits the use of a desktop environment and
Microsoft Office applications in each user's
language.
Key features of the educational computer system are as
follows:
-
60% reduction in power consumption
For the core servers, the new educational system uses the
Express5800/ECO CENTER, a space-saving server that
incorporates superior power-saving technologies. The
number of servers has been reduced by half thanks to
virtualization. Computer classrooms feature compact
Express5800/51Mb-S workstations, which limit power
consumption to approximately 25W at boot-up. The result
is a 60% reduction in power consumption, which
contributes to environmental protection and power
conservation. In addition, a power controller is
installed in each classroom, allowing the system
administrator to control the power supply for all
terminals via LAN. This enables a reduction in standby
electricity consumption of approximately 4W for each
terminal, thereby saving power consumption during idle
times.
-
Multiple languages capability
The educational computer system uses multilingual OS and
Microsoft Office applications. Login screens
automatically appear in each user's language, which
is previously registered in the user management
information. It also allows the users to select a
language at the time of login. These user-friendly
services are intended to assist the increasing number of
overseas students.
-
Remote access on campus and off campus
The system uses virtual desktop services (virtual PC)
that allow remote use both on and off campus, which
permits off-campus PCs and tablet terminals to use the
thin client environment of the computer classrooms. This
is done using the integrated control of the Citrix Xen
Desktop. This improves convenience by permitting the
teaching staff to create lecture materials wherever they
are. It also includes a system that manages applications
for permission to use virtual PCs. This system automates
the entire process from application to permission and
registration, thereby allowing appropriate user
management.
-
Easier terminal management
The educational computer system uses only six
administrative servers for the thin client system. It
utilizes a system that permits easy updates and copying
of the boot images by placing these images on centralized
storage for sharing with the six servers.
In addition, the terminal features NEC's server
operations management technologies. This enables remote
monitoring of high loads and abnormal temperatures for
terminal CPUs and memory as well as the remote updating of
the BIOS for all the terminals. Moreover, the optimized
terminal management tool provides a series of functions
required for managing terminals at a university, such as
those that permit the administrator to control the power
supply to terminals, to schedule notification messages and to
obtain detailed logs.
These measures have significantly reduced the burden for the
operational management of terminals that are spread across
the campus.
NEC's introduction of a campus network and a
general-purpose computer system supports the improvement of
Kyoto University's education and research environment.
Going forward, NEC will continue contributing to the
introduction of ICT to the education and research fields in
an environmentally friendly manner that capitalizes on its
experience in developing educational computer systems.
***
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