Crystal Group offices are closed from December 23, 2024-January 1, 2025. Call 800.378.1636 and select option three for technical support.

Ready for the Q4 ramp up

As quickly as program momentum came to an abrupt halt earlier this year, activity is accelerating with fervor in preparation for Q4. While it’s common to ramp up efforts to fulfill goals and achieve critical deliverables by year end, both military and industrial programs are now faced with amplified Q4 pressures to invest in disruptive technologies and jump-start progress before 2020 funds disappear.

For example, this spring we were set to deliver four rugged computers for live testing on a military autonomous vehicle program, but testing was suddenly cancelled due to coronavirus restrictions. Surprisingly, we received an urgent request for the assets in July when testing was unexpectedly reinstated. We expedited final preparations and shipped the units within two weeks. As a small, Midwest company known for delivering trusted results, Crystal Group stands ready with the solutions and capabilities you need to execute your pressing Q4 priorities.

Innovation. Amid the volatility, progress and innovation kept moving forward – and so have we. Incorporating emerging and disruptive technologies, we continue to bring interoperable plug-and-play functionality to demanding military, industrial, and commercial applications in the air, on land and at sea. This includes achieving NIAP certification of our rugged firewall and launching our RCS7850-32Q switch with 32 ports of 100Gb networking speed. We also introduced three new rugged servers – including a computationally dense 1.5U twin server – designed for ultra-high ISR performance. Independently, each delivers powerful performance, but combined, they become an integrated system for real-time data collection, high-speed computation, and daily, hot-swappable data extraction.

Speed. The need for speed continues to accelerate as expectations to collect more real-time sensor data increases exponentially. Bringing data center functionality to the tactical edge is required to implement and extract advantageous artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). Incorporating more than 20,000 NVIDIA® CUDA cores into our systems, means you can capture and analyze extraordinary volumes of sensor data with powerful speed and accuracy in a single edge server in real time.

Similarly, applying NVMe technology in concert with PCIe Gen 4.0 increases overall throughput speed to collect, process and store incredibly large amounts of sensor in real time, which is critical when capturing and storing high-quality live images. The advanced bus architecture in the PCIe 4.0 processes data between elements without buffering delays experienced with SATA and SAS drives.

Cybersecurity. Given the magnitude of data, both in quantity and confidentiality, moving through your edge computing systems, preventing potential breeches is vital to mission success. From Root of Trust hardware to data-in-motion protection, we take the complexity out of cybersecurity and accreditation. Integrated solutions incorporate the optimal combination of intrusion detection, instant data destruction, FIPS 140-2 SAS drives, NIAP-certified hardware, IPsec and MACsec switches, key encryption and management software, so your confidential data stays secure.

Agility. Our agility to quickly address critical adjustments in customer programs comes from our unique combination of strong collaboration, vertically-integrated services – including design, build, environmental testing, and technical service – to scale and customize system-level solutions. In addition, our expanded factory – which is NIST compliant and ISO 9001:2015/AS9100D certified – gives us the capacity to process and ship orders by year end.

Working closely with trusted U.S. partners and suppliers, like Intel®, NVIDIA®, CommScope, Seagate and several OTAs, allows us to deliver integrated solutions that capture all the essential compute components to execute the desired application with flawless precision. This includes gaining early access to new products prior to release so we can identify and proactively solve critical challenges, like combating potentially crippling thermal issues, saving valuable time once the technologies are launched.

Reliability. While innovation, speed, security and agility are incredibly important, they’re meaningless if they don’t deliver seamless performance and results. With solutions on more than 600 applications, our reputation is built on delivering the most trusted rugged, reliable and secure computer systems that perform without fail in harsh conditions when safety, accuracy and efficiency are paramount. Our combat-proven performance delivers both confidence and lower total cost of ownership.

Collaboration. When time is of the essence, don’t waste it sifting through trails of disconnected email exchanges. With travel restrictions and more dispersed work locations, we’re using video technology to stay connected and aligned with our customers and program teams. Relying on person-to-person communication, whether by video or phone, foster stronger relationships, while streamlining our ability to address pressing challenges, discuss program progress and explore innovative solutions with the greatest efficiency. We’ll email you when it makes sense, but direct, timely dialogue is best.

Now, more than ever, we’re all in this together. Let us know how we can put our proven problem-solving skills and disruptive technologies to work for you to achieve your program objectives for the remainder of 2020 – and beyond.