ClearCube A–Series Setup And Installation Manual

A–Series

Setup and Installation Guide

Revision 1.6.05.10.2013

Technical Support

See the Support Web site for documentation, technical updates, drivers and downloads,
warranty information, and software revisions.

Web:
Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone] or call toll free [phone] (United States)

http://www.clearcube.com/support/

Corporate Headquarters

ClearCube Technology, Inc.
3700 W Parmer Ln
Austin, Texas 78727

Email:
Phone: [phone] or call toll free [phone] (United States)
Fax: [phone]

Or your local ClearCube Reseller or Authorized Service Provider

Copyrights
© 2013 by ClearCube Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. Under copyright laws, this

publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, storing in an information retrieval system, or translating, in
whole or in part, without the prior written consent of ClearCube Technology, Inc.

This information is subject to change without notice and ClearCube shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages in connection with the use of this
material.

[e-mail]

Trademarks

ClearCube™, Sentral™, Blade Switching BackPack™, PC Blade™, C/Port™, and I/Port™
are trademarks of ClearCube Technology, Inc. Product and company names mentioned herein
are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.

Patents

The ClearCube Architecture and its components described in this user manual are protected by
numerous granted and pending U.S. and international patents.
Granted patents include: US05926172, US05966056, US05994952, US06012101 ,
US06020839, US06037884, US06038616, US06119146, US06148182, US06167241,
US06385666, US06421393, US06426970, US06633934, US06708247, US06735658, and
US06886055.

Patents pending include: US S/N 09/755378, US S/N 10/279475, US S/N 10/198719, US S/N
10/198650, US S/N 10/409219, US S/N 09/728667, US S/N 09/728669, US S/N 10/411804,
US S/N 10/411908, US S/N 10/458853, US S/N 10/364584, US S/N 10/301536, US S/N
60/411066, US S/N 10/662933, US S/N 10/662889, US S/N 10/662932, US S/N 10/662968,
US S/N 10/301563, US S/N 10/662936, US S/N 10/301518, US S/N 10/662955 and US S/N
10/662954.

Inquiries regarding patented technology should be directed to ClearCube Corporate
Headquarters.

Contents

How to Use This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

FCC Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

California Proposition 65 Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

WEEE Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii

Medical and Clinical Use of ClearCube Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii

Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Safety Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1 A–Series Blade PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.1.1 Blade PC Overview, Identification Labels, and Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.1.1.1 Blade PC Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.1.1.2 Blade PC Identification Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.1.1.3 Blade PC Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.1.2 A6106D Blade PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.1.3 A6105D Blade PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

1.2 A–Series Chassis and Expansion Backplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.3 Cloud Desktops: Zero Clients and Thin Clients . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1.4 Monitor Support and Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Chapter 2. Site Preparation and Network Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.1 About Your Shipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.1.1 Inspecting Your Shipment and Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.1.2 Unpacking Your Shipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

2.2 Rack and Cabinet Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

2.2.1 Space and Floor Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2.2.2 Cooling and Airflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

2.3 Chassis and Blade Power Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.3.1 Power Input Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.3.2 Power Circuit Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

iii

2.4 Chassis Expansion Backplane and Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.4.1 Chassis Ports and Supported Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.4.2 Ethernet Cable Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

2.4.3 Supported Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2.5 Example Deployment Diagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2.5.1 Dedicated PCoIP Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

2.5.2 Shared Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Chapter 3. Chassis and Blade PC Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

3.1 Tools for Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

3.2 Installing an A–Series Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

3.2.1 Chassis Container Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

3.2.2 Chassis AC Power Cords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.2.3 Mounting A–Series Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.2.3.1 Cabinet Mounting Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.2.3.2 Using a Chassis Accessory Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

3.2.3.3 Using a Chassis Rapid–Mount Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

3.2.3.4 Removing a Rapid–Mount Kit Bracket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

3.2.4 Attaching and Removing the Expansion Backplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

3.2.4.1 Attaching the Expansion Backplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

3.2.4.2 Removing the Expansion Backplane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3.2.5 Chassis Power and Failover Power Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

3.2.5.1 To Enable Chassis Failover Power Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

3.2.5.2 To Power Chassis without Failover Power Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

3.3 Configuring A–Series Blade PCs before Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

3.3.1 Viewing Pre-OS Video (BIOS and Network Boot, PXE Boot) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

3.3.1.1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

3.3.1.2 Connecting Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

3.3.1.3 Create Session and View Video . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

3.3.2 Operating System Images . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

3.3.2.1 Using the Default Operating System Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

3.3.2.2 Custom Operating System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

3.3.2.3 Installing a Custom Image from an Image File Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

3.4 Installing Blade PC in a Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

iv

3.5 Removing Blade PC from a Chassis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Chapter 4. Upgrading and Maintaining Blade PCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4.1 Use Authorized Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

4.2 Replacing Components: Permitted and Prohibited Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

4.3 Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4.3.1 A6106D Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

4.3.2 A6105D Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

4.3.3 General Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

4.3.4 Population Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4.3.5 Installing DIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4.4 Hard Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

4.4.1 A6106D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

4.4.2 A6105D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

4.5 BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

4.5.1 Clearing BIOS Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

4.5.1.1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

4.5.1.2 Required Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

4.5.1.3 Setting up Zero Client and Blade PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

4.5.1.4 Connecting Zero Client and Blade PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

4.5.1.5 Clearing Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

4.5.2 Updating (Flashing) BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

4.5.3 Recovering BIOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Appendix A. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Appendix B. Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

Appendix C. Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

C.1 Contact Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

C.2 Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

C.3 Power Cord Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Appendix D. Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

v

vi

How to Use This Guide

This guide explains how to install and set up ClearCube Technology, Inc. A–Series chassis,
blades and components necessary for managed desktop environments. We recommend that
you familiarize yourself with the ClearCube architecture and product descriptions and read
through all installation and setup procedures before beginning installation.

If you encounter any issues, contact ClearCube Support using the contact information
provided on the inside front cover of this manual and in Appendix C. “Support”

FCC Warning

This equipment generates and uses radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
strict accordance with the instructions in this manual, may cause interference to radio and
television reception. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by ClearCube
Technology, Inc. could void the user's authority to operate the equipment under FCC rules.

on page 61.

California Proposition 65 Statement

WARNING: ClearCube products contain chemicals, including lead, known to the
State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.

Wash hands after handling.

ClearCube products should be disposed of in accordance with local laws governing computer
equipment disposal.

WEEE Information

The products described in this document are subject to regulation under the European Union
Directive 2002/96/EC, that mandates separate waste collection, treatment, and recycling of
electronic products. This directive is commonly known as WEEE, for Waste from Electrical
and Electronic Equipment, and its intent is to promote the safe and sensible disposal of
products that have outlived their usefulness.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. vii

The “crossed-out” trash bin symbol, shown above, identifies products that should be recycled,
not simply discarded. ClearCube Technology, Inc. supports the reuse, recycling, recovery, and
responsible disposal of all products.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. is committed to meeting the requirements of the European Union
WEEE Directive. The goal of the directive is to reduce the environmental impact due to the
disposal of electrical and electronic equipment that has reached the end of its useful service life.

ClearCube products are sold exclusively to commercial and industrial customers and not to
private households. Under the WEEE legislation terms, commercial and industrial customers
have the responsibility to ensure that all electrical and electronic equipment is disposed of
properly and in accordance with all applicable laws and local regulations. For more
information, email r

Materials used in this product, if not disposed of properly, could have adverse effects on the
environment and on human health. Do not dispose of these products in unsorted municipal
waste containers. Deliver electronic waste only to an approved recycling facility, a treatment
facility, or both. If one is not available, contact ClearCube for assistance.

[e-mail], or call [phone] or [phone].

Medical and Clinical Use of ClearCube Products

ClearCube products are not designed with components and testing for a level of reliability
suitable for use in or in connection with surgical implants or as critical components in any life
support systems whose failure to perform can reasonably be expected to cause significant
injury to a human. Applications of ClearCube products involving medical or clinical treatment
can create a potential for death or bodily injury caused by product failure, or by errors on the
part of the user. Because each end-user system environment is customized and differs from
ClearCube testing platforms and because a user may use ClearCube products in combination
with other products in a manner not evaluated or contemplated by ClearCube, the user is
ultimately responsible for verifying and validating the suitability of ClearCube products
whenever ClearCube products are incorporated in a system, including, without limitation, the
appropriate design, process and safety level of such system or application.

viii A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

Symbols

Symbols are displayed on the hardware described in this document to convey specific
information to the operator and service person. It is important to understand the intended
meaning of these symbols. The following list shows each symbol displayed on ClearCube
Technology, Inc. products and explains the meaning of each symbol.

Refer to Manual

Used on the equipment’s rating label to direct the operator or service person to
this manual for additional information.

Shock Hazard

This symbol indicates the presence of electric shock hazards. Enclosures marked
with these symbols should only be opened by qualified service personnel. Refer
to the manual for additional information.

Power

Identifies the soft-start switch located on a blade used to power a blade on and
off.

Fuse

Located on equipment rating label. Symbol is accompanied with the
specifications needed for replacement. Only qualified technicians should
perform this operation.

Protective Earth Terminal

This symbol identifies the terminal that is used to connect all metal parts of an
enclosure through an external conductor to ground for protection against
electrical shock in a fault condition.

Ground Bond Terminal

This symbol identifies the ground bond terminal. This terminal is used to
connect the ground bonding conductor, or the combination of conductive parts,
to earth ground for safety purposes.

Equipment Protection Class II

May be located on the power adapter’s rating label. Indicates that equipment is
double–insulated from hazardous voltages. Not to be confused with Class 2, a
US National Electrical Code (NEC) circuit classification.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. ix

The following caution and warning symbols are used in this document to indicate situations
that merit checking this or another manual, or situations that could result in damage to
equipment or physical injury.

CAUTION: A Caution notice in this manual indicates that equipment
damage or minor injury may result if proper procedures are not followed.

WARNING: A Warning notice in this manual indicates that catastrophic
equipment damage or serious injury, including death, may result if proper
procedures are not followed.

Safety Guidelines

Before undertaking any troubleshooting or maintenance procedure, carefully read all
WARNING and CAUTION notices. Equipment displaying warning or caution notices
contains voltage hazardous to human life and is capable of inflicting personal injury.

• Installations—You must install ClearCube equipment in accordance with local electrical

codes. Equipment might be subject to inspection.

• Chassis grounding—ClearCube’s chassis is designed with a three-conductor IEC 60320

appliance inlet that—with the proper power cord—connects the building’s external
protective earthing conductor to all accessible metal parts of the enclosure. To minimize
shock hazard, make sure your electrical power outlet has an appropriate earth safety
ground that is connected each time you power on the equipment.

Swedish safety regulations require the following statement:
—Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag när den anslutas till ett nätuerk.—
Finnish safety regulations require the following statement:
— Laite on liitettävä suojamaadoituskoskettimilla varustettuun pistorasiaan.—

• Power cord selection—ClearCube or ClearCube distributors provide power cords that are

specifically designed for use with particular pieces of equipment and are approved for use
by the local authority having jurisdiction in the country where the equipment is put into
service. Refer to the installation sections of this manual for specific power cord
requirements. For information about obtaining replacement power cords, see

Appendix C. “Support”

on page 61.

• Power adapters—ClearCube or ClearCube distributors provide power adapters that are

specifically designed for use with particular pieces of equipment and are approved for use

x A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

by the local authority having jurisdiction in the country where the equipment is put into
service. Refer to the installation sections of this guide for specific power cord
requirements. For information about obtaining replacement power adapters, see

Appendix C. “Support”

on page 61.

• IT power systems—ClearCube equipment has been evaluated and found to be compatible

with IT power distribution systems with a phase-to-phase voltage not to exceed 240 V.

• Live circuits—Operating personnel and service personnel must not remove protective

covers when operating the ClearCube chassis. Adjustments and service to internal
components must be undertaken by qualified service technicians. During any service of
this product, other than replacing a Blade PC or externally accessible modules on the
expansion backplane, the main connector to the premise wiring must be disconnected.
Dangerous voltages may be present under certain conditions. Use extreme caution.

• Explosive atmosphere—Do not operate the chassis in conditions where flammable gases

are present. Under such conditions this equipment is unsafe and may ignite the gases or
gas fumes.

•

Part replacement—

Only service equipment with parts that are exact electrical and
mechanical replacements. Contact your authorized ClearCube Technology, Inc. reseller for
information about replacement parts. Installation of parts that are not direct replacements will
void the warranty and may cause harm to personnel operating the chassis. Furthermore,
damage or fire may occur if replacement parts are unsuitable.

• Modification—Do not modify any part of the chassis or Blade PC from its original

condition. Modifications may result in hazards.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. xi

xii A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and

Product Overview

ClearCube A–Series architecture delivers PC functionality to users from a secure, centralized
location. This architecture increases IT manageability and security, and provides
mission-critical reliability, performance, and uptime improvements with lowered costs.
Replacing a traditional PC with a ClearCube Cloud Desktop (zero client or thin client) saves
space, eliminates or reduces fan noise, and simplifies cabling. The key components of the
ClearCube architecture include (devices not shown to scale):

Blade PCs

Computers in a dense form factor that use Intel
typically remotely located. See “A–Series Blade PCs”
information about blades.

Chassis

Hold multiple Blade PCs and enable you to manage all external cables
connect to blades from a single location. See “A–Series Chassis and

Expansion Backplane” on page 7 for more information about chassis.

Cloud Desktop (zero client or thin client)

Physical devices, typically placed on a desk, to which you can connect
peripherals such as a monitor, keyboard, an d po inti ng d ev ice. See “Cloud

Desktops: Zero Clients and Thin Clients” on page 9 for more information

about zero clients and thin clients.

System management software and hardware

ClearCube Sentral™ is a software suite that provides system mana gement
capabilities (including connection brokering, mass storage lockout,
alerting, and much more) for your ClearCube environment. Sentral takes
advantage of monitoring hardware that is built into blades, chassis, and
Cloud Desktops. For more information about Sentral, see ClearCube
Sentral Administrator’s Guide.

®

CPUs. Blades are

on page 2 for more

A–Series Setup and Installation Guide 1

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview

Centralized Virtual

Desktops

Power Users

Knowledge Users

Task Users

VMware View

Client

Thin Client

Zero Client

Chassis

Zero Client

Network

Infrastructure

The picture below shows the A–Series architecture components.

Figure 1. A–Series architecture

1.1 A–Series Blade PCs

ClearCube A–Series Blade PCs are computers with Intel processors that deliver full PC
functionality to users, including USB functionality, from a centralized location. Each A–Series
Blade PC contains all the industry-standard components of a desktop PC:

• Processor

•Memory

2 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

• Hard disk

A–Series Blade PCs

• Video support (PCoIP

®

host card, GPU or graphics card, or integrated graphics)

• PCoIP host card (depending on configuration)

®

•Ethernet

network interface card (NIC)

You can connect USB peripherals to a Blade PC through USB ports on a Cloud Desktop (zero
client or thin client). You can install software on your Blade PC through a cloud desktop
network connection or by using peripherals connected to the USB ports.

1.1.1 Blade PC Overview, Identification Labels, and Serial Number

This figures in this section show

• An overview of an A–Series blade detailing the LCD bezel, buttons, and indicators, and

• all identification labels on a blade.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. 3

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview

1.1.1.1 Blade PC Components

The picture and table below show each A–Series blade component.

Figure 2. A–Series blade components and features

Figure

Number

1 LCD bezel Provides indicators and power-related buttons.
1A Power indicator Illuminated when blade is powered on.
1B Drive activity indicator Flashes to indicate storage drive activity.
1C Reset button Press to reset blade power.

1D Power button

1E Display

2 Handle Use to aid insertion and removal from chassis.

3 I/O access slot

4 Power connector Connects to the AC power backplane on A3100 chassis.

5 Ethernet ports Connect to Ethernet ports on the A–Series chassis backplane.

Part Function

Press to power on or power off blade. Press and hold for 3 seconds
to force power off.

Displays boot codes and blade serial number. ClearCube Sentral
management suite enables the LCD to display user-defined strings
and to blink for identification purposes.

Provides access to select motherboard I/O ports for configuration
outside of a chassis.

Storage drive carrier

6

(A6106D model only)

7 Video configuration label

4 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

Holds up to two storage drives (hard drives), connecting directly to SATA
connectors inside the blade. Does not support hot-swap operation.

Provides important blade configuration information, including video
host card MAC address, serial number, and more. See "Blade PC

Identification Labels" on page 5 for more information.

A–Series Blade PCs

Intel Inside

Label

Blade Serial Number and MAC Label

Video Configuration Label(s)

System Configuration Label

Regulatory Label

Operating System COA Label

Host Card

Firmware

Revision Label

1.1.1.2 Blade PC Identification Labels

Labels on A–Series blades provide a variety of important information about the blade. Each
A–Series blade has a serial number. By default, the last three digits of the serial number are
displayed on the blade LCD. The serial number is also printed on a label adjacent to the fans
on the front of the blade, as shown in the following figure.

Figure 3. A–Series serial number and configuration labels

1.1.1.3 Blade PC Serial Number

The blade serial number (located on a label shown in the section above) is useful if yo u need to
identify a blade or a blade model. A–Series blade serial numbers use the following syntax:

• A6106D

AVCnnnnn (where AVC is the serial number prefix, and nnnnn is a five-digit number.)

• A6105D

AMBnnnnn (where AMB is the serial number prefix, and nnnnn is a five-digit number.)

The following sections detail the features of each A–Series blade.

1.1.2 A6106D Blade PC

Features of the A6106D include:

• Intel Q77 Express Chipset.

• Two Intel PRO 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports.

• One DVI-I port (for bench top configuration and setup only).

ClearCube Technology, Inc. 5

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview

•USB ports

– Inside chassis:

Two USB 2.0 ports

– On benchtop:

Two USB 3.0 ports (for bench top configuration and setup only)

• Four 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM DIMM sockets supporting:
– Up to 32 GB maximum total system memory using 4 Gb memory technology.
– Non-ECC DIMMs.
– DDR3 1600 MHz, 1333 MHz and 1066 MHz DIMMs.

• Supports dual- and quad-monitor zero clients compatible with PC–over–IP

®

(PCoIP)

technology.

• Front-mounted LCD:
– Displays last three number of serial number by default.
– Able to display user-specified text through ClearCube Sentral and to blink to aid in

identification.

1.1.3 A6105D Blade PC

Features of the A6105D blade include:

• Intel Q57 Express Chipset.

• Two 10/100/1000 Ethernet ports.

• One DVI-I port and one DVI-D port (for bench top configuration and setup).

• Two USB ports (for bench top configuration and setup).

• Chassis and standalone operation.

• Four 240-pin DDR3 SDRAM DIMM sockets supporting:
– 16 GB maximum total system memory using 2 Gb memory tech nology.
– Non-ECC DIMMs.
– DDR3 1333 MHz and DDR3 1066 MHz DIMMs.
– DDR2 800 DIMMs with SPD timings of only 5-5-5 or 6-6-6 (tCL-tRCD-tRP).

• Supports zero clients compatible with PC–over–IP (PCoIP) technology.

• Front-mounted LCD:
– Displays last three number of Blade PC serial number by default.

– Able to display user-specified text through ClearCube Sentral and to blink to aid in

identification.

6 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

A–Series Chassis and Expansion Backplane

1.2 A–Series Chassis and Expansion Backplane

The following sections describe the A3100 chassis and the expansion backplane.

The list below shows dimensions and features of the A3100 chassis.

•6U high

• Compatible with industry-standard, 19-inch racks and cabinets (see Figure 6

for examples)

• Holds up to 10 A–Series blades (70-blade maximum density in a 42U rack)

• Chassis mounts to rack or cabinet with:

– Rack ears (in cluded), or
– Optional chassis rapid–mount kit (see “Using a Chassis Rapid–Mount Kit”

for more information)

• Removable front bezel.

• Expansion backplane—A modular component that provides signal connectors and a

chassis ID, or an electronic asset tag, for blades.

The picture below shows a rack containing A3100 chassis and A–Series blades.

on page 13

on page 25

ClearCube Technology, Inc. 7

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview

Chassis with Front Bezel and Rack Ears Front Bezel Removed

Rear of Chassis with

Expansion Backplane

The following figure shows an A3100 chassis with front bezel, rack ears, and expansion
backplane.

Figure 4. The A3100 chassis with front bezel, rack ears, and expansion backplane

The A3100 chassis contains an expansion backplane, a modular component that contains all
signal connectors and a chassis ID for A–Series blades. Figure 5
A3100 chassis and with an expansion backplane.

An A–Series blade connects to the expansion backplane when you insert and seat the blade in
an A3100 chassis. To connect power and Ethernet to a blade in an A3100 chassis, plug power
and Ethernet cables into the expansion backplane. The expansion backplane enables you to
remove the blade from the chassis without disconnecting any cables.

on page 9 shows detail of an

8 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

Cloud Desktops: Zero Clients and Thin Clients

Expansion
Backplane

A3100 ChassisAC Tray

The figure below shows the rear of an A3100 chassis with an expansion backplane attached.

Figure 5. Rear view of A3100 chassis with expansion backplane and AC tray

For more information, see

• “Chassis and Blade Power Requirements”

• “Chassis Expansion Backplane and Cabling”

• “Example Deployment Diagrams”

on page 18.

on page 15

on page 16, and

1.3 Cloud Desktops: Zero Clients and Thin Clients

ClearCube Cloud Desktops include zero clients using PCoIP technology and thin clients
(typically with embedded operating systems). Cloud Desktops connect to Blade PCs over a
standard Ethernet network. Zero clients and thin clients deliver video and peripheral signals to
a user from a Blade PC, allowing users to work over standard switched networks.

Cloud Desktops extend the ClearCube product line to let IT managers use their existing IP
network and cabling infrastructure, regardless of the distance between users' physical locations
and their centralized Blade PCs or other remote computing devices. ClearCube management
software—Sentral—enables IT administrators to manage assets and users, perform connection
brokering, and more.

For detailed instructions about setting up, using, and managing Cloud Desktops, see I/Port

User’s Guide. For information bout PCoIP technology, see PC-over-IP™ System User’s
Guide on the Support site at www.

ClearCube Technology, Inc. 9

clearcube.com/support/.

Chapter 1. A–Series Architecture and Product Overview

1.4 Monitor Support and Requirements

A–Series Blade PCs support up to four monitors. The table below shows GPU, host card, and
zero client combinations that provide the specified number of monitors and resolutions.
Various GPU and zero client options are available.

Table 1. Monitors, resolution, and device requirements

Monitors Resolution GPU Host Card Zero Client

Copper Fiber

Quadro 2000

1

2560 x 1600

Quadro 4000 CD9624 CD7624

V5422
NVS 310 — CD7822
Quadro 2000

2

1920 x 1200

Quadro 4000 CD9624 CD7624

V5422
NVS 310 — CD7822
Quadro 2000

2

2560 x 1600

V5442
Quadro 4000 CD9754

2

4

2560 x 1600

1920 x 1200

NVS 510 V5442

NVS 510 V5442

†.This model connects to displays using DisplayPort cables.

CD9622 CD7622

CD9622 CD7622

CD9752

†

†

CD7752

CD7754
CD9642 CD7642
CD9644 CD7644
CD9642 CD7642
CD9644 CD7644

†

†

10 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

Chapter 2. Site Preparation and Network

Planning

This chapter describes preliminary steps to take after receiving your A–Series shipment, and
describes the hardware and environmental requirements for your A–Series products. The
following list identifies each of the topics discussed in this chapter.

• “About Your Shipment”

• “Rack and Cabinet Requirements”

• “Space and Floor Support”

• “Cooling and Airflow”

• “Chassis and Blade Power Requirements”

• “Chassis Expansion Backplane and Cabling”

on this page

on page 14

on page 14

2.1 About Your Shipment

This section details precautions to follow before unpacking your shipment and the order in
which to unpack each device in your shipment.

2.1.1 Inspecting Your Shipment and Devices

on page 13

on page 15

on page 16

Examine the outside of all containers in your shipment before opening them.

If you find any external damage to the containers that yo u receive, do not open them.

NOTE

A–Series Setup and Installation Guide 11

Notify the shipper that damage has occurred and request that they inspect the
containers before you unpack them.

Chapter 2. Site Preparation a nd Net work Planning

If you discover damaged devices after unpacking your shipment:

• Contact the shipper to notify them of the damage.

• Contact ClearCube Support for a replacement. For information about contacting Support,
see Appendix C. “Support”

CAUTION: Do not use a Blade PC that shows any sign of damage. Using a
damaged blade can cause extensive damage.

2.1.2 Unpacking Your Shipment

ClearCube components are typically shipped in separate containers. The following list
describes the components shipped for typical installations and specifies the order in which you
should unpack your shipment.

on page 61.

NOTE

To protect ClearCube devices, keep them in their shipping containers until you
install, insert, or connect the devices.

1. Chassis—Only unpack before attaching to a previously-installed rack or cabinet.

2. Blade PCs—Only unpack before inserting in an A–Series chassis.

3. Zero client and thin client—Only unpack before connecting to a Blade PC. Cloud
Desktops (zero clients and thin clients) are shipped with or without power supplies and
keyboards, depending on the devices that you use in your environment. See the
documentation included with your zero clients or thin clients for instructions about setting
up, configuring, and using them.

Save shipping containers and packing materials at least until your ClearCube

NOTE

See “Installing an A–Series Chassis”
installing chassis. See “Installing Blade PC in a Chassis”

installation is complete and tested. Use shipping containers for RMAs (see "Return

Merchandise Authorization (RMA)" on page 61 for more information).

on page 21 for instructions about unpacking and

on page 38 for instructions about

installing blades.

12 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide

2.2 Rack and Cabinet Requirements

Rack Cabinet

Before installing ClearCube components, it is important to properly prepare the site where you
will install the chassis and Blade PCs. This section explains how to plan for cabinet, rack and
chassis installation. The pictures below show two options for holding ClearCube chassis. A
standard 42U rack or cabinet can hold as many as seven A3100 chassis.

Rack and Cabinet Requirements

Figure 6. A fully-loaded rack with A3100 chassis and a standard 19-inch cabinet

CAUTION: Equipment racks and cabinets can become highly unsta ble if not
adequately secured. Read and follow the manufacturer's specifications and
recommendations for mounting. Additional ClearCube guidelines are
provided throughout this section that—with the manufacturer's
requirements—will ensure a safe installation.

Fully-enclosed electrical cabinets are the preferred option for mounting your ClearCube
chassis. When using cabinets, make sure that:

ClearCube Technology, Inc. 13

Chapter 2. Site Preparation a nd Net work Planning

• Front and rear panels and doors are vented to provide sufficient airflow for intake and
exhaust.

• Ensure that you have at least 34 inches (86 cm) of interior depth measured from the front
of the unit to accommodate the cabling that exits from the rear of the chassis.

• Provide adequate space at the back of the rack or cabinet to allow servicing the cables and
equipment.

You can fit cabinets with casters to improve mobility and to ease access when servicing.

WARNING: When installing chassis in a cabinet enclosure, never use only
one set of mounting brackets at the front. Select a cabinet tha t has an
adjustable center rail or rear rail in addition to the front rail. ClearCube's
adjustable mounting kit is required to attach the chassis to both the front
and center/rear rails.

2.2.1 Space and Floor Support

Before installing racks, chassis, and blades, verify that your rack and floor can support the
weight of a fully-loaded rack. If your initial installation contains fewer than seven chassis,
ensure that your rack and floor can support the weight of a fully-loaded rack so you can add
additional blades and chassis in the future. If you are installing other equipment in the rack or
cabinet, take this additional weight into consideration.

Seven fully-loaded chassis (including expansion backplanes) weigh approximately 1347.5
pounds (612 kilograms), not including any cabling. One 42U rack can hold up to seven
chassis, creating a load of greater than 225 pounds per square foot (1099 kilograms per square
meter) for each of the roughly 6 square feet (0.56 square meters) of floor space required for
each rack.

NOTE

When planning for the space required in your data center, include 36 inches in front
of each cabinet to provide adequate room when your remove blades from chassis.

WARNING: Improper structural support could cause the rack or cabinet to lean
and cause the floor to buckle and potentially case structural damage.

2.2.2 Cooling and Airflow

The following sections detail items to consider when addressing cooling and airflow for
A3100 chassis.

A–Series chassis draw cool air (25 degrees Celsius) in through the front of the chassis, and
exhausts it out the back.

14 A–Series Setup and Installation Guide