SCIENCE

LynuxWorks has announced that they have teamed up to demonstrate a new rugged, high performance multilevel secure platform solution at MILCOM 2010. The companies will showcase LynuxWorks' LynxSecure secure separation kernel and embedded hypervisor running on Themis' CoolShell blade server. LynxSecure is a highly secure virtualization solution that utilizes the CoolShell's hardware-virtualization technology and multiple processor cores to provide a versatile platform for secure environments. 

"The new reality of network centric operations requires us to move with agility between the need to protect sensitive data and the practical necessity to share essential situational information in real time," said Gurjot Singh, CEO and president at LynuxWorks. "Military operations can now have access to multiple environments on a single system which is immensely valuable for collaboration."

LynxSecure makes it possible to securely run multiple guest operating systems and their applications on a single platform. It does this by isolating applications into separate partitions to prevent unintended or dangerous software interactions. In a multicore processor environment, LynxSecure further provides the ability to consolidate two or more physically separate systems into one unit.

For example, it is possible to securely bring together multiple battlefield applications with varied security classifications and run them in separate partitions on a single server. This would allow low security applications such as C/JMTK mapping, chat messaging and weather to run together on the same server with high security applications such as software-defined radio (SDR). LynxSecure provides the necessary infrastructure for secure communication and works in conjunction with encryption and other protections required by specific applications. It conforms to the multiple independent levels of security (MILS) architecture, which provides strict guidelines for data isolation, damage limitation, and information flow policies. Furthermore, LynxSecure's virtualization environment allows legacy applications to run unmodified, enabling systems to be modernized with increased information sharing and security. Consolidating multiple applications on a single compact platform allows a savings in Space, Weight and Power (SWAP). It also reduces equipment costs and system maintenance.

"Battle groups have more in common with today's distributed enterprises, than with earlier stove-piped, application-specific computing systems," said William Kehret, CEO and president at Themis. "For example, the Navy, for its afloat computing platforms, is migrating away from distributed bus-and-board architectures and using more aggregated server-based services," explained Kehret. "These are truly enterprise-level solutions at sea, and the combination of the Themis CoolShell server with the LynxSecure software platform allows these to be used without compromising performance, functionality or security."

The principle barrier to higher compute density in modular electronic packaging is the cooling of high dissipation devices, most notably, the new breed of multi-core microprocessors. The CoolShell blade server technology combines commercial motherboards with novel packaging techniques, to achieve a new level of performance, reliability and maintainability. The resulting open-architecture computing platform is ideally suited for challenging environments. CoolShell technology provides a very efficient way to remove heat from processors and other high dissipation devices. CoolShell blades consist of sealed, conduction cooled "shells" that include their own impeller assemblies, drawing cooling air over integrated heat exchangers. The resultant Field Replaceable Units (FRU's) are in turn integrated into a robust, totally passive rack-mounting enclosure with front panel only accessibility.

Themis' CoolShell blade servers combine unprecedented network connectivity with up to eight optical/copper ports and a simplified cabling system for easy installation and maintenance. Low total cost of ownership (TCO) is assured by modular, front panel only access for all active components. Network and IO security is assured through the use of independent controller channels, including both Copper and Fiber Gigabit Ethernet NIC's. Themis' CoolShell technology provides kinetic management and thermal headroom to accommodate aggressive scaling of commercial microprocessor and GPU core density, speed and power.