Workstation Articles

Where computer hardware, industry history, engineering experience, and personal observations connect.

Real-world use case rugged portable

April 7, 2026Myles KelvinPortable Workstation

Portable operation center by Thales. Click image for their video.

Rugged laptops with expansion slots - X500 and NotePAC

Rugged laptops with expansion slots - X500 and NotePAC

December 20, 2021Myles KelvinBlog

Laptop computers with expansion slots Portexa NotePAC-III-PRO-V Triple screen portable server with expansion Getac X500 Single screen portable server with expansion "If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are not many options…. Common Features Large laptop portables Two PCIe expansion slots Fast processing Lots of connectivity Two alternatives - X500 and NotePAC-III If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are no

MilPAC-I 16 Removable Drives in a rugged portable

MilPAC-I 16 Removable Drives in a rugged portable

February 9, 2018Myles KelvinBlog

COTS transportable server & workstation MilPAC-I rugged transportable portable server Dual Xeon 16 Removable Drives 20G, 10G, and Gigabit ports Overview Robust transportable server Ideal for cyber-security or network capture in the field, the MilPAC-I is a power-house of a portable. Dual 22 Core Intel Xeon processors and 512GB RAM combine with up to 64TB of removable SSD storage. Manufactured, tested and supported in the USA. A Dream Portable Sixteen removable drives bays in 4-drive caddies for

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Ethernet - a short history

May 10, 2026Myles KelvinGeneral

Ethernet Explained: The Technology That Built Modern Networking Few technologies have shaped modern computing more profoundly than Ethernet. From the earliest local area networks at Xerox PARC in the 1970s to today’s multi-hundred-gigabit hyperscale data centers, Ethernet has evolved from a simple shared coaxial cable into the dominant wired networking technology on Earth. Ethernet now powers nearly every major category of digital infrastructure: Enterprise networks Data centers Industrial autom

Real-world use case rugged portable

April 7, 2026Myles KelvinPortable Workstation

Portable operation center by Thales. Click image for their video.

Should I Wait for PCIe Gen 6 SSDs?

January 23, 2025Myles KelvinGeneral

When it comes to technology, the promise of something better is always just around the corner. In the world of storage, that next big leap is PCIe Gen 6 SSDs. With speeds projected to double that of PCIe Gen 5, it’s hard not to wonder: should you hold out for PCIe Gen 6, or is now the time to invest in current-generation SSDs? Let’s break it down. What Is PCIe Gen 6? PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the high-speed interface that allows your SSD, GPU, and other peripherals to c

USB - A brief History - introducing USB4

June 11, 2024Myles KelvinGeneral

Before we plunge into the realm of USB4, let's take a quick trip down memory lane. USB, or Universal Serial Bus, has been the backbone of peripheral connectivity for over two decades. From humble beginnings with USB 1.0 to the lightning-fast speeds of USB 3.2, this ubiquitous interface has evolved to meet the ever-growing demands of modern computing. USB (with an "A" connector) USB 1.0, the groundbreaking interface that revolutionized connectivity! USB 1.0, standing for Universal Serial Bus, bro

Navigating the Expansion Slot Landscape: A Guide to PCI and Modern Alternatives

June 6, 2024Myles KelvinBlog

Today, we're diving deep into the heart of your computer's architecture: expansion slots. Specifically, we'll explore the tried-and-true PCI/PCIe slots and the exciting modern alternatives that are shaking up the scene. So to start - ISA slots! (Industry Standard Architecture) ISA was (and still is I suppose) a 16 bit bus from the IBM PC-AT computer age. Originally referred to as the PC bus (8-bit) or AT bus (16-bit), it was also named I/O Channel by IBM. The ISA term was coined as a retronym by

2U Short-depth rack-mount server (20" deep)

January 13, 2022Myles KelvinBlog

2U Short-depth rack-mount server The RMS-2U-17R is a short-depth, very high-performance server with sixteen removable data drives. A single removable boot SSD and a DVD drive complete the storage capabilities. Front-panel USB access and a power switch are also included. Performance comes from a dual Intel Xeon scalable server-grade motherboard and dual-redundant PSUs. The only downside is that half-height expansion cards are the maximum supported. However, there are plenty of powerful RAID or SA

Rugged laptops with expansion slots - X500 and NotePAC

December 20, 2021Myles KelvinBlog

Laptop computers with expansion slots Portexa NotePAC-III-PRO-V Triple screen portable server with expansion Getac X500 Single screen portable server with expansion "If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are not many options…. Common Features Large laptop portables Two PCIe expansion slots Fast processing Lots of connectivity Two alternatives - X500 and NotePAC-III If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are no

Unlimited battery power! NotePAC-III-PRO-V with Power Pack.

April 13, 2021Myles KelvinBlog

Click on image for larger view Announcing the NotePAC-III-PRO-V POWER PAC 4+ hour battery life rugged portable The NotePAC-III-PRO-V is the most powerful computer in it’s class. Triple screen portable computers with 16 core Xeon’s and expansion slots are inherently both powerful and require external power…. Until now! An additional machined aluminum chassis attaches to the NotePAC-III-PRO-V behind the main chassis, and out of view when using the system. Six x 81Wh batteries give a run-time of ov

No Knead Bread Recipe - 24H

April 5, 2020Myles KelvinBlog

No-Knead Bread Recipe (It's corona diaries time) Based on NYT 24H recipe by Mark Bittman who credited Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery . To make no-knead bread, combine 3 dry ingredients and water. Wait a bit. Bake. 430g flour 15g salt 1g yeast Weigh the flour - 430g -or 15 and a bit oz. Bread flour is best - but as it's hard to find right now (March 2020) this is just regular "All-Purpose" white flour. Salt - 15g No need to weigh separately - you can just re-tare and add to the flour.

Deployable Video Processing Laptop

January 25, 2020Myles KelvinBlog

Deployable Video Processing Laptop Rugged triple screen Xeon portable with video capture card NotePAC-III-PRO-V Vertical triple screen portable NotePAC-III-PRO Rugged laptop - triple screen NotePAC-III-SC Rugged laptop - Special configuration Video capture hardware solution Many security and surveillance missions rely on video. They need to monitor , capture, and disseminate video feeds. If a picture tells a thousand words, then a video is a library full of information. Capturing, processing, an

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Should I Wait for PCIe Gen 6 SSDs?

January 23, 2025Myles KelvinGeneral

When it comes to technology, the promise of something better is always just around the corner. In the world of storage, that next big leap is PCIe Gen 6 SSDs. With speeds projected to double that of PCIe Gen 5, it’s hard not to wonder: should you hold out for PCIe Gen 6, or is now the time to invest in current-generation SSDs? Let’s break it down. What Is PCIe Gen 6? PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the high-speed interface that allows your SSD, GPU, and other peripherals to c

Ethernet - a short history

May 10, 2026Myles KelvinGeneral

Ethernet Explained: The Technology That Built Modern Networking Few technologies have shaped modern computing more profoundly than Ethernet. From the earliest local area networks at Xerox PARC in the 1970s to today’s multi-hundred-gigabit hyperscale data centers, Ethernet has evolved from a simple shared coaxial cable into the dominant wired networking technology on Earth. Ethernet now powers nearly every major category of digital infrastructure: Enterprise networks Data centers Industrial autom

Real-world use case rugged portable

April 7, 2026Myles KelvinPortable Workstation

Portable operation center by Thales. Click image for their video.

USB - A brief History - introducing USB4

June 11, 2024Myles KelvinGeneral

Before we plunge into the realm of USB4, let's take a quick trip down memory lane. USB, or Universal Serial Bus, has been the backbone of peripheral connectivity for over two decades. From humble beginnings with USB 1.0 to the lightning-fast speeds of USB 3.2, this ubiquitous interface has evolved to meet the ever-growing demands of modern computing. USB (with an "A" connector) USB 1.0, the groundbreaking interface that revolutionized connectivity! USB 1.0, standing for Universal Serial Bus, bro

Navigating the Expansion Slot Landscape: A Guide to PCI and Modern Alternatives

June 6, 2024Myles KelvinBlog

Today, we're diving deep into the heart of your computer's architecture: expansion slots. Specifically, we'll explore the tried-and-true PCI/PCIe slots and the exciting modern alternatives that are shaking up the scene. So to start - ISA slots! (Industry Standard Architecture) ISA was (and still is I suppose) a 16 bit bus from the IBM PC-AT computer age. Originally referred to as the PC bus (8-bit) or AT bus (16-bit), it was also named I/O Channel by IBM. The ISA term was coined as a retronym by

2U Short-depth rack-mount server (20" deep)

January 13, 2022Myles KelvinBlog

2U Short-depth rack-mount server The RMS-2U-17R is a short-depth, very high-performance server with sixteen removable data drives. A single removable boot SSD and a DVD drive complete the storage capabilities. Front-panel USB access and a power switch are also included. Performance comes from a dual Intel Xeon scalable server-grade motherboard and dual-redundant PSUs. The only downside is that half-height expansion cards are the maximum supported. However, there are plenty of powerful RAID or SA

Rugged laptops with expansion slots - X500 and NotePAC

December 20, 2021Myles KelvinBlog

Laptop computers with expansion slots Portexa NotePAC-III-PRO-V Triple screen portable server with expansion Getac X500 Single screen portable server with expansion "If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are not many options…. Common Features Large laptop portables Two PCIe expansion slots Fast processing Lots of connectivity Two alternatives - X500 and NotePAC-III If you need a portable laptop-style computer with an expansion slot or two, there are no

Unlimited battery power! NotePAC-III-PRO-V with Power Pack.

April 13, 2021Myles KelvinBlog

Click on image for larger view Announcing the NotePAC-III-PRO-V POWER PAC 4+ hour battery life rugged portable The NotePAC-III-PRO-V is the most powerful computer in it’s class. Triple screen portable computers with 16 core Xeon’s and expansion slots are inherently both powerful and require external power…. Until now! An additional machined aluminum chassis attaches to the NotePAC-III-PRO-V behind the main chassis, and out of view when using the system. Six x 81Wh batteries give a run-time of ov

No Knead Bread Recipe - 24H

April 5, 2020Myles KelvinBlog

No-Knead Bread Recipe (It's corona diaries time) Based on NYT 24H recipe by Mark Bittman who credited Jim Lahey, owner of Sullivan Street Bakery . To make no-knead bread, combine 3 dry ingredients and water. Wait a bit. Bake. 430g flour 15g salt 1g yeast Weigh the flour - 430g -or 15 and a bit oz. Bread flour is best - but as it's hard to find right now (March 2020) this is just regular "All-Purpose" white flour. Salt - 15g No need to weigh separately - you can just re-tare and add to the flour.

Deployable Video Processing Laptop

January 25, 2020Myles KelvinBlog

Deployable Video Processing Laptop Rugged triple screen Xeon portable with video capture card NotePAC-III-PRO-V Vertical triple screen portable NotePAC-III-PRO Rugged laptop - triple screen NotePAC-III-SC Rugged laptop - Special configuration Video capture hardware solution Many security and surveillance missions rely on video. They need to monitor , capture, and disseminate video feeds. If a picture tells a thousand words, then a video is a library full of information. Capturing, processing, an

About the COTS Computers Blog

Find technical explanations, historical context, and practical examples related to rugged and portable computing.

The blog covers portable computers, rugged workstations, deployable servers, storage, expansion hardware, displays, networking, USB, PCIe, and the history of personal computing.

It is intended for engineers, technical buyers, procurement professionals, field teams, and anyone researching how portable and rugged computer systems work.

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