The Computer Dudes, Inc

The "Chico-8" Version 2.0 is out and for sale!   

Vertsion 2.0 uses "Power over Ethernet",  abbreviated PoE. 

Each of the 8 Raspberry Pi 4B's now requires only one corded connection, to Gigabit Ethernet.

We also updated the Gigabit Switch to a version with dual uplink ports in addition to the 8 PoE ports.

More details and photos coming soon.  - Todd 

2020 is the Year of the Gordo.    The Gordo-48 Microserver Cluster.

The "Gordo-48" is a radial microserver cluster computer. designed by The Computer Dudes, Inc of Tallahassee, Florida in January of 2020.   

Based on its Artistic Form, its Low Power consumption, and Adaptability, it is a Revolutionary Design.

Gordo-48 Specs and Stats:

48 Quadcore ARM Processors = 96 Cores running from 1.2 to 2 Ghz
192 Gigabytes of DDR4 RAM
6 Tb MicroSD Solid State Hard Drives
48 Gigabit, Wake On LAN Wired Ethernet, PoE Enabled 
48 Multicore GPUs, each GPU can run two 55 Inch 4K Televisions concurrently. 
48 Wifi adapters
48 Sound Cards
96 USB 2.0
96 USB 3.0
96 HDMI Outputs

Advantages over every other Server on the planet in 2020:

1) Energy Savings
2) Low Power Use,  550 Watts at 5 volts DC.
3) Heat Savings = Air Conditioning Savings,  The chips automatically slow down when they pass a certain temperature.
4) Small and Light.   Each Gordo-48 replaces  4 full racks of standard servers.  That is 10 standard servers per rack, for a total of 40 standard servers, replaced by a single Gordo-48!
5) All the software is Free,   Standard Configuration is Raspberian Linux, with SAMBA4 including load balancing.   Custom Configuration to your request is available too. 
6) It's Linux, so it  rarely gets viruses.

Additional Features you will not find any any other Server on the planet:

Dual 28 Port PoE Gigabit Switches, built into the computer's base. 
850 Va, 550 Watt UPS Battery Backup with Surge Protector and Digital Info Display, also built into the computer's base. 
Glows in the Dark.

We are building the first Gordo-48 this week.   The programming is complete.   The power systems are also complete and ready for assembly.  

The Gordo Series is now for sale - only through The Computer Dudes, Inc. 
 
The Gordo-48 will start at $15,500 with basic options.

The Gordo-48 V 2.0 includes Power over Ethernet, PoE. through an un-managed Gigabit 10/100/1000 Switch.  The Gordo-48 V 2.0 start at  $18,500

This project is now almost a year ahead of schedule.   Check back soon for further updates.  :)T  

Coming Soon:   Just how much electricity can be saved in Watts, using a single Gordo-48 to replace 40 standard servers by manufacturers like Dell and HP.    

"WAR!   What is it good for?   Absolutely Nothing! " - Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, Motown 1969. 

That is pretty much how I feel about it, but its not always something we can prevent or avoid as an adult or as a corporation.   This brief article looks at the moral implications of "weaponizing" products originally intended for peaceful commercial uses such as Ethical Hacking and Pentesting. 

For this discussion we will consider a mail-able computer security tool designed by my company, The Computer Dudes, Inc.  We named it "The Skunk" because it is small and looks like it has a tail.

The Skunk is a small computer run by a cell phone battery pack that has a high power WiFi antenna.    We designed it a year ago for a client to test their internal network at several sites.  To do so we configured it to do passive scanning and to "call home" when it found an open public WiFi access point .  It would record its data internally too for when it reached its final destination.   The Skunk, as designed, is "Passive" and Legal when used in Pentesting.

We could "weaponize" The Skunk by making it become ACTIVE to jam, disrupt, plant viruses on or monitor any network.   Legally such a device could be sold to Law Enforcement or the Military.

Sounds good, but is it moral?   Consider a couple of examples.

Play "Devils Advocate" and say the Skunk was developed by people who do not approve of illegal uses, uses in war, or any uses outside the original design.  To violate their contracts, trust, or values is clearly a conflict of interest.

The thing that sticks in my mind, is what if our weaponized system disrupted something or caused other problems that resulted in civilian deaths.   

Is it moral to take something peaceful and make it a weapon?   I don't really know.  It is something my companies, employees, and I will research to consider further.    If you have good answers to the moral questions,  or just want to discuss some of this, feel free to comment or email me at:  corprattx@gmail.com  

Thanks! - Todd W. Byars, Founder, The Computer Dudes, Inc. Tallahassee, Florida.    Since 1997 :)