Dell Modular Computer - Dell IdeaStorm

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Dell Modular Computer

600 points posted to Desktops, Environment by reg 04/25/07 **NOT NOW**

It would be great for Dell to make a 'Blade' Type MidTower computer - slotted cartridges for the CPU, Graphic Card, Hard Drive, DVD Burner, 2CD Burner Drive.

All modules slotted - the buyer just picks and chooses what they want : 1 CPU with 1 Nvidia card, 3 Hard drives, and 2 DVD burners. A micro tower should hold 4 slots, a mid-tower size should hold 7 slots, a full tower 12 slotted modules.

Truly custom config your machine - easy assembly, slot, locking lever action - just like the Blade servers and RAID hard drives. Tired of a puny 2.0 GHz dual core? Unlatch and remove the CPU/RAM module - insert your new 3.0 GHz Quad Core with 4 GB RAM module. Keep all your data/software/hard drive/CD Drive in place.

Easy repair, easy upgrades, easy maintenance. Dell should do this: Modular computing. The time is now.

I think they used to call this a 'passive back plane' system - all cartridge modules connect to a high speed bus - so a cartridge would hold a 'motherboard' module (cpu + RAM). The hard drive would be a module, the video card - a module, the DVD drive - another module. Interchangeable parts make easy to configure, easy to upgrade systems.

Environmentally supportive idea too - less waste, less land fill.

reg 04/25/07	The Module Cartridges contain the connections, levers, and logic to link standard parts to the high speed bus. In this manner, you can insert a hard drive, or a CD Burner, or other parts into the standard cartridge holder. The Motherboard is greatly reduced in size, containing only the CPU, RAM, and connecting circuits. I/O can be on it's own cartridge, like a serial/parallel/USB 2.0/Firewire 400/800 cartridge. GPU cards from nVidia or ATI would need to be different, with an express slot in the cartridge, allowing the graphic card ports to be accessed from the back of the machine. So a slotted module slot would 1/2 be blocked (for the bus connector) and 1/2 be open - for port pass through.
premcv 04/25/07	Good reg, now you have the Idea on! Hope this gets a good number of votes. :) Here's mine for starters!
reg 04/25/07	Thank you. The old passive back plane computer design was limited by speed of the bus, but the new designs for SATA-II drives and high speed connections for video cards have corrected that problem. The nice thing about modular computing is you could start with a 4 slot mini tower, and if you want more storage or space, you just order up a 12 slot full sized tower, unlatch your current modules, snap them into the larger tower, and add in all the extra drives and equipment you want. If you've ever used a Blade system, or a nice RAID array, you know how nice it is to pop out blanks and just add in new modules - 1 more TB of storage coming right up! pop, slide, click - ready! Sweet. All computer components should be this easy, Dell can be the first to offer modular computing with interchangeable modules for desktops, servers, RAID arrays, even a 'cartridge 2.5" drive' module - so you can pop out your XPS notebook hard drive and snap it into your mid tower. copy / load the data & programs you need, eject it and put it back into your laptop - good to go! This would work as a new product line for Dell: Notebook / Desktop / Server / Storage Array - 100% compatible. - all using mostly existing hardware loaded into module cartridges. Here is your new Marketing slogan:*Just Dell IT !*
premcv 04/25/07	That's the fun of modularity. Able to detach and re-attach. Yes, I've had my hands on a BLADE system and a RAID array. Come to think of it, Modularity has more advantages than I can think of. The Cartridge 2.5 drive module will be a great thing for people who have both laptops and Desktops. With modular computing it will be fairly easy to maintain information between them. Love the marketing slogan! Just DELL IT. :)
reg 04/25/07	Since DELL would use universal design principles, but own the modules/cartridge design rights, well - it wouldn't be vendor lock in per se, but when I want to upgrade my machine, I would order my parts from Dell, not from somebody else... Think of the long term benefits in customer loyalty, repeat business, and ease of use... The long term dividends are worth the development effort. And given the choice of a 'slap together' Gateway, eMachine, or HP, or a modular Dell - I would always buy easy to maintain and upgrade Dells. For corporate customers, you could even include a circle key lock, a single lock that operates an internal latching lever, locking all modules into place. Keeping equipment securely in place...
premcv 04/25/07	Oh yea, the long term benefits far outperform the initial development worth. If it was a complete business unit, it would break-even within the first year, IMHO. Easy to maintain and upgrades are what makes us constantly move to different vendors. I like the circle key lock idea. if driven and developed well, it would really work wonders.
premcv 04/25/07	Something on the lines of THIS
cosh 04/25/07	Yeay modular like LEGO!!!
premcv 04/25/07	Yes, cosh, lego gives us the Idea of Modularity and how it would be in the real world.
cosh 04/25/07	Real world? What's that?
premcv 04/25/07	Hmmm... That's something I've lost the definition of, of late! I'm still wondering!
reg 04/25/07	Thanks for the link, that is very cool. The picture I used for the idea was a RAID array: like that, with each module having a snap-in lever. One lock locking all modules with a vertical bar latch configuration would work wonders...
pschachte 04/25/07	Nice idea, but I worry about cooling and the increased cost of extra packaging.
reg 04/25/07	Cost for convenience. A BMW car costs more than a Toyota - but BMW drivers don't want a Toyota. For cooling, the modular cartridges would be 'holey' like the case pictured above, or like the Apple Mac Pro - lots of free air flow.
premcv 04/26/07	I like the Apple Pro design. Amazing!
reg 04/26/07	Apple's Holey Mac Pro - plenty of free air flow, just don't spill a Pepsi on it!
premcv 04/27/07	yea, reg, it can be renamed Apple Holey MacPro. :) Lots of air flow! :) Minitature A/c for your monitor? :D
dell_admin10 07/25/07	Changed status to NOT NOW.
premcv 07/25/07	Dell_admin* when setting an Idea as NOT NOW, I think we should know why and when, if they do think of using, this idea will be re-looked.
dell_admin10 07/25/07	@premcv Agreed. We are looking into the 'why' of the status and will get back with more details.
jervis961 07/25/07	dell_admin10 - since you owe me a favor for merging my non duplicate idea can you look into this for me. http://www.ideastorm.com/article/show/62715/Preinstalled_Software_Must_Be_Opt... I tagged it as a duplicate of part of one of my ideas that was posted earlier than it. The info is in the comments about 3 or 4 from the end.

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