The Indian IT Scenario

In a country like India, hardware in the field must withstand all kinds of extremes. Indian weather can range from sub-zero temperatures to fifty degrees Celsius, and the power supply is erratic and, when available, rarely at the correct voltage or frequency. User hostility towards the device often adds to these problems. Organisations often use IT to monitor the people who use it, which users resent.

The other major problem is the lack of connectivity. While the world is moving to a web-based, centralised computing model, most parts of India still do not have reliable Internet or WAN connectivity.

Our Hardware Solution

Thinvent addresses these problems. We develop hardware such as thin clients, hand-helds and ruggedised servers that can withstand the environments our customers work in. We address the power, heat and dust problems by designing our devices to consume very little power, which extends battery life. Lower power consumption means lower heat dissipation, which allows compact, heat-resistant devices. Low heat dissipation also removes the need for cooling fans, which draw in dust, so the devices are better protected against dust.

Our devices have no moving parts. All storage is on solid-state media. This extends the life of the product and reduces downtime and servicing. As these devices are deployed across widely dispersed locations, a higher MTBF significantly reduces travel time for service personnel.

Fewer moving parts and a smaller size also reduce the cost of the product.

Our Software Solution

We create Linux-based operating environments under the brand name Thinux. Thinux is designed to get the maximum performance from the low-power components in our hardware. The OS is designed for 24x7x365 operation and provides remote management and monitoring, remote application upgrades, support for various peripherals, Indian language localisation and a small footprint.

Open source allows us to customise the operating environment to the unique needs of each customer. Projects often do not need general-purpose computers. They require single-purpose devices focused on the business goals of the project.

Connectivity

A major problem in deploying dispersed IT systems is the lack of guaranteed bandwidth. Thinvent works around this problem by transporting data between the client and the server over multiple types of connection. Our systems support DSL, Ethernet, VSAT, WiFi, packet radio, leased line, cable, dial-up, GPRS/EDGE/3G, CDMA, and other forms of data connectivity. We even provide limited connectivity over SMS.

Connected-Disconnected Operation

Thinvent enables its customers to run “online” applications in a connected-disconnected environment by replicating the entire server-side database and application stack on the client device. The local and central databases are synchronised whenever intermittent connectivity is available. Many government agencies, such as the Indian Railways, have chosen this mode.