Dell Offers Secure PC For Government Users

Through a new alliance, Dell has developed a version of its OptiPlex PC that's designed to let users in government agencies access data with varied security requirements from a single desktop system, rather than two or more PCs.

Dell is incorporating Integrity Global Security's Integrity "separation kernel" into its OptiPlex desktop PCs. The kernel isolates virtual machines, each with its own guest operating system, making it possible to run multiple VMs with different security settings and toggle between them The Integrity kernel has been certified by the National Information Assurance Partnership to EAL6+ and "high robustness," industry standards for OS security.

The new offering is called the Dell Integrity Secure Consolidated Client Solution, and it's available now. In addition to using the Integrity kernel, the PCs are based on Intel's VPro chips and can run Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, and Linux. They support Citrix and VMware clients and secure browsing via Mozilla Firefox.

It's not unusual for government users to keep sensitive data on one machine while using a second PC to access public documents and surf the Web. Dell is offering the Dell Integrity systems as an alternative to that multi-PC approach.

The single PC approach is more efficient and economical, the companies said. The benefits include less hardware to manage, simplified infrastructure, lower energy consumption, and increased workspace on the desktop.

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