The CASwell CAF-026D fanless networking desktop system is based on Intel’s upgraded Atom Processor C-Series (Denverton-NS Refresh) and the successor to its widely used CAF-0260/0262/0264/026B systems using the previous Intel Atom generation. With enhanced technology, the CAF-026D is an even better foundation for energy-efficient yet powerful SD-WAN, vCPE and security solutions.
The CAF-026D benefits from the Atom Processor C-Series with higher frequencies while keeping almost the same thermal design power (TDP) and supporting faster memory like DDR4-2400 instead of DDR4-2133 for enhanced bandwidth when compared to the previous Intel Atom generation. Important for many industries is the support of Intel Quick Assist Technology (QAT) by Intel’s Denverton-NS Refresh series like the C3558R and C3338R CPUs because collecting data at the network edge and sending to the cloud requires encryption to keep the information protected from unauthorized access when operated outside corporate firewalls. Devices supporting QAT like the CAF-026D can process encryption and decryption more than ten times faster than without QAT.
The primary target market of the CASwell CAF-026D is SD-WAN, the software-defined approach to managing wide area networks. Key advantages of SD-WAN are to reduce costs with transport independence across MPLS, 4G/5G LTE, and other connection types, to improve application performance and increasing agility, and to optimize user experience and efficiency for software-as-a-service (SaaS) and public-cloud applications. This concept also simplifies operations with automation and cloud-based management, and furthermore provides high availability due to not relying on just one type of network connection.
Besides wired connectivity for SD-WAN, the CAF-026D also supports wireless connections with up to three optional WiFi and/or 5G or 4G/LTE modules via mPCIe and M.2 cards. SIM card holders for cellular connectivity are accessible to the end user for easy usage and card replacement. Up to 32GB or DDR4 system memory can be coupled with SATA 3.0 and optional eMMC flash storage. A Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) for encryption, authentication and digital rights management is available. The compact form factor of the CAF-026D desktop case provides LED status information regarding power, HDD, Ethernet and other activity and also has two USB 2.0 ports for additional enhancements or monitoring.
The CASwell CAF-026D with multiple wireless connectivity options is the best and most versatile fanless desktop system for SD-WAN applications but also highly recommended for vCPE and security solutions that require a compact form factor.