OLPC XS

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The OLPC Active Antenna will help build the mesh network. OLPC Active Antenna.jpg
The OLPC Active Antenna will help build the mesh network.

The OLPC XS (often referred to as "School Server") [1] is a Linux-based operating system (a Fedora-based distribution) developed by One Laptop per Child designed to be installed on generic lower grade servers intended for schools. [2] Initial plans of building a custom server geared for the role have been postponed, OLPC however offers hardware recommendations for the system, and plans to support the XO laptops running as a server for very small schools.

Contents

OLPC XS can provide children's XO laptops and their Sugar Learning Platform with network connectivity for backups, anti-theft leases, web browsing, system, content updates, asynchronous collaboration tools such as Moodle, etc.

Projected specifications

The (currently on hold) plans call for an energy-efficient design that does not require moving parts for basic functionality. It will be mildly ruggedized.

The XS Server's CPU is a PowerPC, the MPC7447A from Freescale, with AltiVec support.

The system will boot from flash memory, which is far less likely to fail than a hard disk. Hard disks will be provided for storing a library of local content and for making backups of the children's data. The XS is intended to ship with one hard disk installed, and a second to serve as either a spare or for increased capacity. The second is not installed by default because this would consume extra power.

There will be three 802.11s wireless mesh connections. Each will be a USB device with a 3-meter (10 foot) cable, allowing good antenna placement (high, unobstructed) and good server placement (dry, secure).

References

  1. ↑ Domingo, Joel Santo (2007-11-28). "OLPC XO-1". PCMag. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  2. ↑ Kasiviswanathan, Karthick, A.; Fontelo, Paul (2009). "Experiments in Connecting the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) Computer to the Internet" (PDF). AMIA Annual Symposium Proceedings. A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland. National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland: American Medical Informatics Association: 904. Retrieved November 3, 2025.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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