DOBSON — At first glance it looks like some of the computer monitors and keyboards at the Surry County Register of Deeds office aren’t hooked up to anything. Actually, they’re plugged into the office’s newest tool for going green.

Public terminals at the office no longer use the large rectangular towers that normally house computer CPUs. Now the computer monitors and keyboards are hooked to small rectangular boxes, roughly 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches, called virtual desktops. Made by Pano, these units don’t house software or data like normal computers. They simply connect monitors and keyboards to a county server that has all of the needed applications and stores all data.

“While the technical description may make virtual desktops initially sound more complicated than traditional desktop PCs, the centralizing of all the software, storage, processing and management within the data center actually makes the units simpler and virtually maintenance free,” explained Carolyn M. Comer, register of deeds.

The virtual desktops each cost around $350 initially, which is less than half the cost of a traditional desktop unit. They also are supposed to last longer, according to Comer. She said the Pano units are projected to last up to 10 years.

But the units don’t just save the county on computer costs. Comer calls the effort her “green project,” because the new units use very little energy. According to Comer, a virtual desktop uses less than 5 watts to operate, roughly 3 percent of what an EnergyStar certified desktop PC consumes. Frank Prince, network engineer for Surry County Management Information Systems, said Pano claims that the units use less power when in full use than a regular computer does when it’s turned off, since even powered-down PCs continue to consume a small amount of energy if they are plugged in.

“The system we have employed is providing significant green savings on a number of fronts, helping us conserve both the Earth and our capital and operating budgets,” Comer remarked.

The security factor also is key for Comer. She said the units are immune to viruses and other malware and have no local storage capabilities, preventing security breaches and data loss. USB ports can be disabled on the units to prevent people from trying to download information from them. Comer also pointed out that if someone tried to steal it, the device would be useless to them without the server.

Prince said, “It’s a lot easier for us to rebuild one.” He said MIS can just work on the server as opposed to having to work on each individual unit.

The project was initiated, Comer said, after she recognized in 2007 that the office would need to replace many of its computers soon.

“These units were expensive (typically $900 to $1,100 each), had a very limited useful life span (typically three to five years), were costly to maintain, required frequent professional IT maintenance, regular updating of each individual unit, presented considerable security concerns and devoured a surprising amount of energy,” Comer explained.

She said that when looking for possible computer solutions, her office’s goal was “to accomplish replacement of the units by the 2010-2011 budget year and ensure that we did so always with an eye toward employing units that would be environmentally friendly.” Suggestions from the county’s MIS department led her to the virtual desktops.

“I saw that it would be a good green project for our office,” said Comer. “When you’re spending someone else’s money, you want to be careful.”

With authorization from the county commissioners, the office used funds from the state mandated Register of Deeds Automation and Enhancement Fund to purchase the units in 2009. The office and MIS tested the new system for a while before fully implementing it earlier this year.

Now the office has eight virtual desktops in operation with plans to replace other computers with the new units as they wear out. The office has around 25 computers at this point.

Comer explained that more departments are not using a similar system because everyone would have to be connected to a network for it to work.

“And it’s a new thing,” she said. “It’s not widespread yet.”

So far Comer said she has not found a disadvantage to using the system. Prince said the only disadvantage he can see is the learning curve it will take for everyone to use the new system. He said each of the offices have different applications and software which would all have to be incorporated into the county system if they were to transition to the new interface.

“But we might go that route,” he said.

Martha Brintle, MIS senior network administrator, said other county offices are not moving to the new system yet. It is still in the testing phase.

Comer is happy with her new system which she says is “safer, more secure, longer-lasting, simpler to use and maintain, cost-effective, energy saving.”

“And, of particular importance during this challenging economy, (it) was accomplished without the need for any additional funding from our county’s taxpayers,” said Comer.

Contact Meghann Evans at mevans@mtairynews.com or 719-1952.