Frequently Asked Questions
What types of hardware does Physical Co-Location support?
You can co-locate rack mounted equipment. We recommend fully redundant power supplies to avoid downtime. We can assist you with equipment configuration for new purchases to ensure compatibility with our power infrastructure and existing rack space dimensions.
Can I use physical co-location services for high-performance computing applications?
The Cyert Hall Data Center cannot currently support high-performance computing (HPC) applications.
HPC applications, such as generative artificial intelligence tools, require power and cooling capabilities that are currently beyond those of the Cyert Hall Data Center (CHDC).
Computing Services is exploring alternate locations for HPC applications as well as retrofitting the CHDC to support these systems. We will share more information as we update our services.
What power systems does the Cyert Hall Data Center currently use?
We currently provide two separate power sources to each cabinet, allowing for continuous functionality if one power source fails or requires maintenance.
We also provide an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), a system that continues to provide power during power outages.
What cooling system does the Cyert Hall Data Center currently use?
The Cyert Hall Data Center uses raised floor air distribution, a cooling method that uses a pressurized space beneath the floor to distribute conditioned air.
What are my responsibilities?
We ask departments to provide a primary and secondary point of contact for equipment-related issues. The department is responsible for the following:
- System administration
- Software management
- End-user support
- Data center regulations
- Equipment changes
Email us one week in advance of new installations, refreshes and decommissions. New installations require a review process and management approval, which can take up to 7 business days. - Details of personnel changes
Email us at least once per quarter with the details of personnel changes for data center access. - Unusual Issues
Email us immediately if you encounter any unusual issues in the data center.
When will the equipment be installed after I submit a request?
- Please allow up to 5 weeks for installation, longer if you require special network connectivity and/or high wattage power supplies.
- New installations must undergo a review process and management approval, which can take up to 7 business days.
- Please notify us one week in advance of any changes to existing hardware. This includes refresh of existing hardware and retirement of old hardware.
Will access to server consoles be available?
We recommend the installation of remote access software on your system. However, departmental personnel can access server consoles directly using our keyboard-video-mouse infrastructure or a crash cart.
Can departmental personnel support their own hardware?
To safeguard personnel and equipment, our technicians will perform all hardware changes, including installations, relocations and removals.
Schedule non-emergency repairs during business hours (Monday - Friday, 9 am - 5 pm). We will arrange for access for a department's third-party hardware repair provider during normal business hours.
Are there other services available?
We also offers a cost-effective virtual hosting service, known as Campus Cloud. Virtual servers appear and act the same as physical servers, but at a fraction of the cost. Visit the Campus Cloud page for more information.