In this information-centric era, data is a lifeline, which is generated and exponentially utilized for umpteenth purposes. Therefore, safe storage of it, for present and eternity worry us; and having understood this fact, AMU has forthwith installed 100 Terabyte storing device to its institutional datacenter.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Directorate Director, Dr Hussein Seid, has informed that ICT Directorate office has installed institutional storage device with a capacity of 100 Terabyte to be linked to all servers that will boost their respective storing capacities.
Dr Hussein said the installed storage device has a scalable capacity up to 1000 Terabyte whenever needed just by adding more hard disks. The system has a capacity of securing the data stored on it as it uses n+1 technology for its storage redundancy that means any hard disk failure can be rectified without turning off the system.
This storage system will be a boon for registrar office that has tons of records to be digitalized and SMIS facing space crunch is also resolved. Importantly, hereafter, email server will allow an individual to communicate more data size than before.
Citing challenges, he said, previously servers have had limitations that put us in great quandary. Therefore, we had included this requisition in university’s strategic plan to enhance institutional capacity and we are now satisfied that it has been successfully achieved, he adds.
Listing out advantages, he said it will be a great asset for researchers who then used to collect and store data on Google Drive and elsewhere, but, now they can store it on this system.
Further, he adds, registrar office, libraries and warehouse’s data will occupy major spaces in the cache. Specially, libraries’ e-books will be safely lodged there without any space problem.
On growing server load, he said researchers have huge data and processing them will require high computing capacity. For which, university is expecting high performance computing devise under AMU-VLIRUOS project, that will help us to resolve the issue.
He revealed that ICT Directorate Office may soon launch active directory to control all computers in the university to facilitate booting from central system instead of local hard-disk. It will save time and energy and emerging problems can be diagnosed and resolved from one point.
On Mirror Datacenter installation at Chamo Campus, he said, a fully-equipped portable Container Data Centre will soon be installed; a container with all equipment in it, is safe, locatable, cost-effective (expected price of ETB 10 Million) and environment-friendly for which bidding has already begun, while physical building will prove to be costly and time-taking.
Scotching unwanted worries, he said if we get new building for Mirror Database, in that case, the container will be shifted to Sawla Campus. He also informed that as Ethio-Telecom has no broadband connection at Sawla, so university has urged them to install internet with 30 mbps that will be done shortly; but setting local area network is impossible for construction is going on.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)