Serverhosting in the IVV Natural Sciences
Serverhosting through the IVV Natural Sciences can be done in two ways: Either by using a virtual machine on the IVV's virtualization clusteror by implementing a server system in the server rooms of the IVV. If a virtual machine is used, the conditions and parameters described below are implicitly met. In the event of a hardware installation in the server rooms of IVV, various IVV services are available.
The IVV Natural Sciences can supervise the hardware of the system to be procured and take care of all the associated processes, such as configuration, request for quotation and procurement preparation, in close cooperation with the supervisors appointed by the working groups. The work group can also supervise the system completely on their own, if that is desired.
Installation and Maintenance
After the procurement the IVV Natural Sciences takes over the installation in the server room together with the assigned company. IVV Natural Sciences will also handle warranty and service cases in connection with the hardware if a corresponding service contract (extended warranty) has been supplied.
The prerequisite for this is that the IVV Natural Sciences is significantly involved in the procurement of the hardware. The hardware to be procured must be easily integrated into the existing infrastructure for monitoring and managing systems, in particular the monitoring and automated updating of drivers and firmware versions. The system used is essentially the HPE Systems Insight Manager, so that at present only Hewlett Packard Enterprise products can be integrated as far as possible. The judgement of the IVV Natural Sciences employee responsible for the operation is decisive in this regard.
In addition, service support (on-site) of the hardware is expected in the form of an (extended) warranty, which must be concluded with the order from the manufacturer for the expected life of the system (not less than three years, recommended five years). This possibly additional service must be included in the procurement costs of the system and borne by the work group.
Access to the System
Each system installed in IVV server rooms must be equipped with a remote maintenance unit that allows complete control over the system, independent of a running operating system and without physical access to the hardware. This requires a network connection that is independent of the other system. Access to the IVV server rooms is only possible when accompanied by an IVV employee.
Server - Software and Applications
The choice of the operating system and the necessary applications is made by the work group. The support of the hardware and the manufacturer (drivers, software agents, etc.) must be taken into account.
As far as Windows systems are concerned, the IVV Natural Sciences recommends the use of the current Windows Server version, in the expansion level suitable for the task used (Web, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter). For virtual machines, the Windows Server license is provided by the IVV in the Datacenter and Software Assurance versions and is included in the costs for the VM. In the case of physical servers, the operating system licence (Windows, commercial other operating system) and necessary extension (e.g. MS Software Assurance) and update contracts must be included in the system procurement costs and borne by the working group. CAL licenses for Windows servers are covered by the Microsoft Campus Contract and do not need to be purchased separately.
As far as Linux systems are concerned, the distributions already represented in the IVV Natural Sciences Debian, CentOS, openSuSE or Ubuntu are recommended if necessary with corresponding software maintenance/support (costs are to be borne by the work group). If a commercial variant (SuSE, Redhat, Ubuntu Enterprise) is used, the license and the software maintenance and support must be included in the procurement costs of the system and borne by the working group.
The setup, consisting of installation and configuration of the operating system and applications, is carried out by the work group.Virtual machines may have ready-made templates for different Windows and Linux versions that can be used as a basis. IVV Natural Sciences provides support in those areas where the connection to the user administration of the NWZ Active Directory and the use of central resources is required.
The operating system and applications are operated and maintained by the work group. If it is desired, IVV Natural Sciences staff can be instructed in these tasks by the work group and, in exceptional cases, can provide support.In such a case, a joint documentation of the system and its maintenance must be created. The technical responsibility for the system always remains with the working group.
In the case of software that is not part of the general offer of IVV Natural Sciences, the licence and software maintenance and support must be included in the procurement costs of the system and borne by the work group.
Environmental conditions in server rooms
In the server rooms of IVV Natural Sciences a standard infrastructure based on HPE technology is available, consisting of a blade system, storage systems based on NAS and FC-SAN and 19" rack installation options. Only rack mounting is available for server systems.
The power supply is designed redundantly, by the direct connection to the city power supply and a USV plant of the company APC, for bridging of current fluctuations and short-term failures. The latter allows an orderly shutdown of the systems if the corresponding agents are available for the system.
The server rooms are equipped with air conditioning.
As network connection technology, Gigabit Ethernet is available in a fail-safe (trunked) configuration, with a free choice of the required VLAN within the framework of network regionalization. The required connections can be switched by the ZIV at the instigation of the IVV Natural Sciences. The costs are to be included in the procurement costs of the system and to be borne by the participating working groups. Should a connection to the storage systems of the IVV be desired, further costs will arise.