Frequently Asked Questions: IU Bloomington Data Center
How will the Data Center benefit IU and University Information Technology Services?
The new Data Center will meet the increasing demand for secure information technology facilities on the Indiana University Bloomington campus. With its bunkered design, the Data Center will have an increased capacity to withstand most natural disasters, better ensuring the safety and security of some of IU's most important networking, computer processing, and data storage equipment. The Data Center will also provide the space and infrastructure needed to significantly upgrade the storage and computing resources dedicated to research.
What sort of equipment will the Data Center accommodate?
The machine rooms will house networking and computing infrastructure currently located in the Wrubel Computing Center. This infrastructure includes numerous computers, data storage units, and servers—including the supercomputer Big Red—as well as the Bloomington hub for I-Light, the statewide high-speed optical fiber network.
Where can I get specifications about IU's Data Center?
You can download a PDF file containing detailed technology specifications and information about the Data Center, here.
Where will the Data Center be located?
The new location is east of the 45/46 State Road Bypass and north of Tenth Street, at the former University School Complex. The building itself will occupy the former site of the Creative Arts Center.
How large will the Data Center be?
With its low-slung, disaster-resistant design, the approximately 82,700-square-foot Data Center will rise
just one story above ground level. Inside will be three machine rooms—the Enterprise, Research, and Future Research pods—sized at just over 11,000 square feet each, as well as a centralized war room and an operations center.
What is the cost of the new Data Center, and where is the funding coming from?
The Data Center construction project is estimated to cost $32.7 million and will be funded by Academic Facilities Bonds ($18.3 million), Infrastructure Reserves ($8.4 million) and Capital Projects/Land Acquisition Reserves ($6 million).
What type of early warning system does the new Data Center have for fire protection?
IU's Data Center will have a Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus (VESDA). For an overview of how the smoke detection works, see this related video.
When will the Data Center be completed?
Completion is tentatively slated for spring 2009. A six-to-nine-month move-in period will follow, as equipment is transferred from the Wrubel Computing Center into the new building.
What long-term implications will the Data Center have?
With a more secure center of IT operations, IU can continue to attract external support, encouraging research in the life sciences and other cutting-edge fields that demand supercomputing technology. Additionally, in light of a recent agreement with the Indiana Office of Technology to share network connectivity and provide back-up server space in the event of crisis or equipment failure, the Data Center's stability could prove crucial for a much broader demographic than just the university community.
What sustainability and "green" features are part of the IU Data Center construction?
The IU Data Center construction addresses a number of sustainability issues:
The building will be part of a Technology Precinct master plan that includes a working landscape, or "greenway," that will assist with storm water management and protect ecological balance and biodiversity. The data center is built on already disturbed land where previous buildings sat, so the overall footprint will not be increased. The master plan will also enable pedestrian traffic and access to mass transit.
To meet tornado resistance and high-wind standards, the facility features a concrete shell. While concrete production does contribute to CO2 emissions, concrete is made from recycled and abundant materials, can be produced locally to cut down on transit emissions, and increases insulation and heat storage to reduce the need for additional heating and cooling. Construction will also use materials derived from recycled content or rapidly renewed resources, such as bamboo wall cladding in the lobby.
The IU Data Center will also feature a ten- to twelve-foot-high berm around most of the building. This berm, planted with native grasses and drought-resistant plants, will improve insulation and reduce heat gain on exterior walls and eliminate the need for a potable water irrigation system. Limestone boulders found on the excavation site will also be used in landscaping, and will not need to be hauled off-site. The roof was built to allow an easy conversion to a green roof.
To learn more about the sustainability features of the IU Data Center construction, see The IU Data Center: Sustainable Features (pdf), and the Indiana University Data Center Case Study (pdf).
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