We are about to upgrade all rack power bars in the Informatics Forum self-managed server room IF-B.Z14. We will be replacing the existing metered power bars (APC models AP7853 and AP8853) with switched versions (APC model AP8953). The new power bars will allow us fine-grained control of individual power outlets; they’ll also help us prevent […]

Last weekend (Saturday 19.1.19), the UPS system which supplies power to the various server rooms located in the Informatics Forum developed a fault which meant that one half of the pair of units which comprise the UPS went off-line. As a result, the other half of the pair became overloaded: we now have so many […]

We will shortly be upgrading the remaining Forum core network switch.  With this one there will be some (expected) visible effects, as follows: This switch is normally the “root bridge” for the entire Informatics network.  While we do have extensive redundant connectivity, the active paths are usually based around this switch being at the centre.  […]

Apologies for the short network disruption yesterday afternoon.  It was caused by a 10Gbps forwarding loop, which was created as the second-last fibre was being connected as part of our core switch upgrade programme.  As soon as we realised there was a problem the fibre was disconnected again and the port configuration corrected. Background: we […]

We will shortly begin the process of upgrading the switches which form the core of the Informatics network in the Forum and Appleton Tower.  The network has enough resilience built into it that this can happen mostly transparently to users.  Where this is not possible, an announcement will be posted in advance, though actual downtime […]

Now that every floor in the Forum has at least one cloud printing device with more to follow, I thought it might be useful to provide a few hints and tips on how to get started with cloud printing. Setting your machine up DICE managed machines You don’t need to do anything, the cloud queues […]

(This is just a copy of the mail I sent to staff and students earlier in the week but with an additional item about the need to turn off self managed and admin office machines). As previously advised, work being carried out in connection with the new student centre means that there will be no […]

Over the next couple of weeks, inhabitants of the Forum will note the appearance of new Xerox MFD’s in the South West printing areas of the forum. These are mono devices which also function as photocopiers and (colour) scanners. The Forum dweller may also spot that the existing Xerox MFDs in the North East print […]

Last year I wrote an article extolling the virtues of cloud based printing and announcing the intention to extend the use of cloud printing to those parts of Informatics where it was not already available. With one or two exceptions, this proposal was greeted with some enthusiasm and so over the next few weeks, the […]

We will soon be replacing all existing 100 Mb/s network switches in all of the Informatics Forum IT closets with new 1Gb/s switches. There are 17 IT closets in the Forum, each of which provides networking connectivity to its nearby offices. Typically, each closet contains three or four 100 Mb/s switches – so there is […]