The Scientific Facility
Computer Service runs the institute's central mail, print, software, backup and web servers, as well as file servers for the various departments and Max Planck Research Groups, all running the Linux operating system. Backup remains based on Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM); currently the total backup data volume approaches 140 TB, the central Storage Area Network has been extended to 230 TB. The estimated total number of desktops and data acquisition PCs remains around 800. Of these about two thirds run Windows, one third runs Linux, the number of Macs is rising slowly. While the number of High Performance Computing (HPC) nodes dropped significantly the number of computing cores rose slightly to 2420 cores with 12TB accumulated memory, the HPC associated electricity consumption dropped sharply to about 50 kW. Most central services were virtualized by means of the Xen hypervisor and can be moved freely between two server installations in the main building and the new High Precision Lab in order to ensure the High Availability (HA) of these servers. New laboratory networks for experimental setups were introduced in the main building and in the Precision Lab, where the design goal was maximal independence from the main building. The reorganization of the institute's network was successfully completed, as a result the group is responsible for all network operations in the Institute since January 2013. Currently the group prepares the relocation of the server and storage infrastructure to the modernized server room 6B13 to free space and climatization in the main server room for the new theory group. The group offers services to the Research School for Condensed Matter Science (IMPRS-CMS) and the Max Planck Society (BAUM chemicals database, ICSD crystallography database, MPG-TSM administration).
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