The University of Florida’s College of Public Health and Health Professions provides a computing environment for its data coordination center. The data coordination center is based on multi-processor 64-bit architecture servers running virtualization software to support the varied platform needs of the center, allowing for easy growth, and providing for fast disaster recovery. These servers are connected to multi-terabyte storage arrays enabling high I/O and data redundancy. All systems are housed in a modern data center at the Academic Health Center with physical security, conditioned continuous power, redundant cooling systems, and high speed network connectivity. The data stored at the center is securely backed up nightly to tape
backup systems and automatically transferred secondary backup storage
physically distant from the data center.
All data center systems are connected through the Academic Health Center data network. High-speed access to the Internet is via the University of Florida’s campus network and its redundant connections to the Internet, Internet2 and Florida LambdaRail. The campus network also makes available such services as the campus mainframe running IBM z/OS and UF’s High-Performance Computing Center. The data center servers require authenticated access for file, database, and processing services. These servers are protected from unauthorized access by physical means, network filters, patch management, and regular security audits.
The personal computing environment for center staff standardizes on Dell Optiplex workstations running Microsoft Windows 7, MacOS X, or Linux with statistical software packages such as SAS, SPSS, Stata, R, JMP, or Matlab . All staff workstations have high speed connections to the Academic Health Center data network, and are protected via patch management software, managed anti-viral software and regular security audits.