Services
The Unix Section in Information Services provides a range of technical services to the University hosted on Unix and Linux systems. We also provide storage services hosted on our Storage Area Networks.
Facilities Management
This is the management of hardware and the operating system software up to, but not including, the application layer. Our customers are other university departments and affiliated organisations. We currently manage:
- the database, data warehouse and web applications servers for the IS Applications Division
- the main library system for the University Library and the Scottish Digital Libraries Consortium
- Data Library systems including the EDINA National Data Centre and the UKBORDERS project
- storage facilities for data and its backup on our two Storage Area Networks
- a central learning and teaching resource, the Web Course Tools (WebCT) server
- virtual web servers for a range of clients including the EaStMAN project
- managed Linux/Unix services for internal and external bodies
- the virtual hosting service in conjunction with the Architecture Section to provide a service supporting virtual machines
Research computing
Our research computing group manage the Edinburgh Computer and Data Facility. This provides a large compute cluster and associated storage system.
University computing infrastructure
- central email services including the Edinburgh mail directory and mailing lists and the main IMAP Student and Staff mail servers
- academic UNIX computing central service on a Sun server named holyrood
- the Kerberos network authentication system including the EASE reduced sign-on service
- an LDAP directory providing a central authorisation service
- the University's main web servers including the university web site, homepages, school and student websites
- LCFG configuration management service
- VMware virtual hosting
- the University's proxy web caches
- a file backup service for School Unix servers
- distributed printing service for high-quality PostScript printers and line printers
- managing University wide computer security procedures
- Unix connectivity services for PCs (Samba for Windows and Macs (CAP))
- X.509 certificate signing
- NTP Network time service
Other services
We also provide consultancy services on the use of Unix and Linux systems, email, web applications, authentication, authorisation and directory services. In addition:
- system monitoring and alerting
- support of the Information Service's internal Unix servers and workstations
- software porting and development
- software/hardware demonstration
This article was published on Feb 6, 2013