wiki:projects/leadership-committee/dec-2008/reports/infrastructure

Version 4 (modified by Jamie McClelland, 15 years ago) (diff)

adding more detail

Report: Infrastructure

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This reports provides an overview of our Internet infrastructure. Most of infrastructure is composed of servers which are located in colocation facilities. A colocation facility is a space specifically designed to house computers. Typical colocation facilities have redundant power supplies, extensive cooling systems, and a series of cabinets where the servers are installed. We also use nonprofessional colocation facilities - meaning that they are setup in our offices and private locations.

A cabinet is like a stand-alone wardrobe. Server computers are typically shaped like pizza boxes, which slide into the cabinet to maximize the use of the space.

A single physical server (pizza box) sometimes can have multiple virtual servers on it. A virtual server is a server that acts and operates like a single physical server, but in fact shares its host server with other virtual servers. Virtual servers allow us to provision a complete system to a member without having to purchase a new physical server for each member.

Some servers we manage ourselves (meaning we run software updates and installations). These are managed servers. Other servers are managed directly by our members.

  • Total number of servers (physical and virtual): 51
    • Staff-Managed servers: 45
      • Number of physical servers: 19
      • Number of virtual servers: 26
    • Non-Staff managed servers (all physical): 6
  • Number of colocation facilities: 5
    • Telehouse (professional, 25 Broadway): 12 physical servers
    • XO (professional, 111 8th Ave): 6 physical servers
    • HostMySite (professional, Delaware): 1 physical server
    • Lair (non-professional, Daniel's basement): 1 physical server
    • Sunset park (non-professional, MFPL office): 5 physical servers
  • Allocation
    • Standard servers (used for web and email; malcolm, chavez, viewsic, etc.): 5
    • Email list servers: 2
    • Backup servers (onsite and offsite): 4
    • Member-dedicated servers: 9
    • Host servers for virtual servers: 8
    • Domain Name service: 4