Net Gets Constant Power Supply

Harvard installed an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) last week for the computer system that holds student accounts.

Located in the Science Center basement, the UPS can supply power to the equipment in the machine room should there be a brownout or blackout.

"A small power irregularity can take down all the machines," said Franklin Steen, new director of the Harvard Arts and Sciences Computer Services (HASCS). "The UPS should reduce the number of times the computers go down."

Steen said that the purchasing decision had been made before he came to Harvard this year, but that a UPS is "not a terribly expensive item."

Richard E. Joltes, managers of hardware and facilities for FAS computer services, said that the unit, which Harvard bought used, cost $3,000, and that the installation and future software will cost over $10,000.

"You have to buy maintenance, batteries, pay for staff time and installation," Steen said. "That all costs just as much as the UPS itself."

According to Joltes, HASCS had debated purchasing a small UPS for several years.

"We were a much smaller organization serving a much smaller popu- lation," Joltes said. "This year, with thegreater importance of the machines, we spoke inearnest."

Joltes also said that Harvard experienced agreater number of brownouts this year than in thepast. "We closed the deal on the day after thelast brownout," he said.

Some student wrote on the harvard generalnewsgroup that HASCS had not been able to installa UPS before for lack of funding.

"I'm told that there simply wasn't enoughmoney," Richard B. Osterberg '96 wrote.

He said that a year ago HASCS could have eitherupgraded the computers to handle increased networkactivity or installed a UPS.

Some students also complained on the newsgroupthat the installation of the UPS required too much"downtime," time when computer services are notavailable.

The UPS was installed from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15p.m. last Friday, necessitating a temporaryshutdown of the system. System users were warnedby a message in their accounts.

"Most sites hold major downtimes (especiallyfor elective maintenance) on weekends, in themiddle of the night, and well staggered forminimal impact. This event, of course, met none ofthese criteria," Benjamin D. Wildasin '97 wrote inan electronic message.

Steen said that the UPS had to be installedduring the day because it requiredelectricians--not HASCS staff--to work in themachine room.

He said he reads the newsgroup occasionally andadded that excessive downtime is a legitimatesource of student complaints.

But Joltes questioned student's criticism thatHarvard's machines go down to often.

"We have very little downtime," he said. "Weare up 99.9 percent of the time.

Joltes also said that Harvard experienced agreater number of brownouts this year than in thepast. "We closed the deal on the day after thelast brownout," he said.

Some student wrote on the harvard generalnewsgroup that HASCS had not been able to installa UPS before for lack of funding.

"I'm told that there simply wasn't enoughmoney," Richard B. Osterberg '96 wrote.

He said that a year ago HASCS could have eitherupgraded the computers to handle increased networkactivity or installed a UPS.

Some students also complained on the newsgroupthat the installation of the UPS required too much"downtime," time when computer services are notavailable.

The UPS was installed from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15p.m. last Friday, necessitating a temporaryshutdown of the system. System users were warnedby a message in their accounts.

"Most sites hold major downtimes (especiallyfor elective maintenance) on weekends, in themiddle of the night, and well staggered forminimal impact. This event, of course, met none ofthese criteria," Benjamin D. Wildasin '97 wrote inan electronic message.

Steen said that the UPS had to be installedduring the day because it requiredelectricians--not HASCS staff--to work in themachine room.

He said he reads the newsgroup occasionally andadded that excessive downtime is a legitimatesource of student complaints.

But Joltes questioned student's criticism thatHarvard's machines go down to often.

"We have very little downtime," he said. "Weare up 99.9 percent of the time.