Loughborough University constructs a hybrid cloud system
Loughborough University Transitions IT Infrastructure to Hybrid Cloud Solution
Loughborough University has made a significant shift in its IT infrastructure, moving most of its workloads to a hybrid cloud system. This decision was driven by cost-effectiveness and the need to address the limitations of the university's existing data centre.
The university's virtualised infrastructure is now connected to VMware-based cloud infrastructure, hosted by IT services partner Logicalis, via the UK's higher education network, JANET. This setup allows for scalability, as the infrastructure can be expanded when needed. In case of a disaster, it can potentially be migrated entirely to Logicalis's data centre.
To accommodate the new infrastructure, two "data centre lite" mini-pods were installed on campus. One of these mini-pods found a unique home in a £20,000 "fireproof garden shed". This shed, equipped with a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.4, represents a significant improvement from the university's 2009 PUE of between 2.5 and 3.
Initially, refurbishing the existing data centre was considered, but economic reasons made it an unviable option. Hosting the university's entire IT infrastructure in the cloud was also deemed too expensive. Instead, the university opted for a hybrid solution, which allows for a balance between local and cloud-based resources.
Phil Richards, the university's IT director, led the transition without reconfiguring any hardware. He is open to the possibility of using public cloud services but finds the current costs prohibitive. The university's senior management recoiled at the thought of a purely externally hosted solution, but they were reassured by the improved security and cost-effectiveness of the hybrid approach.
The university's IT infrastructure was previously spread across DDUDs, or distributed data centres under desks. This setup posed risks associated with information security and intellectual property. By centralising the infrastructure, the university has taken a proactive step towards enhancing its IT security.
In addition to the Logicalis platform, the university uses Google Apps and cloud-hosted IT service management tool ServiceNow. The university's investment in this hybrid cloud solution aligns with the UK government's £30m investment in JANET upgrade, aiming to improve the UK's digital infrastructure.
Richards hopes for utility services to become more affordable in the next two to three years, making public cloud services more accessible for universities like Loughborough. This hybrid cloud solution is a step towards a more sustainable and secure future for Loughborough University's IT infrastructure.
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