Hardware and Operating Systems
Hardware
In order to run a repository locally (as opposed to buying a hosted option) hardware is required. Repositories are typically run on servers housed in an institution's computer room which will be specially designed for the job (air conditioning, networking etc). Repositories can be installed on dedicated servers, shared servers (perhaps shared with a web server) or as virtual machines on large cluster. Institutions should have a policy for how they prefer to host services and servers. This policy may take into account storage and processor requirements, expected load on a server, or resiliency requirements (e.g. does it need to have a guaranteed 24x7 99.999% uptime?).
Most initiations, especially in the first few years when their repository is only sparsely populated, will find that a basic or moderately specified server will perform sufficiently for them. When considering hardware requirements, consider:
- How long you wish the server to last (3-5 years?)
- How many items are likely to be deposited in that time period
- What the average size of each item will be (to calculate disk requirements)
- What hardware specifications the chosen repository platform recommends
Maintenance of the server should be a standard part of IT services. Consideration should be made as to what will happen if the server breaks down or needs to be shut down for maintenance. Ideally, everything should fail-over to another machine.
Server, operating system, and systems software upgrades should all be budgeted for. If a rolling programme of upgrades is already in place it should be ensured that notifications well in advance of other upgrades that could have implications for your repository software. Additionally, upgrades may need to be initiated an upgrade if performance is degrading to an unacceptable level due to growing use of the repository.
