Research Database Support

The Research Database Support is designed to assist researchers in the implementation and usage of databases and database applications supporting and hosting research data.

Campus Information Technology Services (CITS) will provide in-house assistance to make database technologies available to researchers at a lower overall cost to research.

The database platforms are listed below:

 

Shared Host Platforms (Basic Service)

  • Microsoft SQL 2007 Server
  • MySQL

 

Database Technologies and Platforms (Standard and Extended Service)

  • Oracle Enterprise on Linux Oracle Enterprise on Windows Microsoft SQL Server on Windows MySQL on Linux
  • Other products and platform combinations by agreement (reasonable efforts)

 

Basic Service

CITS will:

  • Provide a basic service capable of hosting small standard database types.
  • Ensure Research Database shared systems are available for customer access during normal business hours.
  • Routinely update platforms and product versions as part of normal security procedures.
  • Ensure a secure and stable environment to host customer web pages and small databases. 
  • Provide management tools where possible to enable self-management by customers.
  • Action approved requests to provide access to new or additional users.
  • Notify customers of planned maintenance and outages outside the scheduled "at risk" times, giving 2 weeks advance notice.
  • Respond to customer queries and resolve them in house where possible.
  • Provide workaround solutions, where possible, when the resolution time is extended.
  • Provide data backup and recovery services on a daily/weekly/monthly cycle up to a maximum of 3 months

 

Customers will:

  • Provide a current contact ("administrator") via the CITS Service Desk.
  • Report perceived faults to the CITS Service Desk.
  • Work with CITS to investigate incidents and provide any required further information when requested.
  • Raise requests for change or enhancement through the CITS Service Desk.
  • Ensure that their code is compatible with the platform provided.
  • Not place undue load on the shared resource, e.g. this platform is not suitable for high intensity applications.
  • Final say on suitability for the shared platform rests with CITS.

 

Standard Service

CITS will:

  • Support customer databases on customer supplied CITS approved hardware.
  • Ensure Research Database systems are available for customer access during normal business hours.
  • Routinely update platforms and product versions as part of normal security procedures.
  • Ensure a secure and stable environment to host customer databases and applications where provided.
  • Provide management tools where possible to enable self-management by customers.
  • Action approved requests to provide access to new or additional users.
  • Notify customers of planned maintenance and outages outside the scheduled "at risk" times, giving 2 weeks advance notice.
  • Respond to customer queries and resolve them in house where possible.
  • Provide workaround solutions where possible when the resolution time is extended.
  • Provide data backup and recovery services on a daily/weekly/monthly cycle up to a maximum of 3 months

 

Customers will:

  • Provide a current contact ("administrator") via the CITS Service Desk.
  • Agree appropriate access permissions for departmental staff and submit requests for access permissions via the CITS Service Desk.
  • Report perceived faults to the CITS Service Desk.
  • Work with CITS to investigate incidents and provide any required further information when requested.
  • Work with CITS to ensure the management of the system meets their requirements.
  • Raise requests for change or enhancement through the CITS Service Desk.
  • Ensure that their code is compatible with the platform provided, and liaise with CITS Database Administrators (DBAs), if there are underlying changes required to the database structure.
  • Agree a time window for regular auto-patching of the system (default 4.00 am).
  • Ensure that hardware is under a current maintenance agreement.
  • Abide by Data Centre rules if physical access is required.

 

Extended Service

CITS will:

  • Support customer databases on customer supplied CITS approved hardware.
  • Ensure Research Database systems are available for customer access during normal business hours.
  • Routinely update platforms and product versions as part of normal security procedures.
  • Perform a maximum of one major version upgrade per year to all environments.
  • Maintain a DR (Disaster Recovery) environment on additional customer-supplied hardware or VM instance.
  • Maintain a Test environment on additional customer-supplied hardware or VM instance, if requested.
  • Ensure a secure and stable environment to host customer databases and applications where provided.
  • Provide management tools where possible to enable self-management by customers.
  • Action approved requests to provide access to new or additional users.
  • Notify customers of planned maintenance and outages outside the scheduled "at risk" times, giving 2 weeks advance notice.
  • Respond to customer queries and resolve them in house where possible.
  • Provide workaround solutions where possible when the resolution time is extended.
  • Work with the customer or 3rd party developers to implement minor enhancements (requires test instance).
  • Provide data backup and recovery services on a daily/weekly/monthly cycle up to a maximum of 3 months (alternate cycles or archiving options are negotiable).

 

Customers will:

  • Provide a current contact ("administrator") via the CITS Service Desk.
  • Agree appropriate access permissions for departmental staff and submit requests for access permissions via the CITS Service Desk.
  • Report perceived faults to the CITS Service Desk.
  • Work with CITS to investigate incidents and provide any required further information when requested.
  • Work with CITS to ensure the management of the system meets their requirements.
  • Ensure any requested enhancements are tested and signed off by CITS prior to implementation.
  • Raise requests for change or enhancement through the CITS Service Desk.
  • Ensure that their code is compatible with the platform provided, and liaise with CITS DBAs, if there are underlying changes required to the database structure.
  • Agree a time window for regular auto-patching of the system (default 4.00 am).
  • Ensure that hardware is under a current maintenance agreement.
  • Abide by Data Centre rules if physical access is required.

 

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