Calar Alto Computer News for  2010

1. Let's start speaking about network. In this aspect we have continued with works for meshing our internal network connections. Next figure shows how is the network at the end of 2010.

2. But one of the main efforts this year was the project of a professional virtualization environment for our main servers. Three years ago, we started testing virtualization in a "home made" system. But for the actual service requirements we had to substantialy improve the system. That is the reason for the new virtualization project,  which will hold, when totally finished, all the windows and linux main servers.

The new system is based on 3 main physical servers having all virtualized machines, two disk cabins (one being the main cabin, and the other the backup one, and both on different buildings), and another server controling the whole system. Next figure shows only one of the main physical server diagram:

At the end of this year, we have already virtualized our main server (Linux server, DNS, mail, NIS...), our proxy web/ftp server, the Epics database server, the ftp server, the Unix/Linux entrance computer, the weather server and a special computer for monitoring both electronics and mechanics. This is the Mango project I will speak later. The web server is nearly finished and probably starts working on the first half of next year. And the Windows servers (entrance Windows server, main Windows server and 1.23m Windows server) are being also prepared. They will start working virtualized next year.

This new system allows us to move virtualized servers from one host to another without interrupting the service. We also can copy a machine to the backup cabin while the computer still running. It has a huge flexibility for us. An for the users, all servers run now much faster than with the old "home made" environment. Finally, we can keep much more virtualized servers than before, and the whole project is opened for future servers.

3. As I mentioned above, the server for running Mango is already working. Mango M2M is a SCADA system for acquiring and monitoring data from different devices. In our environment, with Mango we can have deep control and a registry of pressures and temperatures at the instruments and/or the telescopes. This mechanism is widely used by our Electronic and  Mechanic deparments. Maintenance department are also using this facility for controling heater system. In all cases this utility is really good for finding and fixing problems.

The future of Mango Project is also very important. I'd like to mention the monitor of the new sensors to be installed on the 3.5m Telescope, as well as the ventilation and refreshing devices installed at Calar Alto. Those applications and future ones will see the light on years to come.

4. We have also replaced the computer that controls the 2.2m Telescope. We have moved all it services to a new one, much faster and reliable, that is working since beginning of the year.

5. Finally I'd like to mention a special and big project that is close to be ready for work. It is the Archive project which will be a complete system that will take care of the observations done, archive them into a special disk cabin and prepare the appropiate data for the Observatorio Virtual de Madrid to take and also archive them at their facilities at Madrid.  This application probably starts working early 2011, although it will grow up with the time.