Computing and Information Systems (CIS) recognizes that the reliability and performance of laboratory information technology (IT) resources is essential to our ability to carry out our scientific mission. Like the rest of our infrastructure, these systems require periodic maintenance, replacement and upgrades. These activities sometimes involve service interruptions.
To meet our goal of providing secure and reliable IT systems, CIS schedules four maintenance weekends each year. We consolidate major service activities into these weekends to minimize service interruptions to the laboratory. We try to plan at least two of our maintenance weekends during Advanced Photon Source (APS) downtime.
The planning process begins a month or more in advance of each maintenance weekend. These are often technically complicated operations with significant logistical considerations involving internal groups, outside contractors and many dependencies. Once planned, it is difficult and costly to alter maintenance weekend activities.
For FY 2017, IT maintenance is planned for the following weekends:
- Fall 2016: Friday, Nov. 4, 2016 — Sunday, Nov. 6, 2016
- Winter 2017: Friday, Feb. 10, 2017 — Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017
- Spring 2017*: Friday, May 19, 2017 — Sunday, May 21, 2017
- Summer 2017*: Friday, Aug. 25, 2017 — Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017
*Coincides with APS maintenance
Notifications of each upcoming maintenance weekend will be made approximately two weeks prior to each event.
Please keep the above dates in mind when planning weekend work that might require the use of IT services or infrastructure. If an unavoidable scheduling conflict arises between a lab-impacting project commitment and an IT maintenance weekend, we appreciate as much notice as possible.
Please contact Alina Alexander at ext. 2-0787 or Jack Schmidt at ext. 2-1533 to discuss any scheduling conflicts.