All university system servers and data communications for the 10 campuses are currently located on the ground-floor of Keller Hall, which was built in 1959 on the Manoa campus. The current location puts the servers and computers at risk from flooding, as was the case during the October 30, 2004 Manoa flood and during the heavy rains in early 2006.
The new center will serve the system in multiple capacities. It will provide facilities that will house central computing, data, voice and video resources, and provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service to the community. The center will also serve as the University's Emergency Operations Center from which campus and system administrators can manage institutional response to disasters or other emergencies.
In addition, the center will provide more space to support students and faculty engaged in teaching and learning with technology. This includes a computer laboratory that will be available to students on a 24-hour basis, classrooms equipped with technology to support distance learning and in-class use of advanced technologies, and workspace areas for faculty and students to work on individual and team projects.
"The development of the center is critical to improve the university's entire information and communications infrastructure and to ensure the system is prepared for emergencies," said Lingle.
UH President David McClain noted that "constructing and operating a single-shared, modern, information technology center for the UH system will save millions of dollars for taxpayers and students by avoiding the need to duplicate this infrastructure across all 10 campuses."
The total estimated project cost for the information technology center is $61,255,000. Previous funds released include $200,000 for the center's plans. The design consultant is expected to be selected by the end of May 2007 with the design to follow soon thereafter.
