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IT Service Status
IT Service Status

Research Data Storage Service (RDSS) Platform Refresh Coming This Summer

Posted Date: June 22, 2022

Effective Date: June 22, 2022

Northwestern IT is refreshing the Research Data Storage Service (RDSS)/FSMResFiles platform across multiple weekends this summer. Working with key stakeholders across the University, Northwestern IT identified three weekends to finalize the new infrastructure.

Important Dates

  • July 15–17 (FSMSecure Users) 
  • July 22–24 (RDSS Users) 
  • August 19–21 (FSMResFiles and FSMHome Users) 

The extensive work requires platform downtime, and users’ files will be inaccessible (no read or write access) for the entire weekend while their share is migrated to the new hardware.

What to Expect

  • On the dates noted above, specified user files will be copied to the new system, not moved; this ensures the files are secure during the transition and the downtime is minimized. 
  • All existing user access permissions will transfer to the new system. 
  • RDSS Users: On Friday, July 22, at 5 p.m., your files will become inaccessible until approximately 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 24.
  • FSMResFiles and FSMHome Users: On Friday, August 19, at 5 p.m., your files will become inaccessible until approximately 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 21. 

Actions to Take

RDSS Users

  • Beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 22, please refrain from using the RDSS shares.   
  • After the downtime, your data will be accessible on RDSS without any changes to how you access files.  

FSMResFiles and FSMHome Users

  • Beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, August 19, please refrain from using the FSMResFiles and FSMHome shares.
  • After the downtime, your data will be accessible on FSMResFiles and FSMHome without any changes to how you access files. 

New Infrastructure Benefits

There are numerous benefits to the new infrastructure. Selecting Dell as the preferred vendor offers the lowest learning curve for faculty and staff and the least amount of disruption to institutional research. The new platform also strongly aligns with Northwestern’s requirements now and over the next five years. Additional benefits include:

  • Increased performance and system stability  
  • Expanded total platform capacity
  • Increased security
  • Reduced cost for users 

Feedback from key stakeholders helped identify the critical system requirements and ultimately led to selecting this enhanced infrastructure, which will allow for Northwestern’s continued significant research data storage growth.

Questions about this upcoming maintenance can be directed to the Northwestern IT Service Desk at consultant@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4357 (1-HELP).