Computer Information Center

System Administrator: Jeffrey C. Boutet (1997), Christopher C. Brand (1998)

[Biennial Contents]

The Computer Information Center is a new, and valuable resource that integrates and promotes Internet, Intranet, and Local and Wide Area Networking technologies into Archbold Biological Station activities. The National Science Foundation's Field Station and Marine Laboratory Program funded the hardware and software necessary for networking and the physical renovation of attic space to house the facility. The project began in October 1997 and was completed in May 1998.

     The physical facility, located in a converted attic the Main Building above Archbold's Library, includes the System Administrator's office, a reading room, conference room, server room, storage room, and computer lab with Internet and network access for visiting scientists. Computing services are predominantly PC/Windows based, with all of the servers and most of the workstations running Windows NT 4.0. In an effort to meet the needs of visiting researchers, broader support for other platforms is currently in the planning stages. The Archbold Station LAN connects 55 computers and serves 65 users. At the core is a Fast Ethernet fiber backbone connecting hubs that service the labs and administrative offices. Three primary servers provide various services to the Archbold community such as a) connectivity to the Internet, web services, remote access services, b) e-mail and Intranet services, and c) primary data storage and backup services. Internet connectivity is supplied by a T1 line. Supplementary servers provide specialized functions in the GIS and Accounting areas. A single segment LAN at the MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center (MAERC) is connected with the Station's Science LAN by frame-relay over a dedicated 56K line. An on-site server provides data storage and backup services for the MAERC researchers and staff. There are remote users at two regional research facilities, Riverwoods Lab and Avon Park Air Force Range, and several scientists use the dial-up remote access services.

    Integrated data management at the Station and the Ranch is in its early stages, with projects for providing broad community access to weather and research collections datasets still in the development phase. A data acquisition and access policy is being prepared, and catalogs of legacy and present Station data sets are being compiled. Metadata standards and policies are being developed to help ensure the value of Archbold’s long term data for years to come.

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© Archbold Biological Station, 12 April 2000
Webmaster: Fred E. Lohrer, email: flohrer@archbold-station.org

Archbold Biological Station, P.O. Box 2057, Lake Placid, Florida 33862 USA
Phone: 863-465-2571, FAX: 863-699-1927, Email: archbold@archbold-station.org