Patricia Mergen, James Davy , André De MûelenaerePatricia.Mergen@africamuseum.be

Royal Museum of Central AfricaTervuren, Belgium

Who we are

Important, unique, multidisciplinary Institution focusing on the past and present societies and natural environments of Africa, in particular Central Africa.

Some Figures ! (2009)

- 308 staff members (118 scientists) - Exhibitions : 162 960 visitors- Education and Culture : 53084 participants - In the Media : 405 press releases and TV/Radio Shows

Some Facts !

Not just a Museum !

But also

- a Research Institute,

- a Library,

- an Education Center, …

Human Sciences Biology Earth sciences Others

- Archaeology- Ethnography- Colonial History- Contemporary History- Social Anthropology- Linguistics- Ethnomusicology

- Vertebrates- Entomology- Invertebrates non-insects- Wood Biology- Molecular Biology- Biodiversity Information and Cybertaxonomy

- General Geology- Cartography- Geochemistry- Isotope Geology- Geomorphology

- Library- Collection Management- Publications- Education- Communication- Museology - ICT ….

10,000,000 animal specimens6,000,000 insects800,000 fish400,000 19th century photos of Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo650 films about DR Congo, Rwanda and Burundi from 1940 to 1960230,000 Rock samples180,000 ethnographic objects60,000 specimens of woody plants40,000 aerial photographs20,000 geological maps16,000 minerals8,000 musical instruments4,000 works of art2 km of historical archives (including over 10,000 letters and photographs, 88 diaries and notes of -among others- Stanley)

Unique and priceless heritage !

Collection Human Sciences TMS (The Museum System) , commercial, licenses per user

Test Open Collection Archives (free systems with module for Natural Sciences, but not optimal ….

Human Sciences

Natural Sciences (Earth and Biological Sciences)

-Each unit its own system for collection management (MS SQL, PostgreSQL, Access, File Maker, Dbase, …

- export to ICT in MS SQL website for public

- export to PostgreSQL GBIF, GIS services …

- Ongoing test of RBINS DarWIN 2 system for collection management

- Projects ; VM machines with mirroring in NBGB (Meise) , negotiation ongoning with NHML for external back-ups.

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Starting point : storage surveyStarting point : storage survey Based on the survey a several years ago, a total capacity of 22TB has been foreseen by the different Based on the survey a several years ago, a total capacity of 22TB has been foreseen by the different

sections of the RMCA :sections of the RMCA : Existing storage : 9TBExisting storage : 9TB Geology : 3,5TBGeology : 3,5TB Musicology : 700GBMusicology : 700GB Publications : 100GBPublications : 100GB Zoology : 4,6TBZoology : 4,6TB Linguistics : 1TBLinguistics : 1TB Collections Management : 2,6TBCollections Management : 2,6TB Administration : 30GBAdministration : 30GB Africa institute : 65GBAfrica institute : 65GB Prehistory : 105GBPrehistory : 105GB History : 278GBHistory : 278GB

TOTAL 21986GB rounded up to 22TBTOTAL 21986GB rounded up to 22TB

But was before BHL-Europe, Open Up!, Cartesius and areal Photographs projects !!! But was before BHL-Europe, Open Up!, Cartesius and areal Photographs projects !!! need to scale up need to scale up

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Virtualization using VMwareVirtualization using VMware Old situation :Old situation :

VM1 : 12GB RAM, 10TB, 14 VM (2003)VM1 : 12GB RAM, 10TB, 14 VM (2003) VM2 : 12GB RAM, 200GB, 8 VM (2005)VM2 : 12GB RAM, 200GB, 8 VM (2005) VMi3 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur)VMi3 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur) VMi4 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur)VMi4 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur) VMi5 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur)VMi5 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur) VMi6 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur)VMi6 : 2GB RAM, 36GB, 1 VM (gift from FUNDP Namur)

New systems :New systems : Cluster of 4 physical servers : 4x16GB RAM with VMotion & DRSCluster of 4 physical servers : 4x16GB RAM with VMotion & DRS SAN Storage : 5TB FC + 22TB SATAIISAN Storage : 5TB FC + 22TB SATAII Automated Backup libraryAutomated Backup library

Present situation :Present situation : All VM hosts (1-6) have been migrated onto the new SAN systemAll VM hosts (1-6) have been migrated onto the new SAN system SAN storage is available and ready to use, we have to put policies in place to start using it along with SAN storage is available and ready to use, we have to put policies in place to start using it along with

backup proceduresbackup procedures

6 levels in the SAN configuration6 levels in the SAN configuration

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Storage Group

RAID arrayLUN LUN

RAID array

Datastore

Virtual Disk

Partition

Partition

Storage strategyStorage strategy FC disks vs SATAII disks vs backup tapes FC disks vs SATAII disks vs backup tapes

The SAN storage offers ca 22TB of raw SATAII disks, ca 5TB of raw FC disks and ca 37,5TB of raw tape The SAN storage offers ca 22TB of raw SATAII disks, ca 5TB of raw FC disks and ca 37,5TB of raw tape storage (which can be extended with additional magazines)storage (which can be extended with additional magazines)

These storage can all be extended, there are still free slots in the SANThese storage can all be extended, there are still free slots in the SAN The raw storage has to be diminished with an appropriate number of Hot Spare disks (3 disks for the The raw storage has to be diminished with an appropriate number of Hot Spare disks (3 disks for the

moment)moment) FC disks will be used for virtual machines that needs performance and fast accessFC disks will be used for virtual machines that needs performance and fast access SATAII disks will be used to store low resolution copies of the digitized collections and frequently SATAII disks will be used to store low resolution copies of the digitized collections and frequently

accessed archivesaccessed archives tapes storage will be used for the storage of huge original copies of digitized collections and not tapes storage will be used for the storage of huge original copies of digitized collections and not

frequently accessed archivesfrequently accessed archives We need a strong policy to decide on which storage every data will be placedWe need a strong policy to decide on which storage every data will be placed

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Conclusion and follow upConclusion and follow up

We have now sufficient disk space for the core needs of our institutionWe have now sufficient disk space for the core needs of our institution We have to decide on which storage the sets of data will be placedWe have to decide on which storage the sets of data will be placed Based on the policies we will put in place, the datas can be moved from one storage to Based on the policies we will put in place, the datas can be moved from one storage to

another (typically from online towards nearline and offline storages)another (typically from online towards nearline and offline storages) Every section will be asked to define on which storage their datas will be placed and Every section will be asked to define on which storage their datas will be placed and

from that point we will be able to move forward and organize our datas and their from that point we will be able to move forward and organize our datas and their accessaccess

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