Networks and infrastructure

We provide the fundamental IT infrastructure that underpins day-to-day life across the University – whether you are a student accessing the internet, a staff member logging into University systems, or a member of IT Support Staff for a department or college. 

These services are managed on three levels: 

• the data and networks that are the foundation of the University’s IT infrastructure
• the server and storage management needed for hosting applications
• the applications themselves, used University-wide by both staff and students 

Data and networks

We maintain the networks that staff and students use to go online or access University systems, even when off-campus. These include the University-wide network, which provides fast connections between systems, as well as the external links to Janet (the high-speed network for UK education) and the wider internet. We also provide the central infrastructure that allows departments and colleges to provide a standard set of wireless services, including eduroam.

We manage the University’s inter-linked data centres, ensuring that we have the capacity, reliability and security to keep data safe and applications available, minimising any disruption to the University’s work.

Server and storage management

Our server and storage management provision allows us to store, access, secure and manage digital data, files and services. While this work is largely unseen by the rest of the University, it provides the basis for the applications that help keep the University operational. We also provide servers, storage and network management facilities for departments and colleges.

Applications

Among the varied platforms we provide are three that almost everyone in the University will need: our email and collaboration suite Nexus365; our telephone and communications system Chorus; and the identity and access management applications that allow members of the University to log on to systems across and beyond the University.

Charged-for services

We also provide a range of chargeable services to help departments and colleges deliver specific services to their own users, such as data centre and server hosting or network management.