Requirements for Entry, Use & Equipment

Data Center Management is responsible for enforcement of this document. Report observed violations to Data Center Operations. Please obey the requests of Data Center Operations staff while in the Data Center. Data Center Operations is located in room 215, the Control Room, which is the glassed room on the west wall of the Data Center. Contact Data Center Operations at 766-2747.

Serious or repeated access or use violations will result in removal from the Data Center, and the offenders’ access privilege (if applicable) will be disabled. An incident report will be forwarded to the offenders’ manager, and the IT Business Services Director. Access privilege will be reinstated after review and approval by the IT Business Services Director.

Definitions

Access privilege refers to the ability of an individual’s proximity card to operate (open) the Data Center door. Having the access privilege enables an individual to enter the Data Center, but it is not authorization to do so.

Access permission refers to an individual’s authorization to enter the Data Center. Even if an individual has Data Center access privileges, they do not have access permission unless the purpose of their entry is in compliance with this document.

Access permission to the Data Center is granted to persons with the access privilege (users), as required to carry out installation, changes, preventive maintenance or corrective maintenance on hosted IT equipment for which they have such assigned responsibilities.

Such access and maintenance must not pose a threat to persons, operations or equipment. Access and maintenance must be conducted in a safe and reasonable manner. Access is only granted to the immediate area of assigned equipment. Users are not allowed to access any other areas, equipment, cabinets or controls.

Access permission to the Data Center is granted to persons without the access privilege (visitors), if under the direct escort of a user (person with access privilege), and only as required to perform installation, changes, preventive maintenance or corrective maintenance on hosted IT equipment for which the escort has such assigned responsibilities.

The user may escort multiple visitors at a time, and is responsible for enforcing all terms of this document pertaining to the activities and behavior of visitors under their escort. Escorting requires that the user maintain proximity with the escorted person(s) to the degree required to assure compliance. Visitors must not be left in the Data Center without escort.

Access permission is granted to Data Center Operations personnel with access privileges, and persons they escort, to manage, operate and maintain the Data Center.

Access permission is granted to IT Department Managers and Directors, to manage their IT staff working in the Data Center, and hosted equipment under their responsibility.

Access permission activities in the interests of the University and IT Department, such as conducting tours, is granted to IT Department Senior Staff (Directors and CIO) and the Data Center Manager. Please limit such tours to business hours where possible, and give advance notice to the Data Center Manager for large groups.

Escorted tours for all other visitors, such as goodwill tours by IT staff and/or other University staff (e.g., Co-location tenants) are available, and may be arranged in advance through the Data Center Manager.

Proximity cards must not be used or held by any person other than the person the card was issued to. Lost or misplaced cards must be reported immediately. To report a lost card, call 307-766-4691 (64691). If a person does not answer, you’ll get an automated voice selection menu which will direct your call to a person or voice mail box to report the loss.

Data Center main entry door position is electronically monitored. Doors must not be propped open, unless the door alarm lockout is engaged by Data Center Operations. The main doors into the Data Center have a center divider (mullion) that may be removed by Data Center Operations to allow large equipment through the doors. Contact Data Center Operations to arrange for door alarm lockout, or to have the center divider removed.

Users are persons with the Data Center Access privilege, visitors are persons under escort.

1. Users and visitors must comply with all applicable local, state and federal laws. Persons under the influence of drugs or alcohol are not permitted in the Data Center.

2. Users and visitors must observe all cautions, warnings, and promulgated rules; follow the reasonable direction and requests of Data Center Operations staff; and maintain the area of their equipment in a clean and orderly condition, including prompt removal of tools, trash and other materials. No food, drink or tobacco products are permitted in the Data Center.

3. Users and visitors may bring their personal property items into or out of the space adjacent to their equipment, as needed, to maintain the equipment. Such items must not pose a threat to persons, operations or equipment. Allowable items include parts, tools, papers, documentation and similar items. Carts are available to move materials into or out of the Data Center.

4. No chemicals, liquids, dangerous items, or any other items that might pose a risk to persons, operations or equipment may be brought onto the Data Center floor without prior consent and supervision by Data Center Operations.

5. Minimize the amount of packing materials, such as cardboard or packing filler, brought into the Data Center. Whenever possible, remove packaging from any parts or devices to be brought into the Data Center, prior to entry. Contact Data Center Operations if you need assistance (carts, space outside the Data Center to unpack, temporary storage, trash removal) to comply. If cardboard or packing materials must be taken into the data Center, please remove them promptly.

6. The Data Center uses the area under the raised floor as an air plenum. Removing floor tiles can change the air flow pattern in the Data Center and negatively impact installed systems. The resulting floor openings and removed tiles can be serious hazards to persons walking the Data Center floor. Please remove tiles only when needed to service your equipment. Whenever possible, ask Data Center Operations for assistance when you need to remove floor tiles (unless it’s only a few tiles for a short period). Guard the resulting hazard while the tiles are removed and promptly replace them. Please do not relocate perforated tiles without consulting with Data Center Operations.

7. Children (persons under the age of 16) are not permitted in the Data Center, except as approved through the Data Center Manager, by the CIO.

8. Users and visitors must not alter, change, adjust, operate, label, remove or modify Data Center components, such as overhead cabling, signage, controls, electrical distribution system components and air environment system components, except as specifically approved and supervised by Data Center Operations.

1. Users must notify and gain prior approval from Data Center Operations to add or remove equipment from the Data Center; or to make changes to existing equipment that significantly alter the space, electrical or cooling requirements of the equipment.

2. Equipment must be capable of operating unattended, other than remote access via network and/or networked KVM connections. Only occasional physical access for installation and maintenance, are acceptable. Equipment deployments that require continuous or frequent physical access, such as prototypes, locally monitored equipment, or preproduction equipment, are not suitable for hosting in this Data Center.

3. Users must maintain and operate equipment in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, and in a safe manner. Covers, grounds, interlocks, and safety features must be maintained and used in accordance with manufacturer recommendations.

4. Users must promptly remove unused equipment, and any installed equipment that Data Center Operations has determined to be unsuitable for Data Center hosting.

5. Electrical and network connections outside the equipment cabinet must be made by Data Center Operations (electrical) or IT Network group (network copper connections). Users must not run cabling outside the interior of their assigned cabinet, or connect to any service outside their rack, such as electrical or network.

6. No material may be stored in cabinets, other than the hosted equipment. This includes tools, documents, papers, uninstalled parts, cabling, and any other such materials. Materials left in cabinets will be removed and disposed of by Data Center Operations.