Today, ITS runs more than thirty servers and an extensive fiber and Category 5e UTP copper network, providing the following essential services:

• Email - SMTP email, virus-scanned for everyone's protection.
  
• World Wide Web - ARL:UT web servers accessible by the public.
  
• File Transfer Services - ARL:UT publishes files on the Internet using anonymous FTP or ARL:UT staff may create encryption-protected "dropboxes" to share proprietary data with sponsors and collaborators.
  
• Domain Name Service - for the arlut.utexas.edu and arlut.org domains visible to the Internet.
  
• Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) - Externally accessible services are processed through a doubly firewall-protected DMZ network, to help ensure services are resistant to intrusion.
  

Services Available Internally or Available to Staff Only

• Email - including SMTP, POP, IMAP, Exchange, TLS(SSL)-protected email both internally and over the Internet. All email is virus scanned.
  
• World Wide Web - Internal web services for the staff.
  
• Compute Services - While scientists and engineers have personal workstations, and many laboratories provide workgroup servers, ITS provides a Sun Fire 880 compute server that is available for use by all staff members for a fee. This system has 8 SPARC III 950 MHz CPUs, 32 Gbytes of RAM and more than 400 Gbytes of on-board high-speed disk storage. It is Gigabit-connected to the ARL:UT Intranet. A variety of software is available suitable for scientific and engineering computing. For data reduction work, more than 16 tape storage devices are available that handle a variety of tape formats.
  
• Network Attached Storage - ITS provides more than a Terabyte of Gigabit-connected Raid 5 protected disk storage, for a fee. Files are backed-up nightly and archived on a regular schedule.
  
• Management Information Services (MIS) - Administrative databases are accessible on the ARL:UT Intranet via the Web and login.
  
• Print Services - ITS provides network-connected production-level printing with a range of size and finishing options. High-quality color printing is offered.
  
• Core Networking Services - Basic network services provided:
  • Office Connectivity - Every office at ARL:UT has multiple RJ-45 jacks providing UTP Cat 5e Gigabit-capability. One jack is provided for each 25 sq. ft. of office space. More than 3500 network connection points are available.
  • Network Backbone - Redundant high-performance Cisco switch routers located in the Master Distribution Frame (MDF) provide high-availability Gigabit connectivity to Cisco Enterprise class switches in nine Intermediate Distribution Frames (IDFs) and five Local Distribution Frames (LDFs).
    
  • Internet Access - ARL:UT takes primary Internet access via a 100 Mbps connection to the University of Texas campus network. The University of Texas network is connected via multiple T3 (45-Mbps) connections, including a dedicated connection for the research-oriented vBNS network. In addition ITS maintains an independent T1 (1.5 Mbps) connection through a commercial ISP to ensure key networking services are maintained uninterrupted.
    
  • External Access to the Intranet - ITS provides direct dialin, VPN and SSH access to its Intranet.
    
  • Directory Services - LDAP directory services are available on the ARL:UT Intranet to provide searchable phone, email, office, and other information about the staff.
    
  • Newsgroups - Selected Internet and local technical newsgroups are made available to staff via a local server.
    
  • Time Service - ITS maintains local NTP-based timeservers whose time is derived from a GPS-based time standard.
    
  • Network Information Service (NIS) - ITS has multiple NIS servers that provide centralized account authorization information for UNIX and Linux systems.
    
  • Windows Domain and Name Services - ITS has multiple Windows domain servers that provide centralized account authorization information for Windows systems.
    
  • Dynamic Host Protocol Service (DHCP) - ITS provides managed DHCP services that automatically configure network parameters on computers. For Information Assurance purposes, only properly registered systems are provided configuration information.
    
  • Domain Name Service (DNS) - ITS provides redundant DNS servers that provide internet domain translation for all ARL:UT computers internally.
    
  • Standardized Account Authority - The ITS-developed "Ganymede" web-based meta-directory provides authorized administrators in all ARL:UT laboratories a simple method of administering computer account information. "Ganymede " is an easy to use, error-free means of controlling email, external access, and both UNIX and Windows account information for users and systems in their area of responsibility.
    
    
    
• Information Assurance - Protecting proprietary information and networks:
  
  
  • Policy - ARL:UT has an extensive and detailed Information Assurance Policy designed to protect ARL:UT's networks and the University of Texas' and our sponsors' proprietary information.
    
  • Firewall - All external network connections are firewalled to protect the ARL:UT Intranet.
    
  • Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) - Externally accessible services are processed through a doubly firewall-protected DMZ network, to help ensure services are resistant to intrusion.
    
  • Standardized Account Authority - The ITS-developed "Ganymede" web-based meta-directory provides authorized administrators in all ARL:UT laboratories a simple method of administering computer account information. "Ganymede" keeps track of all changes and records a detailed history and keeps those affected informed with email messages. "Ganymede" also manages password aging, ensuring passwords are reasonable and changed as required by policy.
    
  • Dynamic Host Protocol Service (DHCP) - ITS provides managed DHCP services that only allow properly registered systems to be automatically configured.
    
  • Intrusion Detection and Prevention - ARL:UT monitors incoming and outgoing Internet traffic to help ensure that "hackers" and intruders are detected and neutralized.
    
    
• Consulting and System Administration Services:
  
  • UNIX System Administration - ITS has Senior Operating Systems Specialists experienced in a variety of UNIX disciplines and operating systems. We support Sun Solaris, Linux, HP/UX, and FreeBSD.
    
  • Microsoft Windows System Administration - ITS has Senior Operating Systems Specialists experienced in Windows Server products as well as Windows XP, 2000, NT, 98, and 95.
    
  • Computer Networking Administration - ITS has Senior Operating Systems Specialists experienced in a variety of networking equipment and services. We do our own network design, installation and support.
    
  • Network Installation Services - ITS has on-site network installation and repair staff certified and experienced in both copper and fiber installation and termination.
    
  • Special Project Support - ITS can provide special services needed by projects. Projected-oriented networks, servers, data backups, and consulting can be provided as needed.
    
  • ITS Portal - ITS provides an online portal to keep ARL:UT staff informed as to the latest information about ITS services and events.
    
  • Support Web Pages - ITS maintains extensive internal and password-protected external web pages that provide information to the ARL:UT staff about how to configure systems and software at ARL:UT.