Our main computing system is based on a VMSCluster running Alpha EV6 processors. We currently maintain three nodes in the cluster, two 4-CPU 16-gigabyte systems, and the other a dual CPU with four gigabytes of memory. Through the HP Advanced Server System, we map VMS directories to network shares accessible to Windows clients as mapped network drives. The VMSCluster provides external user authentication, enabling single usernames and passwords for both desktop Windows and server VMS system access. The VMSCluster has SAS 6.12, SAS 8.2, and SAS 9.1 currently loaded and accessible through SAS/Connect (PC based SAS), X-Windows, and command line interface.

The Alpha EV6s are one gigahz CPUs, capable of four integer and two floating point instructions per clock cycle for a maximum of six billion instructions per second per CPU. The cluster is connected to an 16-terabyte disk farm consisting of three 100-megabyte/sec fiber channel (SAN) disk controllers and two 40-megabyte/sec SCSI disk controllers. The fiber channel SAN is shared with the Windows 2003 servers.

The server cluster is equipped with a 26-tape library, with a capacity of 10 TB, for system backups. It is also equipped with a 10-unit cartridge reader that can load IBM 3480, 3490, and 3490e data cartridges, and is the main loader we use for importing large volumes of data.

The Windows desktop computers and all servers are connected with 100mbs (megabit/sec) Ethernet switches that are located in two computer rooms connected via a 1-gigabit fiber switch port. The VMSCluster also has a 100mbs backnet that is dedicated to cluster traffic.

We support a dedicated 24x7 Internet service running on a 4-MBS Ethernet connection with a firewall protecting the computer systems and the confidential data from external unauthorized access.

We have the resources and the capability to offer sophisticated data and systems management services, biostatistical and epidemiological consultation, and clinical trial support.