On the morning of 12th April 2018, an opening ceremony for the Southern Data Centre of the Open University of China (OUC) was held at Zhejiang Radio and Television University (Zhejiang RTVU).
OUC president Yang Zhijian and secretary of the Party Committee of Zhejiang RTVU, Xu Gongfang, jointly unveiled the Southern Data Centre. Deputy secretary and of the Party Committee and president of Zhejiang RTVU, Ye Hong, delivered a speech and Party committee member and vice president Lu Wenhui presided over the ceremony.
Yang Zhijian pointed out that, thanks to the deep application of information technology, big data has become key to the survival and development of a company, and that we must focus on the problem of data security. The construction of a remote disaster recovery system for core data is imperative. The construction of the OUC Southern Data Centre is an important step in strengthening the system network and information security throughout the OUC. It is in line with next generation information technology development trends, such as cloud computing, big data, and artificial intelligence. In accordance with the principles of cooperation and joint construction, the OUC and OUC’s Zhejiang branch made full use of the existing technical conditions and infrastructure of both sides and completed the construction of the Southern Data Centre with the minimum input and cost. The Southern Data Centre enables the remote backup of important data and is of great significance in establishing and improving information security and protection across the OUC. Yang Zhijian stated that the next step is to explore the application-level disaster recovery of the core systems, so that the Southern Data Centre can play a greater role in teaching, scientific research, service, and management.
Ye Hong said that the fact that the OUC placed the Southern Data Centre in Zhejiang RTVU not only reflects the advantages of the OUC system, but also the trust of the OUC in Zhejiang RTVU. Zhejiang RTVU has made plans for the construction and application of the project and initiated a two-step implementation plan together with the OUC’s Information Technology Department. The first phase of the project has been successfully completed and put into application, and the expected goal has been achieved with good results. Zhejiang RTVU will continue to follow the principles of "close cooperation, active planning, mutual benefit, and win-win results,” the leadership of the OUC, and the spirit of president Yang Zhijian's speech. It will successfully construct the Southern Data Centre, ensure security, deepen the application, and advance solidly towards the goal of learner centred “Six-Network” Integration. It will strive to achieve the educational vision of "barrier-free admission and access to learning for anyone, anytime, anywhere.”
The OUC’s Southern Data Centre project has completed the deployment of data disaster backup equipment, which has achieved data transmission with the OUC’s data centre through a special line and thus marked the successful completion of the first phase of the project. According to the plan, the centre will launch the second phase of the construction project, carry out an application level disaster recovery pilot programme, and further increase the coverage of remote data backup. Over the next three years, the volume of data to be included in the remote recovery programme is expected to exceed 100TB, which will greatly improve the OUC’s overall data security level and reduce the damage to key information systems and core data caused by emergencies and disasters.
By Zhejiang RTVU