research computing equipment in PRB powered down

[jwh at physics.osu.edu]

         At about 12:30 AM Sunday, air conditioning for lab side
south of PRB apparently failed.  Temperature in the "farm room"
(PRB 4175), which holds computing and storage equipment for several
research groups, began to rise quickly.  Accordingly, I turned
off every computer and storage unit in the room whose power switch
I could find, and shut off all circuits at the breaker panel.
This will require a complicated startup next week, and there is
probably some equipment damage, but less than a large temperature 
rise would have caused.

        Our server room (PRB 4179) has independent air conditioning.
Unix and Windows services and building networking should continue
to work normally.  

        I urge research groups with labs in the southern half
of PRB to check their equipment.  Note that pressure in the labs
(and at the outside doors) is also very negative.  
  
                                            JWH

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John W. Heimaster                       E-mail: jwh at physics.osu.edu
Director of Scientific Computing        Telephone: (614)292-1435
Department of Physics                   FAX: (614)292-7557
The Ohio State University               Web: http://physics.ohio-state.edu/~jwh/
1199 Physics Research Building
191 West Woodruff Avenue
Columubus, Ohio 43210-1117
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