Data Center Name Changed to UF Computing & Networking Services

Published: August 8th, 2003

Category: Memos

Charles Frazier, Vice Provost for Information Technology

Among the many changes that came with the state’s end of the old Board of Regents and the implementation of a new higher education governance structure was an end to the formal statewide system of Regional Data Centers. This change, along with the fact that the name Northeast Regional Data Center (NERDC) no longer reflected our data center’s mission and scope, made this an opportune time to give it a name that does.

Both the name NERDC and the former organization have served us long and well and I want to formally congratulate and thank the long time director Ron Schoenau and a fine staff for their great service to UF and to a number of regional customers. In the future, the scope of Computing and Network Services (CNS) will span computing, networking, telecommunications, systems, operations, security, and general support of the UF’s teaching, research, and service mission. The merger of Networking and Telecommunications under the CNS organization also positions UF for the convergence of voice and data services over a common network. And, while provision of CNS services will be concentrated on the University of Florida and mission critical systems and operations such as hosting the PeopleSoft ERP modules, CNS will continue to provide services to and to value external customers.

In sum, recognizing the need to stay abreast of today’s rapidly changing Information Technology environment and under the leadership of recently appointed director Tim Fitzpatrick, CNS is now positioned to better provide the UF community with central computing and networking services. The NERDC Policy Board that served the regional data center was decommissioned last academic year. A new CNS Policy Board is being formed now and will be announced in the next month.

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