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IT Engineering

The reception, processing and analysis of remote sensing data require high computing capacities and the storage of remote sensing data calls for very large archiving systems. In order to meet these challenges, some 1,000 computers are in use at the Earth Observation Center (EOC). They include 500 workplace computers, 250 servers for the development teams and 250 servers for operational activities. Large robot-supported archiving systems in Oberpfaffenhofen and Neustrelitz are employed to store the remote sensing data and currently have a storage capacity of about 4 petabytes. The network infrastructure is correspondingly elaborate: 1000 LAN ports, 30 different networks, and several firewalls. In addition to the WAN connections between the various DLR locations and to the Internet, links have been established to the satellite receiving stations in Inuvik (Canada) and O’Higgins (Antarctica). The operation of these systems and networks is shared between EOC staff and a DLR IT services provider.

The relevant duties for the IT Engineering team include:

• Installing and operating the central IT infrastructure in Oberpfaffenhofen, such as the home and backup servers,
• Installing and operating the servers and robot-supported archive of the Data Information Management System DIMS in Oberpfaffenhofen
• Implementing and supporting the operation of the virtual machines containing the numerous EOC Web and FTP servers in the central DLR perimeter security network (DMZ),
• Specifying and supervising all the EOC services contracted to the DLR service provider in the areas of LAN, WAN, firewalls, workplace computers and telephony,
• Supporting project teams and departments in purchasing computer systems to assure homogeneity and effective use of resources to the extent possible,
• Specifying and monitoring the furnishing of the EOC buildings as to required computer rooms and racks, including an uninterruptable power supply, air conditioning and access control,
• Specifying and monitoring the equipping of the EOC buildings with network wiring for computer rooms and offices,
• Drawing up documentation for ground communication subnet requirements, design and testing for mission projects such as TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X and EnMap. Planning the design implementation and conducting tests.
  

The IT Engineering Team also includes the EOC’s IT manager and IT security-administrator. Specifications and guidelines relating to IT services are coordinated among the EOC institutes, DLR’s central IT management department and the outside service provider.