As the internal IT department of the CTC Cologne (CTC-IT), we play a key role in ensuring that the computerised systems and services used by our staff and clients are available in the best possible function and quality. We are supported by the IT department of the University Hospital Cologne which provides the network infrastructure, internet access and services for e-mail and telephony. Our central areas of responsibility include consulting and solving IT problems, qualification and validation of IT systems as well as administration of the infrastructure and support of the computer workstations.

Computernetwork

We are connected to the scientific network of the University Hospital Cologne via a synchronous dedicated line. For security reasons and to prevent unauthorised access from the Internet, redundant firewalls are used.

Our physical serversystems are housed in dedicated serverrooms and secured with an access control and an alarmsystem. The rooms have a correspondingly redundant power supply and air-conditioning systems including temperature monitoring.

Availability

Our virtual server systems are operated on several physical host, which are operated in a clusternetwork. By a physical backup server incl. storagesystem as well as an automated tape changer, we ensure that regular data backups are carried out. The data backup tapes are outsourced to an external building in regularly defined cycles. In addition, an encrypted backup is continuously written to an emergency system.

Datasecurity

On our serversystems and workstations the operating system currently supported by the manufacturer is used. Security updates and functional enhancements for the operatingsystem and applications are installed at regular intervals. Local virus and firewall protection is also used on all computersystems and updated several times a day. Our service and administration includes ensuring trouble-free operation and the constant documentation of the entire IT infrastructure.

Infrastructure Services

The server systems are operated within the virtual infrastructure and provide the following services and functions:

• Database systems
• Client endpoint security
• File and print services
• Terminal services
• Server and service monitoring
• Ticket System
• Wiki System