Adventist Technology has concluded a two-year migration project of the South Pacific Division (SPD) servers to a new data centre. Previously based near Sydney Airport at a massive data centre facility 40km from the SPD office, the servers are now housed at the Sydney Adventist Hospital (the San) data centre, just across the road.
IT operations and infrastructure manager Dean Tichborne explained the data centre is a critical tool for fulfilling the mission of the Church. “It is the place where many of our missional and administrative systems run, such as the eGiving platform,” said Mr Tichborne.
The complex migration process involved transferring more than 200 virtual machines (VMs), which are essential for various server functions. Key personnel in the project included engineers Tomas Boguzis and Chris Chakovan, who played crucial roles in selecting, installing and configuring the new equipment.
“This move required installing all the new equipment in a new datacentre 40kms away, all while keeping every system online. The planning and timing of all the changes needed to be precise,” explained Mr Tichborne.
According to him, the move brings many benefits, “it allows us to leverage the San’s high-quality facility, and by partnering together, we are able to keep investing in our mission. The bonus is that the facility is easily accessible now by our engineers.”
The successful completion of the project was celebrated with a dedication ceremony on November 28 attended by SPD and SAH representatives. The dedication was streamed via Zoom during the SPD staff morning worship.
Speaking at the ceremony, SPD president Pastor Glenn Townend commended the work of Adventist Technology. “This is the best of technology, a crucial part of our operation, especially considering the threats we face in the digital age.”
“We’re in the great controversy, so I want to dedicate this to God,” added Pastor Townend before offering a dedicatory prayer.
The migration is part of a collaborative effort between the San, SPD and Adventist Technology. This partnership aligns with the SPD’s goal of unifying technology systems across its network to facilitate mission work more effectively.
