FACILITIES

Computer Core

Services provided by the Computer Core facility

  1. Evaluation, purchase, set up, and maintenance of the computer hardware and network for the 170 users in the research groups of the PIs and Associate Members of the Division of Structural Biology and Genetics.
  2. Development and acquisition of software and installation and maintenance of software for the Division of Structural Biology and Genetics, including programs for the determination, display, and interpretation of molecular structures.
  3. Instruction in the use of hardware, software and graphics.
  4. Development and maintenance of the World Wide Web sites of the Division of Structural Biology and Genetics and partnering units, including the UCLA-DOE Fold server and Structure Verification servers and other programs for sequence and structure analysis.
  5. Maintenance of publicly accessible databases developed in the Division, and of databases and programs for internal use.

Facilities and Equipment

A network of servers and graphic workstations has been established, made up of a cluster of 35 DEC-ALPHAS running OSF 4.0, which are connected together by a high speed network of fiber optics. The air-conditioned rooms of the computer facility contain the Silicon Graphics, DEC-ALPHAS, color printers and other devices used for graphics visualization.

Mode of Operation

The Computer Core Facility is supported by a professional staff of two, with oversight from Dr. Cascio and Dr. Yeates. They maintain both hardware and software, and have been available to help virtually 24 hours a day. After the Northridge earthquake at 4:51 am on January 17, 1994, the staff was at UCLA checking the computers by 5:30 am (and saved all but one PC from a flood of water from the upper floors).

The staff works with an enormous range of user skills, from professional programmers to complete novices. When new programs or systems are introduced, there are occasional classes for users. Such classes were held for the UNIX operating system when it replaced VMS on our computers and for Alwyn Jones' model building program O. But normally instruction is one on one.