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Solution:
At the Slovak National Library (SNL) in Martin, Tempest implemented technologies for processing data as part of the cultural heritage digitalisation process. We established an infrastructure and data centre that meet demanding criteria of security and legislation. The solution includes an interesting SAN (Storage Area Network) with a tape library capable of storing 1.5 PB of data. The applied solution serves for archiving scanned content and is directly connected to a digitising line equipped with scanning equipment. Optical character recognition (OCR) and scanned image optimisation functions are part of the solution.

Supplier:
TEMPEST, a. s.

Benefits:

• Hierarchical data archiving storage space
• Secure, long-term data archiving
• Swift implementation
• Data centre mobility
• 40% gain in operational energy efficiency compared to classic data centres.

Final server infrastructure:

• Sun Modular Data Center S20
• Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System
• 2 x Sun SPARC Enterprise
• T5240 Server
• 3 x Sun Fire 445 Server
• 2 x Sun StorageTek 6140 Array
• 2 x Brocade SW5000
• Symantec Veritas Netbackup 6.5

The Slovak National Library in Martin (SNL) is the oldest, largest and most prominent national and scientific library in Slovakia. For nearly 190 years it has looked after works documenting the past and the present spiritual and material development of the Slovak nation. It collates and secures materials produced by Slovak authors. The library also houses documents issued or produced in the Slovak territory, documents written in the Slovak language or which by their content relate to Slovakia in some way. Nowadays, the National Library of the Slovak Republic is a modern scientific, cultural, informational and educational institution, which serves all citizens of Slovakia and also users from abroad.

Initial status
The library’s collection contains some 4.7 million documents. For the purposes of preserving cultural heritage and meeting the requirements of the Libraries Act, the SNL is obliged to archive the content of documents. Historical publications must be kept in protected atmospheres and may not be lent out. Part of the SNL’s mission is to make its digital content accessible to the public. To do so, a data centre must be constructed and the appropriate technologies and processes implemented. If the data centre is to meet the strict security and legislative requirements, it must be constructed at a site that satisfies mandatory building standards and mandatory standards for fire protection, power supply and comprehensive security. This demands the renovation and build-out of the server and network infrastructure. The infrastructure and data must be highly available and protected against outages and destruction.

Solution options
Based on client requirements, we worked up an analysis of projected parameters for the target premises in the new Slovak Digital Library building in Vrútky. This was a suitable location for locating the equipment, with the advantage of a direct linkage to the digitising line. At the same time, there were suitable premises in the SDK building, but they would need complete reconstruction and rebuilding in order to meet the SDK’s current and future needs. Such comprehensive reconstruction work would have required a major lead time, which in turn might have led to digitisation work being delayed. In order to meet the schedule, Tempest proposed a mobile data centre solution, which meets the requirements for a future backup data centre and which conforms to the mandatory standards for data protection. We adapted this further and proposed the solution architecture and tape library, and also integrated the digitising line with the Sun MD S20 mobile data centre. A solution such as this is efficient not only from the cost perspective, but also in terms of support and maintenance of the solution, as well as management of critical states and staff training. A new part of infrastructure had to be built to support the mobile data centre installation and its connection to the digitising line.

Solution implementation
One of the first phases of the implementation was logistical: preparation of the infrastructure and the physical environment for the mobile data centre. The transportation of the 8-ton Sun MD S20 was a well-planned logistics operation. In addition to its transport, its location at the target locality also had to be managed, together with power supply, air conditioning and optical network. The connection of connection of backup power supplies and backup feeds was an important part of the implementation. In the second implementation phase we prepared the environment for the Sun StorageTek SL8500 tape library. The third phase saw us establishing the data archiving solution and connecting the Sun MD S20 to the client’s production infrastructure (LAN and SAN), through which it was connected to the digitising line. We created a high-availability data centre solution based on a redundant server farm and monitored by Network Management Security. The clustering solution, ACSLS server and SAMFS-QFS, form the archiving software basis for integration with the presentation environment at the application layer.

Sun Modular Data Center
Sun MD S20 is a build-once, deploy-anywhere, modular data centre in a standard 20-foot shipping container that delivers the flexibility to locate computing resources where you want them, when you want them – anywhere in the world. Its many unique design features serve to optimize both efficiency and performance. In addition, the Sun MD S20 solution utilises several unique patents – for example, for the installed rack designs, for various aspects of the highly efficient cooling systems, and for its environmental monitoring system. In other words, Sun MD S20 delivers true breakthroughs in cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency.

Summary: mutal satisfaction
Tempest staff implemented the technologies for handling the outputs of the digitisation process in the first quarter of 2009. The SNL’s employees and its IT staff have already registered the benefits that the implemented solution provides in various areas.“

The Virtual Library of Slovakia is a fundamental, qualitative innovation in the approach of the Slovak National Library and memory institutions to the documentation and presentation of cultural heritage”, stated SNL Managing Director, Dušan Katuščák. “One of the goals of the project is to make electronic documents available to the general public both in Slovakia and abroad. I believe that together with our technology partners we have chosen the right path for the presentation of digitised library, archive and museum documents,” Katuščák said.

“Implementation of the solution took about three months, which, compared to building up a data centre from scratch, is roughly one-third the time,” said Tempest project manager, Juraj Plančár, commenting on the implementation. The mobile data centre can be moved from place to place, so the technology can be brought to the books at other libraries and memory institutions.

The solution proposed and implemented by the company TEMPEST made it possible to meet all the set objectives of the project effectively, this in a short space of time. The solution is beneficial both for the customer and the company and represents a good basis for the development of digitalisation in Slovakia.