Modernized central server and storage systems with Dell and Proxmox

The Sigmund Freud University (SFU) is the largest private university in Austria and has campuses in Linz, Berlin, Paris, Ljubljana and Milan in addition to Vienna. To support the diverse academic and administrative requirements of the institution and make them future-proof, the university decided to modernize its central IT infrastructure with the help of Proxmox Gold Partner Siedl Networks.

The Sigmund Freud Private University was established in 2003 with the aim of establishing psychotherapy as a scientific discipline science at an academic level. After almost 80 years, Sigmund Freud's vision of establishing psychoanalysis as a scientific discipline in its own right has now been realized. Today, Sigmund Freud Private University (SFU) is the largest private university in Austria, offering a wide range of study programs at Bachelor's, Master's and doctoral level in psychotherapy science, psychology, human medicine, dentistry and law.

As a transnational university, SFU has campuses in Linz, Berlin, Paris, Ljubljana and Milan in addition to Vienna. In the academic year 2023/2024, the university has more than 5,000 students from over 80 different countries. SFU's outpatient clinics and clinics in dentistry, psychology, and psychotherapy make an important contribution to medical and psychosocial care.

The challenge

In order to be optimally equipped for the future, SFU has undertaken a comprehensive modernization of its central IT infrastructure to create a robust and highly available platform to support the diverse academic and administrative requirements of the institution.

The solution

By implementing Dell PowerEdge servers, Dell PowerVault storage arrays and the open-source hypervisor Proxmox VE, the university was able to optimize its operations and create a solid foundation for future growth.

The new Linux server cluster consists of several Dell PowerEdge servers and has a redundant design for maximum reliability. The Dell PowerVault storage arrays are equipped with high-speed NVMe drives and connected to the server cluster with a bandwidth of 8x25 Gbit/s, ensuring rapid data transfer and optimal performance.

A key feature of the new virtualization infrastructure is the ability to manage and administer the entire server landscape via a central web-based GUI. This enables the university's IT team to manage resources efficiently and optimize operations.

The implementation

The migration of approximately 100TB of data and virtual servers was successfully executed without compromising ongoing operations. The implementation of fail-safe server switches and configuration in high availability mode minimized potential downtime.

To ensure continuous and reliable operation, Sigmund Freud University's systems are monitored around the clock. Alerts can be processed quickly to identify and rectify potential faults before they lead to problems.

The results

"The modernization of our IT infrastructure was crucial for Sigmund Freud University in order to meet the increasing demands of research, teaching and administration. Thanks to the excellent and professional cooperation with Siedl Networks and the implementation of advanced technologies, such as the open-source hypervisor Proxmox VE, we were able to create a high-performance and reliable platform that fully meets our requirements."
Mag. Dr. h.c. Heinz Laubreuter, Chancellor of Sigmund Freud Private University

"The consolidation and renewal of the central virtualization solution was planned and implemented by our Professional Services team within a three-month timeframe. In addition to the cluster services, the smooth migration of the virtual Linux and Windows servers and the option to easily expand the cluster in the future were important ‘must-haves’. To ensure maximum system availability in the future, the project also includes operational management and monitoring. The new open-source server solution will guarantee users digitally sovereign and reliable IT services."
Robert Siedl, CMC, CEO of Siedl Networks GmbH

About Sigmund Freud Private University
Sigmund Freud Private University (SFU) was established in 2003 and has since become the largest private university in Austria, with approximately 5,000 students. It offers programs in psychotherapy science, psychology, medicine and law. SFU’s pioneering contributions to the field of psychotherapy science have been instrumental in establishing personality development as a third academic pillar alongside theory and practice across all study programs. Website: https://www.sfu.ac.at/en/

About Proxmox partner: Siedl Networks GmbH
Siedl Networks is specialized in open-source technologies and Linux software solutions in the area of virtualization, IT infrastructure, email and groupware, software distribution and patch management, server clusters, and IT monitoring. The core competencies are the installation, migration, maintenance, and support of solutions from Univention, Kopano, SEP Sesam, Proxmox VE, and OPSI Server On Premises - in the data center or in the cloud. Website: https://www.siedl.net