Adventist Technology, South Pacific Division, and Sydney Adventist Hospital representatives at the new data center. [Photo: Adventist Record]
December 20 2023 | Sydney, Australia | Juliana Muniz, Adventist Record, and Adventist Review
Adventist Technology, the technology arm of the South Pacific Division of the Adventist Church (SPD), recently concluded a two-year migration project of SPD servers in Sydney, Australia, to a new data center. Previously based at a massive data center facility near Sydney Airport, 25 miles (40 kilometers) from the SPD office, the servers are now housed at Sydney Adventist Hospital (SAH) data center, just across the road from the regional church headquarters.
Information Technology operations and infrastructure manager Dean Tichborne explained that the data center 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,” Tichborne said.
Church leaders inspect the servers at their new location. [Photo: Adventist Record]
“This move required installing all the new equipment in a new data center 40 kilometers away, all while keeping every system online. The planning and timing of all the changes needed to be precise,” Tichborne said.
The move brings many benefits, Tichborne added. “It allows us to leverage the San’s [SAH’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.”
Some of the technical staff members who worked on the server initiative. [Photo: Adventist Record]
Speaking at the ceremony, SPD president 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,” Townend said. “We’re in the great controversy, so I want to dedicate this to God.” Townend then offered a dedicatory prayer.
The migration is part of a collaborative effort between SAH, 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, leaders said.
South Pacific Division president Glenn Townend (right) addresses those who participated in a special dedication ceremony onsite and online. [Photo: Adventist Record]
The original version of this story was posted by Adventist Record.