DEC-LightsOutComputerRoom

This document describes Digital Equipment Corporation's "Lights Out Computer Room" at their Westford, Massachusetts operations. This innovative data center operates with minimal human presence, lights rarely on, thanks to extensive automation.

The initiative was driven by a need to consolidate 14 sites, reduce long-term operational costs (particularly personnel, which were identified as a greater lifetime cost than hardware), and enhance service delivery. Key strategies included a modular physical design, centralized remote control via the VAXcluster Console System (allowing one operator to manage all systems from a single, potentially remote, keyboard), transitioning from tape to disk-to-disk backups, and distributing printing functions directly to users.

This transformation shifted the role of computer operations staff from manual, routine tasks (like tape handling or printer management) to higher-value functions like system management, performance optimization, capacity planning, and direct user support. The result was significant cost savings, increased productivity, and a redefinition of the data center as a highly efficient, automated engine for information management and transformation within an information-based organization.