History of the data centre

1996-1999
First loan devices (projectors and laptops).
Introduction of the decentralised support concept (workgroup managers and PC supervisors).
Launch of the information desk as a support service.

The University of Regensburg’s computer centre building will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2026: on 20 November 1976, a topping-out ceremony was held for a building specifically designed to house a mainframe computer.
Eike Jessen (external link, opens in a new window), developer of the TR 440 mainframe (external link, opens in a new window) at AEG-Telefunken in Konstanz, had already worked closely with the architects during the building’s planning phase to perfect the design for the machine room, raised floor (the highest of any data centre in Germany, no less), an uninterruptible and stabilised power supply, a CO₂ fire-suppression system, etc.: provision was made for data acquisition, operations (running in multi-shift operation) and staff facilities, as well as ensuring a central location on the campus.
Even the old Siemens 4004/45 G (dating from 1968, formerly housed in the basement of the main building) had found a place and was thus able to remain in service until 1981.
The main users of the system at the time (the library, administration, and the humanities and natural sciences) had short distances to cover when delivering input data and collecting results.
These distances were also reduced as part of ‘ROBUR’ (‘Computer networkfor operational purposesat the University of Regensburg’), the computer network system planned in 1974, launched in 1978 with 8 laboratory and 2 departmental computers networked via (two-wire) telephone lines. This connection was subsequently improved in-house and sold back to Deutsche Telekom (then still known as “Deutsche Bundespost”) as a patent.
The TR 86S, the satellite computer for interactive peripherals (fax, display devices and remote data processing), was also already capable of establishing contact with external sites (such as libraries or the LRZ in Munich) via remote dialling. The first e-mail was sent using X.64 (“Datex-P”).
As early as 1984/85, the first CIP pools (“Computer Investment Programme”) were set up with PCs, which drove forward digitisation on campus.
The World Wide Web, email and remote access were part of our services from a very early stage.
As early as 1993, the concept of the Regensburg I/O server (‘RIO’) had set a national benchmark for how a computer centre could drive forward digitisation: Scanners (paper, large format, slides & negatives), printers (continuous feed, large format, dye-sublimation and laser [even in colour back then!]), digital cameras, hire projectors (‘beamers’), CD (and later DVD) burners, audio and video editing suites and much more were now available to the public!
We were also national leaders in network design and identity management (NetWare with X.400).
We also succeeded very early on in establishing a recognised teaching programme independent of the faculties: In 2008, the ‘Supplementary IT Training’ programme (leading to a recognised minor subject certificate) evolved into the ‘Student IT Training’ (SITA) programme and staff training. This was followed in 2025 by a training programme leading to a journeyman’s certificate in IT professions (‘IT Specialist for Application Development’ and ‘IT Specialist for System Integration’), achieving Bavaria’s best results.
Today, the generations of mainframe computers have long since changed, and much has shifted to cloud-based solutions with robust data management. The increase in device performance followed Moore’s Law (external link, opens in a new window), but was equally constrained by Wirth’s Law (external link, opens in a new window): our customers’ requirements have become more diverse.