Publication Date: March 28, 2008
Summary: Data Center Relocation Update # 3 - Relocation Work Planned for April - July 2008
As we initially informed you in an October 19, 2007 Electronic Announcement posted on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) Web site, we are in the process of relocating the data center that supports numerous Federal Student Aid systems and Web sites. The data center relocation has occurred in multiple phases, and we are nearing completion of our work.
We plan to implement the data center relocation of the Central Processing System (CPS), the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS), the Student Aid Internet Gateway (SAIG), and several Web sites in July 2008. Prior to this implementation, we will conduct two test cycles—one in April 2008 and one in May 2008.
Below is information about the upcoming transition work. Please review this information and evaluate impact to your school or organization during the periods when the affected systems and Web sites will be unavailable. We will post a reminder Electronic Announcement on the IFAP Web site prior to each outage period.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete the required activities over the next few months.
Data Center Relocation of CPS, NSLDS, and SAIG April – July 2008
As explained above, we plan to implement the data center relocation of the CPS, the NSLDS, the SAIG, and several Web sites in July 2008 after conducting two test cycles. We plan to conduct the two test cycles in April and May 2008.
The Web sites included in this data center relocation phase are as follows:
CPS Web Applications Demo System
FAA Access to CPS Online
FAFSA4caster
FAFSA on the Web
Federal Student Aid Download (FSAdownload)
Federal Student Aid PIN
ISIR Analysis Tool
NSLDS Professional Access
NSLDS Student Access
R2T4 on the Web
SAIG Mailbox Portal
SAIG Enrollment
Outage Periods
The CPS, the NSLDS, the SAIG, and the Web sites listed above will be unavailable to users during the following outage periods:
3:00 P.M. (ET) Friday, April 4, 2008 until 12:00 A.M. (ET) Saturday, April 5, 2008
3:00 P.M. (ET) Friday, May 16, 2008 until 12:00 A.M. (ET) Saturday, May 17, 2008
3:00 P.M. (ET) Friday, July 11, 2008 until 8:00 A.M. (ET) Monday, July 14, 2008
Impact on CPS Compute Processing
In conjunction with each of the outage periods, we will need to suspend the CPS compute process for a short period of time. We will not process application or correction data on the following dates:
Friday, April 4, 2008
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008 and Monday, July 14, 2008
As a result, application and correction data sent to the CPS during the periods April 3 – 6, 2008, May 15 – 18, 2008, and July 10 – 14, 2008 will not be processed until April 7, 2008, May 19, 2008, and July 15, 2008, respectively. There are no known state deadlines that will be affected by the suspended compute dates.
Impact on SAIG File Submission
During each of the outage periods, file transmission via the SAIG will be interrupted. Users attempting to transmit files via the SAIG during the outage periods will receive an error message informing them that the SAIG is unavailable and that data must be transmitted at a later time.
Again, we appreciate your patience and understanding as we complete the required activities over the next few months.
