Research Interactive Storage (RFA) FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Where are the servers hosted?
A. Physically located within the PHS Needham Data Center

Q. How do I connect to the RFA server?
A. You will need to map the drive to your Mac or Windows machine. Instructions below:

Server Hostname:  rfawin.partners.org or rfawinsc.partners.org depending on which server your RFA has been assigned.

Instructions for Mac     Instructions for Windows

Q. What type of Storage are you using for this solution?
A. We are using Dell Compellent  "fluid storage" SAN. Fluid storage uses multiple tiers of disks of different speeds and RAID configurations to maximize performance and storage overhead.

Q. Do you support NFS?
A. Yes, that is our RFA NFS solution @ rfanfs.research.partners.org

Q. Can Linux workstations connect to the RFA system?
A. Yes, via Samba but there could be interoperability issues.

Q. How offen will I be billed for this service?
A. You will receive a monthly invoice.

Q. Can I access the RFA or NFS Shared Drive from outside the Partners Network?
A. Not directly, you need to be connected via VPN.