Advanced Operations Center: new milestones reached

The Advanced Operations Center is a purpose-built 32,000 square foot facility for one of the University of Minnesota’s primary network hub and future enterprise data center services. This facility represents a major step toward a more resilient and coordinated infrastructure featuring stronger power, cooling, security, monitoring, and network resiliency. 

The result of intentional, cross-team planning

A recent tour of the nearly completed Advanced Operations Center allowed a small group of University staff to see the result of this massive, multi-year collaboration. This facility was built on architectural diagrams, countless spreadsheets, cross-departmental meetings and emails, vendor negotiations, and a shared commitment to the University's digital future. "You could viscerally feel the expertise and professional skills each team brought to the table; it was clear that every inch of the space was planned with intention," said one tour participant.

Built for the future: sustainability as a non-negotiable

The facility was greenlit with sustainability as a top priority.

• Eco-Conscious Architecture: AOC was built with sustainable building materials and designed with safe, healthy indoor air quality protocols and energy-efficient power use.
• Surrounding Ecosystems: Exterior windows feature a specialized, bird-safe design, looking out over intentional landscaping filled with native plants and pollinator-friendly habitats woven around campus bike paths.
• Resource Conservation: The building integrates advanced stormwater management, water conservation practices, and a strict commitment to clean, renewable energy.

One IT community, one shared mission

The Advanced Operations Center is now serving as one the University's primary network hub, and teams are in the process of migrating voice and data connections to the new hub for more than 20 facilities on the Twin Cities campus. This intricate work, which requires mapping, cutting, and reconnecting thousands of hair-thin, fiber-optic lines, modernizes our infrastructure that enables research, teaching and learning, and outreach in the digital age.