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Red Room Closing Ceremonies

On Wednesday, June 23, 1999 at approximately 12:05pm, Paul Dirksen, retired Director of The Department of Computing Services (now IST) flipped the switch. The switch to turn off the last piece of equipment in the red room, that is, a SunCluster 1000 (known as d1adm and d2adm).

By May 27th, all the NT servers had been moved into the Network Room. As of Monday, June 14, 120 machines had been relocated, and the remaining 15 were mainly information-system servers. By June 23rd the room was pretty much empty.

It’s the end of an era. Red and white balloons adorned the almost empty room. Both previous and current staff members chatted and milled around the room. On display was an IST video, the old RED EMERGENCY PHONE, some interesting historic pictures, and the symbolic Sun System that was about to be shut down. Also on display, were the floor plans for the new 1st and 2nd floors.

I may have spotted tears or maybe I just felt a slightly somber feeling from a few people, but the words of Wes Graham, known as "the father of computing at Waterloo", encouraged us all to look forward. IST and others are looking forward and many definitely looked up to MC5158 for a very nice luncheon complete with desert and coffee.

 
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