BHL’s servers are moving from the Smithsonian’s data center outside of Washington, DC, USA to the Field Museum in Chicago, IL, USA. This is the last step in the process of moving BHL from the Smithsonian. By moving to the Field Museum, BHL can stabilize its current technical infrastructure while planning for a new, more long-term solution for the BHL platform.
This page is meant to provide details of the progress and what to expect at different phases of the project as it relates to BHL’s website. As much as possible, BHL is committed to remaining operational during all phases of the project, with exceptions listed below.
Please watch this space for updates as well as banners posted on BHL during the periods of maintenance.
Overview
BHL has six servers that power BHL: Three physical Dell servers and three Virtual Servers. Our goal is to reproduce the same infrastructure at the Field Museum with as few changes as possible to retain all current BHL functions. There will be few interruptions in service early in the process, but more disruptions for several days in the last stage.
Below is the schedule, a brief summary of the work, and expected effects or downtime during the maintenance period.
Phases of the Project
Planning and Testing
COMPLETE
Currently, we are planning the exact steps to safely and reliably move the technology stack to the Field Museum. We have decided on how to disconnect the servers from the Smithsonian network and prepare them to be added to the Field Museum network. We are reviewing documentation and BHL components and configurations that need to be adjusted for the move.
This includes the decision to build new virtual servers at the Field Museum (instead of copying them from the Smithsonian) and test the environment to ensure that basic functions are working before we begin shipping the Dell servers in two separate shipments.
We are also planning our notifications, emails, and blog pages for staff and visitors to BHL.
Move Event #1 (Part A)
COMPLETE
When: 11 June 2026
What: Ship the Backup Database server to the Field Museum
Effect: No visible changes to BHL
We will make configuration changes to disconnect the server from the Smithsonian network, creating new user accounts, adjusting network settings and so on. We will make one final backup before turning the server off. Then it will be packed and shipped to Chicago.
Move Event #1 (Part B)
COMPLETE
When: 15-16 June 2026
What: Field Museum staff receives and installs the Backup Database server
Effect: No visible changes to BHL
When the server is ready, we will begin testing the steps required for Move Event #2 in 10 days.
COMPLETE
Testing and (re)Configuring
When: 17-24 June 2026 (Exact day TBD)
What: Testing database migration. Rebuilding the Full Text Search server
Effect: Search at BHL will be interrupted for a few hours
During this period we are testing the steps to rebuild the Full Text Search server to extract it from the Smithsonian network. This will allow us to fully test the process before rebuilding the server on the morning of 25 June before it is shipped to the Field Museum. At the same time, we will be testing, backing up, and restoring the BHL database at the Field Museum before Move Event #2. Other more detailed tests are planned, but not described here.
Move Event #2 (Part A)
COMPLETE
When: 25 June 2026
What: Officially switch web traffic to the Field Museum. Ship the Main Database and Full Text Search servers to the Field Museum
Effect: BHL will have a simpler, catalog-only search. The following features will be unavailable until June 30:
- Full Text Search
- Search Inside This Book
- On-demand (custom) PDF downloads
This is the big day. We will take the Full Text Search server offline for up to 2 hours to rebuild it. Then, in preparation to turn off the last BHL servers at the Smithsonian, we will transfer web traffic to the Field Museum. Then, like Move Event #1, we will make configuration changes to disconnect the Main Database server from the Smithsonian network. Finally, we will pack up the Main Database server and the Full Text Search to ship them to Chicago.
During this time and until 30 June, searches on BHL will use only the metadata of items in BHL. Full-text search, search filters, and the Search Inside This Book feature will not be available. Also, the Download Contents > Select Pages to Download feature will be unavailable.
Move Event #2 (Part B)
COMPLETE
When: 29-30 June 2026
What: Field Museum staff receives and installs Main Database and Full Text Search servers
Effect: BHL resumes normal operation
With the servers all together again, Full Text Search will return and we will resume a fully redundant database configuration with the Main and Backup database servers working in tandem.
Estimated Route
Follow along as the servers are transported from Washington, DC to Chicago, IL.
Please note that the path neither is accurate nor to scale. (Map Source)
(Last Updated: 1 July 2026)