26/05/2026
Major Server Upgrade Secures Hawke’s Bay History for Future Generations
The team at Knowledge Bank is pleased to announce the successful completion of a major $80,000 server upgrade project, ensuring the long-term preservation and protection of Hawke’s Bay’s digital heritage for future generations.
The project has significantly strengthened the organisation’s digital infrastructure and resilience, enabling the continued growth and safeguarding of the region’s historical collections, photographs, documents, newspapers, and community archives.
The new system includes two physical servers located in Hastings - one housed at Stoneycroft and another securely hosted by Tribe Technologies - along with a third backup server operating in the cloud. This three-tiered approach provides increased security, redundancy, and protection for the thousands of digital records held by Knowledge Bank.
Knowledge Bank Chairperson Cynthia Bowers said the project represents an important investment in preserving the stories and memories of Hawke’s Bay.
“Every photograph, newspaper, document, and story in our collections helps tell the story of our region and its people. This upgrade ensures these valuable records will remain safe, accessible, and preserved for future generations.”
Knowledge Bank currently has more than 50,000 items available online, with a further 100,000 items in storage waiting to be processed and added to the website. The upgraded infrastructure ensures the organisation has the capacity to continue expanding access to these important historical resources well into the future.
Knowledge Bank would like to sincerely thank New Zealand Lotteries Commission, the Bernard Chambers Charitable Trust and Pub Charity for their generous financial support, which made the project possible.
Special thanks are also extended to Tribe Technologies for their expertise, guidance, and ongoing support throughout the installation and migration process.
The organisation also acknowledges the dedication of its Board members, volunteers, staff, and supporters whose commitment continues to strengthen the work of preserving Hawke’s Bay history.
“With hundreds of thousands of people engaging with our collections each month, investing in secure and reliable infrastructure is essential,” said Bowers.
Knowledge Bank remains committed to building a lasting digital archive that protects the stories, memories, and identity of Hawke’s Bay for generations to come.
