| |
 |
|
Network Operations Center |
|
Environment
Precision-controlled air conditioning systems protect and
cool mission-critical servers and equipment in the Network
Operations Center. The facility is controlled by York™
quad-compressor / dual-blower redundant systems. These
systems provide a virtually dust-free and particle-free
computing environment, with temperature, humidity, and
air-quality regulation.
|
Security
Restricted access to the Network Operations Center is
monitored by qualified personnel 24 hours a day, every
day. Visitors and clientele are only allowed on-site if
escorted by Network Operations Center staff. The entire
Network Operations Center is monitored, ensuring prompt
response and thorough coverage to fire or security alarms.
We supply all our Network Operations Center customers with
advanced firewall, encryption, intrusion detection and
other security measures. Our Data Center; maintains a full
digital video surveillance system of the Network
Operations Center, with full on-site and off-site
recording.
|
Failsafe Power Supply
Our Network Operations Center currently has 800amps 480v
(3200amps 110v) 3-Phase power currently available from
PP&L™ (Pennsylvania Power & Electric). The facility is
backed up and protected by UPS (Uninterruptible Power
Supply) systems on each individual rack, as well as an APC
Silcom™ 500KVA system for facility-wide enterprise
coverage. In a very rare case of utility outage, our
Cummins™ 250KW deisel generator starts automatically,
taking over for the UPS systems and supplying all
necessary power for the facility. The generator interfaces
to the power grid thru a Cutler-Hammer™ automatic transfer
panel. The generator is powered by a 500 gallon fuel tank,
capable of running without refueling for approximately 80
hours.
|
Backup Systems
Our Data Center; automatically provides backup data
services to all shared hosting solutions clientele.
Services are also optionally available to all dedicated
and co-location clientele. Our Data Center; utilizes
backup hard drives on each individual server to store
backups. Linux systems store zipped copies of server
system files and client data files, for simple server
rebuilding. Windows™ NT/2000 servers store full image
backups (identical copy of operating system and data at
time of backup), for full system restoration. Off-server
and off-site backup services are available as well.
|
24x7x365 Monitoring
The Network Operations Center uses industry-standard SNMP
(Simple Network Management Protocol) and provides
round-the-clock monitoring of all hardware, including
routers, switches, UPS systems, and servers. The Network
Operations Center also monitors power, environmental
factors (such as temperature and humidity), generator
status, and network connectivity. All critical
services/ports are monitored, including FTP, HTTP, SMTP,
HTTPS, SSH, TELNET, and POP3. We provide network
monitoring of the Local Area Network, Internet
connectivity (all routers, switches, and wiring), and the
Internet backbone via MRTG. Our close and constant
communication with our upstream backbone providers ensures
that our customers have constant access to
high-performance Internet connections. Failure on any
monitoring service results in audible alarms, LAN
messages, and alerting our staff paging system. We offer
remote cold boot hardware for dedicated server and
co-location clients, with private, password protected, web
based access.
|
Hardware
The Network Operations Center utilizes ONLY top name brand
hardware. The facility is centered on a Cisco™ GSR 12008
Border Router w/HotSwap, with Cisco™ 7200VXR Series Routers
serving as core routers, connecting via Gigabit Ethernet to
the Hewlett Packard™ Procurve™ 4108GL primary switches.
Hewlett Packard™ Procurve™ managed switches comprise the power
and stability of the network, operating at 100mbps switched
ethernet speeds. Hardware utilized in the facility is
comprised of the following brands: Intel™, Asus™, Abit™, AMD™,
3Com™, Hewlett Packard™, Adaptec™, Cisco™, Tekram™, Kingston™,
Micron™, Crucial™, IBM™, Maxtor™, Western-Digital™, Seagate™,
Quantum™, Fujitsu™, Datatel™, Belkin™, & Lucent™. APC™, Tripp-Lite™,
Compaq™, & Powerware™ UPS Systems provide the power backups,
along with a Cummins™ generator system. Facility monitoring is
provided by a Panasonic™ WD-500 Digital Video System over
Sony™ CCTV cameras.
|
Software
The Network Operations Center utilizes the Red Hat™ Linux
operating system on the majority of servers present. Red
Hat™ Linux is a highly configurable system, and well known
for speed and stability. Red Hat™ Linux servers have been
documented to remain operating for up to one year at a
time without even requiring a reboot. The Apache™ Web
Server nicely compliments the Red Hat™ Linux Operating
System. The majority of remaining servers operate on the
Microsoft™ Windows™ NT/2000 operating systems, with
Internet Information Server™ Web Server. Microsoft™
Windows™ NT/2000 provides a system that simplifies
database, application, and visual effect programming. Our
Data Center also supports FreeBSD™, Mandrake™, Slackware™,
Turbo Linux™, & Debian Linux™. |
|
Connectivity
The network is connected via OC-Level fiber connections to
Verizon™ (Formerly Bell Atlantic PA) & Cambrian™, as well
as gigabit fiber from PPL Telcom™, (a sub-division of
Pennsylvania Power & Electric™ - PPL™) and Commonwealth
Telephone™ (CTSI™), NorthEast PA's 2nd largest Telco. The
network currently connects the datacenter POPs (Points of
Presence) in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Philadelphia, & New
York City, with others to be completed shortly. OUr
datacenter utilizes 100MBPS Gigabit Fiber from Global
Crossing (http://www.glbx.com), and 100MBPS Metro Fast
Ethernet drops from Level3™ (http://www.level3.com), Verio™
(http://www.verio.com), XO™ Communications (http://www.xo.com),
MFN™/AboveNET™ (http://www.mfn.com) (June 2003), & Cogent™
(http://www.cogentco.com) (backup). For redundancy, our
datacenter is currently running BGP4 (border gateway
routing protocol) to maintain the speed and uptime. If one
backbone line goes down, it will balance the load to the
other(s). If one line gets congested, it will load balance
the traffic. Our Datacenter is currently negotiating with
major backbone providers to open POPs in the Scranton PA
facility. OUr Datacenter is currently the only major data
center/co-lo facility within 60-75 miles of the Tier-3
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre PA USA Metro Area.
|
|
|
|