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Learn about the implementation of best practices in the internet hosting industry and how it helps in managing mission-critical environments, controlling exponential growth, and improving operational continuity.
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Implementing Best PracticesWithin the Internet Hosting Industry Charlie Boyle Digex Inc. Jim Herman VERITAS Software
Internet Hosting Industry • Began as high speed, reliable transport • Web hosting • Grew into facilities management • Power, pipe and ping • Evolving to managed services • System and application based • Experiencing explosive growth • CAGR 92% according to IDC “Today 90 of the top 100 web sites depend on Internet hosting partners”
Industry Market Forecast Forrester Research forecast based on surveys with 56 national, regional, and local ISPs and hosting companies
Industry Discussion • The Internet Hosting value proposition • Faster time to market • Scalable facilities to accommodate growth • Available expertise • Cost saving by leveraging economies of scale • Application characteristic • Mission critical Internet applications • Requires 24 x 7 reliable and redundant operations • Needs disaster recovery • Anticipates rapid growth
Extent of Services Provided Operational Complexity Market Segmentation Co-location Managed Service • DIGEX • Application Expertise • Managed systems • Harden facilities • Premium SLA • Remote Hands • Self maintenance • Facilities Vary • Extended SLA Access Services Shared Services • Dedicated circuit • Facilities vary • Limited SLA • Shared system • Facilities vary • Limited SLA
Digex Inc. • Currently managing over 2500 servers • Over 1000 customers • Managing Fortune 500’s Mission Critical Sites • Largest number of hosted NT servers • Founding member of SunTone Architecture Counsel • Service focus: • Complex Web sites • E-commerce applications • CRM & Back Office applications “A leading provider of premium managed services for mission critical Internet applications”
Digex Value Proposition • State of the art facilities designed for: • Businesses most sensitive data • Lights-out operations • Major disasters • Growth capacity for 20,000 servers • “Smart” managed services • Network, system, application, data • Mitigated risk • Standard configuration • Predictable availability “Digex keeps e-business in business”
Digex Challenge • Managing mission critical environments • Creating a service as reliable as dial tone • Controlling exponential growth • CAGR 92% • Guaranteed Service with predictable Operational Efficiency • Improve service level agreements • Reduce operational cost • Decrease time to market • Improve operational continuity “Managed Service Providers are challenged to deliver QOS on a system and application level that meets or exceeds the highest guarantees available from managed network providers”
Meeting the Challenge • VERITAS commitment to the Digex business model • Business alignment between VERITAS & Digex • Examined: • support requirements • professional services • operational needs • marketing support • product delivery • Areas of focus • Create special service provider packaging of VERITAS solutions (example: Smart BackupTM) • Implement support infrastructure for service-based distribution • Develop standards for “best practices” based on VERITAS solutions
Formulating Best Practices • Four key areas • Needs Assessment • Delivery Methodology • Life Cycle Planning • Training Assessment • Performance Tuning • Operational Procedure Review • Accountability • Partnership • Goal • Improve operational continuity • Manage exponential growth • Lower cost of operations
Smart BackupTM Initiative • Challenge • Backup over 2500 servers (60% NT / 40% Solaris) and over 17 terabytes of data daily • Plan for future growth to 20,000 servers by 2002 • Reduce mean time to restore • Formulate “Backup” Best Practices • Master Server deployment • Performance / Tuning • Class definitions • Operational management
Smart BackupTM Initiative • Master Server deployment • Sizing • Hardware & OS Configuration • Backup Network • Performance / Tuning • Backup Performance • Restore Performance • Class Definitions • Naming Conventions • Disk Contention • Schedule Definitions • Operational management • HSM • Global Data Manager
Benefits • Delivered more predictable service levels • Service bands which map directly back to SLA’s • Positioned for growth with predictable service levels • Developed a win-win-win partnership • Expanded understanding of business and operational requirements • Opportunity for continuous improvement • Improve operational continuity • Manage exponential growth • Lower cost of operations
Next Steps • Formalized partnership for Service Providers • Service Provider Advisory Council to address • future support requirements • professional services needs • operational optimization • marketing support • product delivery • Formalize a Best Practice certification • needs assessment • delivery methodology • accountability • education • partnership
Summary Enabling e-Business “Together Digex and VERITAS are implementing best practices to drive E-Business to new levels”