Importance of Data Centers
Often, the condition of user’s valuables depends on the container they have been kept in. The data center is the container for all their servers. Now, if they have many servers, they are likely to locate them from where they can monitor and take care of them properly.
Having a data center will help them reap the benefits of all their servers. Though in the data center they don’t behave as a cluster, they definitely help them as a group. Their business will not suffer because of one server failure. Thus, a data center offers high availability.
Recoveries are fast with a data center. Thus, their business does not suffer because of server failures or other unexpected problems. The data center provides business continuity.
A data center allows the organizations to grow without a hitch. It is highly scalable, accommodating the growing needs of their business comfortably. All organizations do not actually require the data center. Organizations that own single servers or just a couple don’t need a full-fledged ‘container’. Large or growing businesses definitely need one. However, too many servers are difficult to handle even if the organization own a data center. The best possible is to outsource its management. It will help them to get optimum benefits of the data center, and can easily focus on their core business instead of managing and maintaining the servers all the time. They can even choose to keep the data center in the premises of the service provider. The benefit of doing so is that it outweighs the expenses.
The Planet’s Data Centers
ThePlanet is the world’s largest privately owned dedicated hosting company. It helps the environment in reducing power consumption and global warming by increasing its data centers’ operating efficiencies. The initial results have shown that the critical server loads has been increased by 5 percent and the power used for cooling is being decreased by 31 percent. The overall company experienced the power reductions of up to 13.5 percent through a broad range of improvements. The new “green” initiatives, has been conducted across its six world-class data centers, which are being expected to deliver cost savings in excess of $1 millions in 2010 alone. The Planet has also improved its “coefficient of efficiency,” an EPA, and its Uptime Institute that has recognized the measurement of the total power required to operate a data center divided by its critical power, which represents the energy required to operate its computers. The company has ranked itself 1.7 (a near-ideal number).
The Planet’s vice president, Jeff Lowenberg said “With six data centers that house more than 50,000 servers, it’s important that they operate at peak performance to meet the demands of their 22,000 customers,”
At the same time, it defines their company’s goal is to conserve energy and drive the centers’ operating efficiencies, since the power is very precious in every corner of the world. Ultimately, when their goals are met and they operate more efficiently, customers reap the benefits since they’re able to spend capital on products and services that will enhance the customer experience.
The Planet operates more than 150 to 30-ton Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units across its six data centers. By using one data center, the company was able to turn off all its four units from a single server. The cooling requirement on two of the units was reduced to 50 percent of capacity, while now another nine have to operate at 25 percent of capacity. The company has also extended the return air plenums on all of its down-flow CRAC units to optimize efficiency.
In some cases, The Planet team was able to increase CRAC unit temperature settings by locating the temperature to at most 10 degrees while the thermal guidelines for data processing environments is being set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Across the board, the company has evaluated the data centers’ footprints and recommended guidelines from the Site Uptime Network, an only invitation consortium of companies that operate data centers around the globe. The Planet has also evaluated standards for air conditioning efficiency from ASHRAE to optimize operating performance.
The Planet data centers’ facilities and capabilities include:
1.Reliability
2.Scalability
3.Affability
4.On Demand IT Hosting
Setting Up the Data Centers
Many organizations are confused for opting data centers and whether they will be able to handle their management effectively with the help of it. Data centers are important for especially large organization having many servers to take care of. However, small organizations with a couple of single servers need not invest in a data center. The need, however, arises if the small and mid-size organizations grow fast, thereby triggering a demand for more servers. It is important to analyze the need for a data center before investing. Once the users have made sure that they need a data center, they should ensure that they hire the best engineering firm to build it. It is important to check the best practices during its construction. They need to keep their all requirements in mind while building the data center.
One thing that they have to figure out even before they start building up their data center is their ability to monitor and manage it. They cannot afford to be complacent with their servers and their performance. They need to make sure that they can manage the data center on their own. If they have the slightest problem in looking after the data center, they should reconsider their decision or seek professional help. If their organization requires a data center and they are not able to provide proper management, then they should hire the services of a data center management company.
The data center need not be kept in organization’s premises; they can choose to keep it in the service provider’s premises. The service provider company will monitor and manage the data center for the user.
The Planet’s Data Centers Facilities
The Planet manages over 180,000 square feet of raised floor data center across eight facilities in Houston, Dallas and London. Designed for maximum uptime and peak efficiency, these data centers are regularly and independently audited to comply with industry best practice standards, such as SAS 70 Type II. Owning and operating their own facilities provides The Planet with the means to offer industry leading availability while shielding our customers from future uncertainty.
Each facility is equipped to handle any challenge based on these unique advantages:
The Planet’s secure data centers are monitored 24 x 7 to ensure user servers are always safe
Customers can be confident with company’s N+1 power generator architecture
The Planet features N+2 redundant data center HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems
Advanced fire suppression systems ensure any fires are localized
Preventive maintenance, performed regularly by highly trained personnel, meets or exceeds manufacturers recommended practices.
The Planet is a member of the Uptime Institute, a prestigious knowledge consortium where global standards and best practices are created and delivered to maintain system uptime and availability.
Data Storage & Backup Services with The Planet
With any Dedicated Server solution, it is vital to have the right online data storage platform to support user’s business and that they backup their critical data on a regular basis. The Planet offers a broad range of data storage services to meet their needs, whether they need highly available, high-performance data storage or they are looking for the cheapest price per gigabyte, The Planet also provides numerous server backup services to ensure their critical data is always protected.
Storage Cloud: Highly scalable onsite and offsite file storage platform with usage-based billing.
Storage Area Network: Dedicated ultra-high performance data storage solution for mission-critical and performance-intensive applications that require high availability and scalability.
Direct Attached Storage: Dedicated high-performance data storage devices directly connected to their servers.
Backup Solutions: From fully managed data backup service to self-managed dedicated data backup servers, The Planet has the right solution to protect their critical data.
State-of-the-art “Green” NOCs design and high power-density capability
In 2009, The Planet had introduced a new data center facility in North Dallas with 106,000-square-feet available for colocation services. The new facility offers a world-class SAS 70 Type II-audited colocation environment with very high network speed and bandwidth capacity, local and remote Network Operation centers, expert support, services and high power density.
Utilizing the latest modular cooling technology from Turbine Air Systems (TAS), that features N+1 cooling and power architectures with state-of-the-art, high-efficiency, water-cooled chillers piping of the mixed-use data center. The data center’s “green” architectural design features an equipment galley located outside the data center floor as well as manages the six large air-handling units and all chilled-water units. Because all water is located outside of the actual data center floor, the design eliminates the possibility of an interior water leak.
Outside and adjacent to the new data center, The Planet’s state-of-the-art, high-efficiency N+1 cooling and power architecture is backed by five on-site, diesel-powered generators with a minimum three-day fuel supply, along with two 30,000-gallon water-storage tanks for the facility’s chillers.
By providing these facilities, it will assure the user the continuous uptime operation of power and water systems, independent of potential brownouts, outages or water-supply interruptions. Based on this unique design, The Planet data center expects to achieve a 1.3 “coefficient of efficiency” ranking, which is significantly below the 1.6 “ideal” rating. Recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Uptime Institute, this score demonstrates The Planet’s total commitment to value and reliability in an ultra-efficient colocation solution.
The Planet’s SAS 70 Type-II Audited Data Centers
The Planet manages over 180,000 square feet of raised floor eight data centers in Houston, Dallas and London. The Planet has designed them for maximum uptime and peak efficiency, and these data centers are regularly and independently audited to comply with industry best practice standards, such as SAS 70 Type II.
The Texas data centers provide SAS 70 Type II audited data facilities. Most recently, The Planet has added a 106,000 sq. ft. collocation center in Plano, TX. On the technical front, the new data center uses the latest modular cooling technology from Turbine Air Systems (TAS), with high-efficiency, water-cooled chillers that eliminate the possibility of an interior water leak. The facility meets SAS 70 Type II standards and is protected by biometric security access.
Owning and operating facilities gives The Planet means to offer industry leading availability while protecting their customers from future uncertainty.
Each facility is equipped to handle any challenge based on these unique advantages:
The Planet’s secure data centers are monitored 24 x 7 to ensure user servers are always safe
Customers can be confident with company’s N+1 power generator architecture
The Planet features N+2 redundant data center HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems
Advanced fire suppression systems ensure any fires are localized
Preventive maintenance, performed regularly by highly trained personnel, meets or exceeds manufacturers recommended practices.
The Planet is a member of the Uptime Institute, a prestigious knowledge consortium where global standards and best practices are created and delivered to maintain system uptime and availability.
The Planet’s Data Centers Power
With multiple SAS 70 Type II Certified data centers located in Dallas and Houston, The Planet delivers full redundancy in supplying data center power to servers and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).
If any of their eight data centers were have to experience a power disruption for any reason, it completely covers their power because they provides a complete power management system, including backup generators in the unlikely event such as normal power supplies failure.
Uninterrupted Power Supply
The servers within data centers feed power through an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) that takes a raw power from a utility to control, modulate, and supply it to thousands of individual servers. The UPS prevents power surges from affecting server performance.
Power typically flows from the local utility to the UPS system in order to power their servers and the building’s lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. In the unlikely event that the local utility power supply is disrupted, their N+1 generator architecture assures the backup generators start automatically.
N+1 Backup Generators
Once the power transfer switches sense a decline in power from the local utility, they automatically signal diesel-powered generators to start up and switch power flow to the generators. In the few seconds between the decline in power from the utility and switch over to backup generators, UPS units are supplied with power through a battery system that ensures the power supply to servers is uninterrupted.
They have additional backup generators that kick in automatically to keep power supplies flowing if any generator fails.
And if there is an extended power outage, on-site diesel generators can run indefinitely. Servers are fed by multiple uninterrupted power supply (UPS) units with redundant and instant fail over coverage, if any single UPS unit fails.
. The Planet’s Data Centers’ Physical Security
Access to The Planet data centers is protected 24 X 7. To gain entry, all guests must pass through a two-factor authentication barriers. A Northern Proximity security badge is required for entry/exit on all data center doors in the facility. It shifts the patrol of the data center and facility area regularly, and moves the highly sensitive cameras throughout the facilities to track all data center activity. In addition to the physical data center security, The Planet offers complete Network Security services.
SAS 70 Type II Certification
The Planet’s seven data centers located in Houston and Dallas have been certified by an independent auditor to be SAS 70 Type II compliant. By devoting substantial time and resources to a SAS 70 audit, The Planet assures their data center facilities to own and manage the requirements for the highest standards. It assures in guaranteeing the safety and security of user’s information technology.
The Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70, Service Organizations, is an internationally recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). A SAS 70 audit recognizes that a hosting provider such as The Planet has had an in-depth audit of its control activities, conducted by an independent third-party auditor. It includes a thorough review of all controls over information technology and related processes. Passing a SAS 70 audit demonstrates to user that The Planet has established adequate controls and safeguards for hosting their data and IT infrastructure.
Alpha Server Security Services
Alpha Server Security Services provides all the necessary requirements for ongoing dedicated server security management. This essential advanced service ensures that the dedicated servers are securely deployed, and remain patched and secure throughout their life cycle.
Key Benefits of Alpha Server Security Services
Industry Best Practices Based Security: The Alpha Advanced Service Team will harden their system from security threats based on industry best practices.
Malware Protection, Intrusion Detection and Firewall: The Alpha Advanced Services Team will deploy Symantec Endpoint Protection to stop malware (such as viruses, worms, Trojans, spy-ware, ad-ware, bots, zero-day threats and root kits) and provide IDS and Firewall protection.
Ongoing Server Security Management: Beyond server hardening, the Alpha Advanced Services team helps user stay secure by providing security patch management and monthly vulnerability reports.
On-Demand Server Security: The Alpha Advanced Service Team is always ready to resolve issues discovered from regular systems audits or any security related issues, affecting user’s managed servers.
Manages Abuse Complaints: The Alpha Advanced Service Team will act as a defense for any crimes and abuse complaints and are quickly and efficiently handled by AUP policy violation reports. It helps in reducing the servers’ problems and makes the servers more efficient in getting available.
Services included with Alpha Server Security
Initial server deployment security hardening/audit
Monthly operating system & control panel updates (patch management)
Monthly server security audit utilizing industry best practices
Symantec Endpoint Protection deployed and configured
Monthly report for ongoing server security audits
Managed Abuse incident resolution
Unlimited troubleshooting for server security related incidents
Alpha Server Security Pricing
$40 per server per monthly
Northstar Managed Hosting Backup Services with customized data protection solutions
A reliable and efficient data protection plan for IT infrastructure should not be delayed. With Northstar Managed Hosting, The Planet tailors a plan for user and their business that incorporates not just a backup solution, but also an array of high-availability options that are fully managed by an assigned team of certified engineers. It also ensures starting from their initial consultation that the specially designed data protection solution can handle any disaster recovery or compliance needs their business may demand. It performs regular consultations to review their data protection strategy and plan for any future changes.
The Anticipation Advantage Methodology for Backup Services
Northstar takes managed hosting to the next level of professionalism by adopting a proactive methodology, going beyond the typical reactive support mentality of other managed hosting providers. That means in-depth business and technology planning sessions; systems architecture designed to fit user’s needs; proactive management and protection of their IT systems for maximum performance; and regular reports and reviews of system health to discover new ways to improve and leverage IT.
1.Assess: During initial consultation, an assigned Northstar Hosting Manager works to construct the backup strategy that helps in resolving the data protection problems. It develops a thorough understanding of visualization of business continuity and then prioritizes it among other infrastructure needs. It also reviews the backup strategy to ensure it will scale at the appropriate rate for user’s business.
2.Design: The designing process is defined as a robust infrastructure to support user’s backup strategy in an area of specialty of an assigned Northstar Managed Hosting backup engineer. It leverages a high-performance, disk-to-disk based system that minimizes impact during backup and restores procedures. It also separates this activity on a different network to isolate traffic during these activity periods. The Planet integrates well-defined processes and procedures to execute the plan using high-performance systems. Examples of the processes that they structure into user’s data protection solution include the following:
Defining a comprehensive backup and recovery plan
Defining backup retention periods
Identifying exclusions specific to their business
Discussing backup encryption options
Discussing application specific backup strategies, including SQL, MySQL, Exchange, SharePoint, etc.
3.Maintain: Diligence is a key element in any successful data protection plan. Because of this, an assigned backup engineer performs rigorous backup verification procedures to ensure user that their data is always available. It then takes care to follow the change control procedures as collaboratively defined in their customer run book. Examples of the activities that it perform on their behalf include the following:
Provide a disk-based backup system for high-performance backup and restore functions
Dedicated network for backup and restore traffic to minimize system impact
Verifying successful completion of all backup sessions
Provide optional test recovery strategies for additional backup integrity checks
Scheduling backups during off-peak hours specific to user’s business operations
4.Measure: It is critical to keep user informed of how well the backup plan is performing. It monitors the systems for utilization, and also intelligently collaborate the information to make proactive recommendations in order to know when to grow the infrastructure. An assigned Northstar Technical Account Manager then becomes their primary resource for prioritizing and presenting this information on a quarterly basis. Examples of the reports that it delivers on a regular basis include the following:
Aggregate backup usage reports: It alerts user to impend limits so that user can plan for additional capacity
Display successful backup sessions: It performs such tasks that enables the user to clearly see successful backup sessions through the company’s customer portal
Define backup usage trends: It informs user of critical trends and collaborate on how to stay ahead of their business needs
Data Centers
Importance of Data Centers
Often, the condition of user’s valuables depends on the container they have been kept in. The data center is the container for all their servers. Now, if they have many servers, they are likely to locate them from where they can monitor and take care of them properly.
Having a data center will help them reap the benefits of all their servers. Though in the data center they don’t behave as a cluster, they definitely help them as a group. Their business will not suffer because of one server failure. Thus, a data center offers high availability.
Recoveries are fast with a data center. Thus, their business does not suffer because of server failures or other unexpected problems. The data center provides business continuity.
A data center allows the organizations to grow without a hitch. It is highly scalable, accommodating the growing needs of their business comfortably. All organizations do not actually require the data center. Organizations that own single servers or just a couple don’t need a full-fledged ‘container’. Large or growing businesses definitely need one. However, too many servers are difficult to handle even if the organization own a data center. The best possible is to outsource its management. It will help them to get optimum benefits of the data center, and can easily focus on their core business instead of managing and maintaining the servers all the time. They can even choose to keep the data center in the premises of the service provider. The benefit of doing so is that it outweighs the expenses.
The Planet’s Data Centers
ThePlanet is the world’s largest privately owned dedicated hosting company. It helps the environment in reducing power consumption and global warming by increasing its data centers’ operating efficiencies. The initial results have shown that the critical server loads has been increased by 5 percent and the power used for cooling is being decreased by 31 percent. The overall company experienced the power reductions of up to 13.5 percent through a broad range of improvements. The new “green” initiatives, has been conducted across its six world-class data centers, which are being expected to deliver cost savings in excess of $1 millions in 2010 alone. The Planet has also improved its “coefficient of efficiency,” an EPA, and its Uptime Institute that has recognized the measurement of the total power required to operate a data center divided by its critical power, which represents the energy required to operate its computers. The company has ranked itself 1.7 (a near-ideal number).
The Planet’s vice president, Jeff Lowenberg said “With six data centers that house more than 50,000 servers, it’s important that they operate at peak performance to meet the demands of their 22,000 customers,”
At the same time, it defines their company’s goal is to conserve energy and drive the centers’ operating efficiencies, since the power is very precious in every corner of the world. Ultimately, when their goals are met and they operate more efficiently, customers reap the benefits since they’re able to spend capital on products and services that will enhance the customer experience.
The Planet operates more than 150 to 30-ton Computer Room Air Conditioning (CRAC) units across its six data centers. By using one data center, the company was able to turn off all its four units from a single server. The cooling requirement on two of the units was reduced to 50 percent of capacity, while now another nine have to operate at 25 percent of capacity. The company has also extended the return air plenums on all of its down-flow CRAC units to optimize efficiency.
In some cases, The Planet team was able to increase CRAC unit temperature settings by locating the temperature to at most 10 degrees while the thermal guidelines for data processing environments is being set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Across the board, the company has evaluated the data centers’ footprints and recommended guidelines from the Site Uptime Network, an only invitation consortium of companies that operate data centers around the globe. The Planet has also evaluated standards for air conditioning efficiency from ASHRAE to optimize operating performance.
The Planet data centers’ facilities and capabilities include:
1.Reliability
2.Scalability
3.Affability
4.On Demand IT Hosting
Setting Up the Data Centers
Many organizations are confused for opting data centers and whether they will be able to handle their management effectively with the help of it. Data centers are important for especially large organization having many servers to take care of. However, small organizations with a couple of single servers need not invest in a data center. The need, however, arises if the small and mid-size organizations grow fast, thereby triggering a demand for more servers. It is important to analyze the need for a data center before investing. Once the users have made sure that they need a data center, they should ensure that they hire the best engineering firm to build it. It is important to check the best practices during its construction. They need to keep their all requirements in mind while building the data center.
One thing that they have to figure out even before they start building up their data center is their ability to monitor and manage it. They cannot afford to be complacent with their servers and their performance. They need to make sure that they can manage the data center on their own. If they have the slightest problem in looking after the data center, they should reconsider their decision or seek professional help. If their organization requires a data center and they are not able to provide proper management, then they should hire the services of a data center management company.
The data center need not be kept in organization’s premises; they can choose to keep it in the service provider’s premises. The service provider company will monitor and manage the data center for the user.
The Planet’s Data Centers Facilities
The Planet manages over 180,000 square feet of raised floor data center across eight facilities in Houston, Dallas and London. Designed for maximum uptime and peak efficiency, these data centers are regularly and independently audited to comply with industry best practice standards, such as SAS 70 Type II. Owning and operating their own facilities provides The Planet with the means to offer industry leading availability while shielding our customers from future uncertainty.
Each facility is equipped to handle any challenge based on these unique advantages:
The Planet’s secure data centers are monitored 24 x 7 to ensure user servers are always safe
Customers can be confident with company’s N+1 power generator architecture
The Planet features N+2 redundant data center HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems
Advanced fire suppression systems ensure any fires are localized
Preventive maintenance, performed regularly by highly trained personnel, meets or exceeds manufacturers recommended practices.
The Planet is a member of the Uptime Institute, a prestigious knowledge consortium where global standards and best practices are created and delivered to maintain system uptime and availability.
Data Storage & Backup Services with The Planet
With any Dedicated Server solution, it is vital to have the right online data storage platform to support user’s business and that they backup their critical data on a regular basis. The Planet offers a broad range of data storage services to meet their needs, whether they need highly available, high-performance data storage or they are looking for the cheapest price per gigabyte, The Planet also provides numerous server backup services to ensure their critical data is always protected.
Storage Cloud: Highly scalable onsite and offsite file storage platform with usage-based billing.
Storage Area Network: Dedicated ultra-high performance data storage solution for mission-critical and performance-intensive applications that require high availability and scalability.
Direct Attached Storage: Dedicated high-performance data storage devices directly connected to their servers.
Backup Solutions: From fully managed data backup service to self-managed dedicated data backup servers, The Planet has the right solution to protect their critical data.
State-of-the-art “Green” NOCs design and high power-density capability
In 2009, The Planet had introduced a new data center facility in North Dallas with 106,000-square-feet available for colocation services. The new facility offers a world-class SAS 70 Type II-audited colocation environment with very high network speed and bandwidth capacity, local and remote Network Operation centers, expert support, services and high power density.
Utilizing the latest modular cooling technology from Turbine Air Systems (TAS), that features N+1 cooling and power architectures with state-of-the-art, high-efficiency, water-cooled chillers piping of the mixed-use data center. The data center’s “green” architectural design features an equipment galley located outside the data center floor as well as manages the six large air-handling units and all chilled-water units. Because all water is located outside of the actual data center floor, the design eliminates the possibility of an interior water leak.
Outside and adjacent to the new data center, The Planet’s state-of-the-art, high-efficiency N+1 cooling and power architecture is backed by five on-site, diesel-powered generators with a minimum three-day fuel supply, along with two 30,000-gallon water-storage tanks for the facility’s chillers.
By providing these facilities, it will assure the user the continuous uptime operation of power and water systems, independent of potential brownouts, outages or water-supply interruptions. Based on this unique design, The Planet data center expects to achieve a 1.3 “coefficient of efficiency” ranking, which is significantly below the 1.6 “ideal” rating. Recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Uptime Institute, this score demonstrates The Planet’s total commitment to value and reliability in an ultra-efficient colocation solution.
The Planet’s SAS 70 Type-II Audited Data Centers
The Planet manages over 180,000 square feet of raised floor eight data centers in Houston, Dallas and London. The Planet has designed them for maximum uptime and peak efficiency, and these data centers are regularly and independently audited to comply with industry best practice standards, such as SAS 70 Type II.
The Texas data centers provide SAS 70 Type II audited data facilities. Most recently, The Planet has added a 106,000 sq. ft. collocation center in Plano, TX. On the technical front, the new data center uses the latest modular cooling technology from Turbine Air Systems (TAS), with high-efficiency, water-cooled chillers that eliminate the possibility of an interior water leak. The facility meets SAS 70 Type II standards and is protected by biometric security access.
Owning and operating facilities gives The Planet means to offer industry leading availability while protecting their customers from future uncertainty.
Each facility is equipped to handle any challenge based on these unique advantages:
The Planet’s secure data centers are monitored 24 x 7 to ensure user servers are always safe
Customers can be confident with company’s N+1 power generator architecture
The Planet features N+2 redundant data center HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems
Advanced fire suppression systems ensure any fires are localized
Preventive maintenance, performed regularly by highly trained personnel, meets or exceeds manufacturers recommended practices.
The Planet is a member of the Uptime Institute, a prestigious knowledge consortium where global standards and best practices are created and delivered to maintain system uptime and availability.
The Planet’s Data Centers Power
With multiple SAS 70 Type II Certified data centers located in Dallas and Houston, The Planet delivers full redundancy in supplying data center power to servers and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC).
If any of their eight data centers were have to experience a power disruption for any reason, it completely covers their power because they provides a complete power management system, including backup generators in the unlikely event such as normal power supplies failure.
Uninterrupted Power Supply
The servers within data centers feed power through an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) that takes a raw power from a utility to control, modulate, and supply it to thousands of individual servers. The UPS prevents power surges from affecting server performance.
Power typically flows from the local utility to the UPS system in order to power their servers and the building’s lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. In the unlikely event that the local utility power supply is disrupted, their N+1 generator architecture assures the backup generators start automatically.
N+1 Backup Generators
Once the power transfer switches sense a decline in power from the local utility, they automatically signal diesel-powered generators to start up and switch power flow to the generators. In the few seconds between the decline in power from the utility and switch over to backup generators, UPS units are supplied with power through a battery system that ensures the power supply to servers is uninterrupted.
They have additional backup generators that kick in automatically to keep power supplies flowing if any generator fails.
And if there is an extended power outage, on-site diesel generators can run indefinitely. Servers are fed by multiple uninterrupted power supply (UPS) units with redundant and instant fail over coverage, if any single UPS unit fails.
.
The Planet’s Data Centers’ Physical Security
Access to The Planet data centers is protected 24 X 7. To gain entry, all guests must pass through a two-factor authentication barriers. A Northern Proximity security badge is required for entry/exit on all data center doors in the facility. It shifts the patrol of the data center and facility area regularly, and moves the highly sensitive cameras throughout the facilities to track all data center activity. In addition to the physical data center security, The Planet offers complete Network Security services.
SAS 70 Type II Certification
The Planet’s seven data centers located in Houston and Dallas have been certified by an independent auditor to be SAS 70 Type II compliant. By devoting substantial time and resources to a SAS 70 audit, The Planet assures their data center facilities to own and manage the requirements for the highest standards. It assures in guaranteeing the safety and security of user’s information technology.
The Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70, Service Organizations, is an internationally recognized auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). A SAS 70 audit recognizes that a hosting provider such as The Planet has had an in-depth audit of its control activities, conducted by an independent third-party auditor. It includes a thorough review of all controls over information technology and related processes. Passing a SAS 70 audit demonstrates to user that The Planet has established adequate controls and safeguards for hosting their data and IT infrastructure.
Alpha Server Security Services
Alpha Server Security Services provides all the necessary requirements for ongoing dedicated server security management. This essential advanced service ensures that the dedicated servers are securely deployed, and remain patched and secure throughout their life cycle.
Key Benefits of Alpha Server Security Services
Industry Best Practices Based Security: The Alpha Advanced Service Team will harden their system from security threats based on industry best practices.
Malware Protection, Intrusion Detection and Firewall: The Alpha Advanced Services Team will deploy Symantec Endpoint Protection to stop malware (such as viruses, worms, Trojans, spy-ware, ad-ware, bots, zero-day threats and root kits) and provide IDS and Firewall protection.
Ongoing Server Security Management: Beyond server hardening, the Alpha Advanced Services team helps user stay secure by providing security patch management and monthly vulnerability reports.
On-Demand Server Security: The Alpha Advanced Service Team is always ready to resolve issues discovered from regular systems audits or any security related issues, affecting user’s managed servers.
Manages Abuse Complaints: The Alpha Advanced Service Team will act as a defense for any crimes and abuse complaints and are quickly and efficiently handled by AUP policy violation reports. It helps in reducing the servers’ problems and makes the servers more efficient in getting available.
Services included with Alpha Server Security
Initial server deployment security hardening/audit
Monthly operating system & control panel updates (patch management)
Monthly server security audit utilizing industry best practices
Symantec Endpoint Protection deployed and configured
Monthly report for ongoing server security audits
Managed Abuse incident resolution
Unlimited troubleshooting for server security related incidents
Alpha Server Security Pricing
$40 per server per monthly
Northstar Managed Hosting Backup Services with customized data protection solutions
A reliable and efficient data protection plan for IT infrastructure should not be delayed. With Northstar Managed Hosting, The Planet tailors a plan for user and their business that incorporates not just a backup solution, but also an array of high-availability options that are fully managed by an assigned team of certified engineers. It also ensures starting from their initial consultation that the specially designed data protection solution can handle any disaster recovery or compliance needs their business may demand. It performs regular consultations to review their data protection strategy and plan for any future changes.
The Anticipation Advantage Methodology for Backup Services
Northstar takes managed hosting to the next level of professionalism by adopting a proactive methodology, going beyond the typical reactive support mentality of other managed hosting providers. That means in-depth business and technology planning sessions; systems architecture designed to fit user’s needs; proactive management and protection of their IT systems for maximum performance; and regular reports and reviews of system health to discover new ways to improve and leverage IT.
1.Assess: During initial consultation, an assigned Northstar Hosting Manager works to construct the backup strategy that helps in resolving the data protection problems. It develops a thorough understanding of visualization of business continuity and then prioritizes it among other infrastructure needs. It also reviews the backup strategy to ensure it will scale at the appropriate rate for user’s business.
2.Design: The designing process is defined as a robust infrastructure to support user’s backup strategy in an area of specialty of an assigned Northstar Managed Hosting backup engineer. It leverages a high-performance, disk-to-disk based system that minimizes impact during backup and restores procedures. It also separates this activity on a different network to isolate traffic during these activity periods. The Planet integrates well-defined processes and procedures to execute the plan using high-performance systems. Examples of the processes that they structure into user’s data protection solution include the following:
Defining a comprehensive backup and recovery plan
Defining backup retention periods
Identifying exclusions specific to their business
Discussing backup encryption options
Discussing application specific backup strategies, including SQL, MySQL, Exchange, SharePoint, etc.
3.Maintain: Diligence is a key element in any successful data protection plan. Because of this, an assigned backup engineer performs rigorous backup verification procedures to ensure user that their data is always available. It then takes care to follow the change control procedures as collaboratively defined in their customer run book. Examples of the activities that it perform on their behalf include the following:
Provide a disk-based backup system for high-performance backup and restore functions
Dedicated network for backup and restore traffic to minimize system impact
Verifying successful completion of all backup sessions
Provide optional test recovery strategies for additional backup integrity checks
Scheduling backups during off-peak hours specific to user’s business operations
4.Measure: It is critical to keep user informed of how well the backup plan is performing. It monitors the systems for utilization, and also intelligently collaborate the information to make proactive recommendations in order to know when to grow the infrastructure. An assigned Northstar Technical Account Manager then becomes their primary resource for prioritizing and presenting this information on a quarterly basis. Examples of the reports that it delivers on a regular basis include the following:
Aggregate backup usage reports: It alerts user to impend limits so that user can plan for additional capacity
Display successful backup sessions: It performs such tasks that enables the user to clearly see successful backup sessions through the company’s customer portal
Define backup usage trends: It informs user of critical trends and collaborate on how to stay ahead of their business needs