Fast and redundant: What a modern data center infrastructure should offer
In order to keep its data centers up to date, GIA Informatik AG underwent an in-depth analysis of its locations on behalf of the owner Muller Martini. The result: Lucerne is to act as an additional location and will soon replace the data center in Zofingen.
The Swiss IT service provider GIA Informatik currently operates two data centres in its own name in Oftringen and Zofingen. They are in a good state of equipment with uninterruptible power supply with batteries, monitoring, groundwater cooling, a strong energy value and one generator each that switches on automatically in the event of a power failure. The problem? The two data centers are geographically located in the same off-road chamber and thus too close to each other. In addition, there had been a risk of flooding in the flood zone for some time. The backwater in the sewer system further increased this risk. "For this reason, we decided to carry out an in-depth analysis to locate the current sources of danger. As a result, the board of directors of the Müller-Martini Group - the owner of GIA Informatik - gave the green light to evaluate a new location and implement the project immediately ", says Jürg Gysel, ICT Consultant and Project Manager GIA Informatik AG.
Multiple criteria made the evaluation difficult
The various criteria meant that only a few locations in Switzerland were considered for a new data center:
- not in the same terrain chamber (this is often required in the tender documents)
- not in the flood endangered area
- not near an airport
- no further than 100 kilometres from the current location in Oftringen due to the latency period
- Nuclear power plant outside protection zone 2
- easily accessible from Oftringen
Redundantly routed lines
The new location also had to meet the standard and be ISO 27001 certified. "We decided on a data center in Littau/Lucerne because it met all the requirements. We put it into operation at the beginning of 2019. By supplying energy in different ways, we ensure that not all data centres are affected in a crisis situation. This leads to a massively higher quality," explains Jürg Gysel. The lines from the previous GIA Informatik data centres to Lucerne will be redundant. This means that they run on separate routes and never cross each other.
Fast connections thanks to 100 Gigabit dark fiber
The IT service provider ensures the fast connections with DWDM technology and bandwidths of 100 gigabit dark fiber leased lines. By comparison, the norm is 10 or 40 gigabits. This means that the systems at GIA Informatik are quickly available again after an interruption. "Since the distance is relatively short at less than 100 kilometers, we achieve low latency. Thanks to this, we operate the systems for the customers with high performance and disaster tolerance. Other advantages are the short distances, the location in a different area and thus a minimisation of risks," explains Jürg Gysel. Currently, the data centers in Oftringen and Zofingen are redundantly connected to the Internet and MPLS provider. The connectivity will be replicated to Lucerne, which is why the communication breakout will exist in Oftringen and Lucerne.
What are the customer requirements?
In the next two to five years, it is highly likely that the majority of customers will want a private cloud solution for their data. GIA Informatik has enough capacity to expand and transmit. "We store the data where we provide our services: in our own data centers in Switzerland. Thanks to the economic framework conditions, the high level of training and the clear legislation, we can guarantee the highest quality: Swiss quality," affirms Jürg Gysel. A geo-redundant connection is also important, for example from the private cloud to the customer site. If a natural event damages a line or an excavator tears out a cable, all data centers never fail at the same time.
Agility as the trump card
As a service provider, GIA Informatik is technologically innovative and flexible. "The internal paths are short, which is why the company is quick to implement projects," explains Jürg Gysel. In comparison with other competitors, it stands out that GIA Informatik - together with Muller Martini - owns its data centers. In addition, a modern, high-performance and secure data center is available to customers at the Lucerne site in a different area.
Further information: www.gia.ch
Author:
Christian Wild is Head of Digital Communication and Strategy, Hirschbühl + Hug GmbH. www.hihu.ch
