| Authored by: Rob Connections The Network Operations Center is connected via OC192 fiber connections to Verizon™ (Formerly Bell Atlantic PA) & Commonwealth Telephone (CTSI), NorthEast PA's 2nd largest Telco, as well as 2GBPS+ fiber from PPL Telcom™, a sub-division of Pennsylvania Power & Electric™ (PPL™). We utilize Sprint™ (http://www.sprint.com) & AT&T™ (http://www.att.com) OC3 (155mbps) connections, as well as 100MBPS Metro Fast Ethernet drops from Cogent™ (http://www.cogentco.com), Level3™ (http://www.level3.com), & Global Crossing™ (http://www.glbx.com) (Jan 2003).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. This will increase speeds tremendously due to on-site peering arrangements. Such would allow fiber connections directly to major US peering points/hubs like MAE-EAST, MAE-NYC (8th Avenue), & Halsey Street, avoiding RBOC/CLEC Telco loops. 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-compresser / 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. We maintain 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 a facility-wide APC Silcom™ (http://www.apc.com) 500KVA Enterprise UPS. 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. 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 can be 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. |