Network Colocation Enhances KCI's Data Security Controls

Data networks are the backbone of business, supporting Internet services and e-mail communications among corporate offices and between clients and their project teams. But while new hardware, software, and fiber optic raceways have improved information access and flow, user productivity is still vulnerable to interruptions in power or connectivity associated with accidents, natural disasters, or human threats.

On August 27-28, KCI migrated and reconfigured its key network assets to a secure, colocation facility in Baltimore, MD, ensuring that KCI’s wide-area network would continue operating, should a disaster strike one or more offices and render them unusable. “We looked at six providers before selecting the Level 3 Baltimore Gateway facility in downtown Baltimore,” explained KCI Internetworking Analyst Rob Carlson. “It’s a secure facility, with environmental controls, that guarantees 99.999% power availability. If the primary power source fails, batteries kick in and automatic transfer switches shift electrical loads to a 24-hour, diesel back-up generator, strong enough to power 2,242 homes.”

“Zero Room for Error”—From 5:00 p.m. on August 27th to 1:00 a.m., August 28th, Carlson, KCI’s Network Manager Lou Novotny, and Network Support Specialist Frank Lighty worked through an intricate plan to transfer KCI’s dedicated servers and cabling to two leased, eight-bytwo- foot cabinets in the colocation facility and to reconfigure the network logic. “Every morning for a week-and-a-half before the move, we practiced every step, every single connection, modifying the sequence until it was perfect,” said Novotny. “It was as complex a task as there is in this business, and there was zero room for error.

“During the move, we redirected inbound e-mail, kci.com, and client websites to an off-site server, but otherwise, we were completely unplugged: no internal or outbound e-mail, no Web access, no VPN (Virtual Private Network) office-to-office communications, no Oracle access. We followed the work plan to the letter, and hours later, the entire system was up and running. I’ve never been so proud of a project or a project team in terms of efficiency and competency,” said Novotny.

KCI Vice President and Chief Information Officer Alan Mlinarchik agrees, “We were redefining the external view of KCI’s network using five new IP (Internet Protocol) addresses, and these are changes that take time to propagate throughout the Internet. We also had to define and reconfigure 15 offices, and everything had to be operational by Monday morning, so the move had to be perfect—and it was.

“The move also positions us to expand our level of service to clients,” added Mlinarchik. “KCI’s network is more robust and we have the capability to add IP addresses and dedicated servers to provide enhanced web and GIS (Geographic Information System) hosting services.”

KCI’s successful network colocation satisfies security and survivability requirements in the corporate Business Continuity Plan, ensuring the availability of computing and communication systems. “Downtime is just not part of the plan any more,” said Carlson.

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