Stellungnahme der KPNQwest bzgl. des Ausbaukonzeptes --------------------------------------------------
================================================== What is KPNQwest doing to cope with the rapid growth of Strato customers? ==================================================
Current situation ----------------- KPNQwest Germany (Xlink) has experiences performance problems during a phase of rapid customer growth for their major hosting customer; Strato AG. Executive Management of KPNQwest assigned a special project team that will ensure a rapid performance increase for the Strato AG and their customers.
Network connectivity -------------------- The hosting facilities in KPNQwest Germany is directly connected to the EURORings and local peerings. This ensures the best possible connectivity to the Internet. This part has not caused scalability problems regards to Strato.
Server farm ----------- KPNQwest has experienced performance problems with the current set-up of the server farm. The following actions are taken to improve performance:
* Added resources to the project team. (Project Management, internal specialists and vendor expertise) * Enabling expiry time on web servers to reduce traffic on static content * Implementing Resource Manager to distribute process load between operations * Building new architecture with internal experts and experts from world known hardware and content providers * Preparing for migration to new KPNQwest Architecture Installing Proxy Cache for faster delivery of content
The above mentioned actions are short term actions to improve performance. In parallel the new KPNQwest architecture will be put in place to ensure performance, scalability and reliability for future growth of KPNQwest's IP hosting services
KPNQwest Networking and hosting services ========================================
KPNQwest's service provides direct global Internet connectivity on Europe's largest IP backbone network. And because we understand the critical importance of business applications, we guarantee the highest availability and lowest possible latency (traffic delay through the network) in the market place today, a guarantee underpinned by our use of leading-edge switching technology and excellent global peering.
KPNQwest's IP Transit is available at speeds from 2Mbps up to multiples of 155 Mbps. Our service features the fastest response times, world-class performance and guaranteed best-in-class availability. And because our IP network is wholly-owned and self-managed, data security is ensured. Anyone working in the world of the internet will be well aware of the difficulty of planning network capacity levels. New technologies allow KPNQwest customers to run bursts of data well above normal planned levels for short time periods, without degradation of service to their customers. When customers want to upgrade their network capacity, or exploit the network's bursting facilities, they expect us to make it happen quickly and effectively. Our excellent service and customer support enables equally quick and effective responses to queries. Building, owning and running a state-of-the-art IP network results in very
definite advantages to KPNQwest's customers:
- Ultra capacity at Terabit levels (a Terabit is a thousand billion bits), designed for future high-speed broadband applications without limits. - Congestion-free transport, resulting in packet/cell loss approaching zero Re-routing of traffic in less than a second in the unlikely event of major cable damage, due to the self-healing properties of Synchronous Digital - Hierarchy (SDH) - Service Level Guarantees - Around the clock Customer Care, 24 hours/7 days per week, every week.
All KPNQwest's IP services are offered over the KPNQwest EuroRings™ network, Europe's largest IP backbone. With links via THE ac1, Gemini and TAT14 transatlantic cables to Qwest's 30,000 km US network, it is the largest fibre optic IP backbone in the world. It is specially designed built for current and future IP broadband services such as Internet2, with its gigaPoPs and massive parallel computing power.
One of the most important network parameters is speed. Not just the raw data speed within the laser beams, but the effective throughput of the network. Through the IP backbone minimal latency and therefore maximum throughput is guaranteed. For domestic IP traffic we offer an average of 85 msec (.085 seconds) round trip time (RTT). For transatlantic IP traffic we offer an average lower than 95 msec RTT. On-line reporting, available through a secure web interface, provides updates on access link loading.
Internet Protocol (IP) networks work by sending discrete packets of data between processors across the network. One critical measurement of performance is the percentage of packets which for various reasons are lost or become corrupted during transmission. Two main methods of communication are used, riding on the top of the IP stream. UDP transmission (User Datagram Protocol, a very fast and direct way of broadcasting data) results in better than one packet lost per thousand. TCP transmission (higher grade service, where packets are re-transmitted if lost or damaged) results in less than 0.1% packet re-transmission.
Cybercentres ------------
KPNQwest cybercentres extend the reach of businesses and reduce the complexity of commercial internet operations. KPNQwest's pan-European system of interconnected cybercentres manages customer application infrastructures throughout Europe, allowing them to focus on core business. And because the cybercentres are directly connected to the EuroRingsTM network, they deliver world class performance and reliability.
KPNQwest provides all of the prerequisites required for application and web hosting. The flexible cybercentre portfolio works for all types of business, ranging from small enterprises to large multinational corporations. Today, KPNQwest has regional hosting centres in 12 European locations; soon, latest-technology mega-cybercentres will open in key European cities, including London, Milan, Munich, Paris, Prague, and Stockholm. These mega-cybercentres, which are currently under construction connect directly into KPNQwest's fibre infrastructure. Each mega-cybercentre is approximately 10,000 square meters in size.
The KPNQwest Cybercentres provides a full range of features, from simple co-location capabilities to complex application hosting. The KPNQwest equipment co-location service is the most basic offer and it is the foundation for all other cybercentre services. Customers using the co-location service lease floor space in one or more cybercentres. This service typically includes a raised computer floor and power supply. Extra resources can be included on request, for example, additional air-conditioning could be installed.
The Telehousing service provides the next level of support. Telehousing customers receive cabinet space in a climate-controlled room, fitted with a raised floor for cable routing and an un-interruptible power supply. In addition, basic communication facilities such as distribution frames and telephone lines are provided. Digital Distribution Frames (DDF) and Optical Distribution Frames (ODF) allow customers to connect directly to the KPNQwest network, and also to other local providers should they wish. On-site service engineers also provide first line maintenance if required, such as card changing, resetting equipment, alarm condition monitoring checks and setting loops for remote testing.
KPNQwest also provides clients with the latest Internet or IT servers as well as supporting services. These services include installation of operating systems, back-up maintenance, performance monitoring of servers and equipment upgrades. Building on these basic services, some businesses are provided with a managed web site as part of a complete Internet environment. Internet services such as corporate E-mail, intranet, search engines, on-line catalogues and streaming video and audio are hosted by KPNQwest. This includes building and managing the web servers, provide the Internet domain names as well as security precautions such as firewalls. All these key activities can be provided from the centralised Network Operating Centre.
German (Xlink) Hosting Facility and Strato application ==================================================
The Xlink hosting centre in Germany, hosting the Strato services, is part of the KPNQwest cybercenter infrastructure, and thus enjoys the superior connectivity provided by the KPNQwest backbone, as well as having the usual KPNQwest fail-safe and redundant data center facilities. Power is provided by redundant battery systems and diesel generators, assuring continuous operation. High-volume air conditioning and cooling facilities are also redundant and fail-safe, ensuring that an ideal environment is maintained for the computing systems.
The processing systems that support the Strato application are based on two redundant, top-end Sun multiprocessor systems (E6500), that share a clusterable/mirrorable file system. These main servers are front-ended and supported by a number of high-performance Sun E4500 servers running distributed application services. By using the double redundancy of distributing application processing and file service to separate, independently redundant multiprocessor machines, reliability and fail-safe operation can be assured, along with sufficient processing power to be scalable to accommodate the very high-volume needs of the application. The opportunities for load balancing and performance tuning provided by tools such as Sun Resource Manager and the load balancer system employed by KPNQwest ensure that capacity can be grown as the number of users continue to grow.
Backup strategies based on multi-level duplication (primary and secondary storage) allows for recovery even in case of catastrophic system failures that the safety systems (such as the automated fire extinguisher system and environmental control systems) might not be able to avert.
Hosting environment specifications ---------------------------------- * Cabinet space *
Space is offered in lockable cabinets with standard 19'' suspension, for housing the server equipment. The outside dimensions of this 19 inch cabinet is 60 cm in width, 80 cm in depth, and 220 cm in height. For large systems no cabinet space is required (e.g. Sun Enterprise Server E6500 and Sun Storage A3500).
* Raised floor *
The raised floor has a load bearing capacity of 475 kg/m2 with a maximum point load of 3.75 kg/cm2. This floor will enable cabling to be brought via cable ducts to the equipment.
* Power supply *
The data centre used for STRATO is supplied with the following power features: - Redundant power supply of 220-240 Volts AC; two outlets per rack; - Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) with a minimum of 15 minutes battery backup; - Diesel generator backup
* Climate control *
Climate control is according to norm ETS class 3.1 'Telecommunication Centres'. This norm describes the following environmental conditions: - Climatic conditions, air temperature and humidity, - Biological conditions, - Chemical active substances, - Mechanical conditions - Normative references of this ETS are IEC publication 721.3-3: Stationary use at weather protected locations. - The average temperature will be 21° C +/- 10%, the average humidity will be 50%+/- 10 %.
* Smoke, fire and water protection *
Automatic smoke, fire and water detection in line with the locally applicable standard fire code is installed at all sites. Also an automated fire extinguishing system based on the security gas FT200 is installed.
* Access and security *
The access to the Telehousing room is secured with highly secure doors and an electronic access protection system. Only employees and representatives mentioned in an agreed list are allowed on the site. A security check will be executed. Visitors must prove their identity. The visitor will always be accompanied by KPNQwest personnel (or representatives of KPNQwest).
Interconnection to KPNQWEST network -----------------------------------
Within the Telehousing room interconnection is provided to KPNQwest services. KPNQwest provides interconnection cabling up to the customer cabinet in correspondence with provided bandwidth service.
Server Hardware and Storage ---------------------------
* Server Systems *
The server environment for STRATO bases on Sun Microsystems servers using the Solaris operating system. The quantity of resources scales with the number of customer packages and the development of resource usage by existing customers. Distribution of load and services on the different servers is planned and performed by KPNQwest depending on the requirement of the individual services and the usage development. Beside few exception services are put on separate servers e.g. web, mail, and ftp service. Depending on the services, KPNQwest uses different types of Sun Enterprise servers:
- E420R or similar for smaller single services - E4500 or E6500 for web services - E4500 or or E6500 for storage access
* Resouce Management *
In order to guarantee high average performance for all customers, KPNQwest uses Sun Solaris Resource Manager. The resource management allows KPNQwest to define resource availability and priorities for different services and users on a system.
* Load Balancers *
KPNQwest uses load balancing mechanisms to guarantee high availabili |