Data Center Solutions

About Client
Client provides metasearch technology for use on the Internet under such names as ‘Dogpile’, ‘WebCrawler’, ‘Nation’ and ‘DoGreatGood’. Client’s search engine returns all the best results from leading search engines including Google, Yahoo!, Bing, and Ask, for greater efficiency.  Client’s metasearch technology is also used internally in companies around the world who provide search capabilities of their data within their private intranet.

Following the sale of assets, Client was required to move out of its existing data centers and migrate its applications and data to new facilities. Metagyre was contracted to plan, design, build out and bring Client on-line in their two new collocation centers. The new site in Reston, Virginia replaced the services provided by the Boston data center and a Tukwilla, Washington location replaced the Seattle data center.

This project consisted of building out two new collocation centers, deploying network, server and storage equipment followed by migrating services and bringing them on-line. Client’s business required that the equipment, applications and data move without disrupting their 24×7 service.

Client uses a number of technologies to deliver world class metasearch services to their customers. These include: NetApp storage, Cisco, Checkpoint, Netscaler, HP Storage, HP Blades, Netezza, VMware, Linux, MS Windows 200X, MS SQL, Oracle, MS Exchange, Active Directory, SAP.

Design and Build Out

• Aid in the selection of two collocation facilities.
• Design and build out the new facilities including structured cabling, electrical distribution and internet connectivity.
• Design rack layouts, server placement and port assignments.
• Manage the procurement and deployment of network, storage and server equipment into the new data center.
• Schedule and manage all professional services and sub-contracts for activities requiring third party activities or equipment purchases. Professional services included the configuration of new networks, storage assignments and virtualization services.
• Plan application and data move tasks for all applications within the two data centers including the test and roll back plans for each.
• Secure stakeholder buy off for each of the applications (owned or shared by multiple stake holders).
• Test core data center infrastructure, redundant power and networking.
• Stage, test and verify networks, servers and storage as operational.

System Migration
Mission critical application data was replicated to the new facility and kept in synchronization until the system was cut over. The application servers (95% virtualized at 1300 servers), were migrated using VMware capabilities in conjunction with their supporting data and shared systems (SQL Server, Oracle, Exchange, LDAP, FTP, DNS). Because of the complexities and interrelationships of the applications and data, this move required a complete data center cut over. For each data center (applications, data, middleware, shared systems) the applications were migrated electronically over the network, brought up, synchronized, tested and run in parallel before bringing the data center into production. In order to remove risk, as each new data center was brought online, traffic loads were managed and monitored to ensure quality. Load steps were set at 5%, 20%, 50%, 75% and 100% with mitigation and go/no go decisions established for each one.

Following the migration of the two data centers’ client facing production services, the back office and reporting systems were brought on line allowing Client to continue to provide world class metasearch capabilities without experiencing any customer down time.

Obstacles
After scheduling out the two data center build outs and migrations, it became evident the time line exceeded Client’s contractual commitment to vacate their current data centers. Metagyre proposed rescheduling activities to build out both data centers concurrently. Client accepted the recommendation to their original plan to build out the data centers one at a time. The dual data center build out approach allowed Client to complete the project ahead of their vacate commitments.

Project Summary
Client’s data centers were successfully relocated in less than the originally budgeted amount and time frame. By optimizing activities across the two data centers in parallel, Metagyre was able to reduce the time line without adding additional risk to the project. Following the move, Client has continued to expand its online metasearch services by taking advantage of the physical and virtual service growth plan developed by Metagyre.