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Fujitsu takes aim with bullet-proof hosting

Visitors who make it through the lead-heavy, bullet-proof doors of Fujitsu's new Sydney Internet Data Centre meet 24 x 7 security guards requesting Government-issued identification. The stringent security at the grey bunker-like facility makes Hollywood movie comparisons hard to resist. But its purpose and capability could not be more real. Physical security and anonymity are a vital part of Fujitsu's strategic investment at the state-of-the-art centre, acquired from Exodus Communications Australia in April.

This top-of-the-range Internet Data Centre (IDC) is located in Sydney and offers businesses carrier-independent, high-bandwidth Internet access within a secure, resilient environment. It sees Fujitsu well placed to serve the Australasian hosting market just as it is just about to mature.

Leading industry forecaster The Yankee Group says the need for IDCs is compelling because the business market is ready, like never before, to realise the benefits of Internet-enabled outsourcing, hosting and value-added services.

"(IDCs) will become the 'market-garden' of e-commerce and play essential roles in securing the data and processing resources for enterprises... They will profoundly influence the evolution of telecommunications infrastructure by collapsing connectivity needs under one roof," the group comments in a recent report.

Additional services complete Fujitsu's offering and include: firewall management, security consulting and reviews, network monitoring and management, operations management, availability management, disaster recovery, capacity planning, remote hands, server builds and server support as well as design and architecture consulting.

Built by Exodus to specifications that make it a world-class facility, the IDC enables Fujitsu to provide both infrastructure and managed services for clients seeking to sell products and services online without having to make a large capital outlay themselves.

The 9,500 square-metre centre is a logical extension of Fujitsu's position as a leading provider of IT infrastructure and services. Operating all hours, 365 days a year, the centre combines a high level of redundancy and fail-over capability with the capacity to cater for rapid growth in demand.

It has been designed with N + 1 redundancy principles applied. This means that in the event of failure of any component (power, air conditioning or telecommunications) the resulting load on backup systems is managed with no reduction in performance levels.

Cool air pumps through vents in the floor from the 16 air conditioners within the centre's fully integrated building management system for smoke and fire detection, as well as electrical and air-conditioning performance. The IDC also has dual power feeds from Energy Australia with a sub-station on site, separate transformers and mains switchboards, multiple generators, multiple UPS systems with battery backup and multiple power management modules.

Meanwhile, the bullet and fire-proof doors and 24 x 7 security guards who greet you at reception tell only part of the IDC's security story. Its other features include 24-hour video monitoring and continuous recording, integrated proximity card and biometric access control systems. Visitors are permitted on a pre-arranged basis only.