ESubnet Enterprises Inc. Richard Danielli, eSubnet Higher sales volumes through high network availability INTIX 2010

eSubnet Enterprises Inc. www.eSubnet.com

Richard Danielli, eSubnetHigher sales volumes through

high network availability

INTIX 2010

eSubnet Enterprises Inc.

Ticket KingeSubnet clientCase study for higher volume ticket sales

•About • Theatre tickets• Box office, call centre, online ticket sales• Daily traffic, first day rush sales

•Challenges• Online complaints• Slow database • Connections dropping


Ticket KingeSubnet Services

Networking: Security:

NET01 Impact Analysis SEC01 Security Assessment

NET02 Network Design & Architecture

SEC02 Secure Network Design & Architecture

NET03 Network Deployment & Integration

SEC03 Security Deployment & Integration

NET04 Network Performance Monitoring & Review

NET05 Corporate Network Relocation

NET06 Network Maintenance Plan SEC06 Security Maintenance Plan

eSubnet Enterprises Inc.eSubnet Enterprises Inc.

High availability networksHigh availability networks

• Availability of services• Users get what they want, when they

want• Minimal impact by device down• Know your audience• More sales


Measuring High AvailabilityMeasuring High Availability

A year has 483,840 minutes

% Uptime

Minutes/yr Or

99 479,001.60 almost 3.5 days

99.9 483,356.16 around 8 hrs

99.99 483,791.62 just under 1 hour

99.999 483,835.16 just under 5 minutes


Achieving High AvailabilityAchieving High Availability

Technologies and equipmentSecurityImplementationProcesses


Internet Internet


Internet + connectivityInternet + connectivity


Adding a routerAdding a router


Adding a firewall &LANAdding a firewall &LAN


Adding WEB and DB serversAdding WEB and DB servers


Adding user machinesAdding user machines


Typical networkTypical network


What you need for What you need for higher availabilityhigher availability


Identify where failure can happenIdentify where failure can happen


Router failsRouter fails


Any piece failsAny piece fails


Add redundancy (N+1)Add redundancy (N+1)


More WEB serversMore WEB servers


Add db serversAdd db servers


Add firewallsAdd firewalls


Add DMZ (for security)Add DMZ (for security)


Add a pair of load balancersAdd a pair of load balancers


Add a pair of edge routersAdd a pair of edge routers


Add connectivity access: ISPs in pairsAdd connectivity access: ISPs in pairs


High availability networkHigh availability network


Equipment

Avoid single points of failureN+1 redundancy Stay away from consumer gradeMultiple ISPs are difficult and costly


Technology

Fault detectionAutomatic failoverServer: RAID, diverse powerLAN: HSRP, STP, port-channelsWAN: Dynamic routing


Technology

Server◦ RAID

RAID 0 – Striping (no safety) RAID 1 – Mirroring RAID 5 – Striping with parity RAID 10 – Mirror with striping

◦ Diverse Power Separate UPS / Phases


Technology

LAN: ◦ HSRP

3 IP addresses 2 points of management 1 Gateway

◦ Spanning Tree Root Bridge Selection Convergence time

◦ Port-channels No wasted links No convergence time


Technology

WAN: ◦ Dynamic routing

Link State Hop Count


Security

Clients entrust you Security is a process Network edge In-house BCP/DR


Security

Security is a process Not just quarterly testing Everyone participates

Network edge Firewalls Layers 3 & 7 Filters Bogon Routes


Security

In-house Anti-Virus Back ups

BCP/DR Remote location Mimic Installation What if scenarios


Processes

Meetings Maintenance windows Documentation Reviews Testing


Processes

Meetings Project updates Summarize Environment

Maintenance windows Scheduled Minimize changes Patching


Processes

Documentation Part of the routine Easily accessed Stored someplace else

Reviews Log files Traffic Stats

Testing Pre and post testing


Outsiders

Service Providers Ask for references Service Level Agreements

Consultants Project based Limited Engagement Knowledge transfer mandatory


The Hierarchy of Network Needs


TicketKing Our Process

Assess & measure Identify critical items, low-hanging fruit Develop move-forward plan Maximize availability


TicketKing resultsAction Items

Stabilized the db Doubled bandwidth Add load balancing & more bandwidth Improved WAN speeds Improved LAN/WAN redundancy


TicketKing

Sales Period

Increase Steps taken

Dec 2006 133%• Server raid reconfigured • Nominal bandwidth increase

Dec 2007 193%• Bandwidth increase• Citrix load balance appliance

Dec 2008 138%• Process Improvements• Documentation upgrade

Results


Higher volume sales

• Process improves awareness• Awareness improves stability • Stability improves availability• Availability leads to higher volume sales


Raising sales volumeRaising sales volumeThe Path to Success


ProcessProcess

• Standards Based• Best Practices• Documented testing

“If you can't describe what you are doing as a process,

you don't know what you're doing.” W. Edwards Deming


AwarenessAwareness

• Know your customers – Inside & out• Know your environment• Know your traffic patterns

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”Peter Druker


StabilityStability

• Build in redundancies• Maintenance Windows• Consider a data centre• Security is required inside and out

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.


AvailabilityAvailability

• By being there you make the sale• Availability builds confidence and trust

Quality begins on the inside... and then works its way out.

Bob Moawad (Author)


Questions for you to askQuestions for you to ask

• Data Centre, inside or out• IT Staff, inside, outside or mixed• How many 9s can you afford to have• How many 9s can you not afford to have• What happens if…


Richard Danielli, eSubnet

Higher sales volumes through high network availability

http://www.esubnet.com/INTIX2010.html

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ESubnet Enterprises Inc. Richard Danielli, eSubnet Higher sales volumes through high network availability INTIX 2010