National EDI's Data Center is a next-generation, clearinghouse facility offering "best-of-breed" hardware to accommodate data storage and transmission requirements of any size. With key strategic partners such as Dell Computer, Marimba, Compaq, Oracle, Microsoft, Netscreen and more, National EDI delivers the highest levels of reliability, integrity, availability and scalability of our customers' storage and security needs.

Architecture
National EDI incorporates the Sun StorEdge 9960 in our data archival process. The Sun StorEdge 9960 utilizes an internal switched-fabric storage architecture that is considered the most advanced design available for open systems and mainframe data. Some of the many advantages of its high availability design over competitive products are: active dual-ported disk drives, instead of single-port drives; separate storage for control and configuration tables; duplexed cache, instead of parity-protected single image cache; and redundant hot-swappable parts, allowing full performance data, even during a part failure.

Physical Security
National EDI's Data Center is a physically secure environment providing proximity readers, closed circuit surveillance, security card access and alarms on all doors. National EDI also utilizes the Win-pak computer-based key control system, which offers secure solutions for storing and maintaining unique keys to data system cabinets. Win-pak maintains key usage information, ensuring only authorized personnel have access to secure areas.

Data Security
One of the Data Center's primary objectives is to protect our customers' data 24/7, regardless of fire, flood, snow, power outage or other catastrophic event. To ensure availability of data, National EDI maintains:

• An Inclement Weather Plan
• Generator Refueling Contingency (24 - 48 hours)
• A Disaster Recovery Plan
• Hot Site (Co-location for data storage) Redundancy provided at all levels, beginning with two Internet Service Providers. (We utilize two load balanced T1 lines as well as a DS3 on a fiber ring.)

Facility Cooling
Two Liebert Air Handlers provide redundant cooling to National EDI's Data Center. These high performance systems are designed to be fully compatible with sensitive electronic equipment, providing reliable control of room temperature, humidity and airflow. Each unit is designed to allow observation of room temperature and humidity. Normal operating modes (heating, cooling, humidification and dehumidification) are indicated by colored LEDs on the unit-mounted display panel. Each Liebert unit provides 20 tons of compressorized air (1 Ton = 12,000 BTU).

Facility Power
A redundant UPS system was designed and has been implemented for each of the power sources at National EDI's Data Center. One of their functions is to provide clean power that is free of voltage aberrations. More importantly, they also provide 30-plus minutes of battery backup in the event of loss of power.

Diesel Generator
In the event of a power failure, the Data Center is protected by a Caterpillar 3306B 500kW diesel generator. The generator has a 500 gallon fuel supply to operate for three days before refueling.National EDI has contracted with local fuel suppliers to be at the Data Center within four hours to refuel at any given time. Thirty seconds after losing power from the grid, the diesel generators automatically power up to provide electricity to the Data Center.

Network Operations Center
Data Center operations are monitored 24/7 on- and off-site by dual monitoring systems, delivering added data security. In addition to being available for customer support, our network technicians are also monitoring the Data Center environment. This includes monitoring the fire protection systems, surveillance cameras and the Liebert Air Handlers. Our experts are certified Solaris, Compaq, Microsoft, Sun and Cisco systems technicians.