The link effectively makes ContinuitySA an extension of the Internet Solutions network. This means that the new service can be seamlessly integrated into clients' existing MPLS networks. It also means a quicker turnaround time for implementation.
"We noticed how many of our clients were putting in point-to-point links between our facilities and Internet Solutions," says Shaheen Kalla, technical consultant at ContinuitySA. "It made more sense to offer Internet Solutions clients the benefits of a single large pipe between ContinuitySA and Internet Solutions."
From ContinuitySA's point of view, it's obviously much more efficient to manage one network link than it is to manage multiple links each dedicated to a customer. Each customer is logically separated on the link something seen in overseas markets on "hostlinks" or NNI's (Network to Network Interfaces).
"Some of South Africa's leading organisations use Internet Solutions' MPLS networks and they are constantly looking for ways to perform the replication and backup they require for enterprise-grade business continuity," Kalla notes. "Our new solution integrates that capability seamlessly onto their existing networks."
The new offering allows clients to purchase dedicated bandwidth on this link for the purposes of business continuity. The new solution uses cutting-edge technology to allow clients to "burst" up to five times their dedicated capacity when replications or backups are in progress, or when a disaster is invoked, at no extra cost. While the solution is tailored for each client, there are economies of scale as the bandwidth is purchased in bulk from Internet Solutions.
The service is "always on", which means that clients can also use their dedicated bandwidth to access their computing capacity at ContinuitySA, whether real or virtual, for activities outside of business continuity. The new solution has immediate capacity for up to ten clients, and has been designed to scale up to 150 clients.
