The data center is engineered to the highest levels, with extensive systems to address security and network redundancy, enabling Rackspace to offer our 100% infrastructure availability guarantee.

Security. Access to the data center is restricted by two-factor authentication including Biometric hand scanners. The data center is physically isolated from everyone but level three technicians. Public access is strictly forbidden. All entrances and common areas are monitored 24x7 via closed-circuit cameras.

Precision Environment. The data center\'s HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) systems are N+1 redundant to ensure that - even in the event of an entire HVAC system failure - there is a duplicate system on standby to take over. All air is circulated and filtered every 90 seconds to remove dust and contaminants. An advanced fire-suppression system is in place to prevent any fire from spreading - in the unlikely event that one could start. All cables to servers and routing equipment are securely tied down and cable racks suspended from the ceiling provide dual routes for all cables.

Conditioned Power. Power systems in the data center are designed to run uninterrupted even in the unlikely event of a total power outage. All servers are fed with conditioned UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) power that will run if utility power fails. The UPS power subsystem is N+1 redundant with instantaneous failover in case the primary UPS fails. In the event of an extended power outage, on-site diesel generators can run indefinitely. Generators are regularly tested to ensure functionality in the event of an emergency.

Core Routing Equipment. We use only fully redundant, enterprise-class routing equipment housed in its own secure, core routing room and fed with its own redundant power supply. The fibre carriers enter the facilities at disparate access points to ensure that there is no service failure, even in the unlikely event of a fibre cut.

Network Technicians. Rackspace employ a certified networking and security team with years of experience in managing and monitoring enterprise-level networks. The certified network technicians are trained to the highest standards to ensure that we are able to meet our 100% infrastructure availability guarantee.

Zero-Downtime Network™.The Rackspace network has been engineered from the ground up to accommodate the high-availability demands of mission-critical Web applications. The Cisco-powered, Zero-Downtime Network™ has unique self-healing attributes that allow Rackspace to deliver on its 100% infrastructure availability guarantee.

Rackspace doesn\'t rely on any single telecoms connectivity provider. It works with multiple network carriers which creates natural redundancy in the network architecture and ensures that packets can leave the network from multiple points. Additionally, if one or more providers experience congestion or downtime, traffic can be rerouted through other network partners until the issue is solved.

Beyond simply providing redundancy in case a particular provider experiences downtime, our proprietary networking technology allows our network operations team to actively probe the public Internet for packet loss and latency and automatically reroutes traffic around these areas. This ensures that traffic leaving the Rackspace network is not bound for a part of the public Internet that is heavily congested.

Guaranteed Packet Delivery. The connectivity providers are paid to make sure that packets of information are delivered quickly and efficiently to the end users. This offers significant advantages over simply peering with the major backbones. Peering agreements rarely include Service Level Agreements (SLAs) so no one is accountable for lost packets at congested exchange points. Because Rackspace has SLAs with all of its network partners, it can guarantee that all packets will leave the network at full speed.

Bandwidth Utilisation. Rackspace\'s substantial bandwidth capacity allows us to accommodate even the largest spikes in traffic. To ensure rapid delivery of content, it continuously adds network connectivity and new routes. Low bandwidth utilisation allows for maximum uptime, even if multiple transit partners experience simultaneous outages.

A comprehensive range of Server and Device Administration are provided as part of the service:

Network Administration - provisioning, deployment, testing and ongoing management of all networking devices, including routers, switches, SSL accelerators, firewalls, and routing tables.

Software Administration - installation and management of Operating System and supporting software. This includes the provisioning, testing and deployment of security patches, service packs, upgrades and revisions. By closely monitoring log files and other indicators, we can provide valuable insight into site performance, traffic patterns, disk space usage and other variables.

Application Administration - provision of remote administrative and application management services such as managed backup, database administration and data migration.

The datacenter itself is monitored by a comprehensive suite of security technologies including:

Infrastructure. Physical datacenter security includes traditional locks, access controls and biometric surveillance systems. Robust fire suppression, HVAC, power feeds, hot-swappable servers and routers are available in the event of an outage. Background checks and certifications ensure the integrity of all personnel.

Network. The 100% Cisco Powered Network, built on hardened routers and audited by Cisco, ensures maximum security protection. The network incorporates a patented Intrusion Detection System to protect against external threats. Firewalls are managed by security specialists and deployed in a "private IP" space, while customer servers and routers are segregated in Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN). Network security features also include multi-level privileges, OS lockdowns, centralised authentication and device change logs.

Hardware. All Operating Systems are loaded, hardened and managed to ensure proper security. By maintaining on-site inventories, Web laboratories and automated deployment systems - in addition to close relationships with key hardware vendors - we guarantee hardware availability.

Applications. The security regimen also addresses the inherent vulnerabilities of applications, including enterprise databases, Microsoft IIS, Apache, Linux, mail services, FTP servers, DNS and streaming media. We implement firewalls and deactivate non-essential features to further protect applications.

Security Patching. By constantly updating our security systems, we ensure optimum protection for our customers. We monitor and address emerging threats, and quickly process and apply new security patches.

Threat Analysis. Advanced technologies are used to identify and address security weaknesses in Web-oriented servers, applications and activities. We constantly examine all firewalls, load-balancers, SSL accelerators and switches for any potential security events.

We provide complete backup, storage and retrieval services for your data by utilising a powerful suite of technologies paired with our backup best practises. Services include:

Scheduling. All backups are performed using a high-performance private network, and can schedule full, incremental or differential backup procedures. If the need arises, we can quickly increase the frequency and scope of data backup and storage activities.

Integrity Testing. Experienced engineers test and confirm that all backups have been performed correctly and that your data is fully secured. Backups which experience any problems are immediately replicated and re-tested. We employ enterprise software to manage centralised data storage activities.

Storage Alternatives. There are a number of data storage alternatives, including on and off-site storage with reliable security. Clustered storage devices can be deployed to meet the needs of high-volume, high-value data backup applications.

Data Restoration. Our technicians can also assist with the restoration and reconfiguration of data in the event that any information is lost. This can include comprehensive disaster recovery and full-time redundancy failover platforms.

The monitoring services provide customisable 360-degree visibility into the health of the hosting infrastructure.

Network Layer. We monitor all routers, switches and connectivity to ensure the integrity of the data centers and all customer operations. We also analyse the network backbone, bandwidth providers and the overall health of the Internet.

Data Center. We monitor the status and efficiency of all HVAC, power generation, security, management and support systems. We also track the health of servers, firewalls, load-balancers and other platform components. Automated monitoring technologies provide alerts in the event of data center or device failures.

Applications and Databases. We employ sophisticated systems to capture data that reports on the health of your application and database, and use these metrics to optimise performance, availability and storage performance. We also track and document bandwidth utilisation, security incidents, load balancing and other Web activities.

We employ a sophisticated set of reporting tools that track, analyse and explain every important detail of the platform's performance and provide a 360-degree visibility into the details of the infrastructure.

Bandwidth. We collect and report comprehensive, real-time bandwidth information that includes real-time usage, historical data and trending analysis for external and internal bandwidth insight.

Hardware. To ensure optimum performance, we report on CPU, memory and disk space utilisation along with other server variables. Dell OpenManage® and Microsoft Operations Manager are used to track and analyse all key infrastructure hardware components.

Security. By constantly monitoring logs on servers and other devices, we provide detailed reporting on all security incidents, threats, patches and vulnerabilities.

Backup. Detailed backup procedures are needed to ensure the integrity of Web sites, data and applications. We provide comprehensive backup services, including reports on storage use, successful data transfers and other backup variables.