Solutions in Data Center Management

 

Managing Data Systems in Today's Environment

 

Servers are becoming much more complex to manage at the same time that the pool of skilled IT management professionals is being reduced. In this age of e-commerce and increasing information demands, effective data center management is critical to an organization's success and viability. It has always been a challenge to manage and operate servers with hundreds or even thousands of users. But in today's rapidly changing business environment, there are new and even more difficult challenges. Servers must now inter-operate with many other devices, networks and other servers. Providing Web access to server applications dramatically increases the complexity of managing the server. Web access usually requires much higher levels of expertise in building and managing redundant systems. Add to this the fact that government and other agencies predict a large ongoing shortage of skilled IT professionals. 

 

Managing the HP e3000

 

HP e3000 computers are known for their reliability and ease-of-use. But the increasing complexity of all of the components necessary to run an HP e3000 today makes management of the platform increasingly complex. In an era where the Web and globalization require businesses to be available twenty-four hours a day, requirements for keeping an HP e3000 running are much higher. Greater complexity and increased usage mean that organizations need more expertise to keep their HP e3000 computers operational. With the principal member of Burke Consulting and technology Solutions having 25-years experience in managing the HP e3000, BCTS knows what it takes to keep the HP e3000 platform functioning optimally, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

 

The Burke Consulting Solution

 

An entire new industry has grown to solve the current challenges in data center management. As a leading expert in the management of HP e3000 computers and interfaces with other systems, Burke Consulting and Technology Solutions is at the forefront of this movement.

 

BCTS offers its clients customized, personalized services, comprehensive technical support and the highest level of customer service available. Our goal is to improve and streamline an organization's data operations as seamlessly as possible and provide ongoing support and technical assistance. Clients who outsource to Burke for their data center management needs gain a number of important, leading-edge benefits.

 

Database Management Expertise

 

The majority of HP e3000 applications are written using the IMAGE/SQL database management system. While extremely reliable, IMAGE/SQL databases need monitoring and maintenance, though not to the extent, for example, as Oracle where having a fulltime DBA is almost a requirement. Still, IMAGE/SQL benefits from proactive maintenance and monitoring. Our expertise allows us to assist in maximizing the availability and performance of IMAGE/SQL databases.

 

Planned database maintenance ensures that users and customers experience the highest possible performance, while minimizing business disruption due to unplanned system shutdowns for database maintenance.

 

Operating System Expertise

 

The HP e3000 uses HP's proprietary MPE/iX operating system. John Burke, of BCTS, is Chairman of SIGMPE, the Special Interest Group of Interex devoted to the MPE operating system, has written about MPE in monthly publications (first HP Professional and, since 199x, for the 3000 Newswire) and brings over 25-years of experience to bear on any problem. This allows BCTS to provide the most up-to-date, proactive operating system upgrade information.

 

Single Contact

 

Outsourcing to BCTS as a single point of contact means faster problem resolution. You still keep your existing support contracts with HP and other vendors, though possibly at a reduced level, but we take over the direct interface and problem solving. Faster resolution means increased uptime so that businesses can continue operating. In addition to data center management, BCTS can look after Hewlett-Packard and third party contract administration, ensuring that organizations always have the support to keep their HP e3000 computers running.

 

Configuration Audit

 

As a first requirement of professional system management BCTS conducts a comprehensive audit of all hardware and software configurations. [Note: an audit can be contracted for separately from comprehensive Data Center Management.] The benefits of this audit include:

 

 

Managed Upgrades

 

Operating system, IMAGE/SQL and third party upgrades are fraught with potential problems. Successful upgrades require careful planning, organization and execution. Unsuccessful upgrades can result in hours of downtime or even lost data. BCTS reduces the stress of these upgrades by assisting in their planning and execution or in full-scale upgrade management. John Burke of BCTS taught the Patch Management seminar at the 2001 and 2002 HP e3000 Solutions Symposium to excellent reviews and has 25-years experience managing HP e3000 systems.

 

Third Party Solution Updates

 

Many companies using HP e3000 computers use a variety of third party hardware and software in the operation of their business. The third party components are constantly changing and many must be updated for new releases of MPE/iX or IMAGE/SQL. BCTS helps system managers keep track of exactly which third-party solutions they are using, which versions are compatible with the OS, database software, and other third party hardware and software.

 

Continuous Monitoring

 

BCTS can continuously monitor the health of a system. This simple proactive step increases the time a system is available for a business to continue functioning. Critical system management functions such as backup are monitored to ensure that if something should fail, companies can still recover business data.

 

Remote Management

 

Modern technologies, plus the experience of BCTS, combine to make this not only a possible approach, but also an extremely efficient, comprehensive and cost-effective approach. It can be used to supplement your existing staff's system management expertise. Or it can be used to free your IT staff for more value producing tasks while providing an expert level of system management expertise at bargain prices since you do not need to hire a fulltime person.

 

Summary

 

Managing an HP e3000 is more complex than ever. HP's announcement of November 14, 2001 establishing the end-of-life for the HP e3000 is complicating your life even more. At the same time, business requirements in today's market require much higher availability and reliability. BCTS data center management expertise:

 

 

Outsourcing data center management gives companies access to BCTS world-class technical capabilities in a market that is characterized by a shortage of reasonably priced, qualified people. BCTS brings to its clients up-to-the-minute knowledge of HP e3000 issues as well as a wealth of experience in mission critical solutions.