Online systems solutions - Web hosting services
About Online Systems Solutions
We have a small bricks-and-mortar office that accommodates administration staff and the IT staff who look after our IT infrastructure. We have established a virtual office for our workforce who are spread around the globe and they use "telecommuting" to connect to our virtual office.
This virtual structure gives us a tremendous advantage - we are not limited by time zones, geographical boundaries, nor do we have the costs involved in maintaining a large office building.
At our company we use cutting edge technology to provide e-commerce and other software solutions. We coordinate all of the factors that go into managing and implementing a software project - from the first phone call, to the final sign off and handover. We have a system procedure for all of the tasks that need to be done.
About Online Systems Solutions - Web hosting services
In recent times we have branched out into web hosting. The web hosting section of our business is small but growing rapidly. The web servers for our hosting business and the servers for our admin systems (finance, payroll, staff scheduling etc.) have outgrown the space allocated for the IT infrastructure and the servers are now located in two rooms in the same building.
Room one
Four web servers are located in a locked room within the IT section.
IT staff, cleaners, management and the landlord have access to the server room.
The room is air-conditioned with two air-conditioners on separate circuits.
A UPS exists with a one hour supply should power shutdown.
The servers are backed up daily, and stored secretly in the stationery cupboard behind the administration staff on the third floor.
Because the server room is located in the IT section, IT staff can see anybody entering or exiting the room.
The servers in room one are mainly used for client Web hosting.
Room two
Two servers are located in a locked room adjacent to the central fire escape stairwell.
IT staff, cleaners, management and the landlord have access to this room.
There is no visual monitoring of people accessing this room.
A UPS exists with a half hour supply should the power shutdown.
The servers are backed up daily, and stored secretly in the stationery cupboard behind the administration staff on the third floor.
The servers are mainly used for administration applications such as payroll, finance and scheduling.
In recent times, an increase in hosting services has meant that some hosted websites are now located in room two.
The room is not air-conditioned.
Capacity
The web servers in room one are close to full capacity, there is limited space for additional web sites or applications. Recently new web sites have been added to the server in room two. Room two servers are at half capacity.
Backup site
The initial intention of the servers in room two was to provide a hot site for the servers in room one. However, as the list of clients grew so did the need for space on servers. In order to provide space for new websites that generate income, all non-hosted applications (finance, payroll, scheduling etc.) were moved to room two. As the business grew new websites were added to server two in room two.
An informal arrangement now exists with another tenant in the building. The IT manager of Online Systems Solutions and the IT manager of another tenant in the building have agreed to host the systems for each other if one or the other party experiences a disaster. The required server space has not been confirmed, neither has the compatibility of the OS and system software. The IT managers have not attempted a test run to find out what will happen if either company needs to setup and run from the others environment.
Disaster recovery procedures
Disaster recovery procedures have not been formally documented, but in the case of a disaster; the tasks are intuitively known by the staff.
Access to the building
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