WWZ Group: Establishing a Micro Data Center as a First Aid Box

Project Overview

• Initial Situation

  At the project's inception, the WWZ Group's foundation infrastructure consists of two data centers within a 10-kilometer radius. This setup includes a robust 10-Gbit network and NetApp solutions for high availability (Tier 1) and backup (Tier 2) in a VMware environment. Stefan Willi, the CTO IT at WWZ, emphasizes the need for an additional "first-aid box" with essential tools to handle any potential total Tier-1 infrastructure failure. This proactive approach ensures operational continuity and enables a prompt recovery of operations. As CTO IT, Stefan Willi is responsible for all IT areas, including infrastructure, applications, TV headend, and control systems at WWZ.

• Objectives

  The aim is to establish a micro-datacenter as a "first-aid box," securely storing critical resources like password databases, engineering tools, software archives, and more. This setup is essential for efficiently restoring Tier 1 systems, including monitoring and alarm systems, in case of a total failure.

• Solution

  In partnership with NetApp, we deploy ONTAP Select, a comprehensive version of the NetApp operating system designed for standard servers. Its cost-effectiveness and software-defined storage feature provide complete independence from the core infrastructure, allowing for seamless failover redundancy across two locations without data loss. The solution is fully integrated with VMware, offering WWZ ample virtual storage space and the flexibility to scale as required.

• Approach

  The setup of ONTAP Select proceeded smoothly, and operational readiness was achieved surprisingly quickly. With BNC's support, everything was completed within one day," says Willi.

  Data security and availability are crucial for every company. To meet these requirements, WWZ chose an independent and automated solution. Two identical micro-data centers were established in different locations, protected by secured hardware components and synchronous data mirroring. Additionally, a mediator instance at a third location monitors the ONTAP Select cluster. This VM is provided by NetApp as a free Open Virtual Appliance (OVA).

  In case of an unexpected server or site failure, two processes are automatically initiated simultaneously: VMware HA brings the failed VMs back online, except for the ONTAP Select VM. Under the control of the mediator, ONTAP Select performs a cluster failover to ensure data availability. This process starts immediately, while the restart of the VMs by VMware takes three minutes. With this solution, NetApp offers an independent and automated security solution to ensure data availability and integrity.