Adforce chooses EMC Enterprise Storage Networks

EMC Corporation, the world`s leading provider of enterprise storage systems, software and services, today announced that AdForce, a majority-owned operating company of CMGI, Inc. and a leading online provider of centralized, outsourced ad management and delivery services, is standardizing on EMC Enterprise Storage Network (ESN) as the core of its Internet-based information infrastructure. AdForce, whose customers include Adsmart, 24/7 Media, Uproar, MapQuest, Engage Technologies, CoolSavings, Iwin and TVMV, is implementing EMC Enterprise Storage Network systems and software to manage the explosive growth of its ad delivery volumes, while continuing to offer superior client service and leading-edge products.

Harish Rao, AdForce`s Executive Vice President of Technology and Operations, explained, "We`re delivering up to 500 million ads per day, and approximately 14 billion per month. Over the next few months, we expect to add significant capacity to handle an additional 200 million ads per day, bringing us close to 20 billion ads per month. To handle this level of activity, we have made EMC Enterprise Storage Network the foundation which our information infrastructure is built. With EMC, we can accommodate the growth we see ahead and preserve the exceptional client service and innovative product development we`re known for."

"Our previous model of server-based storage hampered our ability to quickly add capacity to support new customers and provide critical applications," continued Rao. "EMC`s open, heterogeneous ESN is allowing all of our data to be centralized and shared on a single, scalable storage platform, providing an easily managed vehicle for delivering new applications to our customers, and it will help ensure that our services are available online 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

ESN provides a single infrastructure that exploits the power of information regardless of its location. ESN comprises a dedicated, high-speed network that uses standard network-attached storage capabilities (e.g. IP) and standard channel technology (e.g. ESCON, Fibre Channel, SCSI and others), enabling customers to weave together heterogeneous storage, switches, hubs and servers into a single, easily managed, centralized information infrastructure. ESNs consolidate distributed information from departments and business units throughout the enterprise, and from remote locations, over local- or wide-area networks.

AdForce was among the first companies to be qualified under the new EMC Proven E-Infostructure program, which enables selected Internet-focused companies to publicly validate their world-class information infrastructures. This Internet infrastructure program defines the highest standards for information availability, scalability, and management. EMC Proven provides Internet-based business and service providers with a way to validate and communicate the inherent value of their investments in information infrastructure to customers and investors. EMC Proven members have implemented the necessary enterprise storage resources to operate at peak efficiency, adapt to a constantly changing business climate and easily manage Internet-driven growth.

EMC PowerPath software has been a major contributor to improving information availability and overall server performance for AdForce. PowerPath automatically and transparently balances information loads across all available server paths connecting AdForce`s EMC Symmetrix systems with Sun Enterprise servers. Rao explained, "EMC`s PowerPath software has significantly improved our ability to deliver superior levels of data availability and online performance to our customers - which is especially critical when you`re running a high-volume environment such as ours."

AdForce relies on 17 terabytes of EMC Symmetrix Enterprise Storage - the equivalent of 4.2 billion pages of text. Using EMC`s Connectrix Enterprise Storage Network system, AdForce will be able to more easily and efficiently connect greater numbers of servers to its Symmetrix storage systems. AdForce also has implemented EMC`s Celerra File Server to provide its engineering groups with enhanced sharing and availability of mission-critical NFS data, thereby speeding time to market of new products.

EMC`s recently introduced ControlCenter software gives AdForce centralized monitoring, configuration and planning capabilities aimed at simplifying management across its entire information infrastructure. AdForce also plans to integrate EMC TimeFinder, EMC InfoMover and EMC Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) software to further increase information availability, protection and manageability while enhancing overall system scalability and performance.

Mark Ward, Vice President of Global Marketing for EMC commented, "Thriving Internet firms like AdForce are under the gun to expand their infrastructures to support unprecedented growth and maintain consistent service levels. Making EMC the flexible, resilient center of their environments gives these businesses a major competitive advantage. With EMC, they can add storage capacity on the fly to meet unexpected demand, deliver superior customer service and manage large data resources more efficiently than ever before."