EMC proven e-infostructure supports Prodigy online operations

EMC Corporation, the world`s leading provider of enterprise storage systems, software and services, today announced that Prodigy Communications Corporation, one of the nation`s largest Internet service providers, has standardized on EMC Enterprise Storage for its critical online operations. Prodigy has implemented EMC Enterprise Storage systems and software to enable rapid growth of its web hosting and online messaging services by delivering continual improvements in information availability, infrastructure scalability, and customer service.

"The key to success in the information economy is being able to absorb massive change while delivering the best customer service possible - which EMC Enterprise Storage makes possible," said Rey Santelises, Prodigy`s Vice President of Operations. "In the last year, EMC enabled us to smoothly and cost-efficiently grow our storage infrastructure to support Prodigy`s massive customer growth. Even as we have tripled in size last year, Prodigy continues to deliver exceptional online availability and a fast-flowing stream of new online services and features."

EMC Celerra File Server, a network-attached storage solution (NAS), is a core component of Prodigy`s infrastructure because of its ability to deliver higher levels of availability and flexibility. EMC Celerra provides reliable, high-performance network file sharing (NFS) services.

Celerra is an important first step in building an EMC Enterprise Storage Network (ESN) to consolidate the vast amounts of information Prodigy is accumulating. Said Santelises, "Our Enterprise Storage Network will allow us to more easily and cost-efficiently share storage resources across multiple servers and storage systems."

Prodigy was one of the first companies to be qualified under the new EMC Proven E-Infostructure program in December 1999, which enables selected Internet-focused companies to publicly validate their world-class information infrastructures. This new program defines the highest standards for information availability, scalability, and management. 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.

Based in White Plains, N.Y., Prodigy is implementing other EMC software solutions to enhance availability of its mission-critical applications, which include a Customer Profile database, data warehouse, electronic mail and PeopleSoft. With EMC`s Symmetrix Remote Data Facility (SRDF) software, Prodigy will maintain two separate up-to-date copies of its production data across two Symmetrix systems to ensure immediate recovery if one of the Symmetrix systems was disabled by a man-made or natural disaster. Prodigy also uses EMC PowerPath software to automatically and transparently balance information loads across all available server paths connecting its EMC Symmetrix systems and IBM RS/6000 servers.

Said Santelises, "ControlCenter is another important piece of EMC software that boosts the performance of our infrastructure and improves how efficiently we can manage all of the different components. We use ControlCenter to quickly identify and correct any bottlenecks and closely track and respond to rapid changes in our environment. ControlCenter has significantly increased the value of our infrastructure investments."

"Prodigy has deployed EMC Enterprise Storage systems and software to create an E-Infostructure that is flexible, organic and continuously upgradeable," said Mike Ruffolo, EMC`s Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Services and Marketing. "Prodigy`s E-Infostructure works seamlessly with other technologies because it is modular and rich in software. Placing EMC at the core of an infrastructure is the surest and most intelligent way for Prodigy and other rapid growth Web companies to grow, adapt, and prosper in today`s information economy."