The Paramed Security Group has completed an upgrade of its call centre control room. To ensure consistent uptime, it has replaced its single-Pentium Compaq 1600 with a fault-tolerant, mirrored triple-Pentium Promaster 80 from JSE-listed Computer Configurations.
Paramed, the third largest security group in South Africa, has shown 100% growth since listing eight months ago. Technical director Simon Blythe says the upgrade was prompted by the truly mission-critical of the group`s call centre.
"We handle more than 1 200 calls over any 24-hour period," says Blythe, "and we cannot afford to have the system down for any length of time. The security business is a matter of life and death. Our staff are trained paramedics and clients may call us in any emergency."
When a client pushes the panic button, the control room receives a radio signal and determines the origin of the call. The call centre dispatcher sends the nearest patrol car it to the scene. At the same time, the dispatcher calls up the client`s records for background information, such as medical details.
"Our customers are paying us to react immediately and speedily to their call, and to have background information that might be required in a medical emergency. We cannot afford a single failed call for any reason, least of all computer failure," says Blythe.
"We were referred to Computer Configurations by a business partner. They immediately understood our needs and presented the proposed solution the following day."
This solution has allowed Paramed to continue using its Compaq server, which now acts as the standby machine. A NetWare LAN links the call centre PCs and several admin and management PCs to the Promaster, which also runs Paramed`s inhouse-developed call centre application, running against SQL Server on Windows NT.
"Our solution has several benefits," says Computer Configurations director Ronnie Sarkin. "Should the Promaster fail, for whatever reason, the Compaq will kick in immediately and seamlessly."
This is due to Qualix Octopus mirroring software, locally distributed by Server Tools. Octopus constantly mirrors the live database to the standby server, ensuring that at any time both machines have identical databases. In the event of server failure there is a smooth failover. The system administrator is advised of the changeover and the fault that caused it.
"The Promaster is also easily upgradable from three processors to four should more performance be needed," adds Sarkin.
Blythe says Paramed`s next step will be to investigate off-site disaster recovery to help create a totally failsafe organisation.
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