In the unlikely event of data loss, your SASSIE Hosting and Maintenance fee includes 5 levels of backup in 3 geographical locations, and can often get you back up and running in minutes :
1)
SQL hot replication - each SQL server has a "twin" that
keeps an up-to-the-second
copy of all of your data.
In the event that your primary
database server goes offline,
the twin will take its place,
ensuring that you never lose
data due to server malfunction.
2)
RAID-5 drive configuration - With a RAID-5 configuration,
two copies of your data are
accessible at all times on
EACH server.
3)
Nightly backups to separate server - every night, a full copy of your data is backed up.
4)
Weekly offsite backups to separate server - every week, a full copy of your data is backed up to a server at a second location outside of our hosting facility
5)
Weekly offsite backups to DVD-R - every week, a full copy of your data is burned to DVD-R and housed at a third location outside of our hosting facility.
4.2 - RAID 5 with instant recovery and dual power supplies in each server
The most common server failures are due to hard drive crashes and power supply meltdowns.
1)
RAID-5 configurations guard against hard drive failure in two ways :
A) Two copies of your data are accessible at all times.
B) Each server has three hard drives instead of one
If any hard drive fails, the others will immediately take over and continue normal operations.
RAID-5 is typically an upgrade that would cost you thousands of dollars to have installed on your system. With SASSIE, you receive this service for free.
2)
Every SASSIE server has dual power supplies, so if one fails, your service won't be interrupted.
4.3 - 4 Way Physical Protection
These days, we need to know that our data facility has all the necessary physical safeguards
SASSIE's facility has the following protections :
Fire - Our facility features a VESDA fire detection
system and is equipped with dry
sprinkler systems to provide early fire detection
and server-safe fire suppression (conventional
water sprinkler systems can short circuit and damage
your servers).
Power - SASSIE's hosting facility receives power
from two different power utility plants, meaning
that two cities must lose their power before SASSIE
loses electrical service. Even then, four one-megawatt
generators are in place to provide 150% of the
backup power needs in the event of total power
failure.
Unauthorized entry - Biometric recognition systems
and 24/7 4-man security personnel prevent entry by unauthorized personnel.
Environmental - SASSIE's facility
has a fully redundant Leibert HVAC system, which
maintains temperature and humidity to rigid standards.
4.4 - Load Balanced Server Architecture
Will system performance be consistent during the
busiest time of the day?
Our data center features a "load balanced" architecture
that delivers fast and stable performance, even under
the most extreme conditions. We utilize multiple redundant
web servers and database servers so that your system will
remain operable even if a server goes offline or reboots.
Furthermore, multiple state
of the art "load balancers" route traffic to the least
busy web server (or database server) guaranteeing optimal
performance even during the heaviest of traffic. We're confident that our
data center represents the ultimate cutting edge in
the mystery shopping industry.
Our hosting facility also guarantees 99.9% uptime
and has multiple backup internet connectivity - if
one line goes down, your traffic will be rerouted to other lines instantly
without your clients ever knowing.
Six tier one providers have fiber installed into the facility:
Cable and Wireless
Genuity
Global CrossingSprint
Verio
WorldCom/UUNet
4.5 - Unix Server Security (Virus
Protection – NOT Microsoft Servers)
SASSIE runs on Unix Servers, not Microsoft Servers which are
notorious for their vulnerabilities to hackers and viruses (such as the
Slammer Worm which infected thousands of Microsoft SQL database servers
in early 2003). SASSIE's network is also protected by a front end firewall
to prevent unauthorized access to SASSIE's servers..
4.6 - Separate Database and Web Servers
Your SASSIE system sits on two servers - one to handle your web pages, and one to handle your databases. Your database server is NOT directly connected to the internet and can only be accessed by SASSIE web servers, a huge layer of security against would be hackers trying to alter or steal your client's data
4.7 - Individual User Logins
Sharing of user accounts is a serious security issue. SASSIE can create a separate account for every staff member, client manager, scheduler and shopper who uses the system and gives you extremely tight control over their viewing privileges and administrative privileges. There are over 40 different privileges that can be turned on or off for each individual (reviewer access, scheduler access, billing access, access to certain clients only, etc ...).
4.8 - SSL Encryption of Shopper Personal Data
Our shoppers are concerned about entering personal information over the website.
On SASSIE, shopper signups take place on a secure SSL layer (the kind used by online credit card transactions) which encrypts the transmission of their data. Your shopper's browsers will notify them that they're entering a secure site when they sign up or edit their personal data. Also, sensitive information like Social Security numbers are kept in encrypted format in the databases themselves - even if someone were to steal the databases themselves, they would not be able to read the encrypted data.
4.9 - 24/7 Server Monitoring
How do you know if our system is down ? Do we need to notify you ?
Monitoring software checks each of SASSIE's servers every few minutes, and sends electronic pages to at least 5 of our staff if the servers are unresponsive.
4.10- Logins expire after a period of inactivity
Another security issue occurs when a user walks away from their computer and forgets to log themselves out, leaving a live connection open. SASSIE detects when an account has been inactive for an unusual amount of time and logs that account out automatically. Don't use a system that relies on every shopper, client and staff member to log themselves out every time!
