Division
Digital Buildings
Customer
Barmenia Versicherungen
Industry
Finance
Solution
MSP1000 platform
The challenge
To implement a structured data backup concept with reliable storage. Fulfillment of growing bandwidth requirements.
Description of the solution
In order to meet growing bandwidth requirements, experts at euromicron Deutschland GmbH implemented wavelength division multiplexers from MICROSENS. They ensure reliable transmission of large volumes of data.
“The support given by euromicron Deutschland and MICROSENS was truly outstanding in its entirety. The switchover was made in a very short time and without any hitches whatsoever. That was a great relief for us.”
Dr. Uwe Fasting, Head of the Infrastructure and Architecture Management department at Barmenia Versicherungen
Contact
euromicron Deutschland GmbH
Phone: +49 7121/9758-0
info [at] euromicron-deutschland.de
www.euromicron-deutschland.de
MICROSENS GmbH & Co. KG
Phone: +49 2381 9452-0
info [at] microsens.de
www.microsens.com
Security and reliability – thanks to the euromicron Group
The heart of every insurance company is its data. A clearly structured data backup concept with reliable storage is a must. To enable that, Barmenia Versicherungen uses its own data center that meets the very highest security requirements and is also located at an adequate distance from headquarters. In order to meet growing bandwidth requirements, experts at euromicron Deutschland GmbH have now implemented wavelength division multiplexers from MICROSENS GmbH & Co. KG.
Barmenia Versicherungen is one of Germany’s major independent insurance groups. The company, which is headquartered in Wuppertal, currently employs more than 3,400 people. Inquiries from and information on its more than one million policyholders are processed in two data centers with a redundant design. In addition, Barmenia Versicherungen uses a third data center specifically for storing data reliably and permanently. For security reasons, it is located several kilometers from the company’s headquarters and is connected by means of two leased fiber-optic channels.
High flexibility
In order to cater for its bandwidth requirements, Barmenia Versicherungen uses wavelength division multiplexers on this route. A performance of several hundred gigabits a second is achieved by parallel transmission of multiple wavelengths over one fiber pair, without the need for additional fiber-optic routes. However, the existing systems were outdated and had to be replaced. The bidders for the contract for the new solution also included euromicron’s subsidiary MICROSENS. The company boasts the optical transport platform MSP 1000, a modular system especially tailored to use for corporate customers. In particular, it impressed with its ease of use, coupled with very high flexibility. In addition, the MSP 1000 met a further key criterion: The system has a redundant power supply, yet requires far less power than the previous model. The components were put into operation by euromicron’s system house company euromicron Deutschland.
Secure access to the Internet
One further aspect had to be taken into account in implementing the new WDM technology: Approximately 50% of data traffic with the Internet is likewise conducted via the fiber-optic routes between the on-campus data centers and the remote data center. Since the company had previously experienced a number of unfortunate incidents with optical fibers being damaged as a result of building work, the MICROSENS Optical Power Monitor was also implemented. The compact devices permanently monitor the light intensity transmitted in the optical fibers and immediately detect even the tiniest changes. As a result, creeping deterioration in the optical fibers and damage can be identified right away. As a result, downtimes are minimized.
A resounding success
One challenge in implementation was that the systems had to go live immediately. Whereas a connection is usually put into trial operation to begin with, the MICROSENS devices had to be up and running in the productive environment quickly, reliably and without further testing. euromicron Deutschland’s experts dismantled the old systems, replaced them with the MSP 1000 platform and commissioned the latter. “The support given by euromicron Deutschland and MICROSENS was truly outstanding in its entirety,” said Dr. Uwe Fasting, Head of the Infrastructure and Architecture Management department at Barmenia. “The switchover was made in a very short time and without any hitches whatsoever. That was a great relief for us.”
Barmenia Versicherungen operates its IT infrastructure largely on its own. If operational problems should occur, the team attaches great importance to quick and reliable support from the manufacturer. “As early as the preparatory phase, we were inspired by the rapid response and competent support from the MICROSENS team,” stated Dr. Uwe Fasting. “We feel sure that we’ll be given excellent support here at all times.