izn

1. izn German government data storage facility cuts costs by 50 per cent

2. Customer profile izn (Informatikzentrum Niedersachsen) is the Hanover-based state-owned IT service supplier for Lower Saxony, the second largest state in Germany izn’s primary functions are network management and data storage, plus software development, procurement and IT training and consultancy services for government customers Critical applications managed and stored by izn in its highly secure 1,400 square metres data centre include: • payment system for 16,000 users • integrated state police records • statistical, financial and tax management systems • the state land registry

3. Challenge As part of sweeping reforms to reduce government expenditure, izn was charged with massively increasing secure data storage facilities while cutting operating costs. This meant: • consolidating multiple stand-alone storage networks with a single vendor • standardising workflow processes • using new internet protocol (IP) based technologies to offer more cost-effective services

4. Cisco solution izn has deployed a Cisco Business Ready Data Centre solution in two separate buildings for resilience. Data is accessible to government customers via a Cisco MPLS wide area network connecting 2,200 locations across Lower Saxony To make the data even more secure: • each building houses dualled Cisco MDS 9509 Multilayer Director storage area network switches • each Cisco MDS 9509 is connected by fibre channel to a mirrored MDS in the second data centre

5. Cisco solution Virtual storage area network (VSAN) technology exclusive to Cisco is used to separate customer data applications This means that multiple applications can be reliably stored in one physical infrastructure Cisco MDS 9509 Multilayer Directors are linked to: • two Hitachi Data Systems (HDS) 9980V • three HP servers (the main disk storage environment) • eight IBM PMV servers

6. FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC 9509 9509 9509 9509 FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC FC MDS SAN logical physical design and server attachment HP servers HP servers Datacenter-1 Datacenter-2 Fabric 1 HDS 9980V HDS 9980V Fabric 2 IBM servers IBM servers MDS9509 Multilayer SAN Switches with VSAN technology for customer saparation

7. Results • Reduced overheads (with only a single platform to manage) plus a rapid return on investment and operational costs • A huge increase in scalability, allowing the data centre to grow rapidly as more ministerial applications are transferred • The replacement of separate storage systems by common technology makes data available to all authorised users • Data availability maximised • Fast writing and copying and higher data transfer rates within the storage area network “Cisco’s MDS is an important component of the new business model whereby new technology, standards and automated processes, will reduce costs by 50 per cent while services remain at the same level.” Herr Gerhard Heinze, Head of izn

8. Looking ahead • The MDS Multilayer Director’s scaleable modularity means increased demand for capacity can be simply met • The solution’s protocol-neutrality will allow izn to introduce two new cost-effective IP-based protocols: • iSCSI (internet small computer interface system) - connecting servers to an IP network, enabling cost savings and allowing services to be supported centrally • Fibre channel over IP (FCIP) services - extending the potential distance between data centres, a huge advantage when linking dispersed data for mirroring or processing • izn will be able to offer savings to government customers by introducing a choice of three price-differentiated services that better align with the critical nature of applications “Improving our working processes has clearly visible and positive economic results for izn – all done as a result of MDS Multilayer Director systems.” Herr Gerhard Heinze, Head of izn