Don’t let your library down!
Posted by Lynette Maldonado on Mon, Sep 19, 2011 @ 09:09 AM
By: Horacio Gurrola, Account Manager, EOS International
Integrated Library Systems have evolved a great deal since the advent of the Internet. One of the biggest changes has been the delivery methods by software vendors to include cloud services. The software is delivered by Internet connections using data centers to host the software and library data. As a result, the importance of service guarantees has never been greater for libraries using services especially in the event of an emergency, like a power outage. But how many vendors can truly say they are proven service providers in case of an emergency? The reality is that all library vendors make promises about “up time”, but how many have been put to the test? Are library software vendors that utilize third party data centers to provide their hosting, sure about their services?
On September 8th 2011, a real emergency put our San Diego global data center to the test. An unprecedented massive power outage struck Southern California at about 3:38 PM PST affecting millions of people in two countries. There were numerous reports of people stuck in elevators, loss of traffic signals and serious confusion everywhere. At the EOS International facilities in Carlsbad, all eyes were on the global data center. As I walked toward the data center, I felt a nice warm feeling when all the lights were up and blinking in our data center and our clients continued to be served.
Once we were back on the grid, the technician who inspected our systems made comments about how many institutions including one hospital and other data centers were down. The EOS data center by comparison was off the grid for over 8 hours with no downtime. The reality is that it is only a matter of time before the next emergency strikes and the question becomes, is your library vendor a proven service provider?