2006 InfoWorld 100 Awards: Computing/Tech
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ArvatoMobile www.arvato-mobile.com
Virtual Server Infrastructure
Project Lead: Lukas Lösche, Director of IT Operations
Project Description: Runs about 600 virtual servers, both Linux and Windows, comprising nearly the entire infrastructure for development and testing, internal apps, and business-critical applications, including content processing, licensing, distribution, royalty management, and user support. Even the company's Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL database clusters, and Business Objects reporting servers run on Virtuozzo. Behind the servers, several hundred terabytes of disc and tape storage are virtualized, using grid storage components, into a single file system namespace.
Atari www.atari.com
Outsourced IT Infrastructure
Project Lead: Jim O’Keefe, Project Manager
Project Description: Moved key systems to Rackspace Managed Hosting, thereby reducing infrastructure costs by migrating from a proprietary Unix system to a more flexible open source solution. Company officials cite greatly improved ability to focus on new game development.
Avanade www.avanade.com
Virtual Server Infrastructure
Project Lead: David Miller, Global IOI Lead
Project Description: Turned to PolyServe Database Utility for SQL Server, which is based on the company’s Matrix Server virtualization technology. As opposed to traditional server virtualization, PolyServe uses a symmetrical cluster file system to allow all servers in a cluster to see all the data within the Windows file system, creating a single, virtualized storage and server pool. Sharing the storage pool improves overall storage utilization while still giving the performance benefits of dedicated servers.
Cisco Systems www.cisco.com
Compliance Initiative
Project Lead: Tim Merrifield, Director, Innovations Team, Internet Business Solutions Group
Project Description: Installed an extensible compliance framework that’s continually integrated into the company's wider-reaching risk-assessment operations. Identified all provisions of Sarbanes-Oxley that would affect the business and sought to work with the appropriate legal, financial, and HR divisions to enact IT policies that would help ensure the accuracy of financial reports -- all while keeping channels of communication flowing among departments. An IT portfolio management approach drove a nearly complete in-house effort.
Conexant Systems www.conexant.com
Information Leak Prevention and Data Flow Authorization
Project Lead: Paul Edge, Manager, Global Telecom and Networking
Project Description: Built a leak prevention infrastructure controlled by products from Juniper Networks, PortAuthority, Cisco, and Airtight Networks. The IT team upgraded its Cisco 3800 routers for encryption and authorizations and replaced its firewall with Juniper’s ISG 2000.
