The Data Center of the Next Millennium featured technologies from Unisys, Microsoft, EMC, Cisco Systems, Intel, Giganet, Imation, Mercury Interactive, NetIQ, QLogic and StorageTek. This joint effort demonstrated Unisys capability to integrate and build the largest electronic business site ever created based upon Microsoft® Windows 2000, and validates the capability of the Windows 2000 operating system and other key Microsoft technologies to serve as the foundation for large-scale, mission-critical computing.

"The marketplace is entering the second wave of electronic business, where the Web and traditional transaction networks will converge into an integrated medium for conducting electronic business in the enterprise," said Lawrence A. Weinbach, Unisys chairman and chief executive officer. "To capitalize on that powerful channel, enterprises will need reliable, bulletproof technology infrastructures that can be deployed economically and scaled incrementally to accommodate the exponential growth in transaction demands that e-business invariably drives. The Data Center of the Next Millennium dramatically demonstrated Unisys' proven capability to create that kind of solution infrastructure, integrating best-in-class, open-systems technologies from both Unisys and partners to deliver full-function, large-scale e-business solutions."

The solution was architected around Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server. To round out the enterprise-class e-business environment, the Data Center used fault-tolerant, high-performance disk storage from EMC, high-performance network hardware from Cisco, chip technology from Intel, high-speed cluster interconnect technology from Giganet, load testing software from Mercury Interactive, application management software from NetIQ, host bus adapters from QLogic, and leading-edge tape library technology from Imation and StorageTek.

Clearly, it takes a robust system to weather the demands of this complex e-business infrastructure. This solution provided:

Scalability, Availability, Reliability and Interoperability

Expanding enterprises demand around-the-clock availability and performance excellence for their Web operations, backed by reliability, powerful scalability, and an architecture for growth. The Data Center simulated an authentic 24x7 production environment, including hot backups, inventory changes, software installations, server maintenance, and extraction of daily transactions into the data warehouse, to create a more realistic environment in which to evaluate stress loads and other capabilities.

Windows 2000 provides the best platform for the deployment of servers to balance network loads and support all aspects of digital business, from the desktop to enterprise data center. For example, with Windows 2000 Advanced Server, the enterprise can "scale out" by building distributed e-commerce Web server farms ... or "scale up" for databases and other line-of-business (LOB) applications by boosting single server performance. This flexibility ensures that LOB applications are always available, reduces unplanned software-specific downtime, and hosts reliable Terminal Services. Other cutting-edge, high-performance Windows 2000 features include the Active Directory service, Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0, COM+, and Terminal Services.

Outstanding Manageability

As data centers expand, they grow more complex, gradually requiring a small army of specialized technicians. This increased specialization means that each staff member’s view of the data center begins to narrow.

As The Data Center of the Next Millennium illustrated, the partners offer superior data center capabilities that give your staff a consolidated view of the entire system. This yields greater ease-of-use, better overall comprehension, and improved manageability of the entire data center—all from one terminal. Advanced Server provides simplified multi-node management and support for advanced resource management, and allows the enterprise to reduce its planned downtime via cluster-based rolling upgrades. Windows 2000 permits policy-driven management for optimal use of resources; easy management of software change on a four-node cluster; and remote administration of applications running on the data center server.

The Highest Levels of Security

Any enterprise engaged in digital business potentially exposes its operations to breaches in security, and must prudently manage accessibility and corporate information.

Windows 2000 Active Directory is backed by cutting-edge security services to protect sensitive information, such as biometrics and card-based user identification. Access rights can be centralized and shared between applications and physical locations to simplify security management.

Through The Data Center of the Next Millenium and other deployments around the world, Windows 2000 Advanced Server is proving to be ideal for demanding Internet servers and business-critical applications, where scalability and high availability demands are most critical.

Learn More

 Microsoft home page
 Windows 2000 Server Family
 Unisys
 EMC
 Intel
 Cisco System
 Giganet
 Imation
 Mercury Interactive
 NetIQ
 StorageTek