06/10/08

Timico Opens Network Operations Centre and Extends Monitoring Facilities to Customers

24x7 monitoring to support Timico Unified Communication services and customers' private networks

Newark, UK - October 6th, 2008 - Timico Group, an independent provider of Unified Communication services to the business market, today announced that it is boosting its customer support with the opening of a state-of-the-art, 24x7 monitoring facility. Based in Ipswich, the brand-new, dedicated Network Operations Centre is geared to provide high quality, round-the-clock monitoring supporting over 10,000 Timico business customers.

"The Network Operations Centre is set up to cope with the huge diversity in the Timico customer base. Our largest network has around 1500 ADSL connections but many thousands of customers have only one," said Trefor Davies, Timico Group CTO. "We also manage an estate of leased lines which are typically integrated with ADSLs in MPLS based Private Wide Area Networks."

Timico operates a resilient MPLS ring connecting its four Docklands Datacentres together with connectivity to POPs in Newbury and Ipswich.

Because the technology environment is constantly changing, the network operations team based at the Network Operations Centre provides the ongoing network design service for the Timico core network and also for those customers requiring assistance with projects.

"Our network changes every day as new customers with new needs come online. No two customers' networks are the same," continues Davies.

Timico also extends the Network Monitoring facilities used at the Network Operations Centre to its customers. Monitoring individual nodes on a public network has been standard practice for a long time. However when it comes to a private network then traditionally this has been done from a device (monitoring server) within the network and there can be a problem if that network is purely private with no external access as it can then be difficult for a network operator to provide support.

Timico's solution is to use a virtual server for private networks requiring ongoing monitoring. A virtual server sits logically inside a customer's private network but is accessible via a secure command line from the Network Operation Centre. This is a much more cost effective solution than providing a standalone network monitoring server for each private network. It is also easier to provide resilience to the service by providing two separate virtual machines on two geographically separated bits of hardware.

Timico customer network monitoring is tailored to suit specific customer needs and can cover:

• Bandwidth usage on a link - has a customer provided enough connectivity to a location?
• Router temperature - Timico can forewarn of an anticipated failure
• UPS battery voltage - does it need replacing?
• Ping response times - check if there a quality issue in the network
• Server hard drive usage - forecast capacity requirements
• Remote router up or down? - help minimise downtime with speedy replacement
• And more

"There isn't one single ideal solution for network monitoring. Best practice involves amalgamating a number of tools and providing suitable alert mechanisms," says Trefor Davies. "What is done with the alert also needs to be considered in the light of the needs of an individual business. Some might get away with a next day fix and others might need a speedier solution particularly where health and safety is concerned or when downtime means loss of revenue."

Timico also operates three separate technical customer support centres, one each for Timico, TWANG.net and KeConnect.

About Timico

Timico is a leading independent provider of unified communications services to the UK business market. Founded in 2004 by a highly experienced management team, Timico brings an unrivalled understanding of its customers' needs, delivered through its independence, its high levels of customer service and a desire to help its customers to operate more effectively. The company's portfolio of services includes fixed line, mobile and internet voice and data services. For more information visit www.timico.co.uk

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For media information:

Mary Burtt
+44 (0)20 8968 2087
mary@mbpublicrelations.co.uk

Suzie Warren
Marketing Manager
Timico
0844 871 8100

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