BC2520

911 Call Center Leverages VMware To Ensure Survivability

The goal was to build a state of the art emergency response center around VMware virtualization technology. Three years ago, during a discussion with a VMware architect at VMworld that vision was adopted, and now serves as a model design in a 911 dispatch center handling 900+ calls per day. Washington County Pennsylvania leveraged VMware as a foundational element in a risky in-place, complete overhaul of the 24x7x365 center. The use of VMware went from a proof of concept to production in record time. The mature virtualization technology has proven to be a key element to saving lives by providing the center means to achieve the requirement level of "survivability". VMware played a larger role than anyone could have imagined. The Industry driver: We learned early in the process (2006) that we would be driving the public safety industry to adopt entirely new concepts in VMware and virtualization in general. Migration facilitator: We jumped in to the project with a bold purchase of HP gear and VMware for a proof of concept. VMware reduced risk and allowed the most challenging parts of the project feasible (while dispatching live 911 calls!). This was accomplished without a single interruption to the ability to dispatch Police/Fire/EMS. VMware provided the means to migrate the back office services to the alternate site (again, with live 911 calls being dispatched). To this center, VMware = "Survivability".

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Breakout Session

911 Call Center, survivability

1 Hour

Keith Martin, Senior System Engineer, synergIT; Bob Walker, Director of Enterprise Services, synergIT; Dan Briner, Director of IT, Washington County Public Safety