How did Green make SIX's IT infrastructure more resilient with additional data center capacity?
Replacing a critical infrastructure site
Stable IT systems and highly resilient data transmission are essential for time-critical financial transactions. SIX needed to replace its existing secondary site and strengthen its infrastructure's resilience. The company also wanted to establish two completely independent transmission paths to minimize the risk of common points of failure.
The new site had to be located an appropriate distance from the primary data center in Zurich and support independent data connections. It also had to meet stringent standards for physical security, power supply, cooling, and redundancy. It also had to comply with the regulatory requirements of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) and the Swiss National Bank (SNB).
The evaluation included a comprehensive risk assessment, a review of the technical infrastructure and security concepts, and an assessment of the prospective partner’s financial stability. A key consideration was the ability to deliver this complex project, which involved numerous stakeholders, within a tight schedule and budget. During the subsequent migration phase, as many as 140 SIX employees were involved in the project.
Replacing a critical infrastructure site
After a year-long evaluation, the project team recommended Campus ZRH1 in Lupfig. The site met all requirements and offered a higher level of redundancy than originally required thanks to its infrastructure designed to Tier IV standards. FINMA and the SNB subsequently reviewed and approved it, after which SIX selected Green as the location for its new secondary site.
Green was responsible for providing the entire data center space, including internal cabling, cable routes, power supply, and the procurement and installation of racks and security equipment.
Leveraging Green’s expertise in complex data center projects and its network of specialized suppliers, numerous services were consolidated and coordinated efficiently. Despite the ambitious schedule, every milestone was met. By the time of the handover, the project had delivered 128 enclosed racks, 22.5 kilometers of intra-rack cabling, and five kilometers of redundantly routed power cables. SIX assumed operational responsibility in mid-August 2015, followed by the official handover at the end of September.
«The project was very demanding for all of us. I was positively surprised by the level of commitment shown by the Green team. Despite the tight schedule and the hard-negotiated budget, we received a state-of-the-art solution that was delivered on time», says Dave Brupbacher, Project Executive, SIX |
Greater resilience for critical financial processes
With its new secondary site, SIX boasts a modern data center infrastructure designed to Tier IV standards. Located in a different geographic zone than the primary site, the new secondary site meets all FINMA and SNB requirements. It enables reliable, synchronous data replication between the two locations over greater distances.
Two completely independent cable routes further enhance the resilience of data transmission and reduce the risk of connectivity outages. This geo-redundant architecture provides a robust foundation for reliably operating business-critical applications.
The partnership with Green reduced the workload for SIX’s internal IT team. Green provided the data center infrastructure and coordinated the involved suppliers, allowing SIX to focus on migrating its systems and applications and managing the overall migration project.
The result is a high-performance infrastructure that was delivered on schedule and within budget. This infrastructure improves operational stability and flexibility, enabling SIX to transition from its former site in Schlieren in a controlled manner without disrupting operations.
