Tour Vector's Facilities

Vector Data Systems owns and manages most of the facilities used to deliver services to our customers. This allows us to keep our promise of delivering the best uptime and support. Unlike other providers that resell services from a wholesaler, or rent space at colocation centers, we keep as many of our core services as possible in-house. The companies we do partner with are chosen carefully to ensure the best possible experience for our customers.

MICROWAVE ACCESS NETWORK » Vector owns all of the hardware used in its Microwave access network. Most of the radio gear used in our system is made by Motorola, and is chosen to adhere to strict quality standards. Equipment is installed on building rooftops and communication towers, such as the one pictured above during construction. Vector's core network is completely redundant, with backbone links to each site operating in different frequency bands and using different technologies to eliminate single points of failure. Our microwave network is designed to stay up in all conditions- from standby power to physical security, we try to plan for all contingencies.

ROUTING INFRASTRUCTURE » Vector's IP routing system is built on equipment from Cisco systems- the industry standard. The core network uses dynamic routing protocols to detect and recover from hardware failures. Also, network security is a top concern. Mechanisms are in place to prevent and minimize the impact of computer worms, viruses, and malicious users.

DATACENTER » Vector owns and maintains its computer center in Riverdale, MD. This facility, completed in September 2007, houses the hardware that runs most of Vector's systems. The facility is designed for maximum availability, with the following features:

-Located in a seismically sound area above the 40 year flood plain

-2 hour fire rating with automatic fire detection system

-On-site communications tower providing redundant network feeds

-2N redundant UPS systems

-Automatic standby power generation, capable of powering the site indefinitely

-2N redundant HVAC system

-Strong physical security- only Vector staff can access the facility

SERVERS » All critical servers are enterprise-grade Dell PowerEdge systems with RAID, dual power supplies and NICs, remote management, and hot-swappable components. All servers are backed up nightly to an archival system in a concrete vault.

INTERNET BANDWIDTH » Vector purchases its connection to the greater Internet from a DC area exchange point with connections to many major transit providers. This provides the lowest latency and best path for customer data to reach its destination. Vector has hundreds of megabits per second of bandwidth available in order to keep up with customer demand.