Advanced Computer Consulting, Inc. (ACC) offers a comprehensive set of services in various database related areas. We specialize in Oracle (including RAC), Sybase Adaptive Server and Microsoft SQL Server databases on various platforms and operating systems.

In addition, being an authorized reseller our company provides the full line of EMC hardware products and solution, Stratus fault tolerant servers, and various Cisco products.

Our Structured Cabling services offer fiber and copper lines installation, termination, and certification.

Structured Cabling

ACC offers structured cabling installation and maintenance services for copper and Fiber networks that provide a comprehensive telecommunications infrastructure. We work together with our customers helping them with design and layout of their network in efficient manner that best suits their requirements.

Our experience with small and enterprise level customers along with the thorough knowledge of the networks allows us to provide the quality professional services and recommendations that best fit the customer needs. Our solutions are tailored for each customer, while adhering to the industry standards.

A/V Solutions and Access Control Systems

ACC provides A/V solutions for CCTV networks. We install and maintain indoor and outdoor security cameras and access control systems. These systems play high importance role at various customer facilities allowing them to keep their premises secure.

Access control systems that we provide allow only authorized personnel access to the designated areas. High definition and color cameras that we install along with access tracking keeps historical audit trail to the controlled areas.

Using these solutions along with the professional services that ACC offers provides our customers with the necessary tools to maintain safe and secure working environments.

Data Migration

ACC will migrate your valuable data to a new database or hardware/OS platform, so that the new system is available to service the business needs as quickly and reliably as possible. This will ensure you are utilizing fully supported and compatible components, while keeping TCO at the minimum.

The migration process and resource allocation are carefully planned and customized to your environment to minimize production downtime. Upon completion, the system functionality is verified and it is tuned to make sure that it is running at optimal performance.

• Database Upgrade

This is done by in-place upgrade or creating the new database server.

• Hardware Upgrade

Moving to the newer hardware / software release on the same hardware platform and installing the new database server.

• New Platform

Moving to the different hardware / software platform and installing the new database server.

• OS Upgrade

Upgrading the OS to a new release on the current system.

All these types of data migration are independent of each other, but some are often combined together to make it more efficient and to take advantage of the overall process.

Additional tasks may have to be performed depending on the type of the migration. These tasks may be creating the new database structure when moving to a different database platform or data cleansing to remove obsolete or redundant information.

Disaster Recovery and High Availability

As a part of your company’s Business Continuity Plan, ACC can analyze your database systems and create a plan for disaster recovery, as well as, implement a high availability solution.

We provide services to setup and configure your database management systems so that your data is continuously and efficiently backed-up, and that you have a process to ensure fast and reliable recovery of all your data in case of a disaster or an extended disruption. Another aspect of this service is to create a high availability environment to eliminate or minimize downtime caused by a single system failure.

High availability

There are a number of possible approaches to achieving High Availability, including mirroring, clustering, failover or standby systems. These can be implemented using hardware, such as disk mirroring, or software solutions. The latter ranges from tools supplied with the OS to third party offerings, such as Veritas Cluster Services (VCS). Database vendors have their own solutions tightly integrated with database itself. For instance, Oracle Data Guard can be used to setup a standby system.

Disaster recovery

There are various types of replication technology on database, OS, or hardware level that can be used to implement this solution. The data will be replicated over the WAN, so the factors, such as, bandwidth, data volume, network latency, power grid, security, and geographical area are among the most important ones ACC will consider in developing a plan.

Other factors to consider here are recovery time, service-level agreements (SLA), and government regulations for your industry, such as SOX or HIPAA. These will also play a major role in choosing a solution.

Remote Database Administration (DBA)

ACC provides your company with complete database and underlying operating system administration and maintenance where no DBA staff is available. Alternatively, we can provide assistance to your existing DBA staff with remote problem resolution, database administration, and maintenance. Please see our article Remote DBA on this subject.

Our remote DBA services include:

• Proactive and on-going system performance monitoring and reviews
• Periodic revisions and tuning as required
• Database administration and scheduled maintenance
• Underlying operating system administration and maintenance in relation to the database
• Problem resolution - quick 24 / 7 response to your specific issues

There are number of aspects that ACC addresses, while performing these services. The major ones are security, performance, functionality and backup. The goal of these services is to have a database system with optimal performance and functionality.

The Remote DBA services that ACC provides include proactive monitoring and maintenance of database and the underlying operating system. The current system operational parameters are compared against the previous collections to make sure that the system operates within the established guidelines. Any required changes are implemented in accordance with the company policy and procedures.

Maintaining system optimal performance is another aspect of the service. We make the necessary adjustments to ensure the optimal ongoing functionality and performance while considering security, as well as, accommodate the future increase in data volume, storage, and the number of users.

Another important issue that ACC helps with is making sure that the system has the proper backups performed on the regular basis. The database system is configured in such a way that it requires the minimal manual intervention to recover in case of a failure. This approach minimizes the system downtime and increases the database availability.

These services combined together under Remote DBA ensure that your system is properly maintained and can optimally handle the current and projected load.

Performance Optimization and Tuning

Having a well performing database system ensures timely access to the data. ACC can perform the necessary optimization and tuning to make sure that your database system can handle the current and projected load optimally and efficiently. Our goal is to achieve the optimal performance and have a well balanced database system.

We will work closely with your staff during development and implementation phases to make sure that the application accesses and manipulates the data fast and efficiently. This minimizes the production impact and reduces the system downtime.

ACC uses innovative approaches and techniques to establish and maintain the optimal database performance. We monitor performance parameters to establish the operational pattern during various stages of a database system existence and make the necessary configuration changes.

ACC can analyze and implement the required changes to ensure that your database system can handle projected future growth. This involves analysis of data volume growth, storage requirements, number of users and other parameters. Using this information we can recommend the necessary software and hardware adjustments.

Database Security

Protection of your valuable data is one of the most important tasks. We configure your system to meet your security needs and review policies and procedures for secure operation of the database. ACC can provide real-time detection and auditing capabilities, reducing fraud and data risks while addressing compliance requirements. We utilize the tools and mechanisms for security control and auditing provided by database vendors. In addition, we partner with the database security solution providers to bring you the necessary tools for deeper, wider, and more granular control of the database security.

Your company’s sensitive data could be vulnerable to threats from both the external and internal sources. ACC will work with your company to implement the proper database access procedures, securing backups and data transfers, and other steps to minimize any unauthorized attempts at data access and modification. There are solutions by database vendors that help to separate the database by security roles, data accessibility, and more. In addition, third party vendors have various solutions that act as database firewall.

Some of the security related areas that ACC can provide assistance are:

• Having effective internal controls
• Detecting unauthorized data access
• Enforcing system maintenance
• Providing information for independent audit

Our article on this subject The Role of the DBA Related to Insider Threats and Regulatory Compliance, can explain in further detail the issues related to securing your data against unauthorized access from within.

Database Architecture, Setup, and Configuration

ACC can architect your database solution according to your business requirements. We work closely with your staff to make sure that this solution reflects your current and upcoming business needs. ACC will provide assistance in selecting the appropriate hardware and software platform to implement your database system. This ensures that the system can fully utilize its capacity and capabilities, accommodating your current business needs and requirements, while providing for anticipated future growth.

ACC will setup your database systems to ensure its reliable and efficient operation from the beginning. This is done using best practices developed with years of experience and with the optimal performance, security and functionality goal in mind. This approach assures minimized development and production cycle downtime necessary for reconfiguration.

We can setup stand-alone database servers, as well as, cluster configurations, such as Oracle Real Application Cluster (RAC). These database installations can be integrated with third party products, such as clustering and backup. Also, ACC performs additional steps, such as patching, setting up backup, and other necessary system maintenance procedures.

During the configuration phase we make sure that your database system complies with your business policies and procedures. There are many aspects that include backup, performance, security, and others. Addressing the underlying hardware and software is also important to make sure that those are fully utilized. Also, the necessary steps are taken to ensure the proper handling of the projected future growth. The goal is to establish optimal database performance and functionality.