ICE (Intercontinental Exchange)

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  Customer Needs

  • 100% Visibility into Network Traffic
  • No Interruption of Service
  • Ability to Proactively Troubleshoot Network Issues
  • Reduce Rack-space
  • Reduce Power Consumption

  Solution Components

  • Smart Network Access System
  • Network Critical Slimline Fiber Optic TAPs

  Results

  • Deploying the Smart Network Access System allows for 100% data capture, enabling every packet flowing through the network to be captured and analyzed. The fail-safe technology means that there is not a risk of interruption of service and the high density chassis design provides for less rack space and less power consumption

  About

  • Leading provider of trading and risk management services across a diverse range of regulated futures and over-the-counter (OTC) markets. ICE operates three regulated futures exchanges, two over-the-counter markets and five regulated clearing houses
  Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) is the world’s leading provider of trading and risk management services across a diverse range of regulated futures and over-the–counter (OTC) markets. Established in the year 2000, ICE brought transparency to the global energy markets, and today offers markets across agriculture, credit, energy, equity indexes and foreign exchange. ICE operates three regulated futures exchanges, two over-the-counter markets and five regulated clearing houses.
  
  Representing ICE's commitment to technology, the ICE platform executes futures trades in under one millisecond – the fastest in the industry – and operates the leading OTC energy trading platform globally.
  
  In addition to providing rapid trade execution, ICE's electronic trading platform is one of the world's most efficient and secure commodities trading systems, facilitating 50% of the world’s trading in crude oil and refined futures. ICE's platform is also scalable and flexible, which means that new products and functionality can be added at any time without affecting the overall system. Also, because of the sensitive nature of the information they are handling, it is imperative that the network is secure and that there is no interruption of service.
  
  Running a data center and on-line trading platform of this size poses many challenges. ICE must be able to capture and analyze every packet flowing through their network. With SmartNA, every packet is captured, enabling them to perform a complete analysis of their network status at all times. They also need to troubleshoot quickly if there is a problem, in order to maintain a high quality of service. To achieve this, they installed TAPs from Network Critical’s Smart Network Access (SmartNA) System into their data center.
  
  By installing the SmartNA System, ICE solved many problems at once. The fail-safe technology it provides means that they do not run the risk of an interruption of service, even if power is lost to a TAP. In addition, by using the SmartNA’s 2U high density chassis, they have been able to reduce rack space requirements.
  
  They have also been able to reduce their power consumption because they can power up to 12 TAP modules in a 2U rack space with just 2 power supplies.
  
  ICE uses both fiber optic TAPs and copper TAPs in breakout mode. As you might imagine, they have hundreds of servers in their overall network, and Network Critical TAPs have been providing them with permanent access points to this environment for many years.
  
  “Network Critical’s SmartNA System provides a solid and reliable way to monitor our network.” said Jose Veras, Information Security Engineer for ICE. “We don’t have to worry about flow issues or physical problems with the Network Critical products. I have been using Network Critical TAPs for eight years now and we have never had a failure problem with their hardware. It’s great to have one less thing to worry about.”
  
  By installing Network Critical’s Smart Network Access System into their data center, ICE has an access solution that has proven to be sturdy and reliable in their demanding environment. With SmartNA, ICE is able to monitor their network for proactive troubleshooting without compromising the speed of their online trading or the quality of service to their worldwide customer base.
  
  In addition, the flexibility that the SmartNA system provides gives them an easy way to upgrade their monitoring hardware whenever necessary with minimal network downtime.
  
  As so many customers have found, Network Critical TAPs provide a simple and secure way to deploy their solutions and monitor their network without running the risk of introducing a failure point into the network.