Re: quality of Service

["Kirsty Meddings" <kirsty.meddings@catchword.co.uk>]

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With reference to OUP=92s recent difficulties caused by theft of computer
equipment from their service provider: Any system that relies on a single
server solution will always be at risk from this type of problem, as David
has pointed out below.  This is something that we have been aware of at
CatchWord from the start.

Consequently CatchWord has 10 mirrored servers spread across a number of
separate organisations and Internet Service Providers. Locations include
Digital Island points of presence in London, New York and Hong Kong. =20
Servers are also hosted at two sites on the UK academic network, in US and
Canadian universities, and in our UK and US offices on UUNet and the
Tellurian Network respectively.  Since July 1995 we have had a 99.98%
availability record.

In addition we have implemented automatic redirects between these servers. =
=20
Anyone connecting to www.catchword.com will be connected to the server
that will provide them with the fastest access.  If it should happen that
one server goes down, the user is moved seamlessly to the next fastest.

We would support any of our 52 publisher clients if they should choose to
add a clause to their contracts committing them to reliable backup servers
and journal accessibility.

Regards,

Kirsty Meddings
Library Relations Manager
CatchWord Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1235 555877
www.catchword.com

-----Original Message-----
From: David Goodman (dgoodman@Princeton.EDU)
<dgoodman@Princeton.EDU>
To: liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>;
liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu <liblicense-l@lists.yale.edu>
Date: 31 August 2000 21:20
Subject: Re: quality of Service



The recent and continuing service failure at OUP due to theft of their
service providers computer equipment makes evident the absolute necessity
for any publisher offerring ejournals or databases to provide a mirror
site or other immediately accessible backup.

It is noteworthy that most of the free preprint sites offer this facility.
For an enterprise charging money for the service not to offer it is
inexcusably immature business practice.

I think this requirement should be added to the standard contract terms. =
=20
The use of electronic media to replace paper cannot be taken as a
responsible proposition otherwise.
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