RDB Consulting is ensuring that Vodacom Mozambique’s databases enjoy maximum uptime. The Johannesburg-based database consulting specialist signed a two year contract with BCX Mozambique in April this year to provide monitoring and administration services for the carrier’s Microsoft SQL Server databases.
Vodacom Mozambique, a subsidiary of Vodacom, started its operation in Mozambique in December 2003. It employs nearly 500 people and reached a 45% mobile market share at the end of 2010.
According to Gerrit-Jan Albers, service delivery manager at RDB, the company has installed its standard monitoring and reporting pack to ensure that it is notified of potential problems before they become an issue.
“Our own in-house monitoring software pro-actively alerts the customer and our support centre for any database show-stopping problems before they actually occur. Our software also covers server side issues like disk space and log file monitoring,” says Albers.
“BCX takes care of the day-to-day first level support and RDB is contacted when they need specialised assistance. We do weekly health-checks and monthly management reports that get distributed to BCX. All support and services are done remotely with on-site visits quarterly.”
Gayson Mawarire, service integration manager at BCX Mozambique, says RDB’s specialist skills and remote monitoring capability are already proving vital for Vodacom.
“Large enterprises such as mobile telcos need peace of mind that their databases are healthy and running normally at all times,” he says. “RDB’s remote services mean that nearly all problems are detected well before they have the potential to cause downtime.”
Albers says that RDB’s specialist knowledge in installing, administering and monitoring databases has given peace of mind to its many enterprise customers.
“When we look after a customer’s database, they get a measurable service as per our service level agreement. There’s a single point of contact and a guarantee of stable and predictable resources – unlike the in-house model where companies are at risk from HR problems, leave and employees resigning.”
