Hosting
Hosting is a mission critical component of Cunningham Trading System's (CTS) ASP
model. CTS provides and hosts all servers, switches, firewalls, exchange connectivity
and other equipment needed to run CTS's server software. This means that firms that
wish to use CTS products do not need an IT infrastructure or any exchange connectivity
in place in order to offer the T4 trading platform to their end users. They or their
users simply need internet connectivity or a connection directly to CTS’s network.
CTS maintains sole responsibility in managing and monitoring over 200 pieces of
hardware on a daily basis. All of the hardware is owned and operated by CTS for
the purpose of providing fast, reliable trading services to our customers. Since
our expertise lies in software development and support, we chose
Equinix as our principle hosting provider and
West Monroe Partners as our technology consulting partner.
Equinix is the leading global provider of network-neutral data centers and internet
exchange services. Their Internet Business Exchange centers serve as core hubs for
critical IP networks and internet operations worldwide. Equinix has direct access
to more than 200 networks, including all of the top global Tier 1 networks. Equinix
IBX centers lead the industry for physical security, power availability and infrastructure.
Every center is staffed with 24hr security, hand geometry readers, CCTV, secured
access areas and silent alarms. Another advantage is that many of our customers
have a presence at Equinix which allows for cost effective direct connections to
the CTS network. Many of the largest exchanges such as the CME, Eurex and Liffe
also have a presence at Equinix facilities.
West Monroe Partners is a full-service provider of business and technology solutions
that partners with clients across a range of industries, harnessing its consultants'
and its clients' collective experience to produce better business results. CTS selected
West Monroe Partners because of its industry experience and reputation — specifically,
its deep proficiency in building infrastructures and systems that meet the demanding
scalability and redundancy requirements of the capital markets industry. In addition
to having Cisco and Microsoft certification, West Monroe Partners is one of only
a handful of consulting firms that are members of the Futures Industry Association;
the result of its strong industry knowledge and deep experience gained through years
of working with leading trading firms. CTS outsourced management of our entire network
infrastructure to West Monroe Partners. Besides major project work, such as the
recent build out of our new data centers, West Monroe Partners provides on-going
24x7 support and proactive maintenance.
CTS has multiple data centers in the Chicagoland area with multiple diverse internet
providers. We also allow direct access to our
servers from the CME’s floor wireless system in the Chicago Board of Trade building,
as well as allowing firms with offices in that building to directly connect their
network to our network there. This gives CTS and our customers the robust bandwidth
necessary for fast, reliable trading.
