Public transport firm Metro on the hunt for a data centre partner

Partner has to provide flexible data centre solution, around the clock staff and other support arrangements

Metro, the company tasked with co-ordinating public transport services for Yorkshire, is on the hunt for a partner to provide a data centre solution, with staff and support arrangements.

Metro states in a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union that the partner should be able to offer fully redundant environments, a high level of physical security with appropriate monitoring, ISO27001 accreditation, a minimum business impact level compliance of IL2, Virgin Media Business POP and datacentre staff onsite 24/7 throughout the year. It also wants the data centre to be accessible by Metro staff 24/7 on any given day of the year.

The company said that the data centre partner should offer flexibility surrounding data centre hosting solutions, and is therefore seeking a partner that can provide services beyond pure rack space.

According to Metro, the provider "could be able to offer" the ability to procure and manage a new dedicated hardware infrastructure for Metro, the ability to offer access to a managed virtual infrastructure (IaaS), the ability to supply rack space exclusive to Metro, and the ability to offer a hybrid solution of rack space, IaaS and managed infrastructure.

It adds that a range of bespoke service support arrangements should also be offered to allow Metro ICT staff to focus on "critical delivery".

It suggests that the partner should offer the following arrangements: co-operation with third-party vendors undertaking work on behalf of Metro; hardware patching for co-located infrastructure; operating system level patching for co-located servers; management of back-up tape rotation if required; and a managed firewall as a service.

"The data centre hosting provider should demonstrate experience in migrating infrastructure services, not only for assurance but to ensure a range of consultancy needs can be met if and when required," the tender states.

Metro said that the provider is not only being sought for hosting existing infrastructure but to offer possible solutions to future projects.

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement. The length and value of the contract are not disclosed in the tender.