BATTLE CREEK Climax Telephone has partnered with an IT start up called SafeStream to offer an advanced version of the Application Service Provider model for companies that have web based programs they rent to other businesses.
Climax provides access to a fiber optic ring recently developed around Battle Creek, in conjunction with Battle Creek Unlimited and the City of Battle Creek. SafeStream, which began business in early April, manages the software in a secure, safe data center also in Battle Creek. Heavily involved in the project are Bob Nally of Innovative Solutions, which built the system for SafeStream, and Joe Vernon of Climax, both members of glimaSouthwest.
SafeStream President Amy Lenz said until the fiber ring was in place, her company could not provide such a sophisticated ASP service in Battle Creek. One of her first customers is a doctor who created an application used by 16 other doctors in his group. SafeStream typically targets customers that spend $200 a month on Internet service.
Our customers are renting these programs, Lenz said. They in turn support hundreds of other customers. Were not going for a high number of customers, but we are tracking applications for a large number of users.
Carving out broadband connections from the fiber ring provides Climax with huge pipes to insure this heavily used connection to SafeStream doesnt max out, Vernon said, or ever go down.
Before had to go to Chicago to get the big redundant pipes, he said. Now we operate a totally separate sonnet ring in Battle Creek. As a result, we have two separate and distinct connections to the world. Our other connection is out of South Bend. SBC could have a catastrophic failure and my system would still run, or vice versa. It means were providing big city Internet service to a small city.
