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Network reliability is of critical importance to the MultiLink Services. A customer presents a card to an ABM or POS machine and rightly expects to have a successful transaction if he has done all the required steps. The MultiLink network is monitored continuously on a 24 hour / 7 day per week basis. Every 10 minutes the entire network is checked to ensure that the systems between all the Member Institutions are functioning correctly. Each hour another automated process examines the transaction activity to detect any potential problems that may be developing. On discovery of any fault the system automatically notifies key personnel to take action day or night. To ensure the continuous uptime, the MultiLink Network hub is provided with 2 backup generators and 2 UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems. Each power system backups the other to achieve a very high level of fault tolerance. The central system Hub can even run on battery power for over 1 hour. The telecommunications systems are fully redundant also with the primary leased lines being backup by alternative links in case of failure on the primary lines. In addition, the central computer system operating the MultiLink network has a fully operational backup unit that can take over handling live transactions within a few minutes should the main unit fail. With all this in place we are pleased that the MultiLink Network uptime statistic is over 99.99987%. In addition to the network's reliability, is a another customer service measure that is used called the Issuer Database Availability (IDA). The IDA measures the service availability of the MultiLink Member Institutions to their own cardholders. This is a very important item. Even if the MultiLink Network is up and operating the card holders transaction can not be approved without the customers own institution being online to answer the call for funds. The minimum requirement for all Members in the network in 99.00%. Each day the IDA measure is calculated and reported to all Member Institutions. Sanctions are applied to any Member falling below the 99% service level requirement. Overall we take the reliability of the network very seriously as all the above steps indicate. However from time to time failures can occur even in the most robust systems. While we work very hard to keep these events very rare, we do recognize that the can occur at the most inconvenient of times even if the period is brief. Total assist customers who might experience such a problem completing a transactions we suggest the Customer Service Tips. |
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