Sterling Savings Teams With Qwest on Disaster Recovery

Spokane, Wash.-based Sterling Savings Bank is beefing up its disaster recovery efforts by expanding its agreement with Qwest Communications (Denver) and obtaining space in Qwest's Seattle CyberCenter.

Under the three-year agreement, Sterling and Qwest are extending their existing relationship to include 350 feet of space in Qwest's Tier 1 data center in Seattle.

Qwest's hosting services are designed to provide secure, redundant, and environmentally controlled facilities that house mission-critical information for companies. Qwest Hosting offers a portfolio of customizable Internet solutions within Qwest's CyberCenter facilities that are powered by the company's global, all-optical IP network. The CyberCenters provide support so customers may conduct e-commerce, operate complex Web sites, and manage entire IT environments. Its QWave is a managed, private, point-to-point service delivered over a dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) network. According to Qwest, the product is suited for banks and financial institutions that require dedicated broadband transport network connectivity without the need for capital or the responsibility of owning and operating network infrastructure.

"Uptime is critical to instilling customer confidence," said Cindy Parker, information technology director with Sterling Savings Bank, in a statement. "With its proven data protection and secure network, Qwest gives us redundant hosting solutions that round-out our business continuity plan."