management of all the hardware, systems and applications; day-to-day operation of DTTN's systems on a 24 x 7 basis; all technical support services such as problem diagnosis, performance management and trouble-shooting.

In addition Telstra-Kaz will assume management of DTTN's various hardware, software and network providers, plus the hosting of the data center production and backup systems; as well as hardware and applications. Database administration and application support services are also provided while the service provider has also undertaken the customer services operations too. Telstra-Kaz will play a customer interfacing role, providing technical support to customers who connect their systems into the DTTN.

"DTTN needs a platform that runs smoothly with no downtime and is 100 percent secure," said Stokes.

Since DTTN has no legacy IT infrastructure the management had a clean slate to plan its IT support from. To enable a rapid launch and have a secure and stable platform DTTN chose to partner with an IT services company that could immediately provide the sort of infrastructure and support that it needed.

The outsourcing arrangement with Telstra-Kaz helps DTTN to launch the new platform quickly and also frees DTTN's internal resources to concentrate on the company's core business and its customers, added Stokes.