Feature story: Milliseconds count at CME Group - HP NonStop

to the Globex platform. We expect to see immediate
improvement in throughput and response time,
with additional gains as the system is tuned. The
blade environment is also more compact; it will
use less space in our data center, and space is a
premium for us.” As an additional benefit, Hart
notes that the Integrity NonStop BladeSystem platform
will consume less power per transaction than
earlier-generation Integrity NonStop systems.
Hart sees the Integrity NonStop BladeSystem as
the logical evolution of NonStop technology. “I’m
very happy to see that the platform is moving to utilize
a blade chassis,” he said. “In the past, NonStop
servers were criticized for being proprietary. Over
time, the platform has become more mainstream
in its implementation and use of components,
while retaining the benefits of the NonStop system
philosophy. So in a sense it’s a testament to the
c-Class blades chassis itself—the fact that HP has
developed a blade center for general use with
sufficient built-in reliability to house an Integrity
NonStop BladeSystem. That is quite an impressive
achievement.”
Change is the byword at CME Group. “We have
a dynamic environment in which our load literally
changes minute to minute,” said Hart. “With
the Integrity NonStop platform, we can allocate
resources quickly to respond to those increased
needs. The platform gives us the flexibility to adapt
for better business outcomes.”
For Hart, the overriding benefit of the Integrity
NonStop platform is the reliability of the Globex
electronic trading environment. “This is where we
do our most critical processing,” he concluded. “We
do it on this platform because we are looking for
the highest reliability possible: at the point where
we do the trade match.
“Our customers know that we have a highly
reliable system. It is a combination of reliable
platform technology, overall system architecture,
and exceptionally careful execution, even under
substantial load. The truth of the matter is, an
electronic trading system that cannot handle the
transaction load when the market is volatile can
result in risk for the customers using it. This is
not something we have to worry about with our
Integrity NonStop system.” ◆
“We’re looking for performance.
Our expectation of the
blade environment is that we’ll
be able to take advantage of
faster processing speeds …
The blade environment is also
more compact; it will use less
space in our data center, and
space is a premium for us.”
John Hart, managing director of Technology
Engineering, CME Group
JOHN K. HART is managing director
of Technology Engineering for
CME Group, responsible for the
company’s technical infrastructure
and support systems. He also oversees CME’s
information security area. Hart has held a variety
of technology positions since joining CME in 1996,
including senior director of Network Engineering
and director of Network Services.
Hart’s expertise in engineering and network
technology comes from more than 20 years of
experience. Before joining CME, Hart managed network
services for First Options, a Chicago clearing
firm. Other positions he has held include senior
network analyst for the John D. and Catherine T.
MacArthur Foundation and director of Technology
Integration for Fossett Securities Corporation.
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