Introduction

Description of the X-Road service

X-Road is a data exchange environment which enables secure internet-based data exchange between different collections of data (databases).

Existing data exchange environments, a joint collection of user interfaces and an authentication system are used for joining X-Road. Attachment to X-Road allows to spare resources and makes data exchange both within government institutions and between the citizen and the government significantly more efficient.

Source: RIA http://www.ria.ee/x-tee

Security Server

If the company wants access to a certain data collection or makes one of their own data collections available, the Security Server is one of the obligatory elements.

The Security Server mediates inquiries to data collections and determines which institutions/persons have access to which inquiries. All activities are entered into a log, which guarantees probative value later. Therefore, the Security Server provides essential protection for the data collection of an institution, because a mistake can make data accessible to unwanted individuals.

Advantages of the service offered by MicroLink

MicroLink offers Security Server management in their own server facilities and if necessary, in the client’s. The service guarantees the components brought out below. Since the service can also be set up by the client themselves, we will also highlight the advantages compared to the administrative service offered by in-house IT: 

• Server
  • Shared environment
    Since we have more clients, we can decrease the expenses by a shared environment, saving on both the hardware and the administration. When set up one by the client, the costs can appear to be less, however, 24×7 reaction cannot be guaranteed.
  • Isolated server
    There can be many reasons for isolating a server, such as security or the complexity of a solution (duplication is requested) 
  • Due to the law, the use of a virtual server in production and test environments is forbidden.
• Quality server facilities
  • Stable and fast data communication connection
  • Conditioner
  • Guaranteed supply
  • Secured access
• Administration
  • Backup copies of the settings (not possible centrally)
  • Check-up of log files
  • Monitoring for security holes
  • Elimination of incidents
  • Registration and fulfilment of any requests for changes
• Centralised backup
  Regular backup copies are made of the system.
• RIA activities
  Joining the X-Road environment and performing activities there may at times be complicated. You can authorise MicroLink to conduct activities on behalf of the institution, whereby the client need not possess preliminary knowledge for fulfilling requests.
• Counselling
  On the basis of our experience, we can provide counselling for creating the architecture of the X-Road environment.
• Customer service
  A single place where the client can turn to. If the whole chain of the information system is at MicroLink, while the data communication connection has been ordered from Elion, then the client does not have to analyse where the problem lies. They can simply turn to a single Helpdesk, where all inquiries are registered and a solution found.
• Monitoring
  Monitoring of the solution, which the client can access via the Customer Portal.

Description

1. One-time services in the commencement of the service

1.1. Receiving the necessary information from the client to commence the service;

1.2. Primary configuration of the service (if necessary);

1.3. Setting of the monitoring;

1.4. Setting of the services (if necessary and possible);

1.5. Registering the institution at RIHA (if necessary);

1.6. Determining the rights of access;

1.7. Setting of the parameters for the adapter server;

2. Regular activities

2.1. Monitoring

2.1.1. Following the device 24/7 and reacting to warnings;

2.2. Ordinary inspections

2.2.1. Backup of the configuration;

2.2.2. Checking up on log files;

2.2.3. Checking up on workload graphs;

2.2.4. Renewal of software as necessary (if possible);

2.2.5. Registering changes and occurrences;

3. If necessary

3.1. Solving incidents or problems related to the device, which have risen in MicroLink’s sphere of responsibility and/or are caused by MicroLink’s activity/inactivity

3.2. Management of settings subscribed by the client (e.g.):

3.2.1. Determining the rights of access;

3.2.2. Setting of the parameters for the adapter server;

3.3. Analysis of log files and workload graphs;

3.4. Making suggestions regarding the hardware, software or configurations;

3.5. Renewal of software (if possible);

3.6. Configuration management and registering changes and occurrences if necessary;

4. Activities related to the restoration of the service

4.1. Reactivation of the device;

4.2. Renewal of software;

4.3. Restoration of the configuration;

5. Closing of the service

5.1. Removing the server from the server facilities (if necessary)

5.2. Ending the service in a shared environment (if necessary)

5.3. Removing the server’s configuration from the management tools;

5.4. Removing the device from the monitoring.

Prices

All prices come with a standard SLA.

• Standard working hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, except national holidays.
• Off-work hours are Monday to Friday 7am to 9am and 6pm to 10pm, except national holidays.
• Night hours are Monday to Friday 10pm to 7 am and 24 hours a day on days off and national holidays.
• A continuous halt in the service will not exceed 4 (four) hours during standard working hours.
• A continuous halt in the service will not exceed 8 (eight) hours outside standard working hours.
• A halt in the service is a situation where the Client’s application is not manageable for reasons caused by MicroLink’s activity.
• In case the systems are halted due to preventive works, the Client is previously notified at least 2 (two) working days in advance.
• Preventive works are performed outside standard working hours. The time spent on performing preventive work shall not be considered a halt in the service.

How to determine the SLA of the X-Road security server?

Determine the critical nature of the information system that depends on it and you will thence get the requirements for the work of the security server of X-Road. Should the X-Road service be interrupted, it does not matter how well your main information system has been duplicated – its work will nevertheless be disturbed.