The data collection software

Currently we run DASH version 3.4.4 Web software for all online surveys. The software is written in Java and the source programs for the survey are coded in XML. The web applications themselves are designed to accommodate heavy in-bound usage. There are few design & logic limitations in the application. Complex logic based on multiple conditions, dynamically generated lists or tables based on previous responses, recalled data, on-the-fly calculations, are common. For further information on the capabilities of DASH web software visit the DASH website at http://www.dash.ca

Bandwidth/Capacity/Uptime

The datacenter currently housing 4 of the 5 web servers has a dedicated T1 connection and is protected by a 27 Kw natural gas generator with a 6 second automatic power transfer in the event of power interruption.. The generator is capable of powering the entire building indefinitely while UPS devices maintain short-term power regulation .

In the general/production offices we have a 10 mb Fiber Optic connection and currently house one webserver there for high volume surveys and development. The two offices are connected through a private VLAN behind a common firewall.

The most continuous traffic we have sustained is a core of 200-300 (peaks up to 400) simultaneously connected people completing surveys in the same study for 10-16 hours a day for about a week completing close to 8,000 20-25 minute surveys within that time. About a dozen smaller concurrent projects were running at the same time. This never approached the capacity of the internet connection at any time.

In 2005 we completed 130,000+ online interviews spread across 172 projects. Since inception in 2000 we have completed about 600 projects resulting in about 400,000 completed surveys.

Security/Data Integrity

The office uses multi-levelled security to ensure the integrity of all client data. The primary firewall is a Cisco PIX Enterprise Firewall Appliance located in Magma Communications secure datacentre (the third point of the private network). Access can only be gained after a retinal scan, sign-in and personal escort to our companies equipment located there. The PIX firewall protects both offices and allows inter-office traffic to be run as private non-internet routeable traffic. The primary firewall is fully redundant with a 2nd PIX appliance, identically configured, in the event of hardware failure. Behind the perimeter firewall each server and each desktop machine runs a secondary local firewall.

We can send self-extracting encrypted email attachments when required, and client logins for monitoring online results are via a user login and password and through an secure https browser connection.

Daily off-site data backups of all current projects and all programming development PC’s is automated and stored on one of our NAS servers co-located at Magma. In addition all current projects & server configuation files are fully backed-up and stored on a different internal server nightly for immediate global restoration on an alternate server in the event of a webserver failure. Finally, every 2 hours from 9 am to 9 pm, 7 days a week, backups of all active projects are made and links to download this are sent via email so up-to-date backups can be done offsite when no one is at the office. Periodic archives are stored on a CD (encrypted) and stored offsite. Critical business data is stored via flash memory (encrypted) and carried or stored offsite whenever the offices are vacant.

Our official privacy policy is posted at: http://www.dufferinresearch.com/privacy.html We would be happy to supply any other specific non-confidential information not covered by this document upon request.