ePLDT’s VITRO Data Center operations now ISO 9001 certified

Certifications are valuable for the quality guarantees they provide. When a company is ISO 9001-certified, it means the company has complied with an international quality management standard specification.

Last May 20, 2002, SGS Yarley International Certification Services awarded ePLDT’s VITRO Data Center as the first Internet data center (IDC) in the Philippines to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification. This means ePLDT can assure its VITRO Data Center clients that they are provided with world class quality data center products and services.

ePLDT operates VITRO Data Center, the Philippines’ first Internet data center granted pioneer status by the Philippine Board of Investments. It provides co-location services, hosting, hardware and software maintenance services, managed services, shared applications, data disaster recovery and business continuity services as well as firewall and managed firewall.

After going through an application, audit and approval period of nine months, ePLDT VITRO Data Center operations has already earned the certification, which includes the standards for quality management system, management responsibility, product and services realization and measurement, and analysis and improvement.

“The challenge for a certified organization is to constantly be mindful to make the most of ISO 9001,” David Horlock, SGS Philippines president and general manager said in a congratulatory letter to VITRO Data Center general manager Dwight David Simon. “How effective this tool is used to manage services and improve operational efficiency is totally dependent on (VITRO’s™) commitment.”

“Our registration with SGS Yarley for the ISO 9001 certification of VITRO™ Data Center operations validates our position as the premier information and communications technology company in the Philippines,” said Ariel Roda, ePLDT managing director. “It further strengthens our thrust towards international recognition and excellence in our field.”

Increasing Local Market Acceptance on Outsourcing
Prior to the outsourcing boom, convincing companies to outsource their services is not an easy task. According to Roda, most companies are used the idea of buying and building things on their own. “The Philippine market is hesitant to adapt the outsourcing model and is more in the “buy-our-own” mentality. However, since the 9-11 event, more and more companies are becoming open to outsourcing for cost savings and concentration on core competencies.”

To address such, what ePLDT does is educate the market through event-driven programs and partner with credible and established technology names to broaden service offerings. “We also bet on our own — we use our own data center to make sure that it is up to par with the most discerning clients” requirements,” Roda explained.

VITRO clients are local companies such as BayanTrade (full data center outsourcing); Accenture (VITRO competency center); Pinoymail (server hosting); Findme (Web Cast and location-based services hosting), Infocom, the entire production servers of PLDT and Smart”s prepaid platform. There are clients not mentioned here as VITRO has a non-disclosure agreement with them.