Does your financial institution have the understanding, resources, talent and bandwidth to execute an effective data center strategy in-house? If not, it needs to, as behind every transaction is a labyrinth of algorithms and networking infrastructure technology that converge in one location: the data center.
For most, the answer will be ‘no’. There will not be the resource or skill in-house to keep ahead of the maze of technical and logistical options to execute the fastest and most profitable trades. Trading success requires accessing extremely powerful servers, with the best data lines and connections close to where the trade is physically taking place. Processing close to the source of the input data provides the lowest possible latency between input and response – and speed matters. Milliseconds can mean the loss or gain of millions of dollars.
Latency Matters
Low latency is vital for algorithmic trading. Many factors affect latency, especially hardware location and network connections. Trade execution speed is critical in maximizing profit and loss, and a competitive advantage comes from having the best communication links to hardware in the best location.
TNS’ ultra-low latency Layer 1 technology for exchange direct access inside the data center was the first architecture of its kind to be offered and deployed globally and remains the most advanced solution in the market. It eradicates the need for multiple switches by using a simple, single-hop architecture to deliver direct exchange connectivity in as little as 5 to 85 nanoseconds – impressive when you consider that the human eye takes 400 nanoseconds to blink!
So, acknowledging that speed and colocation are vital for executing a trading strategy, what can firms do to underpin trading success? Many will outsource operations to a specialist managed hosting, colocation and global connectivity service provider.
In-house vs. DIY
A recent independent report ‘Colocation of Financial Markets Trading Infrastructure’, identifies the pros and cons of in-house management (a “DIY” approach) versus a managed service model. The report found that managed service providers offer beneficial value-added services for capital markets clients. Advantages include cost savings, trade efficiency, and simplified access to data and network infrastructure support, enabling trading firms to focus on their core business competencies. Industry analyst firm, Celent, which authored the report, interviewed trading firms and data and trading technology providers and found that the key decision criteria when deciding to engage a managed service provider included:
- Consultation and expert advice on the ideal configuration of hardware, network connectivity, location, data feeds and network bandwidth.
- Agility and flexibility to take advantage of ever-changing investment opportunities by rapidly and easily deploying trading strategies in new markets.
- Access to high-end network services, leveraging high-speed solutions, including ultra-low latency, in-data center Layer 1 connectivity to link to trading venues, new customers and other service providers.
- Operational efficiency and future proofing, with access to the latest technology, and highly experienced staff in all global jurisdictions who help to navigate cultural, linguistic, and regulatory obstacles.
Challenges
Managed Service Providers offering remote data center space and connectivity are on a quest to deliver a uniform global experience to ensure trading in, for example, Singapore or Tokyo is the same as trading in London or New York. They are also constantly investing in technology and new locations. For TNS, this means responding to customer requests to deliver a service in any location, most recently announcing a managed hosting and colocation offering in Madrid.
On rare occasions, perhaps instigated by political or economic events, firms may need to move from their existing data center location, as seen recently when key exchange, Euronext, relocated its primary data center and related colocation services from Basildon in the UK to the Aruba Global data center IT3 in Bergamo Italy. Such a physical move is a big undertaking and firms need differentiated support and solutions to ensure that they can seamlessly move and trade continuously, regardless of their size, requirements and the exchange location.
So far, TNS has moved nearly 20 existing and new customers to Bergamo, providing traders with uninterrupted, seamless trading. Our customers have been able to focus on their core business while we have managed the global supply chain issues to ensure a smooth migration. With suppliers quoting lead times of a year for some equipment, our buying power compared to smaller firms or those attempting to DIY a move, has proved invaluable in ensuring a smooth transition.
Future-Proof
Firms need to future-proof their trading infrastructure by working with a provider that has experience in managing access to vast amounts of raw market data, can support multicast requirements and is able to offer scalable solutions to accommodate the demands of ever-expanding bandwidth. As traders diversify their portfolios, their market data needs can place excessive network capacity pressures on their infrastructure, sometimes running into tens of gigabits. Seek a provider that can easily accommodate these requirements and handle data bursts during high activity periods, such as those seen on many recent occasions due to market volatility caused by political and economic events.
Jeff Mezger is Vice President of Product Management at TNS with responsibility for its managed services for the financial industry. The TNS infrastructure brings together over 2,800 financial community endpoints to address the needs of financial market participants worldwide. For more information visit tnsi.com