Client Overview
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) is the technical powerhouse of the Indian Railways. It manages the Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) and the Mobile-Ticketing System (MTS), which collectively handle one of the world’s largest passenger volumes. For the New Delhi Data Center, CRIS required an infrastructure that could process millions of tickets daily with sub-second latency, ensuring that the Indian public can travel without digital friction.
The Requirements
The mandate was to build a “Bulletproof” infrastructure at the New Delhi Data Center to support the massive surge in mobile ticketing:
- Compute Power: Capacity to handle over 1 Million+ concurrent hits during peak travel seasons.
- Security & Perimeter Defense: Deployment of a “Zero-Trust” environment to protect financial transaction data.
- Infrastructure Management: Real-time hardware scalability to prevent system crashes during high-load events.
- Authentication: A unified Active Directory setup for 100% secure user access control.
- Compliance: Automated patching systems to maintain 100% compliance with security audits.
The Requirements
Category | Technology & Component Used | Quantity/Spec |
Compute Node | Dell Blade Application Servers | 40 Units |
Blade Chassis | Dell PowerEdge Chassis | High-Density Setup |
Next-Gen Firewall | Cisco Firepower (FTD) 4125 | 4125 Series |
Firewall Mgmt | Cisco FMC 1600 | Centralized Control |
Traffic Mgmt | F5 BIG-IQ Manager & Log Collector | Advanced Analytics |
Network Security | Cisco ISE PIC (VPN Implementation) | Identity Services |
OS Management | RedHat Satellite Server | Automated Patching |
Connectivity | L3 Manageable & SAN Switches | 10Gbps+ Backbone |
Solution from IT Wings Infosystem
IT Wings engineered a resilient, high-speed ecosystem to power the MTS:
Massive Compute Deployment
We installed 40 Dell Blade Application Servers, providing the raw processing power required to handle 800,000+ tickets per hour.
Enterprise Security Fabric
We deployed Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD 4125). By managing this via the FMC 1600, we enabled deep-packet inspection and automated threat blocking across the UTS gateway.
Secure Access & Virtualization
Using Hyper-V, we created a virtualized environment for security instances. We implemented Cisco ISE PIC and VPNs to ensure that only authorized administrators can touch the core database.
Traffic Intelligence
The integration of F5 BIG-IQ allows the CRIS team to monitor traffic spikes in real-time and collect logs for audit trails and performance tuning.
Centralized Compliance
We set up a RedHat Satellite Server, ensuring that all 40+ servers receive security patches simultaneously, maintaining a 100% patched environment at all times.
The Business Outcomes (Data-Driven Results)
40% Increase in Transaction Speed:
The high-density Blade server setup reduced ticket processing latency by nearly half.
99.99% System Availability
Through real-time hardware upgrades and proactive F5 monitoring, we ensured the system stayed live during the highest traffic surges.
100% Security Patch Compliance
RedHat Satellite automation eliminated manual errors, ensuring the OS is always hardened against vulnerabilities.
Zero Unauthorized Access
Active Directory and Cisco ISE integration successfully secured the internal environment against 100% of unauthorized login attempts.
Seamless Scalability
The L3 and SAN switch architecture allows CRIS to add storage or compute nodes without taking the MTS offline.
Core Competencies Gained
- Mega-Scale DC Implementation: Proven capability to deploy and manage national-level Data Center assets.
- Advanced Cisco Security Mastery: Deep expertise in configuring high-end Firepower 4125 and FMC for government infrastructure.
- Automation at Scale: Mastering RedHat Satellite for the automated lifecycle management of large-scale server farms.
- Hybrid Virtualization: Successfully running critical security and traffic management tools in a high-performance Hyper-V environment.
Conclusion
By delivering a robust, secure, and highly scalable infrastructure for CRIS, IT Wings Infosystem has solidified its position as a leader in managing India’s mission-critical rail infrastructure. Our implementation ensures that the Mobile-Ticketing System remains a reliable and safe platform for millions of Indian passengers every single day.
