Focus1 Data, Inc - Industry Leading Data, Print, & Mailing Services

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No Letter Left Behind!

Your Advantage is Our Technology

Technology is a tool. Using the best tools for any job is what separates the pros from everyone else. Sure, you can pound in a nail with a rock. Or you could use a hammer. At FOCUS1, we prefer a self loading, clipped head, fully automatic pneumatic nail gun. OK, we’re not pounding in nails, but we apply the same philosophy to all of our data, print, and mailing services.

Customer Web Access

See it while it happens. Now you can have real time access to your jobs from any internet-connected computer in the world through our I-View system. You’ll be able to view current status, breakdown statistics, historical reporting, live file/record hold functionality, and our latest web service featuring online letter viewing within 24 hours of print.

Reports

It’s your choice. FOCUS1 can provide you with both customized and standard versions of Automated Shipping Notices (ASN) via email or encrypted transmission. Your standard Client File Reconciliation (CFR) report is available in both text and PDF formats. Inside your CFR is a comprehensive listing of processes, errors, and time/date stamp of finalization of services. Or you can receive real-time reporting through our web services features. For your security, all reports are delivered to you via encrypted transmission.

Unlimited Information Formats

Get your information in any format you want. Comma, tab, or pipe delimitated, XLS, XML, PDF, DOC/X, MDB, and DBF files. Want something else? No problem. Our standardization of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) programming gives us the unique ability to process or export any file format you require.

Address Integrity

All of your letters are processed through a dual-CASS/DPV certification program as well as our proprietary Address Element Correction (Address Logics) system in order to correct flaws that occur in both the USPS database or client side human error. FOCUS1 is proud to have the highest CASS/DPV rate in our industry, as well as the highest National Change of Address (NCOA) match rates available.
EDI and EFT
Do you need Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) or Electronic

Funds Transfer (EFT) capabilities? No problem. We can support both utilizing our in-house custom module configuration systems.

Power Backup

Why should you pay for an Electric Company power outage? All of our production equipment, hardware and workstations are powered by APC line conditioning battery backups with ongoing support services provided by Gruber Power Services. Batteries are tested and replaced according to strict specifications. In case of unexpected prolonged power outages, batteries that reach absolute drain are automatically replaced. Our power backup system is constantly tested and certified for minimum run-times.

Barcoding

FOCUS1 has implemented a full, web-based, life cycle tracking system using Symbol Technology scanners, Printsmith EFI, and custom JAVA coding expanding our packaged tracking and reporting abilities. We have real-time reports that are monitored by our operating staff via an internal televised display as well as AJAX via the web.

Starting in May 2009, Intelligent Mail Barcoding (IMB) will be required to earn the greatest automation discounts from the USPS. Most sort houses will begin reading the new bar code towards the end of the summer 2008. Currently only one Presort House in the United States is 100% compliant, it is our presort partner’s Cedar Rapids, Iowa site, and is a beta site for the USPS. We are prepared to immediately move to the IMB for all our letter codes as soon as the USPS finalizes the font structure of the IMB design, and the presort readers are operative.

Hardware and Software

Take a look under the hood and you’ll see what sets us apart. Clearly, the foundation of our industry leading technology is our hardware and software system architecture.

Our servers are hosted via a new multi-threading Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) specifically designed for High Availability (HA) environments between multi-core CPU’s, SQL server, JAVA, and large file base data processing. This eliminates CPU “pegging”, increases performance during data processing, and ensures the integrity of your data.

Our network architecture is based on an HP “spoke and wheel” concept utilizing a centralized, high performance backplane with redundant power supplies in a physically secure area. All production servers and network architecture run Gigabit (Gb) connectivity across a 60 Gb backplane ensuring constant HA status of 99.99% uptime.

Your data is separated from the physical processing servers ensuring that server failure will never trigger possible data failure. We test data enclosures monthly, and multiple drives are stored onsite at all times. Because FOCUS1 is an HP affiliated partner company, we have access to 24x7 on-site support for all of our production hardware. In the unlikely event of critical hardware issues, shelved hot spares are stored onsite.

Backups and Storage

FOCUS1's data backups utilize the latest LTO Media Library technology allowing full production backups daily. Our methods are proven to decrease production recovery time by 400%, eliminating 6 hours of possible production loss and ensuring that backups occur nightly even during extended nightly production. All backups are performed via a single read-only security authorized ID that does not have user login privileges.

Data integrity restores are performed constantly on production environments with random business data. Tapes are rotated on a 2-week cycle and moved out of circulation every two years via permanent archiving. Offsite storage enables permanent archiving of all data in a secured vault for 7 years.

No Excuses

We don’t expect you to accept excuses about “technical difficulties”. We know your business can’t wait for someone to fix a problem, regardless of how it happened. That’s why FOCUS1 has developed a comprehensive preparedness and recovery plan. We are prepared for anything.

In fact, we go so far as to stage mock emergencies to test our response time. During our crisis exercises, we stage scenarios where all data and servers crash and are non-recoverable. How fast can we get back up and running?

We built production servers as New Installation including SQL, production code, service integration and single primary operator workstation. Data is restored from a backup tape system. Email services were migrated to our external provider for inbound and outbound production accounts. We accomplished all this in less than 24 hours.