How Totecs scaled B2B commerce with full control and local support

In 2020, the team launched a second platform – SQUIZZ.com – designed to connect buyers and suppliers across a shared B2B network. SQUIZZ.com syncs stock, pricing and product data between trading partners, with real-time visibility and fewer manual handoffs.

Together, the two platforms process over $200 million in transactions each year. That growth meant the infrastructure running underneath had to evolve fast.

When performance and control matter just as much as uptime

In its early years, TOTECS managed infrastructure internally, relying on entry-level hardware with limited environmental controls and no redundancy. It met the needs of the business at the time, but offered little resilience or flexibility as demand increased.

The team later shifted into boutique data centres, which resolved some immediate concerns around performance. But as the platform evolved, latency, fault tolerance and real-time integration became increasingly critical.

Squiz introduced even greater infrastructure pressure. Unlike traditional ecommerce models, it required continuous syncing between trading partners, with up-to-date stock and pricing across multiple systems. Any delay or failure could disrupt entire trade relationships.

Public cloud was considered, but presented several trade-offs. Cost unpredictability, reduced platform control, and the risk of lock-in made it incompatible with TOTECS’ long-term strategy.

The team needed infrastructure that offered performance and control without compromise.

Choosing a partner who could keep up with the platform

In 2012, Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, began looking for a partner who could support the unique technical demands of the TOTECS and SQUIZZ.com platforms. While some providers had global scale, Servers Australia stood out for their willingness to engage at a technical and architectural level.

The team worked with Glenn directly to design a bare metal environment tailored to the specific workloads and compliance requirements of each platform. Their approach focused on long-term fit, and not just short-term resource availability.

Just as important was the access to responsive, local engineering support. Glenn needed to know his team could get answers from people who understood their setup – not navigate offshore queues or generic ticket systems.

The decision wasn’t just about tech. It was about who we could rely on when things got complex. Servers Australia gave us confidence we weren’t alone in the decisions that mattered.

– Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, TOTECS

Over time, that relationship became foundational. Servers Australia supported hardware refresh cycles, advised on infrastructure planning, and resolved issues without delay or redirection.

The infrastructure behind two platforms that can’t go offline

TOTECS now operates its core infrastructure through Servers Australia's Tier 3+ Australian data centres. The stack is designed for high performance, with redundant architecture, direct hardware control and high I/O capacity across every node.

In 2021, Servers Australia facilitated a full infrastructure refresh – deploying six enterprise-grade servers optimised for ERP workloads, real-time syncing and ecommerce traffic. Each machine was configured around actual platform behaviour, not generic templates.

Servers Australia handled the deployment from end to end. That included OS tuning, firewall setup, network routing and monitoring. The transition was seamless, with zero client-facing disruption.

The solution includes:

• Dedicated bare metal infrastructure with optimised throughput

• Redundant, multi-site architecture to support failover and resilience

• Planned lifecycle management to align with platform roadmap

• 100% Australian support with direct access to engineers

• Root-level access with no vendor constraints or usage-based billing surprises

As the platform scaled, Servers Australia helped TOTECS evolve its environment in parallel – offering insights on optimisation, not just fixes.

They understand how our infrastructure works, and how our platform works. That’s rare. It’s a technical relationship that actually adds value.

– Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, TOTECS

What happens when infrastructure just works

With infrastructure handled, the TOTECS team has remained focused on expanding platform capabilities and improving client outcomes.

SQUIZZ.com adoption has accelerated across multiple industries. TOTECS continues to deliver digital ordering at scale, helping wholesalers and manufacturers modernise without rebuilding internal systems.

The platforms now support complex data exchanges, high transaction volumes and always-on commerce – entirely underpinned by infrastructure that performs reliably under load.

Servers Australia has enabled TOTECS to:

• Process $200M+ in B2B ecommerce annually

• Expand SQUIZZ.com without hitting technical ceilings

• Comply with Australian data hosting and privacy requirements

• Avoid overspend and lock-in common with hyperscale cloud

• Engage directly with technical engineers for faster outcomes

The result: platform freedom, infrastructure stability and full operational control.

We never have to wonder who’s in charge of our infrastructure. It’s ours. And we’ve got a partner who helps us run it right.

– Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, TOTECS

Planning for growth before it becomes a problem

As SQUIZZ.com continues to grow, infrastructure remains a key enabler. The team anticipates more integrations, faster client onboarding and a growing need for system-wide data performance.

Servers Australia continues to support that growth, working closely with TOTECS to plan capacity upgrades, performance tuning and multi-site architecture improvements.

With a robust foundation in place, the business is positioned to grow without distraction, confident that infrastructure won’t become a blocker to innovation.

We’ve been through multiple infrastructure upgrades with Servers Australia. Every one of them was smooth. That gives us confidence to keep moving.

– Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, TOTECS

What Totecs wants other tech leaders to know

For Glenn, success comes down to control and clarity.

He’s seen how fast infrastructure complexity can escalate – and how tempting it is to offload decisions to vendors without questioning the impact. But when the platform is your product, those decisions matter.

You can’t build a serious platform on assumptions. Know what’s running your business. Know who’s got your back. That’s what makes the difference when it matters.

– Glenn Drew, Founder and CEO, TOTECS

His advice to other founders and CTOs: work with infrastructure partners who think beyond provisioning. Look for alignment with your long-term architecture – and people who are invested in keeping your platform strong.