Linux Server Management for Stockbrokers and Prop Trading Firms India

AV Services · avservices.in · Linux Infrastructure, Mumbai · Since 1999

In Trading, Downtime Is Not an Inconvenience. It Is a Loss.

Stockbrokers and prop trading firms run on Linux. Order management systems, algo trading platforms, risk engines, market data feeds — the infrastructure underneath is almost always Linux. And when it goes down during market hours, the loss is immediate and measurable.

Most trading firms have a developer who set up the server. Some have a part-time sysadmin. Almost none have someone whose sole job is watching the Linux layer — patching it monthly, testing the backups, monitoring disk and memory, and being reachable at 8:45am when the market opens and something is wrong.

AV Services fills that role. Monthly retainer. Linux only. Since 1999.

What trading firms actually need from a Linux partner

Trading infrastructure has specific requirements that generic IT support does not understand. Market hours are fixed. A server restart at 9:15am is not a maintenance window — it is a missed session. Latency matters. Security matters more than most firms realise until a breach happens.

SEBI’s cybersecurity circular for brokers and trading members mandates documented patch management, access controls, and audit trails. Most smaller brokers and prop desks have none of this in place on their Linux servers. An AV Services retainer covers all three.

What AV Services does for trading firms

The scope is the Linux server layer — the OS, the storage, the network config, the backups, the security, the monitoring. Not the trading application, not the broker terminal, not the algo code. Just the server.

Monthly OS patching and security updates. Unpatched Linux servers are the entry point for most breaches. Every month, known CVEs are patched, updates are tested, and the server stays current — with zero downtime during market hours.

Backup verification, not just backup running. Trading firms carry regulatory obligation to maintain records. A backup job running is not the same as a backup working. Every month, a restore test confirms the data is actually recoverable.

Disk, memory, and process monitoring. Observium-based monitoring catches disk fill, memory pressure, and process failures before they affect order flow. An alert before market open is manageable. A crash at 10am is not.

Access control and audit trail documentation. SSH access logs, user activity records, firewall rules — maintained and documented. Relevant for SEBI audits and internal compliance.

Emergency response — onsite within 2 hours in Mumbai, within 24 hours anywhere in India. If the server goes down, Arun is on-site fast. Not a ticket. Not a queue. A person, on-site, with the server.

Written monthly health report. Plain-language summary of what was done, what was found, and what needs attention. Useful for compliance documentation and internal review.

Pricing

Essential — Rs.15,000/month. 1 server. Monthly patching, backup verification, monitoring, monthly health report.

Professional — Rs.30,000/month. Up to 3 servers. Bi-weekly cycles, full security hardening, incident response included, 24/7 priority support.

Business Critical — Rs.50,000/month. Up to 6 servers. Weekly cycles, dedicated response SLA, CVE monitoring, emergency patching, 24/7 including public holidays.

Initial audit — Rs.10,000 to Rs.25,000 depending on environment size. Waived with a 3-month commitment. Month-to-month after that. 30 days notice to exit.

27 years. One focus.

AV Services has managed Linux servers since 1999. Geeta Engineering Works in Thane has been a client for 14 years. The Netherlands Consulate General ran on AV Services infrastructure management for over 2 decades. Field engineering work for US and European companies — Comtech Services, Source Support Services, Pyramid Computer GmbH — verified by signed documents on file.

No Windows. No app development. No audiovisual. Linux infrastructure. That is the whole business.