CASE STUDY: Efficient Storage and Archiving Solution with AWS

Executive Summary

When the customer, a traditional engineering company, approached us, the problem was clear and quite typical today. Continuously increasing user, backup and archive data and insufficient capacity of existing storage along with low flexibility to set up temporary storage for projects and services generated a need to think differently about storing data. Except investing in an on-premise data center storage, the customer selected, scalable, cost-effective and efficient solution on AWS storage services and together with Hardys Digital built a flexible hybrid storage solution, saved cost and gained flexibility.

Customer challenge

The amount of customer data produced by users, machines, partners, and systems was steadily increasing and capital investment in customer on-premise data repositories was high and generally inefficient. The customer team didn’t have experience with the implementation of the transformation of IT to the cloud needed to change from the daily routine of existing legacy IT. At the same time, the need to be able to manage services was key. The customer needed a new solution and answer questions likes: How to get started with the cloud quickly, safely and get value as soon as possible? How to avoid initial mistakes and proceed in a proven way and set up a reliable monitored system.

Solution

The storage solution consists of AWS Storage Gateway, S3 and Workdocs to fulfill the need for hybrid and durable storage with the flexibility of AWS Workdocs to be used for temporary projects folders for internal and external users. AWS S3 Infrequent access is used for accessing.
AWS Glacier is used as a long term archiving solution and is utilized as a single archive for all server, machine and user based data that needs to be durably saved.
Directory Services (AD Connector) is used to manage access for internal employees, control access to folders and re-use existing domain controller on premise to provide maximum comfort for end users to access their existing and cloud services.
Service layer takes care of automatic monitoring, notifications, alarms through AWS CloudWatch, SNS, CloudTrail and its automation and integration by AWS Lambda with monitoring and service management systems.

Results and benefits

The customer has achieved lower TCO of almost 30% for the storage and archiving solution and gained flexible storage for projects, internal and external employees. The breadth of AWS storage services addressed various use cases for storage needs. During the implementation, several approaches were tested without the need to invest in HW or purchase licenses. The final solution is a hybrid setup utilizing customer assets efficiently, under managed services and without the need for further capital investments.

Read the full Case Study: Storage and Archiving