30 January 2014
The issues:
- Significant volume of data stored on site
- Existing USB back-up process vulnerable to failures
- Single location storage poses disaster recovery threat
The solution:
- Redstor Online Backup
The benefits:
- Critical client data securely backed-up off site
- Complete backup automation saves time
- Total peace of mind offered to IT & Management team
- Quick and simple data recovery
Introduction
Integrity is a brand management agency based in a converted barn in the Kent countryside. Offering unique ‘Brand Programming’ services, the agency develop, implement and maintain a consistent brand experience for clients spanning the public and private sectors, including names such as HMRC, Volkswagen, Waitrose and Virgin Media.
Challenges
As a design agency, creative design and development is at the heart of Integrity’s client projects. On a daily basis, Integrity creates and adapts large files in a wide variety of file formats for each of their clients. Numerous design revisions exist on files to suit varying project briefs and these are regularly altered and updated. With regular changes to file types and numerous files of a significant data size, effective, regular and failsafe data backup is a necessity for the business.
Integrity had previously been using a series of USB drives to back up the 1.5TB of data stored on the company’s file servers. At semi-regular intervals, USB drives were used to back up customer design projects and the process was time consuming and unstructured.
Andy Faulkner, Business Manager at Integrity said: “We knew we needed a better backup solution and were aware of online backup, however, being based in the Kent countryside means we suffer from slow broadband connection speeds. As a result, we were sceptical that online backup was the right solution for us.”
The Solution
In early 2013, Integrity began to examine their options for data backup. Having analysed a range of solutions, a trusted industry contact recommended Redstor.
“From day one we were impressed with the team at Redstor,” says Faulkner. “Their knowledge of the technology was first class as was their understanding of what we needed. What stood out from the start was the personal service we received. Many other vendors felt that because online backup is largely automated, the sales process should be too. That approach didn’t work for us so we disregarded companies who worked in this style.”
Integrity implemented Redstor’s online backup solution across each of their file servers after being assured that their Internet connection (0.6Mb upload and 4Mb download speed) would be sufficient. Over 1.5TB of data was initially backed up using a ‘seed backup’ to USB drive and then couriering the data, encrypted on disk to Redstor’s secure primary data centre. The automated system now securely backs up any changed data in the previous 24 hours in less than 7 hours which fits easily within Integrity’s timeframe.
Results
Implementing the service has immediately saved Faulkner valuable time: “You never realise how long something takes until you stop doing it” he jokes. “Adding up the time it took me each week means I have been given back an extra half day of time per month, which is fantastic.”
In addition to the time and efficiency savings comes the peace-of-mind. “It always worried me that if something happened to the building or the file server, it was my responsibility to return everything to normal” he says.
“That responsibility now falls to Redstor. I can sleep soundly knowing that in the event of an incident, our data is securely backed-up off site, the automated backup runs every evening, our data is quickly backed-up and is simple to recover if ever needed, giving me peace of mind. Furthermore our initial concerns over broadband speeds were unfounded with the Redstor online backup solution.”
Faulkner concludes, “Having implemented the service several months ago, the best aspect is the fact there is no change. The agency functions as normal, creatives and account managers go about their usual business and we continue to deliver inspirational brand design work to our clients. Redstor have designed and implemented the right solution that will protect and grow with the agency.”
