Econsult Corporation
An IP SAN replaces old DAS and discovers additional benefits
Customer Overview
Econsult Corporation offers litigators high-quality economic research with statistical and econometric analysis. In addition, they also offer economic consulting services for business and public policy decision-makers. Econsult’s academically distinguished consultants and affiliates combine quantitative expertise and experience to deliver customized approaches designed to meet clients’ needs. If it is a complex decision with multiple variables to be modeled, Econsult can help.
Customer Challenges
Econsult Corporation employs 25 full time employees and uses 30 desktops with 5 Dell servers. The total internal storage capacity on these servers is 1TB. Before discovering the StoreVault Division, Econsult had a Dell NAS appliance performing general file and print services, and the remaining four servers hosting Exchange and SQL applications. Each server had a CA BrightStor ARCserve Agent installed, allowing a backup server to backup to tape.
Econsult’s team of experts used a SAS application to analyze data stored in the SQL databases. Management was a significant problem because there wasn’t a centralized management system for the databases, nor was there an effective way to scale the SQL storage without downtime. Several database servers were over five years old and impacting performance. As data analysis requirements intensified, data extraction took an average of five times longer. Network and disk performance were declining as data needs increased.
Backups were done for each individual server across a 100Mbps network and sometimes took longer to complete than the available window, as well as slowed down network performance even further. Finally, file sharing requirements had grown beyond the 250GB available on the aging Dell NAS server – an appliance that could not be expanded any further.
Solution: StoreVault S500
Patrick Baird, President and CEO of SecurElement Infrastructure Solutions, Econsult’s value added reseller, is an MCSE, CCNA, CCEA, and CSSA certified professional. As Econsult’s operational adviser, Patrick was considering purchasing more direct-attached storage to replace the existing NAS appliance, but after testing the StoreVault he found that an IP SAN dramatically improved database performance with zero
infrastructure additions. In addition, Patrick’s comfort level was higher with StoreVault since it incorporates Data ONTAP, NetApp’s enterprise-proven operating system.
He concluded that StoreVault appliance simplifies management by consolidating storage functions, provides growth flexibility, and improves overall reliability with its Advanced Protection Architecture. Patrick has moved all Windows file sharing tasks from the Dell NAS appliance to the StoreVault and has also moved several Exchange information stores and SQL databases. In addition to reducing his management overhead, this consolidation has also resulted in quicker response times for Econsult’s e-mail and database applications. Regular snapshot copies of data on the StoreVault appliance provide one layer of protection, while a second layer is provided through backups to tape. Existing ARCserve software backs up data to an autoloader with minimal backup system disruption. Backup times have dropped from 8-10 hours down to 2-3 hours.
Customer Experience
“The StoreVault appliance is working out to be the ultimate solution, providing simple setup, high performance, and consolidated, reliable data storage with built-in backup and recovery,” says Patrick. He is particularly pleased with the expandable storage capabilities for either NAS or SAN data as demand increases, letting the business scale without any downtime. Implementing the StoreVault appliance created a simpler, more powerful storage infrastructure for less than $6,000.
Customer Benefits
Econsult realized several major improvements in their infrastructure that benefited multiple applications. SQL datasets are stored in smaller, more efficient volumes. Response times are at least three times faster; capacity can be expanded on the fly for file serving or database storage, and backup times are lower with increased network efficiency. Managing larger sample sizes for analysis leads to faster, higher-quality results, and ultimately a superior product for Econsult.
For Patrick Baird and Econsult, analyzing the purchase of a StoreVault was extremely simple.
About SecurElement
SecurElement provides comprehensive voice, data and video infrastructure solutions through fully sourced managed environments which offer a high-value at a controlled-cost to small and mid-sized businesses. Utilizing highly trained and certified engineers, SecurElement ensures businesses fully leverage technologies to minimize costs, maximize productivity and drive success. Additional information about SecurElement can be obtained by contacting the sales department by phone at 484.323.1629, via email at sales@securelement.com or by visiting the company’s website at www.securelement.com.
