Navigating the Data Tides: Ten Transformative Storage & Backup Journeys of 2022

Remember 2022? It felt like organisations everywhere finally started to truly grapple with their digital sprawl, didn’t it? The sheer volume of data, the relentless march of cyber threats, and the ever-present need for efficiency—these weren’t just abstract concepts anymore, they were daily realities that kept IT leaders up at night. In that landscape, smart data storage and backup solutions weren’t just nice-to-haves; they became absolutely critical, fundamental to business continuity and innovation. From the subtle hum of on-prem servers being phased out to the vast, airy expanse of the cloud, we saw a dynamic evolution in how companies managed their most precious asset: information.

It wasn’t just about throwing more disk at the problem, either. It was about strategic shifts, clever migrations, and adopting technologies that didn’t just store data but actively protected, optimised, and made it accessible. This article, well, it delves into ten standout customer stories from that pivotal year. Each one paints a vivid picture of how enterprises, large and small, tackled their data challenges head-on, proving that with the right approach, transformation isn’t just possible, it’s inevitable. You’ll see, these aren’t just tech stories; they’re tales of resilience, foresight, and getting things done.

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The Cloud Frontier: Embracing Modern Data Architectures

Migration to the cloud, be it for primary storage, disaster recovery, or simply shedding the shackles of on-prem infrastructure, was a recurring theme in 2022. It wasn’t always a smooth journey, but the strategic benefits often outweighed the initial hurdles. Companies were really starting to understand that the cloud isn’t just another server; it’s a completely different operational paradigm.

1. Dr. Martens Steps into Cloud-to-Cloud Backup

When you think of Dr. Martens, you probably picture iconic, tough-as-nails boots, right? A brand built on heritage and durability. But even a company with such a storied past can’t afford to be stuck in the past when it comes to technology. They faced a significant challenge, one that many legacy businesses grapple with: an aging on-premises IT infrastructure alongside a growing reliance on modern cloud applications like Microsoft 365. Their ambition? A full, comprehensive migration of all their applications to the cloud. Quite the undertaking!

Their initial, crucial step wasn’t just about moving data, though; it was about protecting it as it moved and resided in its new home. They initiated a robust cloud-to-cloud backup strategy for their Microsoft 365 applications, recognising that even data in the cloud needs a safety net. This wasn’t just about compliance or ticking a box. It was about ensuring business continuity for critical communication and collaboration tools. Imagine losing all your historical emails, or crucial project documents—it’d be a nightmare, wouldn’t it? Simultaneously, they tackled their on-site VMware operations, looking to integrate them into this new cloud-first vision. By securing their cloud-based Microsoft 365 data, they not only fortified their data against accidental deletion or ransomware but also laid a solid foundation for their broader cloud migration, ensuring that as they stepped into this new digital era, their valuable data remained firmly laced up and protected. It set a precedent, really, for how serious they were about this shift.

2. Imperial College NHS Trust Cuts Costs with Wasabi Cloud Storage

Healthcare, bless its heart, operates under immense pressure, particularly when it comes to budget constraints. Imperial College NHS Trust, a truly vital institution, faced a familiar conundrum: spiralling storage costs and the looming dread of a five-year hardware refresh cycle. You know the drill—investing millions in new servers, storage arrays, and then the painful migration of data. It’s an operational headache, a significant capital expenditure, and frankly, a bit of a drain on human resources that could be better spent on patient care.

Their brilliant solution involved a bold move: transitioning a substantial portion of their backup and archive data to Wasabi’s cloud storage. This wasn’t just a tactical tweak; it was a strategic pivot that allowed them to entirely sidestep that dreaded hardware refresh. Think about the impact: an immediate 30% reduction in storage costs. That’s not just a number; it’s tangible savings that could be redirected to frontline services, to medical equipment, or perhaps, for new research. Moreover, the elasticity of cloud storage meant they no longer had to overprovision for peak demands, nor worry about running out of space. It freed up their IT team to focus on more complex, value-adding projects rather than constant hardware management. It’s a prime example of how smart infrastructure choices can directly impact an organization’s core mission, proving that sometimes, the best way to save money is to spend it differently.

3. Jellyfish Pictures Embraces Hybrid Cloud with Hammerspace

For a visual effects firm like Jellyfish Pictures, where breathtaking CGI and high-fidelity animations are their bread and butter, data is everything. But not just any data; we’re talking about massive files, often terabytes in size, that need to be accessed globally, by artists collaborating across different time zones. Their challenge wasn’t just storage; it was about global accessibility and ensuring seamless workflows for their creative teams. How do you let an artist in London work on the same gargantuan file as an artist in Los Angeles without painful delays or constant transfers? Traditional methods just weren’t cutting it.

They adopted Hammerspace, a platform designed to create a global data environment across various storage types, including on-premises and cloud. This hybrid cloud approach was a game-changer. It meant their artists could access these enormous files as if they were local, regardless of where they physically resided or where the artist was located. The performance boost was immediate, dramatically accelerating rendering times and collaborative workflows. Think about the sheer frustration of waiting minutes, even hours, for a file to load or transfer when creativity is flowing. That’s what they eliminated. Beyond the performance gains, there were significant operational benefits too. They saw reduced energy costs, because they weren’t running as much on-prem hardware full-tilt, and even a reduction in office space requirements, as some infrastructure could be offloaded to the cloud. For a creative enterprise, removing technical friction lets the artistry truly shine, a real win-win.

Optimising Performance & Streamlining Operations

Beyond cost savings, many organisations in 2022 focused on boosting the sheer speed and efficiency of their data operations. This meant tackling legacy bottlenecks and embracing modern, often flash-based, solutions that could handle the intensity of today’s workloads. It’s not just about capacity, is it? It’s about how quickly you can get to that data, process it, and deliver insights.

4. MediaHub Ditches Legacy Systems for Scality Object Storage

MediaHub, based in Sydney, is a powerhouse for TV content. They’re handling vast libraries of video, from high-definition broadcasts to archived classics. Their previous setup? A tangle of legacy SAN (Storage Area Network) and NAS (Network Attached Storage) systems. While these served their purpose for a time, they were increasingly buckling under the weight of modern media workflows. Performance issues were cropping up, especially during peak ingestion or content distribution, and the ability to scale seamlessly for new projects or increased content volume was a constant headache. It’s like trying to run a marathon in hiking boots—you can, but it’s not efficient.

Their solution was a wholesale shift to Scality’s object storage, specifically their RING platform. This wasn’t just an upgrade; it was a fundamental architectural change. Object storage is inherently designed for massive scale and highly concurrent access, making it perfect for media workflows. It resolved those nagging performance issues, allowing for faster content ingests and smoother playback. Moreover, the scalability challenges evaporated. MediaHub could now expand their storage capacity on demand, without complex reconfigurations or massive capital outlays. It gave them the agility they needed to respond to the ever-increasing demand for digital content, ensuring their customers, the broadcasters, could deliver uninterrupted, high-quality programming. It shows that sometimes, you just have to rip off the bandage and go for a completely different technology paradigm to truly solve an underlying problem, you know?

5. Scottish Crown Prosecutor Upgrades to Pure Storage

When it comes to the legal system, data integrity, rapid access, and unwavering reliability aren’t just important; they’re absolutely non-negotiable. Scotland’s prosecution service, dealing with sensitive case files, evidence, and critical documentation, was operating on an aging EMC legacy storage system. While once robust, these older systems often struggle with the demands of modern digital forensics, massive e-discovery operations, and the sheer volume of data involved in contemporary legal proceedings. They needed something faster, something more reliable, and frankly, something that wouldn’t keep their IT team up at night.

They opted for Pure Storage’s all-flash solution. The transformation was immediate and profound. All-flash arrays, with their incredible speed, dramatically enhanced performance across the board. Imagine how quickly legal teams could now access and process vast amounts of data—reducing search times, accelerating evidence review, and speeding up overall case preparation. Beyond just speed, the reliability of flash storage, with fewer moving parts than traditional disk drives, also significantly improved. This meant less downtime, fewer unexpected issues, and a much more stable platform for their critical operations. For an organisation where every second counts and data loss simply isn’t an option, this upgrade wasn’t just a technological improvement; it was an enhancement to the very fabric of justice. It allows them to focus on their crucial work, rather than worrying about the underlying tech, which is precisely how it should be.

6. SeqOIA Accelerates Research with Vast Data’s Rapid I/O

SeqOIA, a French government-backed initiative, is at the forefront of genomic research. This field generates truly astronomical amounts of data—think petabytes of raw genetic sequences, constantly being analysed and re-analysed. Their previous storage setup, based on Lustre, a file system often used in high-performance computing, was hitting its limits. They were grappling with performance bottlenecks that slowed down crucial research, and even worse, occasional file corruption issues that could jeopardise invaluable scientific data. When you’re dealing with the blueprint of life itself, you simply can’t afford these kinds of technical hitches.

They made a significant leap to Vast Data’s QLC (Quad-Level Cell) flash-based array. This wasn’t just an incremental upgrade; it was a fundamental shift to a much more modern and capable architecture. QLC flash offers incredible density and surprisingly good performance for its cost, making it ideal for large, read-heavy workloads like genomic sequencing. The result? Those frustrating performance limits vanished. Researchers could process data significantly faster, accelerating discoveries and reducing the time from raw data to actionable insights. And crucially, the file corruption issues, which were a constant source of anxiety, were resolved. This allowed SeqOIA’s scientists to dedicate their full attention to groundbreaking research, unburdened by underlying infrastructure woes. It’s a fantastic example of how cutting-edge storage technology directly impacts scientific progress, which, when you think about it, is pretty inspiring.

Fortifying Defenses: Enhanced Resilience & Security

In an age of escalating cyber threats, particularly ransomware, robust disaster recovery and comprehensive security integration became paramount. Organisations couldn’t just back up their data; they needed to be sure they could recover it quickly and securely, and that their defenses were unified.

7. EDF Enhances Disaster Recovery with Phenix-IT

EDF, a major global energy company, manages incredibly complex and critical infrastructure. For them, disaster recovery isn’t just about recovering files; it’s about ensuring the continuity of essential energy services. Imagine the ramifications of a prolonged outage due to a data loss event—it’s unthinkable. Their challenge wasn’t a lack of backup, but rather a need for more sophisticated, proactive, and continuously improved disaster recovery (DR) planning, tracking, and testing. It’s one thing to have a DR plan; it’s another entirely to know it works, under pressure.

They implemented Phenix-IT’s DR tracking, planning, and testing software, integrated with Mega’s Hopex platform for governance, risk, and compliance. What’s particularly compelling about their approach is the cadence: they committed to upgrading their DR capabilities every six months. This wasn’t a set-it-and-forget-it deployment. Instead, it was an iterative, continuous improvement process driven by evolving governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) functionalities. This systematic approach ensured their DR capabilities weren’t stagnant but were constantly refined to meet new threats and regulatory demands. It’s the difference between having a fire drill once a year and doing regular, unannounced tests. They created a living, breathing DR framework that consistently assured them, and their stakeholders, of their resilience. It’s a testament to how crucial proactive and adaptive DR truly is in today’s interconnected world, especially for critical national infrastructure. You can’t be too careful, can you?

8. Clauger Simplifies Backup with Cohesity Cluster

Clauger, a France-based industrial refrigeration and air treatment specialist, had fallen into a common trap: a sprawling, multi-vendor legacy backup environment. We’ve all seen it, haven’t we? Different solutions for different parts of the infrastructure, each with its own management console, its own quirks, and inevitably, its own set of complexities. This patchwork approach led to lengthy backup windows, difficult troubleshooting, and the kind of slow, painful restores that make you want to pull your hair out. It wasn’t just inefficient; it was a significant operational risk.

Their brilliant move was to consolidate all of this disparate infrastructure into a single Cohesity cluster. Cohesity, known for its hyperconverged data management platform, offered them a unified solution for backup, recovery, and data management across their entire enterprise. The impact was transformative. What used to take hours, sometimes even days, for a full restore, could now be achieved in mere minutes. Think about that: a critical system goes down, and instead of a protracted recovery effort, it’s back online before you’ve even finished your coffee. This radical simplification freed up valuable IT resources, drastically reduced their operational overhead, and significantly improved their recovery point objectives (RPO) and recovery time objectives (RTO). It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, less is truly more, especially when it comes to the complexity of your IT stack. A single pane of glass, a unified approach—it makes a world of difference.

9. Franprix Overcomes Backup Challenges with Veeam

Supermarket chains like Franprix in France operate on incredibly tight margins and rely heavily on their IT systems for everything from inventory management to point-of-sale transactions. Any disruption, particularly a lengthy backup window or slow file restore, can quickly translate into lost revenue and unhappy customers. Franprix was facing just these issues: their existing backup processes were dragging on, sometimes impacting daily operations, and recovering specific files was a frustratingly slow affair. In a fast-paced retail environment, every second of downtime, every minute of delay, feels like an eternity.

They implemented Veeam, a widely respected leader in backup, recovery, and data management solutions. Veeam’s robust capabilities allowed Franprix to significantly shorten their backup windows, meaning their critical systems were less impacted during the backup process. This was a huge win for operational efficiency. Even more critically, the speed and reliability of file restores improved dramatically. Imagine a scenario where a critical database table is accidentally deleted, or a crucial sales report goes missing. With Veeam, their IT team could pinpoint and restore that data quickly, minimising the impact on the business. This not only improved their efficiency but also instilled greater confidence in their data protection strategy. It just goes to show you, even in what might seem like a ‘traditional’ industry, the right technology can make all the difference to the bottom line and overall operational smoothness. Efficiency really is king.

10. West Ham United Integrates Acronis for Backup and Security

Modern football clubs are far more than just teams on a pitch; they’re complex businesses with vast digital footprints, from fan databases and ticketing systems to player performance analytics and sensitive financial data. West Ham United, a club with a passionate global fanbase, recognized the inherent risks of managing separate, siloed backup and cybersecurity products. It’s a common dilemma: one vendor for backup, another for endpoint security, a third for anti-malware, and so on. This fragmented approach often leads to security gaps, increased management overhead, and a general lack of unified visibility.

Their proactive step was to integrate Acronis Cyber Protect. This solution isn’t just a backup tool; it’s a comprehensive platform that unifies backup, data protection, and cybersecurity, including anti-malware, endpoint protection, and secure file sharing, all under a single pane of glass. This consolidation brought immediate benefits. They eliminated the complexity of managing multiple vendors and disparate systems. More importantly, it fortified their overall cybersecurity posture. By integrating backup directly with security, Acronis Cyber Protect could, for instance, detect ransomware attacks before they encrypted backup files, offering a much stronger line of defense. For West Ham, this meant greater peace of mind, knowing their critical data was not only backed up but also actively protected against the ever-evolving threat landscape. It’s a smart play, wouldn’t you say? Unifying these critical functions just makes so much sense in today’s threat environment.

Key Takeaways from a Transformative Year

Looking back at these diverse narratives from 2022, a few clear themes emerge, painting a vivid picture of where data management was, and where it continues to head. It’s not just about bigger disks or faster connections anymore; it’s about intelligent, resilient, and adaptive systems.

The Cloud is Not a Destination, It’s a Landscape

We saw pure cloud adoption, hybrid models, and cloud-to-cloud strategies. It’s clear that the cloud isn’t a singular ‘place’ but a vast, varied landscape of possibilities. Organisations are getting savvier, understanding that different workloads might thrive in different cloud environments, and that robust backup, even within the cloud, is non-negotiable. It’s about finding the right cloud for the right job, and often, that means more than one.

Cost Optimization is Always on the Menu

Whether it was reducing hardware refresh cycles or streamlining existing infrastructures, cutting costs remained a significant driver. But it’s not just about being cheap; it’s about being smart with expenditure, making every pound or euro stretch further by leveraging technologies that offer better ROI and reduce operational burdens.

Performance is the New Gold Standard

From genomic research to visual effects, the demand for rapid data access and processing power only escalated. Legacy systems simply couldn’t keep pace. The move to all-flash solutions and highly parallelised architectures wasn’t just an upgrade; it was an imperative to unlock new levels of productivity and innovation. You can’t be waiting around for data in today’s world.

Security and Resilience are Two Sides of the Same Coin

Ransomware threats dominated headlines, pushing disaster recovery and integrated security solutions to the forefront. It became painfully clear that backup without strong security is like having a sturdy lock on a door without walls. Unifying these functions, as West Ham demonstrated, provides a far more robust defense, giving IT teams a fighting chance against increasingly sophisticated attacks.

Simplification is a Strategic Advantage

Consolidating disparate systems, reducing vendor sprawl, and achieving a single pane of glass for data management—these aren’t just IT niceties. They translate directly into reduced operational complexity, faster problem resolution, and more agile teams. Why juggle five tools when one can do the job better, right?

The Path Forward

These stories from 2022 aren’t just historical footnotes. They’re vital lessons, blueprints even, for organisations still navigating their own digital transformation journeys. They illustrate that whether you’re a global energy giant, an iconic bootmaker, or a cutting-edge research institute, the fundamental challenges of data management persist, but so too do the innovative solutions. It’s an exciting, albeit constantly evolving, space to be in, isn’t it?

As we move forward, the emphasis on data intelligence, sustainability in storage, and proactive cybersecurity will only intensify. The organisations that embrace these principles, learning from the trailblazers of 2022, are the ones who will not only survive but truly thrive in the increasingly data-driven world. So, what’s your data story going to be?

References

• computerweekly.com