
Modernizing University IT: Leicester’s Leap from Legacy to Leading-Edge Storage
Ever found yourself staring at a problem that just feels antiquated? You know, the kind of challenge that sucks up precious time, resources, and sanity, all while the world keeps spinning faster? That was precisely the predicament facing the IT team at the University of Leicester, a venerable UK institution that’s home to over 20,000 students and a bustling community of 4,000 staff members. For an organisation of this size, managing three sprawling data centers isn’t just a job, it’s a mission critical operation that underpins everything from groundbreaking research to student enrollment.
At the heart of their data strategy, or perhaps more accurately, at the sharp end of it, was Mark Penny, the Systems Specialist, and his dedicated team. Their primary directive? To diligently back up an ocean of data: personal home directories, crucial corporate systems, and, perhaps most importantly, the invaluable research data that fuels discovery. This wasn’t a simple task either. Their environment was a complex tapestry woven from Windows servers, virtualized VMware landscapes, and high-performance Lustre file systems. Picture a symphony orchestra, but instead of instruments, it’s diverse data types, all needing their own carefully orchestrated backup routine.
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The Gordian Knot of Legacy Infrastructure
Before their transformative upgrade, the university’s data protection strategy was anchored, or perhaps ‘tethered’ is a better word, to a traditional SAN-based hardware setup. This wasn’t unique; many organizations have trod this path. They had ten media servers, each running Commvault’s robust backup software, meticulously connected to these SAN targets. Sounds professional, right? On paper, sure, it looked like a robust solution, but in practice, it often felt more like a house of cards.
Here’s where the real headache began: a tight, almost suffocating dependency between individual LUNs (Logical Unit Numbers, for those less steeped in the storage jargon) and their assigned media servers. Imagine a delicate, intricate web where if one strand snapped, the whole thing started to unravel. If a media server decided to, well, take an unscheduled coffee break – or worse, completely fail – access to its associated LUN was immediately lost. Poof. Gone. And with it, any hope of swift backup or restore operations tied to that specific hardware.
Can you feel the cold dread of that call coming in? ‘The backups aren’t working, and we can’t access critical data.’ It’s the kind of moment that makes an IT professional’s heart sink right into their boots. These aren’t minor glitches we’re talking about, either. Such failures, and they weren’t uncommon, could cascade into weeks of debilitating downtime. Weeks! Think about that for a moment. Procurement processes for new hardware, the agonizing wait for delivery, the painstaking restoration of systems – it all added up. Meanwhile, research projects stalled, administrative tasks ground to a halt, and student services suffered. The old system was, frankly, a nightmare for the team; they spent so much time troubleshooting issues that really shouldn’t have been there, and it was just draining. The rain often lashed against the windows of the data centre on those long nights, mirroring the team’s internal storm.
What truly amplified the pain was the sheer diversity of their data landscape. Backing up a critical Windows server is one thing, but then you layer in VMware environments, each with its own quirks, and the high-throughput, high-capacity demands of Lustre for research data. Each system brought its own set of challenges to the legacy SAN infrastructure, stretching it thin, fraying its edges. Patching, upgrades, general maintenance – everything felt like walking a tightrope, one misstep potentially leading to another outage. It wasn’t sustainable; Penny and his team knew something had to give.
The Quest for a Resilient Future: Evaluating Modern Solutions
The writing was on the wall. The university needed a seismic shift in its data protection strategy. They couldn’t afford to be held hostage by single points of failure any longer. Mark Penny, with his deep understanding of their pain points, embarked on a comprehensive evaluation process. This wasn’t just about finding a replacement; it was about finding a solution – one that promised resilience, efficiency, and a reprieve from the constant firefighting.
They cast a wide net, exploring several cutting-edge options. Among the contenders were Cloudian’s HyperStore object storage platform, another well-regarded commercial object storage solution, and, interestingly, an open-source offering that piqued their curiosity. This phase is crucial for any organization facing similar challenges. You’ve got to look beyond the vendor demos and really kick the tires, ask the tough questions, and consider the long-term implications.
Let’s unpack their evaluation a bit. The open-source option, while initially appealing from a cost perspective (who doesn’t love ‘free’ software?), quickly revealed its true colours. Penny’s team found it to be overwhelmingly complex. Think of a beautifully engineered racing car, but one that requires a full pit crew just to get it started, and even then, you need a PhD in mechanics to keep it running. It was incredibly hardware-intensive too, demanding specific, often high-end, server configurations to function optimally. The concerns about ongoing management difficulties were immediate and valid; the last thing they needed was to trade one set of headaches for another, arguably more complicated, one. The ‘hidden costs’ of open-source – the extensive time for configuration, specialized talent required, and the lack of dedicated support – quickly became apparent.
Then there was the other commercial object storage solution. It had its merits, no doubt, but it quickly became clear it wasn’t the right fit for Leicester. Not only was it significantly more expensive than Cloudian, but it also came with a non-negotiable requirement for extensive professional services for installation and initial setup. This immediately raised flags. It suggested a product that wasn’t designed for straightforward deployment, implying a steeper learning curve and a reliance on external experts for even basic operations. For a university IT team that prides itself on self-sufficiency and efficiency, this was a major drawback.
And then there was Cloudian’s HyperStore. From the outset, it stood out, almost like a beacon in the stormy sea of complex IT solutions. Its simplicity was its killer feature, alongside its undeniable cost-effectiveness. Penny was particularly impressed by the sheer ease of deployment. ‘I could install it on a virtual machine or even his laptop in just 15 minutes,’ he famously remarked. That’s a powerful statement, isn’t it? It speaks volumes about the intuitive design and streamlined architecture of HyperStore. It wasn’t just marketing fluff; it was a tangible, hands-on experience that proved the system’s user-friendliness right out of the gate. This immediate accessibility meant a shorter ramp-up time, reduced training burdens, and crucially, less disruption to ongoing operations. It felt like a true game-changer.
Seamless Synergy: Implementing Cloudian and Commvault
The decision was made, and after a successful proof of concept (the importance of a thorough POC cannot be overstated, by the way!), the University of Leicester moved forward with deploying Cloudian’s HyperStore. This wasn’t just about swapping out old hardware; it was a fundamental architectural shift, moving from a rigid, centralized SAN model to a flexible, distributed object storage paradigm. They opted for 12 HPE Apollo 2U servers, a choice that underscored their commitment to a high-density, efficient footprint. This configuration provided a staggering 2.5 petabytes of usable capacity. That’s a truly vast ocean of data, ready to be secured.
The beauty of object storage, and particularly Cloudian’s implementation, is its inherent resilience. By design, it eliminates the single point of failure that plagued their previous SAN-based infrastructure. Data isn’t tied to a specific LUN or a single media server; it’s distributed across the cluster, replicated, and protected. If one node fails, the system simply rebalances, and data remains accessible. It’s like having multiple copies of your key hidden in different, secure spots instead of just one under the doormat. This distributed nature meant that those terrifying calls about lost LUNs or downed media servers would become a relic of the past.
Crucially, the integration with Commvault’s backup software was seamless, almost effortless. This was vital. The university had invested heavily in Commvault, and ripping and replacing that would have been a non-starter. Cloudian’s native S3 compatibility – the de facto standard for object storage – meant that Commvault could ‘speak’ directly to HyperStore without any complex gateways or middleware. It truly was plug-and-play in a sophisticated enterprise environment. This seamless handshake ensured continuous, robust data protection across every nook and cranny of the university’s diverse systems, from the Windows desktops to the mission-critical Lustre research clusters. The transition, from the IT team’s perspective, felt incredibly smooth, a far cry from the previous infrastructure’s temperamental nature.
Unlocking a Trove of Benefits
With the new system firmly in place, the benefits started to ripple through the entire IT department, extending far beyond just ‘better backups.’ This wasn’t merely an incremental improvement; it was a paradigm shift that delivered several profound advantages.
Remarkable Space Efficiency
Let’s talk physical space. Data centers aren’t infinitely elastic, are they? Every rack unit (U) counts, impacting everything from power consumption to cooling requirements. With their old SAN system, the university needed 48U of rack space to house their backup targets. Now, with Cloudian, they’ve reduced that footprint by a staggering 50%, requiring only 24U for a whopping 2.5 petabytes of usable storage. Imagine reclaiming half a rack! That’s not just neat; it translates directly into tangible operational savings. Less physical space means less power drawn, less heat generated, and consequently, reduced cooling costs. It’s a significant win for the bottom line, and frankly, a bit of a marvel to see so much capacity packed into such a small footprint.
Simplified Management: An Administrator’s Dream
Remember those late nights spent troubleshooting obscure SAN errors, chasing down LUN issues, or wrestling with complex configurations? Those days are largely behind the Leicester team. The self-contained nature of the HyperStore system fundamentally simplified administration. It’s not just about fewer components; it’s about a more intuitive, object-based approach to data management. Think of it like moving from managing individual, delicate plants in pots to managing a robust, self-healing forest. If one tree gets sick, the forest doesn’t die. This simplification meant less time spent on mundane, reactive ‘keeping the lights on’ tasks and more time freed up for strategic projects, innovation, and supporting the university’s core mission.
It was easier to manage, yes, but crucially, it was also easier to learn. Even for those on the team who might have been less familiar with object storage solutions, the transition was surprisingly smooth. This reduces the training burden and ensures that more team members can confidently operate and troubleshoot the system, fostering a more resilient and adaptable workforce. It’s truly a breath of fresh air for IT administrators who’ve traditionally been bogged down by complex legacy systems. The mental load reduction alone is a huge, often unquantified, benefit.
Tangible Cost Savings
While the initial investment in modern infrastructure is always a consideration, the long-term cost benefits of Cloudian were compelling. The university anticipates a 25% reduction in overall storage costs once the Cloudian solution is fully implemented across all their data centers. Where do these savings come from? It’s a multi-faceted equation. Firstly, there’s the reduced hardware footprint itself, requiring fewer physical servers and associated networking gear. Then, as mentioned, there’s the significant drop in power and cooling expenses. Beyond that, consider the reduced time spent by IT staff on maintenance and troubleshooting – that’s a direct saving in person-hours. Future expansion is also considerably cheaper; scaling object storage typically involves simply adding more nodes, without the complex and costly forklift upgrades often associated with traditional SANs. This TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) advantage makes a powerful case for the modern approach.
Enhanced Resiliency and Faster Recovery
This benefit, while not explicitly called out in the original points, is perhaps the most profound. The shift to object storage inherently brings a vastly superior level of data resiliency. With built-in data replication and erasure coding across the cluster, the risk of data loss from individual component failures is dramatically reduced. If a disk, a node, or even an entire rack goes offline, the data remains accessible and protected. For backup and recovery, this translates directly into higher availability and, critically, faster restore times. When a researcher needs their data back, or a critical corporate system is down, every second counts. The peace of mind that comes from knowing your data is robustly protected and readily available is, frankly, priceless.
The Horizon: Scalability and Future-Proofing for an Ever-Growing University
The success of this initial implementation at the University of Leicester hasn’t just solved immediate problems; it has fundamentally paved the way for a future of confident scalability. Mark Penny’s confidence in the new system shines through, especially when he recounts their rigorous testing. ‘We did a lot to try and break it, including testing a total hardware replacement, even though that’s something we’d never actually do,’ he shared. ‘It wasn’t a problem at all. Everything just worked.’
Think about that for a moment. They tried to make it fail, simulating worst-case scenarios that most organizations wouldn’t even dare to contemplate in a production environment. They pulled cables, simulated node failures, hammered it with data ingest, and even enacted a full ‘hardware replacement’ scenario. And the system, like a well-oiled machine, simply absorbed it, self-healed, and continued operating. This isn’t just about robustness; it’s about unparalleled confidence in the underlying architecture. It’s what allows an IT team to sleep better at night, knowing the university’s digital assets are secure.
Universities are data factories. Research projects continually generate vast quantities of new information, student populations grow, and administrative demands swell. The ability to seamlessly handle these increasing data demands, year after year, without constant, disruptive infrastructure overhauls, is absolutely critical. The Cloudian solution, with its linear scalability, is perfectly positioned to absorb this exponential data growth. Need more capacity? Just add more nodes to the cluster. No more complex, multi-year procurement cycles for new SAN arrays or painful data migrations. It’s a truly elastic, ‘pay-as-you-grow’ model that aligns perfectly with the dynamic needs of a modern educational institution. This strategic foresight transforms IT from a cost center struggling to keep pace into an enabler of future growth and innovation.
A Blueprint for Modern Data Management
What the University of Leicester has achieved is more than just an IT upgrade; it’s a blueprint for intelligent, resilient data management in the 21st century. They transformed a cumbersome, fragile legacy infrastructure into a streamlined, robust, and cost-effective system. The shift from dependency-laden SANs to distributed, scalable object storage has delivered tangible benefits: significant space savings, simplified management, substantial cost reductions, and, perhaps most importantly, newfound confidence in their data’s integrity and availability. It’s a testament to thoughtful evaluation and strategic adoption of modern technologies. If you’re wrestling with similar legacy IT challenges, perhaps it’s time to take a leaf out of Leicester’s book and consider a similar leap forward. You might just find your own path to smoother operations and, dare I say it, a little more peace of mind.
2. 5 petabytes? Suddenly my overflowing Google Drive feels a tad insignificant. Though, I bet even *they* have that one professor who “accidentally” saves their cat videos to the research server!
Haha, that’s a great point! You’re right, no matter how much storage we have, there’s always *someone* finding creative ways to fill it up. Perhaps we need a dedicated “cat video” partition for those accidental research contributions! It’s all about balancing serious research with a bit of levity.
Editor: StorageTech.News
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The University of Leicester’s proactive approach to modernizing its IT infrastructure highlights the increasing importance of scalable storage solutions within large institutions. It would be interesting to investigate further the impact of such improvements on research output and collaboration capabilities across departments.