NetWare file servers at the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation ( AIDC) were overloaded by the buildup of company data. The corporation required a means of identifying and archiving inactive data to reduce storage costs. AIDC upgraded to Novell Open Enterprise Server, saving 90% in hardware investment costs and reducing its online backup window by 30%.
AIDC is a major player in the aerospace industry, working in research and development, system integration, testing and manufacturing. From its roots as an aircraft manufacturer, AIDC has expanded its operations into other fields such as transportation, logistics and management, and has won recognition from the global aerospace community.
As a long-term user of NetWare® to provide file and print services, AIDC was looking to update its file server systems to contend with ever-increasing data growth.
"Our file server systems were severely overloaded," said Yiding Fang, Deputy Director of Information Department, AIDC. "Statistics showed that 80% of the data on our systems had not been accessed for more than a year. The presence of this data was placing a heavy burden on our storage infrastructure, entailing increasing costs and lengthy back-up windows."
There was also concern over the security of file sharing practices at the corporation. "With files being shared by multiple users, there is the ongoing risk that valuable information will be lost if files are accidentally overwritten or modified," said Fang. "For security and auditing purposes, we required a means of tracking file amendments."
Lastly, AIDC was looking for a way to simplify its over-complex printing environment, which consisted of 200 network printers. "We were looking for an effective long-term strategy which would accommodate future demand for file access, the sharing of files and printing at AIDC," said Fang.
To address the issue of data growth, AIDC commissioned Colorlife IT System Co. Ltd, a Novell Partner, to provide a planned upgrade and migration solution.
"Novell Open Enterprise Server was the only solution to provide adequate security, stability and efficiency to meet our corporation's requirements," said Fang. "We were looking for maximum ROI benefit with minimum total cost of ownership, and the Novell solution fitted the bill."
After upgrading from its existing NetWare platform to Novell Open Enterprise Server, AIDC employed the solution's Dynamic Storage Technology module to redistribute its data storage more economically.
Firstly, the module created policies to identify which AIDC data had been inactive for longer than 180 days and was eligible for relocation. Over 70% of this inactive data was then directed to a lower-cost archive storage solution.
"Dynamic Storage Technology ensured that inactive data was automatically and seamlessly relocated," said Fang. "Most importantly, users perceived no change in the way they access their information."
AIDC will also use Novell Open Enterprise Server's iFolder feature to eliminate version control problems during file sharing. With Novell iFolder, changes made to a file will now be automatically updated to AIDC's iFolder server and other computers through the corporation's internet connection. If two users are working simultaneously on the same file, then updates will automatically appear on a user's screen as another user makes amendments. In addition, iFolder's file version recovery capabilities enable users to restore multiple file versions and retrieve overwritten information, without having to refer to the IT team for assistance. Novell Open Enterprise Server's iPrint module has enabled AIDC to reduce the complexity of its printing environment by making printers instantly accessible via a web browser.
The implementation of Novell Open Enterprise Server has solved the issue of increasing data volumes, which had long been a concern for AIDC. "Novell Open Enterprise Server has allowed us to downsize the cost of our storage infrastructure, and save about 90% in terms of hardware investment," says Fang.
The re-distribution of data storage at AIDC, enabled by the Novell Open Enterprise Server Dynamic Storage Technology module, has also translated to a significant improvement in data security levels at the corporation.”With the relocation of a large amount of our inactive data, backup of our online data is now 30% faster,” said Fang. "This backup cycle reduction has enabled us to achieve our corporate Recovery Point Objective and Recovery Time Objective requirements."
"One of the best aspects of Novell Open Enterprise Server is the fact that it is an all-in-one solution," said Fang. “Powerful features such as Dynamic Storage Technology and Novell iPrint are major assets, and since they are built into the solution package we don't need to concern ourselves with complex software licensing arrangements."
"Secure, stable, practical and reliable are the words which come to mind with the Novell Open Enterprise Server solution," said Fang. "We have used Novell solutions successfully for the last decade and have faith that our Novell Open Enterprise Server solution will effectively meet all the demands of the next ten years."
State-owned aerospace company
Industry:
Aviation
Location:
Taiwan, Republic of China
Products:
Results:
"With the relocation of a large amount of our inactive data, backup of our online data is now 30 percent faster."
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