Storage overhaul for event manager

"All those fax forms had to then be manually entered. Previously if we had a few conferences on at the same time, we’d have to put casuals on to do all the manual data entry. We don’t need them now its all online, so it does save us a lot."

Prior to the storage upgrade, MVM’s server had a capacity of about 36GB, which Crane says they were bumping up against. Now they’ve got a capacity of over 100GB, which they’re filling up as we speak, he says.

"We found BrightStor is the easiest option for the customer to understand that their backups are running correctly, that they’re able to restore data, and it’s a much simpler option than some other solutions available."

He says BrightStor also gives them the ability to back up the exchange database, so they can back up their email boxes individually. "They can also back up their SQL server when it’s running online so it doesn’t have to come down to allow the backup of that sort of data," he says.


The future

Whetton says one of the best results for her is that it frees her up to do her own job. Every week CIA gives her a report based on its monitoring of MVM’s storage systems, including a server report, how they are going storage-wise, even internet usage.

"They also keep us up to date technology-wise, do all the patches, and they’ll talk to everyone in the company about any of their IT problems and sort them out. I can choose to have weekly reports or fortnightly or monthly," she says.

MVM's Whetton: Overhaul ensured data accuracy and security

"Robert is our security blanket. If it was left to me to do the IT stuff myself, I’d be way behind the eight ball," she says. Whetton says she has not had a problem going over the IT budget so far, which is unusual for most SMBs.

"At the moment we’re looking at what we need for the future.We need a new database program and Robert is coming up with some suggestions: which ones are cost effective and do what we want it to do. When I talk to Robert about what we need, I say, 'This is our problem or these are our plans', and he comes back to us with several options. I never get told, 'This is what you’ve got to do'. I get options and choose to suit my budgets and needs."

Whetton says MVM’s parent company in London was so impressed with the Sydney operations that they came out in March to see whether they could use the same sort of system in London. "We’re way ahead of them here," she says.

Crane says one of the most valuable things integrators and IT partners can do for their customers is to educate them about storage, backup and DR, and then instil in them the awareness that they are ultimately responsible for their own data -- no-one else.

"We’ve seen small businesses that believe they’ve been changing backups regularly and when it actually comes to restore, the tapes are blank. You might laugh, but if it was your business you can imagine what that might mean. They think they’ve been doing everything right, but 15 tapes were all blank because it could be as simple as having the 'write-protect' tab on and they never checked the log."

Crane suggests each SMB needs to have at least one person responsible for storage, and to have processes in place so that if they are not there, someone else takes over.

"SMBs need to value their data like it’s gold, because otherwise they could put themselves out of business. It’s a constant message we’re trying to reinforce...but like everything else, people never think of insurance until they break a leg," Crane says.