Healthcare Case Study
| Customer Type | Healthcare Service Group |
| Customer Sector | Healthcare |
| Source Storage | IBM FAStT |
| Target Storage | NetApp |
| Number of Hosts | 7 |
| Host Types | Windows |
| Host Applications | Clustered File Servers |
| Replication Type | Remote |
| Number of DMS and model | 2x DMS8000 |
| Insertion Method | Host Side |
Challenges
Migrating Windows 2003 Server with dynamic volumes to Windows Server 2012
Migrating from a New Mexico data center to a Texas data center
New Mexico data center used FC, while Texas used iSCSI
Solution
Migration and cutover were divided into four “waves”
DMS Test View capability was used to validate solution and procedure for importing dynamic disks to Windows Server 2012
DMS ease-of-use enabled partner to perform migration on their own schedule after a few hours or remote product training
Results
Migration took only four weeks from appliance deployment to migration completion
Cutover of hosts were all successful on the first attempt
The Story
This healthcare service provider was refreshing its storage from IBM’s SAN Volume Controller (SVC) to NetApp block-based storage and needed to migrate their data remotely from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Houston, Texas. The service provider had engaged an outside technology company to manage its storage network and the migration project.
Initially, there was pushback from one of the storage architects at the technology company during a Cirrus Data demo of DMS. The storage architect did not believe that Cirrus Data could perform the migration as easily as described. Due to this doubt, this data migration project began as a proof-of-concept for the technology company. One of the main requirements for the migration that caused the storage architect to be concerned over using DMS was the issue of migrating Windows 2003 Dynamic Volumes to Windows Server 2012. After Cirrus Data received validation from Microsoft that this would be possible using the DMS appliances, the head of the technology company’s storage solutions division allowed Cirrus Data to prove the effectiveness of its migration technology by performing a POC in the customer’s environment.
Throughout the process, they saw the exceptional value in using DMS for future migrations at other customer engagements.
Within weeks of Cirrus Data shipping the DMS appliances to the customer site, the migration was executed flawlessly by the technology company with limited training or assistance from Cirrus Data’s Partner Enablement team. The project was completed ahead of schedule, and the company was so impressed with the DMS solution as well as Cirrus Data’s dedicated support throughout the project that they executed a purchase order for the POC equipment immediately. Additionally, they signed up as a Cirrus Data Partner. Throughout the process, they saw the exceptional value in using DMS for future migrations at other customer engagements. This is a testament to the power of the DMS and to Cirrus Data’s commitment to its partners’ and customers’ success.