It would be an easy storage refresh. For a leading telco provider, the entire process seemed simple: Replace older Dell VMAX storage with new Dell Unity arrays in a local data migration. This Dell-to-Dell storage upgrade promised to better protect data, boost performance, and improve energy efficiency. While there was a strict nine-month timeframe to complete this data migration, the provider’s IT team expected the transition from Dell storage to Dell storage to be relatively easy.
Then things began to get complex. From always-on service demands to storage configuration challenges to the need for the IT department to focus on other projects, this “easy” data migration needed expert help. Cirrus Data was recommended for the project through a technology partner, and Cirrus Migrate On-Premises was used to simplify the data migration and manage the storage refresh from end to end. Here’s how the Cirrus Data Professional Services team owned this increasingly complex storage refresh with minimal downtime.
The Challenge: Navigating Both Expected and Unexpected Complexity
Telecommunications is an industry with 24/7 demand across commercial and personal users. What’s more, this telco company was also the primary provider in its state. This meant downtime from the storage refresh needed to be minimized at all costs—a key concern that the Cirrus Data team was ready to handle.
At the same time, unexpected configuration issues began to arise that threatened significant service disruption. First, the telco company and a vendor had a miscommunication over defining unused Logical Unit Numbers (LUNs) that needed to be migrated. If the wrong LUNs were added or the right ones left behind, there would have been major service issues. Second, the MultiPath Input Output (MPIO) from another vendor had not been correctly configured. This became a major issue in the first phase of the storage refresh and would require painstaking analysis and oversight to resolve.
The Solution: Any-to-Any Technology and Communication across Vendors
Considering Dell’s recommendation and Cirrus Data’s track record of managing complex migrations, the telco provider felt confident the Cirrus Data PS team could manage the storage refresh. As the data migration grew complex, the any-to-any connectivity of Cirrus Migrate On-Premises also proved crucial to managing the new complications across vendors.
The Cirrus Data professional services team used Cirrus Migrate On-Premises (CMO) to effectively migrate the customer’s block data from VMAX to two new Unity arrays. When they encountered incorrect LUN assignments and MPIO misconfiguration, the team immediately contacted the customer’s vendor contacts and carefully worked out a solution. This not only led to a smooth resolution of all technical issues while ensuring a successful cutover, but also improved the relationship between the customer and its vendors.
The Result: Better Telecommunications Service through a Simplified Storage Refresh
Even in the face of unexpected hurdles, the Cirrus Data PS team managed the telco provider’s storage refresh with minimal downtime inside the nine-month timeline. By talking through the configuration complexities with the telco provider’s experts and vendors, the Cirrus Data PS team executed the storage refresh without significant service disruption. The result was a smooth data migration experience for the telco customer even in the face of unforeseen issues.
Today, the telco provider benefits from improved efficiency and performance through its new Unity arrays. This enhancement helps the company delight its customers with superior service delivery powered by the upgraded infrastructure. Thanks to the Cirrus Data team’s project management, migration, and troubleshooting services, the customer’s internal experts were freed up to focus on strategic projects instead of getting mired in migration-related tasks.
Whether you’re planning a simple storage refresh or a complex cloud migration, Cirrus Data’s professional services team has the agility and expertise to manage it. To learn more about how Cirrus Data can simplify unexpectedly complex data migrations, read the full case study.
