Case Study: Triad Resources
Triad Resources Assures Fast Return to Operations with EVault Remote Disaster Recovery
Triad Resources provides a global base of customers the technology talent they need to compete, grow, and succeed in today’s business climate. Founded in 1999, Triad’s explosive growth has been fueled by a proven ability to match people, technology, and opportunities.
Triad provides direct hire staffing, managed contract staffing, and broad-based training solutions. This is complemented by an uncompromising dedication to quality, urgency, and speed; a fearless commitment to innovation; a sustained customer-centric approach to service; and an unrivaled ability to help clients turn information technology into a true competitive advantage.
Goals
In 2008, Triad determined that its data protection capabilities – which focused primarily on tapes for backing up and restoring files – needed upgrading. “We were looking for a data protection process that was secure from end-to-end,” says CFO Natalie Gassen. “We wanted to minimize risk to company information, maximize speed and access to data, and ensure that we were doing everything in an environment of full regulatory compliance.”
Triad turned to EVault SaaS from EVault, a Seagate Company, to secure its goals. EVault SaaS provided Triad with an automated, set-it-and-forget-it system for backing up data offsite to one of EVault’s secure data centers, as well as an easy-to-use web-based interface for restoring files when needed.
The decision to move from a traditional tape-based backup scheme to EVault’s disk-to-disk backup was not made lightly, however. David Williams, who manages Triad’s Information Technology, was a longtime user of tape-based backup. He was initially skeptical of its benefits. “I was accustomed to relying on myself and my understanding of backup systems,” Williams says. “I had issues in the past when I relied on other vendors, and the relationship with these vendors wasn’t successful. When we looked at EVault, it seemed like a good solution. But I was still nervous about having to rely on them for our backups.”
For Williams it was partly a matter of the switch representing an unknown; in effect, Triad was giving up control over the way things were managed. “But once I experienced the service everyone provided – how EVault was willing to stand behind their service – it was hard for me not to be impressed.” He recalls that ultimately the implementation went extremely well, adding, “EVault customer service accommodated my schedule, and we covered a little piece each day until the project was complete. The support we received was exceptional.”
The EVault SaaS Service served Triad well, but it was only the first part of the company’s strategy.
Despite having reliable, compliant data protection at a remote location, Triad knew that the time and logistics required to restore all its data in the event of a catastrophe could potentially disrupt its business operations. So it sought to bolster its existing EVault-based routine backups with a business continuity solution that would:
- Ensure a fast RTO
- Include a full-scale DR test as a proof-of-concept
- Provide personalized, hands-on guided recoveries
- Offer flexible pricing to match its budget
Challenges
As it continued to thrive, Triad wrestled with computer network challenges that can accompany rapid growth – one of which was establishing a “warm site” that enabled key systems to be restored quickly in case of a disaster. The company was well aware of this particular need, having dodged the threat from four hurricanes in the nine years it had been in business. So Triad set out to ensure rapid return-to-operations if its meteorological luck ran out.
Then Hurricane Ike – 400 miles wide with winds of 100 miles per hour and higher – slammed the Texas Gulf Coast in September 2008.
Incredibly, Triad was functioning the Monday after Ike’s Saturday morning landfall, though power outages would limit full operations for more than two weeks. The company did restore data from its EVault remote storage, but the sheer amount made it a protracted process. David Williams adds, “Once we got through the disaster recovery period, one of the proposals we considered was a remote site that we could use for failover in case we were hit by another disaster.”
Solutions
Williams recalls that Triad wasn’t initially aware of EVault’s Remote Disaster Recovery (RDR) Service, which had only recently been introduced. EVault’s RDR is a hosted service that enables quick rebuilding of key servers and data after a disaster, with remote access to a secure virtual environment.
“We talked to multiple vendors about hosting our own servers at their remote sites,” Williams explains. “But these solutions required our staff to travel to the remote locations to set up the servers and also perform yearly testing. We thought this could pose a challenge in an emergency, as our staff may not be available. Furthermore, we thought we could run into issues performing a yearly comprehensive DR test.”
When Triad discovered the EVault solution, these challenges began to feel a bit less insurmountable.
“We decided to look at the EVault RDR Service instead of doing our own hosting because we were so satisfied with the regular backups,” Williams continues. “It was a full-service solution – no travelling to the remote site required, complete recovery performed by EVault DR experts, and yearly testing.”
“Initially we were apprehensive when we found that it worked on virtualized servers. I had a lot of experience working in virtual environments and was concerned with the architecture. But EVault was very confident, agreeing to perform a full test with the agreement that if it didn’t work, we could back out of the purchase. So we moved forward.”
In the test, an EVault technical implementation team – including the manager of the RDR service – worked with Williams to ensure that all components needed for a full recovery were in place. “Everything was documented, including a go-forward plan, a plan for the actual switch-over, and the backup plan itself,” says Williams. “Once the EVault support people were comfortable with the arrangements, we set up the failover test for a Wednesday night. It worked perfectly.” Employees logged in Thursday morning and it was as if nothing had changed.
Williams commends the effort: “The EVault team more than met our expectations. Not only did they restore the entire system in 24 hours, but we also operated from the restored configuration for over a week – and no one knew the difference.”
Results
Triad Resources is one of a growing list of companies that have found EVault’s Remote Disaster Recovery an easy-to-implement, easy-to-manage solution to the challenge of ensuring fast return to operations in the event of a catastrophe. David Williams calls the combination of day-to-day backups and RDR capability a “win-win,” adding that Triad is “very satisfied with the products.”
Natalie Gassen agrees, saying Triad considers its robust data protection a competitive advantage. “We support Fortune 500 companies, who sometimes have staffing needs that must be met in 24 to 48 hours,” she continues. “Additionally, we have over 100 consultants deployed in the field to these companies, and they have to be supported at all times even during a natural disaster.”
“That’s a 24/7 responsibility, so having our systems up and running is critical to our business. The EVault solution guarantees that Triad continues to remain a leader in our industry by offering our clients exceptional service and support.”
