NAKIVO on NAS Saves Synectics One Day per Week on Backup Administration

Synectics PLC, a provider of advanced surveillance technology and networked security systems, headquartered in the United Kingdom, is using NAKIVO Backup & Replication installed on a Synology NAS to back up and replicate VMware VMs, while also saving one full day per week on VM backup administration.

synecticsplc.com

Business Challenge

Synectics PLC designs, delivers, and manages integrated security and surveillance systems for various security environments worldwide. Synectics PLC is listed on the UK AIM market and has over 500 employees spread across three continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. The world’s leading oil and gas plants, casinos, transport operators, and public authorities select Synectics. Great technology, a flexible attitude, and deep sector expertise – from decades of experience – are what set Synectics apart.

With two internal datacenters, Synectics’ virtual environment has approximately 30 ESXi hosts. VMware VMs host Microsoft Exchange for the group and a number of business-critical applications using SQL Server backend databases. In addition, VMs hold the shared user data folders. VM backup and recovery are important, in order to ensure that all business-critical applications are operational at all times. In order to avoid data loss or downtime that can impact business processes, a VM backup solution that can deliver 24/7 availability is a must.

“Previously, we employed a combination of backing up to physical tape drives and electronic backups to hard disks in different locations for different applications and servers. The previous approach was difficult to manage and was not centralized. We needed a product that could provide VM backup and replication from a single portal, a VM backup solution that could provide reliable VM backup with a single pane for monitoring and alerts, while also offering VM replication, in order to enhance our disaster recovery capability,” says Amanpreet Singh, responsible for IT resilience at Synectics.

Solution

By choosing NAKIVO Backup & Replication as its VM backup solution, Synectics PLC has significantly improved the robustness of its backup solution and centralized VM backup and VM replication. With availability of Synology NAS installation, Synectics also has managed to create a high-performance VM backup appliance.

“We have two Synology RS2416RP+ servers, with approximately 48TB each, so we of course decided to utilize such installation option by combining both software and hardware. The whole installation and configuration was very well documented and the process was very straightforward to carry out. Integrating NAKIVO Backup & Replication and a Synology NAS provides us with an additional security of VM backups,” says Amanpreet.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication enables Synectics PLC to back up VMware VMs locally and to remote sites. “We perform VM backup every day and have improved VM backup performance significantly with NAKIVO Backup & Replication,” says Amanpreet.

Screenshot verification complements VM backup by providing assurance for Synectics PLC that data can be recovered from VMware backups. “The screenshot verification feature provides us with evidence that VM backups have completed successfully, by sending reports that include screenshots of test-recovered VMs, thus verifying that all VM backups are good and VMs can be recovered,” says Amanpreet.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication provides Synectics with the ability to easily replicate critical application servers to the secondary datacenter for disaster recovery purposes. “The VM Replication feature allows us to replicate our key VMs from one location to another and then vice versa. Since we have quite a large amount of data, it takes approximately 6 hours to replicate key VMware VMs. With VM replication, we are protected against any catastrophic failures that might occur because we can near instantly bring the key VMs up at the remote site with minimal impact on the ongoing basis,” says Amanpreet.

Results

NAKIVO Backup & Replication installed on a Synology NAS provides Synectics PLC with full VM backups and VM replication between sites from a single portal. With VM backup, the company has managed to improve VM backup performance, in comparison to the backup to tape approach. VM replication provides an easy way of replicating servers to the remote site and, thanks to the screenshot verification, Synectics PLC also benefits from an additional layer of visibility.

“NAKIVO Backup & Replication has allowed us to centralize the VM backup process of the entire IT estate. The single management and monitoring web portal is a significant asset in managing the backup process for us. With NAKIVO Backup & Replication, we have saved at least one full day per week on backup administration, in terms of controlling and ensuring that all VM backups have completed successfully, as well as the product removed the need for any local intervention at remote sites with regards to backup tape swapping or retention,” says Amanpreet.

About Synectics

Synectics PLC is a leader in the design, integration, control and management of advanced surveillance technology, and networked security systems. With over 30 years of field-proven experience, Synectics has acquired intimate knowledge of the unique customer requirements and priorities in commercial, public, and industrial environments where security is critical to their operations. Meeting the needs of highly demanding clients for Oil & Gas, Gaming, Transport, Infrastructure, High Security, and Public Space applications, Synectics engineers sector-specific, tailored security solutions that its customers rely upon to safeguard their people, facilities, and assets – across the world. For more information please visit synecticsplc.com.