French Authority streamlines data security and management with Cohesity

The Challenge

To execute its many responsibilities, the Conseil Départemental maintains a vast array of data that encompasses different functions. “We manage almost every kind of information and file format,” says Jean-Philippe Rutault, Head of Engineering, Systems & Production at Conseil Départemental de Haute-Garonne. “It ranges from building plans, mechanical services, departmental archives, social aid applications, to even school transport cards for students. The spectrum of data is very broad.”

Because the data it stores is highly disparate, the Conseil Départmental’s existing database and document management systems lacked harmonization. The mix of data formats and structures also made file recovery time-consuming and labor-intensive. “When someone needed us to restore a file, it was always very complex. You had to be a backup administrator expert to solve the issue,” says Jean-Xavier Mauruc, Database System Administrator at the Conseil Départemental de Haute-Garonne.

As the years went by, the Conseil Départemental found itself outgrowing its previous data backup solution. It searched for cutting-edge data backup and recovery processes that could swiftly reinstate virtual machines (VMs) following an outage, security breach, or a failed operating system update.

The Conseil Départemental had three crucial criteria for its ideal data backup and recovery solution. First, it needed to preserve the existing infrastructure, with a backup system that would cater to both server rooms. Then, the team sought a robust and resilient solution to tackle the prevailing threats of this era, with a particular focus on combating the persistent threat of ransomware. Finally, the solution needed to be user-friendly to facilitate effortless management for various daily tasks, ranging from integration to corrective and operational maintenance. The team tested several solutions and carried out proof of concepts. “While some solutions excelled in certain areas but struggled in others, Cohesity offered consistency across the board,” says Mauruc.

“Cohesity’s DataProtect offers native security enhancements,” Mauruc says. “Being a relatively new solution specifically designed with security challenges in mind, it provides inherent protection against ransomware. As a proprietary system, it stood out as an optimal choice.”

The Solution

Cohesity effectively addressed the backup challenges that the Conseil Départemental faced by providing comprehensive backup capabilities for both on-premises and Microsoft 365 cloud data. Previously, the administrative team had to dedicate significant time and effort daily to ensure backups fit within the nightly window, involving manual segmentation to avoid overlaps. “With Cohesity, backup jobs are streamlined, reducing them from 150 to about 15. This simplification eliminates the need for manual optimization and allows us to easily manage backups through the user-friendly interface provided by Cohesity,” says Mauruc.

The solution also provided quick and efficient recovery. “When we were doing a data recovery test, we were amazed that everything was indexed. We could search for a file anywhere, on a very granular level, just by using the file name,” says a delighted Mauruc. “Cohesity stands out for its scalability, top-notch security, superior handling of storage, and serves as a resilient file system.”

Adopting DataProtect revolutionized the way the Conseil Départmental IT team works. “Before we used to spend two to three hours a day managing backups, but with Cohesity’s DataProtect, we now spend only about three minutes a day, freeing up valuable time,” says Mauruc. “Similarly, the recovery process, which was previously complex and time-consuming, became much easier to handle. All these efficiencies are especially important considering we are understaffed. The time saved with Cohesity’s solutions allows us to manage our workload effectively, even with a reduced team.”

Additionally, the monitoring service experienced significant improvements, with alerts now being addressed in just five minutes instead of two hours. Each morning, operators log into the platform to get an overview of the previous day’s activities and check for any incidents or red flags. If any alerts are triggered, the monitoring service promptly notifies the team.

The Results

The positive impact of Cohesity’s solutions extended beyond the admin team itself. Employees who used the platform found it to be useful and quickly adapted to it due to its simplicity compared to the previous system. “The user-friendly interface and streamlined processes enable employees to handle recoveries themselves, and without additional training, instead of always having to ask our team for help,” says a delighted Rutault. DataProtect also improved the speed of data recovery. “We are now more at ease regarding the recovery process, knowing that we can restore data quickly and employees’ work won’t suffer.”

With Cohesity, the Conseil Départemental has optimized its operations, streamlined tasks, enhanced efficiency, and empowered employees. “Cohesity is a rapidly evolving product that outpaces the competition in key areas like data security and data backup. Plus, considering how they handle storage, which is the foundation of our operations, it’s the best,” says Mauruc. Today, the Conseil Départemental is equipped to safeguard its diverse institutional data and continue driving economic and social progress for the people of Haute-Garonne securely.