VTG delivered comprehensive IT modernization services to a leading nationwide commercial retail provider facing significant challenges due to an outdated IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM) system. Key issues included a 15% downtime rate, leading to annual losses of $1.2 million, slow recovery times that increased operational costs by 20% (an additional $800,000), high maintenance expenses of $3 million, and security vulnerabilities costing around $2 million. Through its modernization efforts, VTG achieved a remarkable 90% reduction in downtime, improved operational reliability, and a 50% decrease in security incidents. These efforts culminated in annual savings of $5 million, reducing the retail provider's total expenses and losses from $7 million to $2 million, thereby achieving a 71% reduction in financial strain and positioning the retail provider for sustained growth in a competitive market.


Challenges Faced by the Customer

The commercial retail provider struggled with an outdated IT infrastructure that posed significant challenges, impacting operational efficiency and financial performance. Key issues included:

  • Legacy Storage System Issues: Outdated legacy storage caused frequent outages, leading to a 15% downtime rate and estimated annual losses of $1.2 million.
  • High Maintenance Costs: Legacy hardware required extensive maintenance, accumulating $3 million in annual expenses, exacerbated by outages that added another $1.5 million in lost revenue.
  • Inefficient Data Backup and Recovery: Outdated backup solutions, including IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM), resulted in slow recovery times, causing data loss and increasing operational costs by 20%, equating to an additional $800,000 in annual losses.
  • Security Vulnerabilities: The existing infrastructure faced multiple security risks, averaging five incidents annually, threatening sensitive data and potentially costing around $2 million in breach-related expenses.
  • Compliance Risks: Security vulnerabilities within the legacy environment posed compliance challenges, jeopardizing business continuity and the integrity of critical data.
  • Lack of Scalability: The outdated IT infrastructure lacked the scalability needed to adapt to market changes and growth demands, hampering competitive effectiveness and resource management.

Solutions Provided by VTG:

VTG delivered a series of comprehensive solutions across six distinct projects, transforming clients' IT infrastructures and driving significant operational improvements. Initiatives included conducting thorough assessments to identify specific storage needs, leading to the implementation of SRDF for SAN/NAS upgrades and the adoption of ViPR SRM for enhanced infrastructure monitoring. The deployment of PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM) and Dell PowerMax streamlined backup processes, achieving a 50% reduction in backup times and significantly improving SAN storage capabilities. Additionally, VTG automated VM migrations with VMware HCX, ensuring seamless transitions to cloud infrastructure while enhancing scalability. Network overhauls using Cisco ACI and Nexus switches cut downtime by 30%, and integrated security enhancements through Meraki and modernized identity management with AD FS and DUO MFA resulted in a 50% improvement in application onboarding. Altogether, these solutions projected annual savings of $900,000 for clients, ensuring alignment with business goals and positioning them for sustainable growth.

Process and Procedures Followed

VTG employed a phased Agile methodology to modernize the IT infrastructure of clients, ensuring minimal disruption and maximum efficiency:

  • Phase 1: Assessment and Planning: Conducted a thorough evaluation of the IT environment to identify challenges and develop tailored modernization strategies aligned with client needs.
  • Phase 2: Infrastructure Upgrades: Implemented PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM) and Dell PowerMax to enhance backup and recovery capabilities while streamlining processes for improved efficiency.
  • Phase 3: Security and Identity Management: Integrated advanced security measures throughout the migration process to safeguard sensitive data, achieving a 50% reduction in security incidents.
  • Phase 4: Network Optimization: Overhauled the network infrastructure using Cisco ACI and Nexus switches, resulting in improved performance, scalability, and a 30% decrease in downtime.
  • Phase 5: Continuous Monitoring: Employed ViPR SRM for ongoing monitoring of the upgraded infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and the proactive identification of potential issues.
  • Phase 6: Ongoing Support and Optimization: Established a framework for continuous optimization and support, allowing for regular updates and enhancements to the IT environment, thus ensuring sustained operational excellence.

Results Achieved

VTG’s comprehensive solutions produced significant improvements in the client's IT infrastructure, achieving:

  • Comprehensive Assessment and Modernization Roadmap: Conducted a thorough evaluation of legacy storage systems and IBM Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM), resulting in a roadmap that addressed critical inefficiencies like frequent outages and high maintenance costs.
  • Enhanced Backup and Recovery Solutions: The transition to PowerProtect Data Manager (PPDM) resulted in a 50% reduction in backup times and a 40-70% improvement in recovery times, saving $600,000 annually and mitigating data loss risks.
  • Network Performance Improvement: The overhaul of the network with Cisco ACI and Nexus switches cut downtime by 30%, contributing to a $1 million reduction in annual losses from outages.
  • Seamless Virtual Machine Migration: The deployment of VMware HCX for automated VM migrations streamlined the transition to the cloud, leading to operational savings of $750,000 and enabling better scalability.
  • Strengthened Security Measures: Integrating Meraki for security enhancements and modernized identity management resulted in a 50% reduction in security incidents, preventing potential breaches and saving $500,000.
  • Ongoing Monitoring and Optimization: The implementation of ViPR SRM for continuous monitoring ensured optimal performance and proactive improvements, contributing to an additional $500,000 in projected annual savings, thereby enhancing business continuity.
Benefits from Partnering with VTG for IT Modernization

Benefits from Partnering with VTG for IT Modernization

By collaborating with VTG, the commercial retail provider achieved transformative benefits:

  • Expert Assessment and Planning: VTG swiftly identifies infrastructure challenges and develops tailored modernization strategies, ensuring alignment with client needs and maximizing efficiency.
  • Enhanced Backup and Recovery Solutions: By implementing advanced backup solutions, VTG significantly improves operational efficiency, delivering substantial cost benefits through reduced backup and recovery times.
  • Network Optimization Expertise: VTG effectively executes network overhauls, cutting downtime and ensuring scalability, which enables clients to manage increased traffic and growth seamlessly.
  • Proactive Security Enhancements: With advanced security measures, VTG protects sensitive data and ensures compliance, demonstrating commitment to client security and risk mitigation.
  • Continuous Monitoring and Support: VTG provides ongoing performance monitoring and proactive management, resulting in significant cost savings and sustained operational excellence.
  • Timely Project Delivery and Resource Flexibility: VTG’s agile approach and resource flexibility allow for quick deployment of skilled teams, ensuring projects are completed ahead of schedule and adapting to client needs anywhere, at any time.

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Posted in Blogs, IT Infrastructure Transformation