Using AWS, SOU transitioned to a cloud-based backup solution while preserving existing investments in workflows and software. Configuring its AWS Storage Gateway as a virtual-tape library enabled SOU to continue using Veeam without modification. “Tapes are a headache, prone to hardware failures, offsite storage costs, and constant maintenance needs,” says Martinich. “AWS Storage Gateway provided the most cost-effective and simple alternative.”

“We even got disaster recovery by using a bicoastal data center,” he adds. “By using the East Coast AWS Region in northern Virginia, we have confidence we could recover after a site-level disaster, because our data is geographically separate from our physical location. It would only take three to five hours to retrieve virtual tapes from Amazon Glacier.” Even if an earthquake or other natural disaster damages SOU’s on-premises infrastructure, its data will be safe and available to support the restoration of IT services.

Using AWS Storage Gateway, Amazon S3, and Amazon Glacier, SOU reduced cost and risk while enabling its IT staff to focus on more important tasks than managing tapes. Martinich says, “We were able to eliminate a number of costs, including purchasing physical tapes, hardware refreshes, support on tape libraries, and offsite storage, and we get back countless hours of employee time.”