How Higher Ed Institutions Can Protect Data with Modern Storage Environments
Discover how CDW helped a large public university in the Midwest strengthen data resilience and streamline storage management across a mission-critical environment.
Modern demands on higher education infrastructure
59%
of higher ed respondents say limited capacity for on-premises storage and management is the biggest challenge they face.1
58%
of higher ed IT departments are underprepared to manage rising operational costs.2
How can higher education IT teams deliver reliable performance for thousands of applications while protecting mission-critical data?
A REAL-WORLD EXAMPLE
A Storage Environment Strained by Aging Hardware
A large public university in the Midwest managed more than 500TB of data supporting over 1,000 applications, but its aging storage hardware created daily operational and financial challenges.
Rising support renewal costs, unreliable replication between two locations and growing data demands put significant strain on the institution’s IT resources. The university needed a solution that would provide reliable replication, simplify management and offer long-term cost predictability.
THE TURNING POINT
A Simplified, Predictable Approach to Storage Modernization
CDW partnered with the university to design a future-ready storage solution built on Pure Storage FlashArray//XL™, selected for its performance, replication capabilities and ease of management. The platform provided predictable long-term TCO and a straightforward management experience that aligned with the university’s need for stability, clarity and operational efficiency.
A senior CDW engineer worked closely with the university’s IT team to guide implementation, ensure alignment with technical requirements and streamline adoption across its two-site environment.
THE RESULTS
Reliable Data Replication with Predictable Performance
After deployment, the university achieved seamless and consistent replication between both of its data center locations. Pure Storage FlashArray//XL provided a stable foundation for long-term storage management while dramatically reducing complexity for the IT staff. CDW’s collaborative approach and technical expertise ensured the institution could move forward with full confidence in its new environment.
Here’s why it worked:
- Reliable data replication that eliminated inconsistencies across sites
- Predictable long-term TCO that enabled clearer financial planning
- Simplified management of more than 1,000 applications
- A trusted advisory partnership focused on the client’s long-term interests
What’s next?
With a modernized storage environment in place, the university is now positioned to support future capacity growth, strengthen resilience and maintain uninterrupted access to mission-critical applications across campus.
Sources:
1 EdTech, “Higher Ed Institutions Want Increased Storage Options, Survey Shows,” October 2024
2 Info-Tech, “Higher Education Benchmark Report from Info-Tech Research Group Reveals Strategic Gaps and Opportunities for IT Transformation,” December 2024
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