Excellent operational data management to support a complex data infrastructure

According to Business Insider, a single minute of data infrastructure downtime in a data center costs the companies using this data center over $8,000. The more complex your data infrastructure is, the greater the risk of errors that can lead to downtime, compromised data quality, or disruption of vital processes.

The challenge lies in the fact that even a well-tuned data infrastructure is vulnerable to unexpected errors and disruptions that can severely impact its performance. That’s why it’s crucial to keep a constant eye on your data infrastructure and be prepared to address any threats or challenges that arise. Operational data management addresses all of these issues and offers numerous benefits, such as increased productivity, cost-effectiveness, improved data quality and security, high availability, database recovery, and optimized data infrastructure.

In this article, we’ll tell you a success story of a large healthcare company that managed to reach new heights in data management through ABCloudz operational data management services.

A large data infrastructure in need of support

Our customer is a significant player in the healthcare technology industry, overseeing a comprehensive production operation that encompasses manufacturing and packaging lines operating around the clock, 24/7.They are processing massive volumes of data on a monthly basis. They also maintain an internal database system that houses crucial KPIs and other business-critical information. The customer encountered a host of challenges in managing their data infrastructure.

• They had over 200 SQL Servers, with a significant number of them running on operating systems that had reached their end-of-support phase, such as Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012. To mitigate any potential risks to the security and functionality of the customer’s system, it was imperative for them to promptly update these software versions.
• The customer placed a strong emphasis on data security, high availability, database recovery, going above and beyond to implement additional infrastructure safeguards. However, these extra measures inadvertently prevented automated monitoring tools from accessing certain components of their system.
• As the customer adopted the strategy of migrating to Azure as a means of cost reduction, they found themselves in a situation where some of their servers were already based in the cloud, while the majority remained on-premises. This created numerous inconsistencies within their data infrastructure, presenting a challenge for seamless operations.
• There was a complex system of server connections, often challenging to track.

As a result of these challenges, the customer faced insurmountable obstacles in achieving optimal productivity and cost efficiency with their data infrastructure. They were in dire need of assistance in upgrading their servers and preparing various components of the infrastructure for a smooth transition to Azure.

Why ABCloudz

The customer conducted an extensive search for a reputable technology company that could provide top-notch operational data management services, and their quest led them straight to ABCloudz. What influenced their decision the most were two key factors: our outstanding reputation and their prior successful collaboration with our team. They were truly impressed by the fact that ABCloudz is composed of a team of esteemed experts in database management, boasting an impressive roster of 25+ Microsoft-certified specialists. They were also well aware of our expertise and customer-centric approach, as we had already conducted an SQL Server inventory for them and successfully upgraded several of their SQL Servers to more modern operating systems. This level of dedication and expertise solidified the customer’s confidence in our reliability and suitability for their specific project requirements.

ABCloudz with 24/7 operational data management support

Based on our prior collaboration, the ABCloudz team was already well-acquainted with the intricacies of the customer’s data infrastructure. We were also committed to providing them comprehensive support on various mission-critical aspects. Notably, our team of Office 365 experts at ABCloudz extended their assistance in upgrading and maintaining the customer’s SharePoint platform. In terms of our operational data management practices, we:

• Provide unwavering support for the customer’s internal database system, encompassing a multitude of ETL scripts and data warehouses dedicated to storing crucial business data.
• Extend our support to the customer’s SQL Servers across diverse environments, including production, corporate environment, disaster recovery environment, and data center for disaster recovery.

To cover the customer’s operational data management needs, we allocate a team of 5 experienced database specialists who are responsible for managing and upgrading the customer’s data infrastructure and fixing issues on demand for approximately 400 hours/month.

ABCloudz also provides the customer with a team of 5 support specialists that cope with L3 support tasks, such as occasional monitoring and alerting or time-to-time incident management. To ensure round-the-clock monitoring and support for the customer’s infrastructure, we strategically distributed shifts. This means that we’re available and actively engaged in keeping their systems monitored and supported every hour of the day, seven days a week.

We’re always on top of things, keeping a close eye on our custom database monitoring scripts and tackling any regular issues that crop up. Occasionally, we turn to popular third-party SQL Server monitoring solutions like Zabbix or SolarWinds for additional support. However, we also receive tickets containing various tasks and requests from the customer’s data manager through our customized CRM system. These are the examples of some typical tasks we handle:

• AlwaysOn Availability Groups operational and implementation tasks
• Troubleshooting failed and long running SQL Jobs
• DWH and ETL Jobs support
• DB Performance troubleshooting
• Disaster recovery tasks (DR Strategy planning and DR Plan testing)
• PowerShell automation of regular tasks like SQL Server patching, AG synchronizing, Password Rotation, updating inventory, DB maintenance
• DB Monitoring configuration and tunning
• Supporting SQL DBs in clouds, review and implementing SQL Server assessment recommendations generated in Azure.

Every month, we perform a comprehensive system maintenance that’s carefully scheduled for weekends during the customer’s infrastructure downtime of 6 hours. Our team efficiently completes all the standard tasks within a short timeframe. To tackle the most common operational data management challenges, we’ve developed a set of SOPs (standard operating procedures). In the future, the customer’s own specialists can utilize these SOPs to independently address typical tasks and issues. At present, these SOPs act as a valuable reference for our ODM team.

Results that our ODM services bring to the customer

Through our operational data management services, the customer enjoys several advantages:

• We ensure their system remains up-to-date by consistently applying patches and upgrades. A significant portion of their infrastructure is already fully prepared for migration to the cloud, with approximately 15% of their servers already operating in a cloud environment.
• We effectively reduce their database maintenance costs by a remarkable 50%.
• We assist in the continuous upgrade of their SQL Servers. By consolidating and replacing numerous out of support SQL Servers, we’ve streamlined their operations to a mere 12 SQL Servers.
• To keep the customer’s infrastructure stable and efficient, we provide around-the-clock monitoring coverage.
  

Leverage our ODM services

The struggles of our customer have come to an end. ABCloudz provides ongoing support to maintain our customer’s healthy and updated environment. This has prepared the customer’s database environment for vital consolidation exercises.

We bring our expertise and customized operational data management practices to the table, catering to your unique requirements. Whether it’s system upgrades, implementing innovative solutions, or efficiently monitoring your data infrastructure, we’ve got you covered. No matter the size or complexity of your database infrastructure, we’re here to help.

Get in touch with us today and let us take care of your database infrastructure with utmost dedication.