Critical Infrastructure Service Provider Centerline Boosts Efficiency Managing Data Backup and Restore for 180 TB of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 Data with AvePoint Cloud Backup
Success Highlights
Streamlined backup and recovery of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 data, reducing daily monitoring time from 1.5 hours to 10 minutes on average
Fast, reliable backup and granular restores for 180 TB of critical data for 1,375 users
Quick, smooth deployment, easy-to-use interface and responsive customer service
Data security and protection against data loss for business continuity
Customer Location Massachusetts, USA
Industry Critical Infrastructure
Platform Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
Critical Needs
- Comprehensive backup and restore solution for 180 TB of data across Google Workspace and Microsoft 365
- Simple and easy-to-use tool that provides robust encryption for at-rest and in-transit data
- Granular, air-gapped retention and restore capabilities for production and backup data.
- Strong protection against data loss due to accidental deletion or ransomware attack
The Challenge
Centerline was in search of a backup solution for Google Workspace data. While it primarily uses Microsoft 365 as its collaboration and communications platform, it also uses Google Workspace to meet the specific needs of various business units and other small businesses it has acquired over time (for these acquisitions, the company also used AvePoint Fly to migrate critical data and infrastructure).
Andrew Ritschel, Centerline’s Senior Systems Administrator, explains, “We were looking for something that was simple, easy to use, had an intuitive interface, and could provide the necessary encryption for data at-rest and in-transit. We also needed a solution that would provide appropriate levels of versioning and cloud gapping between our production and backup data.”
Centerline’s backup solution for its Microsoft 365 data prior to AvePoint did not support Google Workspace, and they were experiencing quality issues, which is why they investigated AvePoint solutions. According to Andrew, “We had issues with the previous provider; backing up data took several days, and customer service was abysmal.”
With a combined data volume of almost 180 TB across Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, and a fast-growing workforce of over 1,375 internal users across Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace users, Centerline needed a comprehensive backup and restore solution to address its diverse, multicloud requirements.
It was very easy to set up Cloud Backup for Google Workspace, so it was logical to use AvePoint for both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. We decided to replace our previous Microsoft 365 backup provider because AvePoint Cloud Backup fulfilled our requirements for encryption, retention, and granular recovery of both production and backup data. AvePoint resolved all our issues and allowed us to consolidate vendors.
Senior Systems Administrator, Centerline
The AvePoint Solution
Centerline decided against renewing the contract with its previous third-party backup solutions provider for Microsoft 365. According to Andrew, “With AvePoint, we got the backup working quickly for Google Workspace, so it made sense to bring our solutions for Google and for Microsoft under one roof, especially because Cloud Backup met our needs for encryption, retention, and granular recovery of production and backup data, and addressed the issues we previously had.”
Andrew adds, “One of the biggest benefits of having just one solution for two platforms is the huge time savings. Instead of having to log into multiple portals to check the status of the backups or perform restores, we now have a one-stop location. I spend about 10 minutes a day to check both platforms, compared to one hour to 1.5 hours before, freeing me up for more important responsibilities.”
AvePoint Cloud Backup has enhanced data security and protection against ransomware or accidental data deletion. Says Andrew, “The biggest quality of life improvement for me is the fact that we’ve been doing multiple automatic backups four times daily. Now, our data is protected in the event of a catastrophic systems failure or ransomware attack. We’re assured we can easily recover our data to its pre-incident state.”
So far, the Centerline team has only had to use the recovery function for cases of accidental deletions, and not because of any major incident. According to Andrew, “I’ve also done test restores of various files to spot check and it has always been quick and easy, around 10 minutes from the time I hit the restore button to the time the files get restored.”
The Road Ahead
Of Centerline’s journey with AvePoint so far, Andrew notes that: “The service we get from AvePoint is fantastic. It’s one of a handful of companies that I can give a five-star rating for customer support.”
In closing, Andrew shares his top advice for companies facing similar challenges. He emphasizes the importance of adopting one multicloud, multiplatform solution to comprehensively address all aspects of backup, recovery, and data protection needs stating that, “efficiency improvements like having a single portal for multiple platforms can be a game changer. And the quality of after-sales service is equally crucial in achieving your data protection goals long term, so make sure you work with a vendor like AvePoint that can provide both quality products and service across all the digital collaboration tools you use.”
