An MSP Microsoft Azure Recovery Experience
Mike Jones, Technical Services Engineer at Pact-One, talks about their first experience recovering lost data using x360Recover Direct-to-Cloud for Microsoft Azure
Q: Tell us about the recent client who needed an Azure recovery of data from x360Recover Direct-to-Cloud for Microsoft Azure (D2C for Microsoft Azure):
The client we restored using x360Recover Direct-to-Cloud (D2C) for Microsoft Azure had several technical, high-performing offices and is one of our biggest clients in the Pacific Northwest. They are the type of modern offices where you go in and it feels like you’re in a modern and efficient production line, and they are quickly cycling through customers.
The client has multiple locations and, in this instance, had issues with file replication services for Microsoft. They were misconfigured, and they were missing confidential data folders. For them to lose an hour of data could translate to losing data for as many as 40, 50, or even 60 customers. If the data were not restored, they would have to call each and tell them, “We had a computer problem the other day when you were in, so we need you to come back and do all that all over again” – as many as 60 times over.
Once we figured out where the folders went, we’re like, ‘Oh boy. Yeah, it’s gone.’ But really, no, the folders were not gone because we made backups. So, we called the client, explained what happened, told them what we would do, set up a simple schedule, and managed expectations with them. Then, we jumped over to the x360Recover portal and found the last good backup. We backed up every hour, and it took us a little while to figure out when the change was made, so we had to cherry-pick a few backups. But we got the data back onto the network drives where they belonged.
They lost a handful of files, so it wasn’t a critical loss. Instead, they were happy to have the folder structure and the majority of what they had restored.
Q: Do you think the Azure recovery and restoration process was faster with x360Recover D2C for Azure versus Azure native?
Using x360Recover D2C for Microsoft Azure was easier than Azure native recovery. At first, I wasn’t sure because it was my first time recovering with D2C for Azure, so I wasn’t sure how it would work, but yeah, it was simple. You bring up the little tenant, click, click, and grab it once you find it. There’s a little bit of bandwidth time and network connectivity concern, but it wasn’t bad because we had done our homework ahead of time before we put in the solution and made sure that in the event this had to happen, there would be adequate bandwidth. We ensured we knew it would be a reasonable amount of time to restore and not be an overnight thing. So it worked out.
Q: After recovering, do you feel you are better off having had Axcient x360Recover D2C for Azure than having used Azure’s native backup solution?
Yes, for sure. There was some immediate familiarity with the UI and the interface because it is just a different deployment option for x360Recover Direct-to-Cloud, and just in the back of my mind, I knew that it works.
And the lost time with up to 60 customers is one thing, but the cost to do all that work again falls on the client. It would have a substantial financial impact on the client in addition to the aggravation and time lost bringing all those customers back in. So, yeah, it was a big deal.
Q: What are your thoughts on the Axcient support team?
My buddies at Axcient support, they know all that about us. They know if Pact-One calls, what vertical we specialize in, and that we have about 350 clients, and we have devices rolled out all across the west coast. And any advice they give me, they provide it with that in mind and understand things like why I can’t reboot the server right now. They don’t give you random advice that doesn’t take into consideration your world. That’s probably the big differentiator for me. One of the reasons I love Axcient, there’s respect. I’m not a tier-one guy that just started yesterday – and the support team knows that.
Learn More About Protecting Azure Data with x360Recover
MSPs can now protect their business and their client data in the Azure public cloud and be confident they can perform an Azure recovery with a complete Backup and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) solution. Download the D2C for Azure datasheet.
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