Case Study: Cloud Migration and File Server Cost Optimization - Inventive HQ

Project Overview

We assisted a client with a lift-and-shift migration of their on-premise data center to the cloud. The environment included 20 file servers, primarily used for serving SMB file shares to other servers within their infrastructure. Our goal was to modernize their file storage while achieving cost savings through cloud optimization.

Challenges

The on-premise setup involved managing multiple physical servers and storage resources, which incurred substantial costs and operational overhead. In addition, the client sought to reduce complexity and enhance scalability while maintaining high availability for their SMB file shares.

Solution

To streamline the migration, we performed a consolidation of their file servers onto NetApp Cloud Volumes. This provided them with a centralized, cloud-native file storage solution that offered greater efficiency, enhanced performance, and cost benefits over traditional infrastructure.

Cost Breakdown (Before Migration)

• Compute Costs: $1,000/month
• Operating System Costs: $1,400/month
• Storage Costs: $1,600/month
• Total Costs (On-Premise): $4,000/month

Cost Breakdown (After Migration)

After migrating to NetApp Cloud Volumes, the client’s costs dropped significantly:

• Total Monthly Costs: $2,500
• Savings: $1,500/month

Results

By migrating their on-premise file servers to NetApp Cloud Volumes, the client experienced the following benefits:

• 38% reduction in monthly costs, saving $1,500 per month.
• Simplified management of file storage through a consolidated, cloud-native solution.
• Scalability: The client can now scale their storage up or down as needed, without the complexity of managing physical hardware.
• High availability of file shares, ensuring business continuity without additional overhead.

Conclusion

This successful migration demonstrates how moving to the cloud can lead to substantial savings while improving operational efficiency. By leveraging NetApp Cloud Volumes, the client reduced costs and gained a more agile infrastructure, setting the foundation for future cloud initiatives.