Data backup refresh helps transit agency reduce data protection costs

Regional transit agency Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) serves more than 220,000 passengers per day and was seeking to refresh its data backup appliance and software system. 

DART relies heavily on the data collected and reported by its radio and CAD/AVL bus dispatch system. This data tracks important metrics like on-time performance, which is analyzed and used in planning for scheduling, route assignments, vehicle assignments and to make other critical decisions, so it was important to select the right partner for the update.

Because the existing configuration STORServer installed and implemented had worked seamlessly with DART’s data backup needs for this dispatch system, the agency’s IT team trusted the company’s recommendations for this upgrade. STORServer helped DART implement a new backup appliance and transition an existing tape library to serve as the disaster recovery target for its backup data. 

The STORServer EBA852 serves as DART’s primary backup. This enterprise backup appliance with SSDs enabled the agency to take advantage of new features, like deduplication. In this configuration, 20TB of disk storage was included. The primary backup data is kept on disk for quick restore and to take advantage of Spectrum Protect’s deduplication feature, which reduces backup storage requirements. 

DART’s existing IBM TS3100 Tape Library is now used for disaster recovery purposes. Reusing this existing library provided flexibility and reduced the costs associated with the appliance server refresh. 

The appliance server and configuration recommended by STORServer allows DART to plan for future data growth, as additional external storage can be added as needed to the appliance server. With the newest product versions included as part of this upgrade, DART can now manage and move its data more efficiently. 

The results of this upgrade include a 59 percent data deduplication savings for a deduplication ratio of 3:1. Even as DART experienced 40 percent data growth since the implementation, the deduplication capabilities enabled them to use 38 percent less storage. 

DART has reduced overall costs for data protection by removing redundant data. The agency’s data is now moved more efficiently, allowing for best implementation of data protection business practices. DART also enjoys the automated delivery of daily reports for easy review and confirmation that backups have been completed successfully. These reports can be individually tailored and distributed to multiple levels within the organization.

“It’s been incredibly advantageous for us, both from a cost and time perspective, to have access to these deduplication capabilities. We’ve experienced substantial savings in storage since then. Previously, we were running at 100 percent of our disk capacity, and now we are only using 26 percent of it,” David Bauchert, senior control systems programmer at DART says.

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