Roofing Manufacturer GAF Opts for CommVault Simpana on Dell Hardware

CommVault Systems, Inc. celebrates the commitment of GAF Materials Corporation to reduce digital waste through eco-friendly IT practices enabled by CommVault Simpana software.

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In an effort to modernize its data management foundation, GAF constructed a multi-prong strategy to virtualize 60 percent of its server environment and consolidate data protection across 30 distributed locations and two core data centers while making major strides in energy conservation.

With CommVault’s end-to-end data management platform, GAF has centralized disk-based data protection and disaster recovery for improved service levels and operational efficiencies. In the process, the company is removing tape drives and associated media from all remote locations to realize substantial savings in power, cooling and heating requirements.

In addition to shrinking its storage and carbon footprints, GAF estimates saving more than $100,000 in reduced capital, maintenance and administrative costs. According to the company, moving exclusively to disk also freed up a full-time staff member who now can assist with other strategic IT priorities.

GAF Raises the Roof
in Embracing ‘Greener’ Data Management
As the largest roofing manufacturer in North America with 3,300 employees and annual sales of nearly $3 billion, GAF is recognized as much for its environmentally friendly business practices as its products.

The Wayne, N.J.-based organization incorporates energy-efficient product designs backed by industry-lifetime warranties. A product and installation partnership with Habitat for Humanity reinforces the company’s support for local communities and affordable, energy-efficient housing.

According to GAF, the ability to utilize CommVault’s enterprise disk-based backup and recovery, embedded file deduplication and data replication software has led to greener IT operations while increasing customer service by guaranteeing that data is protected and can be accessed from anywhere.

With CommVault’s software-based deduplication, GAF states that it consistently achieves data deduplication ratios of greater than 70 percent, which decreases the amount of redundant data along with the company’s data storage needs.

GAF also reports that CommVault’s ability to support the company’s physical and fast growing virtual server environment will yield additional savings in administrative, capital, and energy expenses.

David West, senior vice president of marketing for CommVault, said: "GAF’s ability to reduce digital waste while elevating data management and disaster recovery is a testament to the power of modern data management, which breaks new ground in operational efficiencies and cost savings. Just as GAF works hard to protect its customers with the best and safest choices in roofing products, CommVault is dedicated to providing products that safeguard corporate data by delivering a better way to manage critical information assets."

Adam Noble, CIO of GAF, said: "With CommVault Simpana software, we’ve been able to put a plan in place that guarantees our data is protected and can be restored and accessed from anywhere. The fact that we’ve also been able to reduce both our storage and carbon footprint is a model of eco-friendly IT all companies should strive to achieve."