NetApp Virtual Storage From Lima Networks

One of the Midlands’ largest social housing and care organisations has teamed up with Lima Networks Ltd to provide a bigger and better service to more than 60,000 people in the area.

The new partnership, incorporating NetApp Virtual Storage from Lima Networks, will maximise efficiency and deliver significant savings – thanks to expanding the group’s data capacity.

Customers will now be able to benefit from 3TB rather than the Accord Group‘s old capacity of 3GB. Beforehand, the group were considering expensive software that would not have efficiently solved all challenges.

Accord Group then considered implementing Exchange archiving to reduce training and cost but did not have the storage requirement or technology to do this. Instead, they decided to future-proof the infrastructure and chose NetApp for its efficiency benefits rather than continuing with sprawling storage arrays.

Ian Tinsley, information systems manager, Accord Group, said: "Our strong relationship with Lima Networks is helping us transition to a virtual infrastructure efficiently and effectively. We have hugely expanded our data capacity, maximised cost effectiveness, reduced the need for user training, and prepared the business for growth well into the future."

The consultancy from Lima Networks enabled Accord Group to maximise cost effectiveness. Email recovery has now extended to 28 days and the group is using fewer disks and making cost savings on power and cooling. The company is now migrating its entire virtual infrastructure to NetApp storage.

The Accord Group is one of the largest housing and social care organisations in the Midlands, providing affordable housing and health and social care services to around 60,000 people and employing nearly 4,200.

It is made up of Ashram Housing Association, BCHS, Caldmoreaccord, Direct Health, Fry Housing Trust, Moseley and District, and Redditch Co-operative Homes.