Enterprise Disaster Recovery Automation for Global Medical Technology Leader

A global leader in medical technology with operations spanning multiple continents, specializing in innovative solutions for treating cancer and other conditions through advanced radiation technology, software, and services. The organization maintains critical business systems that support manufacturing, engineering, finance, and customer service operations worldwide.

The medical technology leader faced several challenges with their disaster recovery (DR) capabilities:

• Inconsistent Recovery Processes: Manual recovery procedures across 65+ enterprise applications led to unpredictable recovery times and potential human error
• Complex Multi-System Dependencies: SAP ECC, BW/BPC, PLM and numerous manufacturing applications with complex dependencies required precise sequencing during recovery
• Global Operations: Recovery coordination across data centers in Palo Alto, Beijing, and European locations required significant orchestration
• Compliance Requirements: Need to demonstrate reliable, repeatable recovery capabilities to meet both internal and regulatory requirements
• Operational Efficiency: Manual DR testing consumed excessive staff time and disrupted normal business operations

The client required a solution to automate their disaster recovery processes, create comprehensive runbooks, and improve their overall business continuity posture.

CONVX was engaged through a trusted IT reseller partner, the client's trusted IT services partner, to provide comprehensive disaster recovery automation services. The engagement evolved across several phases:

Phase 1: Initial DR Testing and Assessment (2020)

• Coordinated a comprehensive DR test event across 70+ critical business systems
• Managed test execution across multiple global teams
• Evaluated current recovery procedures and identified automation opportunities
• Delivered updated DR runbook documentation with recommendations for improvement

Phase 2: DR Process Automation Implementation (2021-2022)

• Implemented EnsureDR automation technology for systematic recovery
• Created standardized discovery processes for application teams to document recovery requirements
• Managed integration between Cohesity and NetApp replication technologies and the automation platform
• Developed a comprehensive DR runbook with detailed procedures for both testing and actual recovery events
• Coordinated training for infrastructure and application teams

Phase 3: Project Extensions and Continuous Improvement

• Extended the project engagement to address vendor software delays and resource constraints
• Refined automation procedures based on testing feedback
• Expanded DR coordination to include additional business applications
• Established ongoing DR testing processes

The automation solution integrated multiple technologies:

• EnsureDR: Core automation platform for orchestrating recovery procedures
• Cohesity and NetApp: Data replication technologies to ensure data consistency
• Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Provided secure access for application testing in recovery environment
• SAP Landscape: Automated recovery for complex SAP ECC, BW/BPC, Portal, SolMan, GRC, GTS, Gateway and other components
• Enterprise Document Management: Automated recovery of LiveLink and Content Server installations across global locations
• Manufacturing Systems: Ensured proper recovery of MES production systems in multiple facilities
• Engineering Applications: Supported recovery of Quality Center, Integrity, Artifactory and other development tools
• Custom Automation Scripts: Developed to handle application-specific recovery requirements

The DR automation initiative delivered significant improvements for the client:

• Consistent Recovery Times: Automated procedures reduced recovery time variability and met internal SLAs
• Reduced Manual Effort: DR testing became less resource-intensive, allowing staff to focus on verification rather than execution
• Improved Documentation: Comprehensive runbooks provided clear procedures for both testing and actual disaster scenarios
• Enhanced Compliance Posture: Reliable, repeatable recovery procedures supported regulatory compliance requirements
• Cross-Team Coordination: Structured project management approach improved collaboration between application, infrastructure, and security teams
• Business Confidence: Demonstrated ability to recover critical business systems increased confidence in business continuity capabilities

CONVX's expertise in complex infrastructure environments and project management methodology were critical to the project's success:

• Deep Technical Expertise: Understanding of enterprise applications, replication technologies, and automation frameworks enabled effective solution design
• Project Management Excellence: Coordinated complex activities across multiple global teams, vendors, and technologies
• Adaptive Approach: Successfully adjusted to changing timelines and requirements while maintaining project momentum
• End-to-End Execution: Guided the client from initial assessment through implementation and operationalization
• Knowledge Transfer: Ensured client teams were properly trained on new technologies and procedures

This engagement demonstrates CONVX's capability to deliver complex infrastructure automation projects that transform manual IT operations into efficient, reliable processes aligned with business objectives.