Randstad moves into the AWS cloud with NetApp

HR and recruitment provider Randstad has chosen NetApp to revamp its data storage infrastructure and ensure the reliability of its core business applications.

Randstad’s legacy storage platform had neared capacity and risked undermining operations, with core business applications occasionally freezing, hindering front-line operations and business continuity.

Randstad’s CIO set a directive that within five years, all of Randstad’s IT services must be delivered from AWS cloud to consolidate the diverse legacy infrastructure, reduce overheads, gain operational flexibility and simplify management.

Randstad chose to re-vamp its data infrastructure through Storm Technologies with the NetApp All-Flash FAS8040 and NetApp Cloud ONTAP for AWS solutions. The FAS8040 supports highly variable I/O workloads and read cycles, typical of a virtualised desktop environment.

Cloud ONTAP for AWS allows Randstad to manage its on-premise data in the cloud. It can meet varied capacity requirements and performance demands, enabling the company to develop a disaster recovery platform for AWS cloud.

David Leybourne, IT director of infrastructure, Randstad, said: “Our core recruitment apps are the wheels of the business, but we were running out of compute power and storage capacity. In the past, this has affected application performance, which affected the business.

“The technology provided by NetApp was clearly top drawer. The all-flash array delivered exceptionally high performance. Moving to the cloud is a big step, even though we were well placed to do this, but NetApp Cloud ONTAP with AWS makes this simple and the level of control it enables has made it easy to replicate our disaster recovery environment in the cloud.”

Elliot Howard, UK and Ireland country manager for NetApp, said: “NetApp’s infrastructure has clearly had a hugely positive impact on the business, allowing Randstad to update its technology to keep pace with its growth.

“Improving application performance will ultimately help meet wider business objectives, as well as keeping front-line operations slick.”

@AntonySavvas

Antony Savvas

York, UK-based Antony Savvas has been a technology journalist for 25 years and has expertise in all major areas of enterprise and consumer IT. He has worked for a number of leading technology magazines and websites and his work is syndicated across the internet. He also undertakes corporate work for some of the world's leading technology companies.