CASE STUDIESSTORAGE MIGRATION · ENGINE DEVELOPMENT2023

Steyr Motors

30 TB switched in two hours. No test run lost.

PROJECT AT A GLANCE

Steyr Motors

THE TASK: Replace storage without losing ongoing test runs.
OUR CONTRIBUTION: Transfer data in advance, test the procedures and switch storage within the agreed window.
THE OUTCOME: No test run was lost. Internal IT could stay focused on its existing projects.

THE PROJECT

Starting point
and requirements.

Steyr Motors develops engines for industrial and marine applications. Individual test cycles run for days or weeks.

The storage beneath the existing virtualisation platform was approaching end of life. A storage failure could have meant losing an entire measurement series. Steyr Motors set the date. Sysfacts handled technical delivery so the internal team could focus on business applications.

NON-NEGOTIABLE REQUIREMENTS

No test run must be lost.

IMPLEMENTATION

What Sysfacts
took on.

Clarified test-bench software dependencies and identified critical workloads and their latency and throughput requirements
Kept the virtualisation layer and changed only storage. Most of the 30 TB was transferred in advance while testing continued
Tested and documented every step, with a rollback point
Aligned the window with test cycles and scheduled it for a weekend. Sysfacts carried out the work while the internal team continued its existing projects

AFTER THE PROJECT

What changed for the client.

OUTCOME AND OPERATIONS

The cutover itself took two hours. Preparation and delivery spanned four weeks. The platform can accommodate additional test benches.

PROJECT DATA

hours for the cutover itself: 2
virtual machines, 30 TB: 100

Technical context

Original system

The existing virtualisation used HP 3PAR storage approaching end of support. Around 30 TB had to be transferred without losing active measurement series from the test-bench applications.

Target environment

The virtualisation layer remained in place. Storage moved to VMware vSAN. This was a storage migration within the VMware environment, not a change of hypervisor.

Preparation and data transfer

Latency and throughput requirements for critical workloads were recorded. Most data was transferred in advance while testing continued. The steps were tested and documented with rollback points.

Cutover window

The actual cutover took two hours over a weekend aligned with test cycles. Preparation and delivery spanned four weeks. Sysfacts carried out the change while the internal team continued its existing projects.

“With Sysfacts, we were able to renew our infrastructure without a single second of downtime. That is not just technically impressive. It means we could continue our engine development without compromise. It was exactly what we needed.”

Alexander Brunner Head of IT · STEYR MOTORS AG Translated from German