Key takeaways
Challenge: replacing an outdated backup system with a new managed backup solution with no impact on end users.
Solution: Implementation of a Veeam environment with ExaGrid, developed in close collaboration with the internal IT team and supported by a managed model.
Result: Faster restores, less operational burden and structured cooperation with clear division of tasks.
Conclusion: For the FPS Social Security, the switch to a new backup architecture meant primarily a process of close cooperation between the internal IT team and Epact. Through clear agreements, transparent reporting and a clear division of roles, a working model was created in which technology and collaboration go hand in hand.
The FPS Social Security manages crucial processes within the Belgian social security system. Reliability and continuity are not luxuries, but absolute requirements. The entire IT environment of the FPS is managed by a compact team that is responsible for servers, storage, databases, middleware and operating systems.
In a context where public procurement, compliance requirements and staff restrictions are a daily reality, every technological choice must therefore be technically substantiated, compliant and operationally responsible.
The challenge: end of contract, growing complexity
When the previous backup system's contract expired, the organization faced an important decision. A simple extension was not possible without a new public tender, a process that could take months to even a year.
But there was more than just contractual obligations.
The IT strategy evolved. Th FPS looked at Microsoft 365, possible cloud migrations and a modernization of the server environment. The existing backup system, with an extensive tape infrastructure, was less and less in line with that vision for the future. After all, restores relied on physical tapes, robotic systems and transport between locations. When a tape was unavailable, a simple restore could take up to half a day (or longer) of work. During the Covid period, the operational vulnerability of such a physical approach became even clearer.
In addition, the team worked with limited capacity. Monitoring backups, restarting jobs and following up errors took several hours each week, and weekend interventions were no exception.
The need was clear: a flexible, forward-looking and manageable backup system that could support both on-prem and cloud scenarios without extra pressure on the team.
The Solution: Veeam with Managed Support
After a market study, Veeam was chosen as the new backup platform. Within the existing government specifications, the solution could be rolled out in cooperation with Epact.
The new architecture was developed in close coordination. During preparatory sessions, the existing processes were identified and together it was determined how the new backup environment could optimally match the work of the internal team. During the implementation, there were regular meetings to validate configuration choices and adjust priorities where necessary.
The implementation was done in co-creation: the internal team remained substantively involved in architecture choices, configuration validation and the migration strategy. The transition was without impact for end users. During the retention period, the old and new systems temporarily coexisted, after which the tape infrastructure could be permanently phased out.
After an initial phase in which the team managed the environment itself, it was decided to place certain operational tasks in a managed model. Today, there is a clear division of tasks. Epact takes care of monitoring, monitoring failed jobs, patching and reporting, while the internal team performs repairs itself and remains involved in decisions regarding capacity and developments.
This division of roles ensures that both parties work in a complementary way, without relinquishing knowledge or control.
The result: from half days to minutes
The impact of the modernization is tangible.
Where restores used to rely on physical tape handling, robotics and manual interventions, they are now performed directly from disk. Waiting times of a few hours to half a day were thus reduced to a few minutes as soon as the exact backup request is clear. The time savings are considerable, but predictability in particular makes the difference.
The profit is also high from an operational point of view. Daily monitoring and manual restarts are no longer part of the team's core tasks. Weekend interventions due to failed backups have disappeared. The peace that this brings is as important as the pure efficiency gains.
The monthly reporting is not just a reporting moment, but a fixed meeting time where performance, concerns and optimizations are discussed together. Patching and maintenance moments are kept in a joint calendar, and deviations or details are structurally monitored.
The system is not only more efficient, but also structurally manageable and audit-friendly. The organization also took a definitive step away from physical tape, an important modernization in light of future cloud initiatives.
What is it like to work with Epact?
“In a government context where procedures and approval processes are often complex, a flexible and responsive partner is essential,” says Tino Sas, Infrastructure Manager at the FPS Social Security.
“That's why I'm very satisfied with the cooperation with Epact. They are not an external supplier, but an extension of the internal team. There is direct contact, short lines of communication and clear escalation paths. Decisions are coordinated, not imposed.”
“The managed model creates predictability and clear responsibilities, which provides trust, even outside office hours. When a report arrives in the evening about a failed backup, the reflex is no longer to intervene immediately.