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Case Study
December 10, 2024

Securing Heritage: The IAA Implements a Unique Disaster Recovery Strategy With GCVE

About Israel Antiquities Authority

The Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) stands as the leading organization dedicated to safeguarding Israel's rich archaeological heritage. The IAA fulfills a crucial mission: managing and protecting archaeological sites and artifacts, conducting excavations to unearth the past, sharing knowledge through research and exhibitions, and striking a critical balance between responsible development and the preservation of irreplaceable cultural heritage.  

Challenges

The IAA faced significant challenges regarding their data management systems. Their vast collection of meticulously cataloged archaeological items, totaling over a petabyte of information, was stored in isolated, on-premises systems, posing accessibility issues and increasing vulnerability to data loss. Critically, the IAA lacked a comprehensive Disaster Recovery (DR) plan, which left their valuable data exposed to risks such as hardware failures, security threats, and potential physical damage from conflicts in the region.

In response to a national directive mandating that all government entities implement a robust DR plan for business continuity, the IAA sought to modernize its infrastructure. Understanding the importance of clearly defined Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO), the IAA prioritized building a resilient strategy to safeguard their data and ensure continuous operations in the face of unforeseen disasters. This modernization would not only enhance system accessibility but also fortify their ability to manage and protect their invaluable cultural heritage.

Solutions

Commit’s implementation of the Google Cloud VMware Engine (GCVE) for the IAA provided a highly efficient infrastructure on Google Cloud and a resilient DR solution, tailored to IAA’s specific needs. One of the primary advantages of GCVE is its rapid deployment, functioning as a shelf-ready solution that can be quickly implemented to ensure business continuity or meet other infrastructure needs. The familiar VMware technology allowed the IAA team to seamlessly transition their systems to the cloud, minimizing the learning curve and reducing disruption during the process.

GCVE offers significant operational benefits, including near-zero Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO), ensuring swift recovery in the event of an outage. This solution provides full DR coverage for the entire organization at the same cost as covering only the critical systems, while offering better recovery time and cost-efficiency. Its high availability and flexible, agile architecture enable IAA to easily adapt to future technological changes, supporting hybrid environments for both lower-tier and production needs. Additionally, by reserving resources exclusively for DR purposes, IAA ensures that resources will always be available during emergencies.

Results

The GCVE solution transformed the IAA’s operations, delivering significant improvements across key areas:

  • Enhanced Business Continuity: The GCVE-based DR solution ensures the IAA achieves robust business continuity, with near-instant data recovery capabilities boasting near-zero RPO and RTO. This guarantees uninterrupted operations, even during significant disruptions. Furthermore, the solution’s streamlined management minimizes resource demands, safeguarding critical digital assets without detracting from the IAA’s core activities.
  • Increased Scalability and Flexibility: The GCVE platform introduces a scalable and agile environment tailored to the IAA’s evolving technological requirements. Its adaptable architecture facilitates on-demand resource allocation, enabling the seamless integration of hybrid environments. As the IAA’s data and operational needs grow, the platform ensures effortless scalability without compromising performance or efficiency.
  • Cost Efficiency: By delivering a comprehensive DR plan for the entire organization at the same cost traditionally required for critical systems alone, the solution maximizes operational savings. This efficient resource allocation allows the IAA to achieve full-scale disaster readiness without inflating budgets, significantly enhancing financial efficiency.
  • Operational Simplicity: The implementation of familiar VMware technology ensures a smooth transition for the IAA, minimizing the learning curve for personnel. This familiarity reduces operational complexity, empowering the organization to focus on optimizing their workflows without being burdened by steep technological adjustments.

“Working with Commit on our data modernization & DR journey with Google Cloud has truly revolutionized the way we operate within the IAA, significantly enhancing how we approach archaeology. Disaster recovery in the cloud can be complex, but the solution Commit implemented for us is both innovative and straightforward to use in an actual crisis. It offers us reliability and simplicity in a way that other options might not. The dedication and professionalism of the Commit team were crucial in pushing this complex project forward, as they consistently thought outside the box to address challenges. The collaboration between our teams, alongside Commit's ability to map out the right solution, was a major factor in our success.”

Alby Malka, CIO, Israel Antiquities Authority

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