University Ransomware-Proofs Backups with Ootbi by Object First

“We feel we are ahead of similar-sized universities because of the security offered by Object First. It allows us to sleep better at night knowing we have one more layer of security.”

University’s Director of Technology Services.

Project Highlights

The Business Challenge

The university, along with many in the industry, is committed to providing a secure data management strategy to keep student and faculty information protected.

Ransomware is a top-of-mind concern for IT professionals, especially in the education sector. From 2022 to 2023, the higher education industry has seen a notable increase in ransomware attacks. According to a report from Sophos, higher education institutions worldwide saw a 15-percent increase in ransomware attacks since 2022. 79% of surveyed institutions reported being hit, making it the most targeted industry in the last year.

Finding a truly immutable solution that is simple to install and maintain posed a challenge for the university. “Providers used the term ‘immutable’, but we felt that it was just their complex setup that they were calling immutable and not a truly immutable offering,” said their Director of Technology Services.

As insurance companies begin to require immutability as a qualification for
cyber insurance, finding a ransomware-proof backup solution has never been more crucial. The institution anticipates “immutability will be required by our insurance provider in the next year,” and their team wants to be prepared to “meet that need when the time comes.”

Inside Higher Ed noted that “higher education was reported to have the slowest recovery times after a ransomware attack, with 40% taking more than a month to recover.” The university needed a solution that is simple to deploy, seamlessly integrates with its existing technology, and solves the issue of slow recovery times associated with higher education ransomware attacks.

Solution

“We feel we are ahead of similar-sized universities because of the security offered by Object First. It allows us to sleep better at night knowing we have one more layer of security,” said the Director of Technology Services.

Ootbi by Object First is designed to be the best storage for Veeam, delivering ransomware-proof immutability that is secure, simple, and powerful. The entire box-to-backup process was simplified with the end user in mind by reducing complexities and ensuring a painless installation process. The university notes, “Object First jumped to the top of our list because of the 15 minutes out of the box statement. The competition was WAY more complex to set up.”

Since installation, the university’s technology team continues to appreciate the unmatched simplicity and ease of use. “Now that things have been running for a while, we often forget the product is even there. The services and support I’ve received has been above and beyond.”

“It checks all the security boxes, and the speeds are significantly faster than our old system,” they add. With Object First’s on-premises storage solution, the university is equipped to shield their data from the looming threat of ransomware.

Results

• Student and faculty information is protected against ransomware attacks via immutable primary storage
• Unmatched simplicity and ease of use with Ootbi, from deployment to backup management to recovery
• A storage appliance that delivers reliable backups at rapid restore speeds

Company

The four-year, private, liberal arts university, is committed to academic excellence and lifelong learning. Their main campus enrolls around 1,000 undergrad students, while their graduate program educates more than 4,000 students in online and in-person settings.