Leibniz Supercomputing Centre
Technical University of Munich secures scalable BaaS with LRZ and Scality ARTESCA
The Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ) is one of Europe’s leading institutions for high-performance computing and IT services for science and education.
Founded in 1962, LRZ provides state-of-the-art IT infrastructure to support cutting-edge research and academic institutions across Bavaria.
The challenge
Safeguarding 300TB of business-critical Microsoft 365 data
Backing up business-critical data isn’t just a precaution; it’s a must for modern organizations. From safeguarding against accidental deletions to defending against malicious threats, a robust data protection strategy is essential. The Technical University of Munich (TUM) understood this reality and moved to strengthen the security and reliability of its Microsoft 365 backups.
They turned to their long-term IT services provider, Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ), to develop a robust, on-prem backup solution that could safeguard their data from every potential threat.
“We were approached by TUM to see if we could manage their Microsoft 365 backup, a large-scale task involving around 300TB of data from 40,000 users. Backup and digital sovereignty is a key concern for universities, so having data stored at a second location in Germany is really important for them,” says Stephan Peinkofer, Head of Data Science & Storage
Stephan and his team outlined the task: a new Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) system that would require a robust server, stable and cyber-resilient object storage, and best-in-class backup and recovery software. It also had to be designed for easy scalability to accommodate growing data volumes.
“Backup and digital sovereignty is a key concern for universities, so having data stored at a second location in Germany is really important for them,” explains Stephan.
HIGHLIGHTS
Challenges
- Build a new Backup-as-a-Service solution for Technical University of Munich (TUM)
- Securely store 300TB of Microsoft 365 backups with room to scale
- Safeguard customer data against potential threats
Solution
- Scality ARTESCA cyber-resilient S3 object storage software
- Veeam Backup for Microsoft 365
- Deployed on a single industry-standard server
Results
- New Backup-as-a-Service (BaaS) secures TUM’s critical business data
- Service is ready to scale to other universities
- ARTESCA’s stability frees valuable time for the IT team
Solution
Secure, simple, scalable: A cyber-resilient BaaS solution built for performance
LRZ had a solid starting point, given their strong existing relationship with backup and recovery experts at Veeam. However, they were missing a robust storage backend to ensure the secure, long-term retention of their customer’s Microsoft 365 data.
“At that stage, we didn’t have any S3 storage solutions deployed in-house, so we began exploring our options,” says Stephan.
LRZ carefully evaluated the market’s leading object storage providers to find a solution that met their high standards for security, scalability, and operational efficiency. They quickly ruled out one open- source vendor due to limited scalability and insufficient security features. Another enterprise solution also failed to meet expectations.
That’s when they turned to Scality, a trusted leader in software-defined S3 object storage. ARTESCA, stood out for its combination of cyber-resilient architecture, ease of deployment, and strong compatibility with Veeam. With built-in CORE5 capabilities for data immutability and end-to-end protection, ARTESCA aligned perfectly with LRZ’s goals for secure, scalable Backup-as-a-Service delivery.
LRZ opted for a solution that combined ARTESCA with Veeam’s backup software, all deployed on a single on-prem HPE server. The deployment process was smooth, with the entire system installed and operational within a day, allowing LRZ to immediately provide the much-needed service to their customer.
“With the help of Scality’s team, setting up the new Microsoft 365 backup service was straightforward,” Stephan says. “Now, TUM knows their data is securely backed up and stored locally, ensuring recovery and business continuity in case of data loss.”
One of the standout benefits for LRZ is how little day-to-day effort ARTESCA requires. The system runs reliably with minimal manual intervention, allowing Stephan and his team to shift attention away from routine storage management and toward higher-value IT priorities.
The solution was also able to meet LRZ’s performance expectations — handling large-scale M365 backups smoothly and without disruption, even in a multi-user university environment.
Throughout the entire process, Stephan has found Scality’s hands-on support invaluable.
“Both Veeam and our consultant told us they had successfully deployed Scality in multiple projects with no problems — and no problems for them meant no problems for us. It all looked quite promising, so we gave Scality a try.
The solution has been running efficiently since we deployed it, but we occasionally reach out to Scality for questions or guidance. They always go the extra mile and make us feel like they care. Our sales rep is proactive, regularly checking in to see if everything is running well or if there’s anything we need help with.”
Results
Resilient infrastructure and expanded services
With Scality’s support, LRZ swiftly established a new BaaS offering for TUM. Apart from securing critical data for an important customer, they have peace of mind that they’re protected against increasingly sophisticated threats.
The success of this implementation has prompted LRZ to consider scaling the service to the next level. They’ve offered the M365 BaaS service to other Bavarian universities, and there are concrete plans to onboard two of them. Looking ahead, they’re considering offering ARTESCA-powered S3 storage as a direct service to customers thanks to its compatibility with leading backup ISVs.
As a busy IT leader, Stephan values ARTESCA’s reliability and stability. With just 1–2 hours of maintenance required per month, Stephan and his team can spend less time managing storage — and more time driving meaningful projects.
“The time we save by not having to maintain ARTESCA means we can spend it on other things, like improving our services or taking care of our customers,” says Stephan.
For Stephan, Scality has been a true partner in launching and expanding their BaaS service — laying the foundation for continued growth across the region.
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