HKU’s mission is to distinguish itself through higher education in the arts and media. The institution is dedicated to training, innovation, and creativity, equipping students with the skills needed to create value in the dynamic and rapidly growing creative industry.
The university set out to upgrade their current Ceph version to one of the latest releases. This upgrade was crucial not only for maintaining optimal performance but also for enhancing security and stability across their infrastructure. By implementing the latest features and patches, the university aimed to future-proof their system and ensure long-term reliability for their operations.
HKU aimed to carry out the migration without any disruptions or downtime, as countless students depended on the Ceph backbone for their studies. Ensuring a smooth and seamless transition was critical to avoid any negative impact on their educational activities and maintain uninterrupted access to essential resources. Achieving this goal was a top priority to support the academic success of their students.
HKU needed to migrate from SUSE Enterprise Storage (SES) to an open source Ceph version after SUSE discontinued its support. This transition required not only upgrading their infrastructure but also finding a reliable support solution that could meet their specific needs. Ensuring they had the right expertise and guidance during this migration was essential to maintaining the stability and performance of their systems.
HKU made the decision to retain SUSE as the underlying operating system to avoid introducing additional complexity to their infrastructure. By doing so, they aimed to streamline the migration process and minimize potential disruptions. This approach allowed them to focus on the Ceph upgrade without the added challenge of switching operating systems, ensuring a smoother and more efficient transition.
42on facilitated HKU's migration from SUSE Enterprise Storage (SES) to Upstream Ceph, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition. This involved providing comprehensive consultancy and hands-on support at every stage of the process, from initial planning and assessment to the final implementation. Our team of experts worked closely with HKU to address any potential challenges, offering tailored solutions to maintain the stability and performance of their infrastructure throughout the migration. By ensuring minimal disruption to HKU’s operations, 42on helped them upgrade to a more flexible and future-proof open source solution, while maintaining the reliability their students and staff rely on.
42on provides HKU with Emergency Assistance, offering 24/7 support to ensure their Ceph environment remains stable and reliable at all times. This level of dedicated, around-the-clock support means that any issues, no matter how critical, can be swiftly addressed without delay, minimizing any risk to university operations. By taking a proactive approach, 42on also prevents potential problems before they could impact day-to-day activities. This ensures that the university’s systems run smoothly, without any disruptions. With this expert assistance in place, HKU can confidently maintain and grow its infrastructure while focusing on delivering uninterrupted services and an optimal experience.
The containerization of HKU's infrastructure was successfully implemented while maintaining the existing SUSE platform. This strategic decision minimized added complexity, allowing the university to avoid unnecessary challenges during the transition. By keeping the familiar SUSE environment, HKU ensured a more streamlined and manageable system, which contributed to smoother operations and easier maintenance. This approach not only simplified the containerization process but also set the stage for future scalability and flexibility within their infrastructure.
The migration to the latest Ceph version was completed seamlessly, with zero downtime. This achievement was critical for preserving the university's operational integrity and ensuring that daily academic activities continued without disruption. By executing the migration smoothly and efficiently, HKU was able to maintain the reliability of their systems, which is essential for both staff and students who rely on the platform for their work and studies. This successful upgrade also positioned the university for future technological advancements with minimal risk to operations.
The partnership with 42on created a highly collaborative environment, defined by professional support and expert advice. HKU benefited from working with a team that not only understood their specific challenges but also offered tailored solutions designed to meet their unique needs. This close collaboration ensured that HKU received the guidance and expertise required to address both immediate issues and long-term goals. The personalized approach allowed HKU to navigate complex infrastructure decisions with confidence, knowing they had the right support every step of the way.
Through their collaboration with 42on, HKU's team gained crucial knowledge and hands-on experience in managing the Ceph Community version. This knowledge transfer empowered the team to confidently manage their infrastructure long after the migration was completed. By building internal expertise, HKU was able to maintain smooth operations and effectively troubleshoot any issues that arose post-migration. The support and insights from 42on ensured that HKU’s team was well-equipped to handle their Ceph environment independently, fostering long-term stability and operational efficiency.
42on supports Ceph teams with the complete operation of Ceph clusters by providing Consultancy, Training, Emergency Assistance, and Managed Services.
Why choose 42on as your partner for your open source infrastructure?
42on's passion for open source, particularly Ceph, is not just a statement but a core ethos. Actively engaged in the Ceph and related open source communities, our contributions to GitHub, tech blogs and events showcase our enthusiastic involvement
We avoid vendor lock-in and work together with clients that use open source or subscribed Ceph. This vendor-agnostic approach ensures clients have the freedom to choose their preferred vendor while benefiting from 42on's expert support and guidance.
We understand that every business has unique needs. Therefore, we provide a range of services that allow you to customize your level of control. You can choose to maintain complete control or delegate tasks as you see fit.