Client Overview
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) is the technological brain of Indian Railways. Operating within the RailTel Data Centres, CRIS manages massive datasets that power passenger bookings, freight schedules, and national railway operations. For this project, the goal was to modernize their storage infrastructure to ensure that even in the event of a disaster, railway data remains safe, accessible, and synchronized.
Project Name: CRIS Cloud Storage & Disaster Recovery Upgrade
End Customer: Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS)
The Requirements
As CRIS expanded its digital services, its existing cloud storage reached capacity. The project demanded a high-performance upgrade with three primary goals:
- High-Speed Scaling: Adding massive SSD-based capacity to the Primary Data Centre (DC) in Delhi.
- Resilient Disaster Recovery (DR): Synchronizing data with the Disaster Recovery site in Secunderabad (SC) to prevent data loss.
- Modernized Backup: Increasing the backup throughput and storage to handle larger recovery points.
- Seamless Migration: Moving live, critical data from the old storage environment to the new HPE Primera system without service interruption.
Technical Stack & Project Components
The project utilized enterprise-grade All-Flash storage and high-bandwidth networking components to create a seamless DC-DR architecture.
Component | Quantity / Specification | Deployment Site | Purpose |
HPE SAN Primera A670 | 140TB SSD Usable Capacity | DC (Delhi) | Primary All-Flash storage for mission-critical apps. |
HPE SAN Primera C630 | 140TB SSD Usable Capacity | DR (Secunderabad) | Mirror storage for Disaster Recovery and failover. |
HPE StoreOnce | 64TB Usable Capacity | DC (Delhi) | Specialized backup appliance for data deduplication. |
SAN Switches | 24-Port x 32 Gbps | DC (Delhi) | High-speed fabric for low-latency storage traffic. |
Backup Software | EPS Group Agents | DC/DR | Automated protection for specific Enterprise clusters. |
Data Services | Migration & Replication | DC to DR | Ensuring data consistency between Delhi and SC. |
Solution from IT Wings Infosystem
IT Wings Infosystem provided a comprehensive “End-to-End” upgrade service, managing the physical installation through to the complex logical configuration:
Storage Modernization
We upgraded the HPE SAN Primera A670 (DC) and A630 (DR) with a combined 280TB of SSD usable capacity. This All-Flash upgrade significantly reduced data “wait times” for end-users.
Network Fabric Engineering
We installed and configured 32 Gbps SAN Switches. This high-bandwidth pipe ensures that the storage network doesn’t become a bottleneck during peak traffic.
Precision Cabling & Zoning
Our engineers performed precise fiber cabling and SAN Zoning—a process that creates secure “paths” between servers and storage to ensure data only goes where it is supposed to.
Migration & Replication
We managed the complex task of Data Migration and set up Real-time Data Replication. This means every piece of data written in Delhi is instantly mirrored to the Secunderabad site.
Backup Strengthening
We expanded the HPE StoreOnce capacity by 64TB, ensuring the client can keep longer versions of their data history for compliance and recovery.
The Business Outcomes
The successful commissioning of this storage upgrade has transformed CRIS’s data capabilities:
Instantaneous Data Access
With the transition to All-Flash SSDs, CRIS has seen a dramatic improvement in application response times.
Zero-Loss Disaster Readiness
The DC-DR replication ensures that in case of a site failure in Delhi, the Secunderabad (SC) site has a 140TB mirrored copy ready for immediate use.
Enhanced Backup Efficiency
The 64TB StoreOnce upgrade allows for faster backup windows, ensuring that system snapshots are taken without slowing down daily operations.
Scalable Growth
The new 32 Gbps SAN fabric provides the “headroom” for CRIS to add more servers and storage in the future without needing a complete network overhaul.
Core Competencies Gained by IT Wings Infosystem
This project solidified our status as storage and disaster recovery experts:
- Advanced HPE Primera Integration: Mastery of HPE’s flagship AI-driven storage platform, including capacity expansion and tuning.
- Cross-Regional Data Migration: Expertise in moving mission-critical data over long distances (Delhi to Secunderabad) with 100% integrity.
- High-Speed SAN Networking: Proven ability to configure 32 Gbps fabric switches and complex zoning for government-grade security.
- Full-Stack BC/DR Planning: Demonstrated capability in designing and implementing full Business Continuity (BC) and Disaster Recovery (DR) workflows.
Conclusion
By successfully upgrading the storage backbone for CRIS, IT Wings Infosystem has played a vital role in ensuring the digital stability of the Indian Railways infrastructure. From the high-speed SSDs in Delhi to the resilient DR site in Secunderabad, our solution provides the speed, security, and reliability required for national-level service. We continue to deliver excellence in enterprise storage and data management.
