Location
- Victoria, north of Melbourne
- Length of relationship – Working with Otto since 1999
Key equipment/products/services provided:
Manual data recovery, new disaster recovery and backup system, new IT network
In 2018, Nexus Primary Health faced a major IT crisis when their main IBM server failed unexpectedly. With critical systems offline and no reliable backup in place, staff were left scrambling to maintain operations. Otto IT stepped in to manually recover the data, rebuild the server, and implement a new disaster recovery and backup system. The result was a more resilient IT network that could better support staff and protect against future disruptions.
The Problem
It started with a sudden server failure. Nexus Primary Health’s main IBM ESX host went down without warning, taking essential systems offline. Staff couldn’t access rosters, schedules, or internal tools. The downtime lasted two full days, and during that time, the organisation was essentially flying blind. There was no clear plan for recovery, and the existing backup system wasn’t up to the task.
The Consequences
Without access to their staff roster, confusion quickly set in. People didn’t know who was meant to be on duty, and coordinating shifts became a manual, time-consuming process. Staff were forced to spend less time with patients and more time trying to work around the outage. It wasn’t just inconvenient, it directly impacted the quality of care and the efficiency of the organisation.
The Solution
Otto IT was called in to help recover what could be salvaged. We rebuilt the server using a mix of recovery tapes and whatever data we could extract from the failed hard disks. It was a painstaking process, taking around 30 hours of focused work. Once the immediate crisis was resolved, we implemented a new disaster recovery and backup system, along with a more robust IT network designed to prevent similar issues in the future.
The Challenges
The biggest challenge was the recovery itself. The backup system was outdated and incomplete, and the failed hard disks made data retrieval extremely difficult. We had to work with limited resources and piece together the system manually, ensuring that no critical data was lost in the process. It was a reminder of how important a reliable backup strategy is, especially in healthcare, where downtime can have serious consequences.
Project Outcome – The Benefits
Nexus Primary Health now has a far more resilient IT setup. Their network is stable, their backup system is reliable, and staff can focus on patient care without worrying about technical failures. While the initial recovery was intensive, the long-term benefits have been clear. The organisation is better protected, better prepared, and more confident in its ability to handle future challenges.
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