Catholic Education WA Enhances Microsoft 365 Data Resilience with Cloud Solutions for Improved Performance
Catholic Education Western Australia (CEWA), the state’s second-largest non-government education provider, has significantly enhanced its data protection and recovery strategy by deploying a new solution tailored for its Microsoft 365 environment. Supporting 162 schools and colleges, CEWA educates nearly 17% of Western Australia’s school-aged children. The organisation’s commitment to digital integration, which includes the use of iPads in classrooms and AI-enabled personalised learning, has resulted in a substantial increase in the volume and complexity of its digital data estate. To address these changing demands, CEWA utilises over 90,000 Microsoft 365 accounts and manages more than 1PB of data. Chief Information Security Officer Lee Swift emphasised the strategic value of cloud-based technology, stating that it allows the organisation to provide students with the latest technological benefits without significantly increasing costs.
As data volumes grew, CEWA discovered that the native backup functions within Microsoft 365 were inadequate for its needs, particularly regarding regulatory compliance and long-term data retention. Swift noted the risks posed by cyberattacks, which have affected other education providers in Australia, leading to prolonged recovery times. To mitigate these risks and maintain a strong compliance posture, CEWA sought enhanced protection for its Microsoft 365 accounts. Having previously used Veeam Data Platform to safeguard over 60 VMware and Hyper-V environments across 300 on-premises servers, CEWA opted for Veeam Data Cloud for Microsoft 365 based on their positive experience. The implementation process was remarkably efficient, with CEWA deploying and configuring the solution in less than an hour, far quicker than anticipated. Swift expressed surprise at the speed of the setup, which took only 40 minutes, allowing CEWA to expedite other important projects.
Categories: Data Protection, Cloud Technology, Educational Technology
Tags: Data Protection, Recovery Strategy, Microsoft 365, Cloud-Based Technology, Cyberattacks, Regulatory Compliance, Long-Term Data Retention, Veeam Data Cloud, Digital Integration, Educational Needs