PDF file storage cut by 45%! HWMG reduce both their backup windows and server upgrade costs with NXPowerLite
Will Chen, IT Director at HWMG was facing a server upgrade that included an expensive secondary disk array to cope with their ever-growing storage. He discovered the main problem was an explosion in PDF file size, which prompted him to see if there were alternatives to just buying more storage. His search led him to NXPowerLite Server, which has since compressed his PDF files by 45%, reducing his upgrade requirements, as well as shaving hours off his backup windows. Read the full story below.
About Hawaii-Western Management Group, Inc.
Hawaii-Western Management Group, Inc. (HWMG) has been a cornerstone in healthcare administration for over three decades, serving providers across Hawaii. With a dedicated team of over 110 employees, HWMG offers a wide range of client support, administrative services, provider access and network leasing that can be customized to meet each healthcare provider’s plans.
Operating within a single-site setup, HWMG navigates the challenges of Hawaii's relatively slow internet by employing a hybrid cloud/onsite infrastructure. This strategic approach ensures operational continuity while maximizing resource efficiency. Additionally, HWMG maintains a secondary offsite backup for compliance purposes, reflecting its commitment to data security and regulatory adherence.
Identifying the Challenge
Despite their robust infrastructure, HWMG faces persistent challenges in reducing data growth and optimizing backup processes.
While planning for a series of server upgrades, Will found himself needing to justify additional funds from management to purchase a secondary disk array for backup migration. His team analyzed the server's files, and it became evident that an abundance of PDFs was significantly inflating storage requirements.
The nature of HWMG's services, encompassing tasks like claims processing and appointment scheduling for healthcare providers, results in the ingestion of vast quantities of digital documents monthly. Will observed a notable surge in digital PDF documents, particularly in the post-COVID era. The escalating prevalence of scanned PDFs, with their larger file sizes, compounded the storage challenges, creating an ongoing capacity battle.
“As people become more adept with digital documents they are using their phones to scan documents (and) they create really large documents. I explained to the managers of the company that a single-page document today is around the same file size as a 100-page one just 3 or 4 years ago. That’s the scale of growth we are dealing with.”
The repercussions extended beyond storage concerns, affecting user productivity. Instead of attaching files to emails in Outlook, users resorted to external services like Dropbox, consuming more time and hindering workflow efficiency.
Compounding the storage predicament was the company's inability to purge data. Regulatory and compliance mandates dictated that data remain accessible for at least seven years. Thus, as PDF files swelled in size, storage constraints burgeoned, impeding operational efficiency and presenting Will with a formidable challenge to overcome.
Research, Evaluation and Implementation
Upon realizing the inadequacy of traditional solutions like purchasing more storage or expanding cloud subscriptions, Will embarked on a determined quest to address the root cause of HWMG's storage challenges. Seeking a more sustainable and effective solution, Will delved deeper into industry practices to identify alternative strategies. While exploring various compression solutions offered by prominent software companies, he encountered mostly cumbersome and inelegant options. These solutions required continuous server-side operation, raising concerns about data security and offering limited reductions in data footprint.
Driven by the need for a more targeted document-aware solution, Will stumbled upon NXPowerLite Server during his online search. Instantly recognizing its potential, Will was intrigued by its ability to intelligently compress specific file types without compromising quality.
“I didn’t think anything like this could be real. NXPowerLite opens up the file, compresses it and closes the file as if nothing ever happened. I find it remarkable what these guys do with PDFs - you can even set the resolution for the downgraded scan which I think is phenomenal.”
Impressed by its capabilities, Will promptly downloaded the trial version of NXPowerLite Desktop and conducted a small-scale test on their disaster recovery server. The seamless and efficient compression process, coupled with impeccable output quality, affirmed Will's decision to invest in NXPowerLite compression. He chose to deploy the Server version as he recognised its potential to automate file compression through queue-based processing, minimizing manual intervention by his team.
Implementing NXPowerLite at HWMG was a smooth process, seamlessly integrated without any server downtime or disruption to user workflows. Will initiated a phased rollout, commencing with the compression of older documents from 2017 and systematically progressing to more recent files.
Results
The impact of NXPowerLite was profound, with HWMG witnessing a remarkable 40-50% reduction in file sizes, reclaiming valuable storage space. Users, particularly in compliance departments, experienced enhanced file access speeds, leading to notable improvements in productivity.
"We are seeing 40-50% reduction of files meaning a vast amount of space is freed up. I don’t hear about file access issues from users anymore, and I'm convinced the compressed files are saving them a bunch of time," noted Will.
Despite the influx of larger scanned PDF documents in recent years, Will remains confident in managing future storage growth with NXPowerLite. The software's ability to compress files as they are received ensures ongoing efficiency in storage utilization.
“The ease of our server upgrade was greatly facilitated by NXPowerLite Server. Initially confronted with 450GB of PDFs, the software effectively reduced this to approximately 250GB, a truly impressive outcome.”
In addition, the impact extended beyond storage optimization. HWMG's volume-based backup of Virtual Machines using snapshots initially experienced heightened activity due to the perception of compressed files as new additions. However, once normalized, backup times were substantially reduced, with hours shaved off the backup window. Will realizes that this streamlined approach to data management is crucial for swift Disaster Recovery, as a smaller overall data footprint ensures expedited restoration processes.
"I plan to incorporate NXPowerLite into our regular maintenance schedule, likely on a monthly basis. The comprehensive reports generated by NXPowerLite provide invaluable insights into compression breakdowns and reductions over time," added Will.
Conclusion
Buoyed by the success of NXPowerLite, Will plans to extend its usage to compress Office files, further optimizing storage utilization. His enthusiastic endorsement of NXPowerLite among peers reflects his confidence in its effectiveness, solidifying its position as an indispensable asset in his IT toolkit.
NXPowerLite Server has emerged as a game changer for HWMG, offering not just file compression, but a comprehensive solution to their data management challenges. Will was extremely happy with his overall experience of using NXPowerLite and working with Neuxpower.
“An excellent product, seamlessly implemented, producing outstanding results. NXPowerLite is truly an essential tool that deserves recognition!”
Read more about NXPowerLite Server, or see what it can do for your storage and request a free trial.
