Mainline Information Systems
Simplifying Enterprise Storage - Smartly

The challenge of digital transformation is top of mind for many CIOs, as the best use of corporate data provides enterprises a competitive edge in the market. However, data creation is accelerating due to developments such as the IoT, social channels, and the digital economy. This has left enterprises, big and small, to struggle with data storage in terms of growth, utilization, performance, costs, agility, administration, capacity planning, tech refreshes, maintenance, backup/restore, data mirroring, and many other aspects. The only way to master all the aspects of data storage is to simplify both the infrastructure and the processes, and this is the space where Mainline Information Systems has its expertise. The company enables enterprises to adopt next-generation storage infrastructure to take advantage of Object Storage, the Cloud, Copy Data Management, API-driven backups, and Hyper-Convergence. “As there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, our consultative methodology shines through as a real advantage in helping our customers,” remarks Jeff Dobbelaere, VP, Services and Technical Support, Mainline Information Systems.

With 30 years of experience and more than 400 IT professionals, Mainline caters to over 2500 customers across the U.S. The company recognizes that there is no silver bullet and that every customer is unique with respect to their storage priorities. With this understanding, Mainline first assesses and comprehends the customer’s environment, business goals and objectives, followed by identifying and quantifying the best opportunities to ensure greatest returns for the customer. Then Mainline helps its customers establish goals for storage simplification and optimization, risk mitigation, compliance, deployment approach and implementation planning, IT asset recovery programs, and more. Finally, with its comprehensive solutions, Mainline enables customers to undertake a complete storage transformation, drives productivity improvements via storage-as-a-service, builds a more agile and responsive storage environment, and provides recommendations to improve overall price/performance for block and file storage. “Via demonstrations and live testing, Mainline enables customers to experience technology first hand,” says Dobbelaere. Also, the company’s strong partnerships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer high-value, customized technology solutions that guarantee maximum customer satisfaction.

As there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, our consultative methodology shines through as a real advantage in helping our customers

Mainline’s ability to solve specific customer needs is exemplified by the Sisters of Charity Health System that owns Mercy Medical Center in Canton, OH, and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland, OH. The SCHS was approaching a compliance deadline for encryption of all data at rest, and though they aimed to improve their backup and recovery process, they had a very lean staff and a noncompliant storage system that was nearing discontinuance. Addressing the SCHS’ requirements, Mainline designed an IBM V7000 solution which replicated data between the two SCHS hospitals, integrated other existing storage equipment, improved performance, lowered cost, and simplified management. “Now they are tapeless and the month end reporting which used to take five hours now takes just one hour,” describes Dobbelaere.

Sitting right in the middle of the value-added reseller (VAR) continuum with vendor-agnostic VARs on one end and single OEM-focused VARs on the other end, Mainline solves customer storage problems based on insights gleaned from working with customers of all sizes and verticals. Also, according to Eric Mann, EVP, Sales and Marketing, Mainline Information Systems, “Financial stability and our owner’s continued investment in our growth fosters our ability to deliver best of breed support and services to our customers.”

Mainline is in the midst of a transformation to meet the evolving needs of its customers and business partners, and “we’re excited about the opportunity to provide solutions that will help our customers grow,” says Dobbelaere. “We believe there is going to be an explosion of secondary storage and backup storage and we are investing heavily in these areas.”