Case Study: McNeese State University achieves 3× faster application performance and 8× faster backups with NetApp All Flash FAS

McNeese State University Going “All in” with NetApp Flash Storage for Three Times Faster Performance

McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, needed near‑instantaneous response for class registration and 24/7 availability for critical systems like Banner ERP and Moodle as demand and online learning grew. Increasing load caused delays, timeouts during peak periods and four‑hour backups, putting data at risk and limiting the university’s ability to expand services.

The university migrated its entire VMware environment and Oracle databases to NetApp All Flash FAS with clustered Data ONTAP and SnapMirror for remote disaster recovery. The move delivered roughly three times faster application performance, eight‑times faster backups, near‑instant responses at peak usage, and ample headroom for new I/O‑intensive initiatives such as Degree Works, VDI, and IP video for campus safety.

McNeese State University

Stan Hippler

Director of University Computing Services