KU Leuven safeguards Microsoft 365 data with Cloud Data Back-up & Restore

Future-proof backup and restore with GDPR compliance 

In 2022, KU Leuven migrated from traditional on-premises solutions such as Exchange, Skype for Business, and SharePoint to Microsoft 365. A crucial step towards a modern digital working environment, but one that quickly revealed a challenge. “On-premises we had robust backup systems, but in the cloud Microsoft’s standard capabilities fell short,” says Jan De Baere, ICT Manager at KU Leuven. “As a university, it was also essential for us to remain fully GDPR compliant and ensure that all data was stored within Europe.” 

KU Leuven is one of the largest and most prestigious universities in Europe, with more than 65,000 students and 12,000 staff members. The university also manages two dedicated data centers where sensitive information such as administrative and research data is securely stored on-premises. KU Leuven proactively communicated about the implementation of Keepit, so that users understood why new backup accounts appeared in their environment. 

Keepit as the ideal solution

In the public tender, several backup solutions were evaluated. In the end, Keepit, delivered and supported by Cegeka, emerged as the winner. Decisive factors were the excellent price-performance ratio, the ability to store data in European data centers for full GDPR compliance, the user-friendly nature of the restore options, and the straightforward implementation. 
“The great advantage of Keepit is that the backup takes place outside the Microsoft cloud, in European data centers,” says De Baere. “For our compliance requirements, that was absolutely essential.”

Granular restores as a key strength

The implementation of Keepit went smoothly: within just an hour and a half the system was up and running.  The initial backup of more than 1,2 petabytes of Microsoft 365 data took several months to complete, but it ran entirely in the background and did not disrupt operations. “The setup was simple, and the support from Cegeka and Keepit was excellent,” De Baere explains. “That immediately gave us confidence that this was the right choice.” 

The true added value of Keepit reveals itself in the restores. KU Leuven can now recover data at a very detailed level, whether it concerns specific emails, SharePoint sites, or individual OneDrive files. “With our old snapshot system, restoring was complex and time-consuming. Now it’s faster, easier, and more intuitive,” says De Baere. “So intuitive, in fact, that we can safely delegate restores to our service desk.” 

Confidence in the partnership

Throughout the entire process, Cegeka played a key role: from defending the proposal during the tender to supporting the setup and acting as a bridge to Keepit. “Cegeka guided us closely, and their support was always fast and professional,” says De Baere. “You can tell they truly know the product inside and out.” 

Today, KU Leuven benefits from a backup solution that is future-proof, compliant, and user-friendly. “The configuration was quick, the restores are intuitive, and the price-performance ratio is excellent,” De Baere concludes.