Case study
We don't just recommend it.
We run our business on it.
Syscomm deployed IBM FlashSystem across our six data centres in the UK, before ever recommending it to a customer.
Right now, for enterprise storage, IBM FlashSystem is the strongest technology on the market. We say that as a company that built its reputation on being vendor-agnostic. Here’s why we see it as an investment.
The Challenges
Our existing SAS-based SAN was hitting its limits in terms of capacity, performance, and the security posture it could support with scalability.
At the same time, having led ransomware recovery for over 200 organisations, we knew exactly what a storage failure looks like in the real world: backups targeted first, weeks of downtime, disaster recovery plans that collapse in the first half hour.
"We needed a platform that could perform at scale, detect threats natively, and guarantee recovery routes that survive even a worst-case breach."
200+
Ransomware Recoveries Led
6
UK Data Centres
SAS → NVMe
Infrastructure Migration
What We Chose To Do About It ?
Syscomm committed to IBM FlashSystem as our primary storage platform across its data centres. We evaluated the full market. We selected FlashSystem for its architecture. And we invested in our own infrastructure so that the organisations we serve and ourselves, aren’t exposed to cost trajectories we can’t control. That infrastructure is live and running production workloads today.
"When you run your own infrastructure, you set the cost trajectory — not a hyperscaler. That's predictability you can plan a business around."
What Set It Apart
We evaluated Pure Storage, NetApp, HPE, and IBM side by side. Here’s what set FlashSystem apart, and why it matters if you’re making the same decision.
Intelligence in the drive
Every flash drive carries its own compute. IBM's AI runs at disk level not bolted on as software. Each drive you add increases capacity and intelligence. The system gets smarter as it scales.
Ransomware detection in 60 seconds
Anomalous I/O detected at drive level within a minute. Before it spreads. Before anyone notices. In most cases we've recovered, the entire SAN was encrypted before detection. This changes that.
Dual-administrator controls
Destructive storage actions require two authorised administrators.
Two fingers on the trigger before data can be removed. Most platforms don't offer this.
Immutable snapshots
Recovery points no one can delete, not admins, not compromised accounts. Snapshots run every 15 minutes as one of five backup layers.
"We assessed every major vendor against these criteria. As an MSP that has spent 40 years being selective about what goes into our own infrastructure — FlashSystem is the strongest enterprise storage available today. We chose it for our data centres before we ever offered it to a customer."
The Real Cost Question
How Much Will Your Storage Cost In 3 Years?
Most storage decisions are made on today’s pricing. But infrastructure is a 3-to-5-year commitment. Cloud costs rise and you don’t always know when or by how much. Hardware component markets shift with global demand. What looks affordable in year one can look very different by year three. The organisations we work with want predictability. Not just in performance but in cost too. That’s what shaped our own investment decision.
A 5 year view of "What future costs look like"
| Public Cloud | Buy Direct (FlashSystem today) | Syscomm Hosted Private Cloud | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 cost | Moderate entry pricing | Post April '26 pricing | Pre-increase infrastructure |
| Year 3 cost | Unpredictable - egress, tier shifts, adjustments | Fixed (owned hardware) | Contracted, predictable |
| Year 5 cost | Significantly above entry | Hardware refresh needed | Refresh managed by Syscomm |
| Cost model | Escalating opex | Front-loaded capex | Stable opex |
| Ransomware detection | Add-on / third-party | Native, sub-60s | Native, sub-60s |
| Data sovereignty | Data may cross regions | Your site, your control | UK-only, Syscomm data centres |
| Encryption at rest | Configurable (extra cost) | Included, drive-level | Included, drive-level |
| Migration path | Locked in, expensive exit | You own it | Start hosted → move on-prem |
Same platform. One partner. No re-platforming.
—The Syscomm approach to storage scaling
You Don't Have To Build Everything On Day One
Start Hosting
Private cloud in Syscomm’s FlashSystem-backed data centres. Same security, same encryption, same ransomware detection. No capital expenditure.
WHEN READY
Scale on-premise
We design and deploy the same FlashSystem environment on your site. Same technology. Same partner. No re-platforming.
One partner across both stages. No starting over.
Hear It From Our Director
Chris Tyler, Director of Syscomm, on why we chose FlashSystem and what IT leaders should know before making their storage decision.
The Window Is Still Open
Storage costs are rising and the trajectory is clear. The decisions you make now define your cost base for the next five years. We’ll share what we’ve learned – openly and without obligation.
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