Gruppo AB standardises backup across 2,000 systems

Gruppo AB has selected Macrium to standardise backup and recovery across more than 2,000 systems worldwide. The rollout covers industrial environments used in critical infrastructure settings.

The agreement was delivered through Macrium channel partner Naonis. It applies to the systems Gruppo AB designs, deploys and supports in global industrial operations, where recovery from outages and network failures is a central requirement.

Gruppo AB works in energy sustainability and builds and maintains cogeneration, biogas, biomethane and emissions-treatment plants for industrial customers. Many of the Windows-based systems it supports operate in plants without internet connectivity, including infrastructure linked to food cold chains, hospitals and other essential services.

That operating context shaped the choice of backup and recovery software. In offline industrial environments, restoration often needs to happen quickly and with limited on-site technical support after system failures or cyber incidents.

Gruppo AB chose Macrium in part because the software supports a common deployment model across sites. The setup uses a single pre-built image, allowing engineers to prepare systems the same way across installations and reducing deployment time across more than 2,000 systems.

The system is also designed to avoid reliance on USB media or other external devices during image deployment. Automated nightly backups allow systems to be restored when needed.

Operational risk

The installation highlights the backup and recovery demands facing operators in industrial and critical infrastructure settings. For organisations running operational technology across dispersed locations, the ability to recover machines after an outage can matter as much as prevention, particularly where plants support essential services.

Service interruptions in these environments can have wider operational effects. Food cold chains and hospitals were among the examples cited as areas where disruption can quickly affect customers, patients and service delivery.

"Critical infrastructure depends on systems being available when people need them most," said Dave Joyce, Chief Executive Officer, Macrium Software.

"Gruppo AB supports environments where outages can quickly have wider operational consequences, so recovery has to be dependable, repeatable and straightforward to execute under pressure. The fact they've trusted Macrium to standardise recovery across more than 2,000 systems worldwide speaks volumes - they trust us to deliver," Joyce said.

Remote recovery

One practical benefit has been the ability to guide recovery remotely. Engineers and operators do not need specialist backup expertise to restore systems, with procedures that can be explained over the phone during an incident.

That matters for a business supporting industrial customers across multiple geographies, especially where systems may sit in isolated facilities or environments with restricted connectivity. A recovery process that can be followed by staff with limited prior experience reduces dependence on specialist intervention at the point of failure.

Danielle Placidi, Scada and Software HMI Coordinator at Gruppo AB, linked the software choice to the settings where the company's plants operate.

"Our plants serve critical environments like cold chains and hospitals, and Macrium is on every one of those systems," Placidi said.

"When recovery needs to work in a crisis, that reliability and simplicity absolutely make the difference. It's so straightforward, our clients can do it over a phone call."

The software has now been deployed across more than 2,000 systems worldwide. Those systems are protected with automated nightly backups and form part of a standardised recovery approach across the company's industrial estate.

The project also shows the role of channel partners in industrial software rollouts. Naonis handled delivery of the agreement, illustrating how vendors and partners are working together to support customers across distributed operational environments rather than conventional office IT estates.

Federico Schinetti, Scada and SW HMI Specialist at Gruppo AB, described the software in operational terms based on his own experience.

"I would definitely recommend Macrium to any engineer because it's easy to use and reliable," Schinetti said.

"It saved me in critical situations and saved clients from losing control of their plant."