Client Overview & Business Challenge 

A global enterprise operating across multiple data centers faced increasing pressure to modernize its disaster recovery infrastructure to meet the demands of hybrid and cloud-native environments. The existing Zerto setup had grown fragmented over time, spanning Production, DR and VDI sites with different configurations and limited upgrade compatibility. 

The client’s IT team identified the need for a seamless upgrade that would ensure continuity, enhance performance, and resolve compatibility gaps – particularly with newer microk8s and Azure deployments. However, executing such an upgrade without impacting business-critical services posed a significant challenge. 

The Challenge: Complexity and Compatibility Across Sites 

The client’s blend of legacy and modern infrastructure was creating several problems, including: 

• Multiple interconnected sites (Production, DR, and VDI) required synchronized upgrade cycles. 
• Outdated Zerto versions were incompatible with new Azure microk8s environments. 
• There was a high risk of data loss or replication failure during upgrade windows. 
• There was a need for strict downtime avoidance and compliance assurance. 

AHEAD’s Approach: Orchestrated Multi-Site Zerto Upgrade 

AHEAD India developed a step-by-step Zerto upgrade strategy to address the technical complexity while ensuring zero disruption to ongoing operations. 

Key implementation highlights: 

• Performed an in-depth pre-upgrade assessment of Production, DR, and VDI environments. 
• Designed a sequenced upgrade plan ensuring synchronous version alignment across all sites. 
• Resolved Azure microk8s compatibility issues by updating dependencies and validating configurations. 
• Implemented automated backup and failover testing prior to upgrade execution. 
• Conducted post-upgrade validation and health checks to confirm full functionality and data replication integrity. 

The approach ensured full operational continuity, strict compliance adherence, and improved DR orchestration capabilities. 

Results: Seamless Upgrade and Optimized DR Readiness 

AHEAD’s solution allowed the client to: 

• Complete the upgrade across Production, DR, and VDI environments without any disruption to live operations. 
• Strengthen replication reliability and recovery performance through updated Zerto configurations. 
• Ensure full Azure microk8s compatibility, supporting hybrid-cloud DR operations. 
• Reduce maintenance overhead and simplify future upgrade processes through standardized templates. 
• Improve audit and compliance readiness with documented upgrade and validation reports. 

What’s Next: Continuous Modernization and DR Automation 

AHEAD India continues to partner with the client to: 

• Introduce automation for DR testing and reporting using Zerto APIs. 
• Extend DR orchestration to additional cloud environments. 
• Implement proactive monitoring and analytics for predictive issue prevention. 

Through this upgrade, AHEAD India not only modernized Zerto operations but also reinforced a culture of resilience, automation, and continuous improvement in the client’s disaster recovery ecosystem.