Case studies

From USB to Azure: A 10-Year Journey in Data Resilience

Background

Delta Agribusiness supports more than 600 staff across New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. The company’s operations rely heavily on centralised IT systems, with employees connected throughout the day via cloud-based infrastructure.

Delta Ag’s partnership with Cybersecure began in 2011, when it moved away from USB-based backups to a cloud-connected backup appliance with off-site replication. Over more than a decade, the relationship has grown to support the company through infrastructure changes and cyber security expectations.

Problem

In November 2024, Delta Ag transitioned fully to Microsoft Azure, replacing its on-premises environment with a cloud-first model. This changed the risk profile of its infrastructure: hosting systems entirely in the cloud removed on-premises dependencies, but introduced new points of failure.

At the same time, cyber insurance obligations and compliance frameworks such as the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) Essential 8 introduced stricter requirements for backup integrity, access separation, and disaster recovery testing. Meeting these standards required a level of architectural rigour and operational oversight beyond what most generalist providers deliver.

Key challenges included:

Solution

Delta Agribusiness required more than a backup provider. They needed a partner capable of designing and managing a resilient, compliant, and cloud-ready backup architecture.

Cybersecure delivered a multi-layered solution covering backup integrity, platform separation, compliance alignment, and disaster recovery validation.

Azure Backup Architecture

Following Delta Ag’s migration to Azure, Cybersecure implemented a fully managed backup solution built specifically for cloud environments. The solution was designed to operate independently of Delta Ag’s Azure tenancy, mitigating the risk of platform-level compromise.

Migration Support

The infrastructure transition involved dual-site migration within a tight timeframe. Cybersecure ensured backup continuity across both business units throughout the process.

Essential 8 Maturity Level 3

Delta Ag sought to meet Maturity Level 3 of the ACSC Essential 8 framework. Cybersecure reviewed and adjusted the backup strategy to meet all relevant requirements.

Disaster Recovery Testing

To satisfy insurance and risk management obligations, Cybersecure conducted a controlled disaster recovery test, restoring systems in an isolated environment.

Result

Cybersecure’s approach delivered a measurable uplift in Delta Ag’s data resilience and recovery posture:

Delta Ag maintains confidence in the integrity of its backup systems, supported by a partner that delivers both technical capability and the foresight to design for worst-case scenarios.

Future

Delta Agribusiness continues to partner with Cybersecure to maintain their Azure backup environment and meet cyber risks and compliance needs. The relationship, built over more than a decade, is defined by responsiveness, technical depth, and trust.

Cybersecure provides expert managed backup services as well as ongoing guidance on best practices, compliance, and risk reduction without overstepping into broader IT operations.

“The partnership with Cybersecure has been great. They’ve been a trusted sounding board when it comes to our backup environment – someone we can talk openly with, throw ideas around, and know we’ll get thoughtful, practical feedback in return. 

Over the years, they’ve shown a deep understanding of what works in the real world and how other businesses approach similar challenges. That perspective has been invaluable for us, not just in refining our backup strategy but in giving us confidence that we’re following best practices and staying ahead of potential risks. 

It’s a relationship built on trust – they know our environment, they understand our priorities, and they’ve consistently been there to provide guidance when we need it most.”

~ Anthony Froon, National IT Manager, Delta Agribusiness