PRE-ENGINEERING PROGRAM

INT 101 FINAL REPORT

Empowering Data Resilience and Business Continuity

BY
Aram Elheni

INSTITUTION SUPERVISOR
Taieb Lazhar
TMI : Tunisie-Micro-Informatique

Tunis, 2023-2024
 Approval

APPROVED BY

ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR

Name Signature Date

COMPANY SUPERVISOR

Taieb Lazhar
Name Signature Date

ACADEMIC EVALUATOR

Walid Haj Othmen

Name Signature Date
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iv
 Declaration

I certify that I am the author of this project and that any assistance I received in its preparation
is fully acknowledged and disclosed in this project. I have also cited any source from which I
used data, ideas, or words, either quoted or paraphrased. Further, this report meets all the
rules of quotation and referencing in use at MedTech, as well as adheres to the fraud policies
listed in the MedTech honor code.

No portion of the work referred to in this study has been submitted in support of an application
for another degree or qualification to this or any other university or institution of learning.

Aram Elheni 27/09/2023

Student Name Signature Date

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 Work Term Release

I hereby state and verify by my signature that I have reviewed this report. I hereby affirm that
the report contains

no confidential data/information, and I authorize it to be released.

confidential data/information, and I do not authorize it to be released.

COMPANY SUPERVISOR

Taieb Lazhar
Name Signature Date

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viii
 Abstract

This report provides an overview of my internship experience at Tunisie-Micro Informatique a

prominent IT solutions integrator . It presents the structure and functioning of TMI , showing the
roles of different departments and their interdependencies . You will find discussions related
to virtualization, data protection ( backup and restore procedures using different software)
with insights into the invaluable learning experience gained throughout this internship .
Keywords:
• TMI
• Data protection
• Backup/Restore Solutions
• Virtualization

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 Acknowledgements
I want to express my gratitude to the entire Engineering department at Tunisie Micro
Informatique for providing me with the opportunity to be a part of their team for one month.
Special thanks to Mr.Taieb Lazhar, my mentor during the internship for his guidance , his
support , and for giving me the opportunity to visit one of the clients and watch how the work
is done on site and for sharing his expertise with me and my colleague. His invaluable advice
significantly shaped my understanding of data protection and server implementation .
I am grateful for the overall experience and for the skills acquired during the internship and
for the welcoming environment I found at TMI.

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 Table of Contents

Approval.......................................................................................................................................................... ii
Declaration .....................................................................................................................................................v
Work Term Release.................................................................................................................................. vii
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................viii
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................. x
List of Tables................................................................................................................................................. 11
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... 11
List of Equations ......................................................................................................................................... 12
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................... 13
2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 14
3. COMPANY CONTEXT ..................................................................................................................... 15
3.1. Description of the company ........................................................................................... 15
3.2. Mission and Objectives ....................................................................................................... 15
3.3. Industry structure..................................................................................................................... 15
3.4. Market Structure...................................................................................................................... 15
4. INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................ 16
4.1. Internship Context.................................................................................................................. 16
4.2. General and specific objectives of the internship ............................................ 16
4.3. Challenges and Obstacles .............................................................................................. 16
4.4. Assigned Tasks and Responsibilities............................................................................. 16
5. VIRTUAL MACHINES........................................................................................................................... 17
5.1. Description of VirtualBox……………………………………………………20
5.2. How to use Oracle VM Virtual Box………………………………………….20
6. NETVAULT AND DATA PROTECTION ...................................................................................... 21
7. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 22
8. CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................... 24
REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................. 25
..................................................................................................................................................................................

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List of Figures
Figure 1: Company logo……………………………………………………………………………….
Figure 2:Company Structure………………………………………………………………………..
Figure 3: Logo of Oracle Virtual Box……………………………………………………………..
Figure4:Example of Virtual machine windows 7……………………………………………
Figure5:Logo of Netvault Backup………………………………………………………………….
Figure6:Plug-in for VMware deployment………………………………………………………

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 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The report provides insights into IT industry presenting the critical issue of data loss in
enterprises and shows that an effective IT infrastructure and learning certain tools can
prevent that. The internship primarily focuses on data backup and restoration. Challenges
were there including encountering new tools and concepts related to data management
and virtualization. It highlights the importance of VirtualBox and Netvault and their invaluable
roles in ensuring data security .
However, there are several technologies that TMI should consider to improve their data
protection processes as I felt that the same technologies are used since the launch of the
enterprise , so here are some recommendations based on a research I did during the
internship:

• Automate Backup processes to reduce the risk of manual errors and optimize their
resources : as long as it can be done automatically there is no need to devote an
engineer for the task.
• They can implement Automated Backup verification to verify that the backup
process are reliable and are working on a real-time basis . It means they need to
ensure the validity of the backup process as we cannot allow human error to
interfere with such an important matter.
• Integrate cloud-based backup solutions to provide additional security for critical
data.

In summary this internship was enriching equipping me with basic knowledge in the matters
discussed , allowing me to be able to give an opinion on what can be done better . What I
learned is essential for future endeavors in the IT and data management fields .

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 2. INTRODUCTION
Many companies, especially small medium-sized businesses without knowing it or
without assessing the threats (disasters, breakdowns or even malfunctions of one or
more workstations) or without paying any attention to the protection of their data are
victims loss of computer data. One in two businesses backs up their data ,but 77% of
them do not check its validity and 60% do not have a copy outside of their production
site (2).The risk of data loss has irremediable consequences since 80% of companies
that suffered a major loss of their computer data went bankrupt in the12 following
months (2), because each minute that passes is likely to result in a loss of turnover for
the affected company . The leak of sensitive data can have serious consequences:
▪Commercial: related to loss of customers and market share
▪Financial: loss of income, business recovery costs
▪Legal: disciplinary, financial or criminal sanctions for non-compliance regulatory
obligations
▪Image: negative consequences on the image and reputation of the company .
Data loss occurs due to several types of causes ;
Example of causes of a physical breakdown:
▪Power outages (voltage drop, overvoltage, polarity reversal)
▪Intrusion of a liquid
▪Natural disasters (floods, fires, earthquakes)
▪Excess temperature (overheating)Gravitational supplement (fall, shock)
▪Human error or sabotage
▪Manufacturing defects
▪Dusty environment
Examples of causes of a software failure:
▪Human error or sabotage (deletion, overwriting, reformatting)
▪application or operating system bug
▪Virus infection
And for all of these reasons , data has become an important asset for all businesses ,
which creates the need for efficient data management and many engineering students
choose this field . Tunisie Micro-Informatique was one of the first companies in Tunisia
who recognized the significance of these challenges and started providing guidance to
clients in navigating IT infrastructure on premises and in the cloud.

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 3. COMPANY CONTEXT

1. Description of the company

Tunisie Micro-Informatique known as TMI, Since 1987 aims to help its clients
smoothly incorporate the latest and most suitable IT products , solutions and services
into their operations. They are experts in implementing networks and data centres.
TMI operates in a fast-paced work environment , the company fosters a collaborative
and professional atmosphere , encouraging employees to work together , which
encourages to provide high-quality service and maintain strong relationships with the
customers.

Year of establishment: 1987

Number of Employees: 60+ / 40 Engineers
Activity: IT Solutions Integrator
Certified: ISO 9001 / ITIL
References: 2000+ clients across 10 countries
Product List: 100+ products and solutions
Subsidiaries: 4
Partner Networks: 10 across 10 countries
Co-Partners: 12 ISVs and integrators

Figure1: Logo TMI

2. Mission and Objectives

The company’s main mission is as follows:
• Assist clients choosing the most suitable IT infrastructure solutions for their businesses .

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• Deliver effective data structure installation, setup and implementation services,
ensuring availability and smooth performance of IT infrastructures through
maintenance and monitoring .
• Assist clients in updating their data centers to keep up with the technological evolution.

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3. Industry structure

Figure2 : Organization chart

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 4. Market Structure
The market for data center and data management implementations is increasing .
Organizations of all sizes require scalable IT infrastructures to support their operations. TMI
works in a competitive market where companies look for reliable partners to assist them and
they managed to gain over 2000 clients over the years and continue to assist them till this
day as the company aims to meet the needs of the businesses and maintain a competitive
edge in the market.

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 4. INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION

1. Internship Context
My one month internship was carried out at TMI, a Tunisian enterprise specializing in data
center and data management solutions. It was an opportunity to discover organizational
operations and gain insights in the various departments and functions within the company, it
helped me understand how an organization operates, observe the roles and responsibilities
of different teams and contribute to projects.
The first week was mainly dedicated to getting to know the various departments of TMI, I got
to understand what is the role and job of each one of them , then spent the remaining 3
weeks in the engineering department where I focused on learning data backup and
restoration processes . Using tools such as VirtualBox and Netvault Backup to ensure data
availability in case of system failures or data loss.
.

2. General and specific objectives of the internship

The objective of this internship besides from learning how an organization operates ; is to
design and implement a recovery solution activity of a company's data center. This solution
aims to guarantee the survival of the company's activity after a major disaster affecting the IT
system (the disaster can be a small failure like a damaged hard drive or a serious failure like
total destruction). This involves creating an automatic system to back up the data .

3. Challenges and Obstacles

During my internship , I encountered a set of challenges that significantly shaped my
experience and contributed to my growth. Perhaps the most notable one was my
unfamiliarity with Netvault , NetBackup , VirtualBox and all of the tools used as well as the
realm of network and IT infrastructure and servers. As a pre-engineering student without prior
exposure to these concepts , understanding them was initially hard . but I gradually grasped
the concepts and I can now use these tools confidently.
Furthermore, integrating into the different departments where the majority of individuals were
experts and adults were also a challenge, however I recognized the importance of
networking and getting to know your colleagues because it was through them that I got to
learn what I learnt whether socially or professionally .

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 4. Assigned Tasks and Responsibilities
My learning journey was not centered around a specific project assigned but rather across
various departments, each providing insights into the company’s operations.
I first of all learned about client interactions and ticket management , whenever the clients
are facing server issues the engineers intervene opening and closing tickets to track the
advancement of the problem solving .
In the Engineering department I became proficient in creating virtual machines and backup
up and restoring the data using VirtualBox and NetVault Backup .
I had the opportunity to accompany Mr. Taieb Lazhar to on-site visits to RNE ( Registre
National des Entreprises) witnessing server-building process .

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 5. Virtual Machines
5.1 Description of Virtual Box
VirtualBox is an open-source virtualization software by Oracle. It enables users to create and
run VMs , you can run multiple operating systems simultaneously on one physical machine. It
supports Windows, Linux, macOS and more.
We can configure VMs with specified memory and storage. The GUI is user-friendly and
makes it easy to interact with the virtual machine allowing all tasks as installing software and
running apps to be done in a safe environment.
This tool is so important and a good asset for all developers and software engineers as it
facilitate the creation of sandboxes for trying new software and experiment various
configurations without affecting the host system.
5.2 How To use Oracle VM VirtualBox
In the internship I learned as a first step, how to create a virtual machine using VitrualBox.

Figure 3 : Oracle VM VirtualBox

Step1 : Create the virtual machine and choose the Operating System
Step 2:Allocate the needed memory
Step 3: Setup the virtual Hard Disk
Step 4: Load the ISO ( in my case we worked with windows 7 and windows 12)

Figure 4 : Windows7 VM

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 6. Netvault and Data Protection
Netvault is backup and recovery software developed by Quest , it offers a solution for
businesses to safeguard their critical data .
They key features of Netvault is its backup and restore features, as well as automated
scheduling , encryption for data security and integration with cloud platforms .
Netvault is suitable for all sizes of enterprises for its versatility . It helps them recover data in
case of deletions, hardware failures or any other events to minimize potential data loss.

Figure 5 : Netvault logo

During The internship , I learnt how to backup data of a virtual machine using NetVault .

First step is to create a New Backup Job .

Second step is to Select backup source (choose the VM we need to backup).
Third step is to set up the backup options , schedule and setting .
Finally we submit the backup job to start the backup process .

Figure 6:Plug-in for VMware deployment

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 7. Literature Review
Data has become a key resource for businesses in the ever changing digital landscape. For
organizations to succeed and be resilient, effective data management and secure backup
solutions have become essential components. Using pertinent research and business insights,
this literature review examines the condition of data management today, organizational
problems, and cutting-edge backup solutions.
Data management and backup solutions are crucial:
Numerous studies underline the need of data management and backup systems. By 2025,
firms that use data-centric approaches will do better than rivals in terms of generating the most
economic value from data and analytics. Effective data management guarantees that
businesses may use data to inform choices and obtain a competitive advantage in the market
[Gartner, "Predicts 2021: Data and Analytics Strategies."].
Data management and backup solutions are crucial:
Numerous studies underline the need of data management and backup systems. By 2025,
firms that use data-centric approaches will do better than rivals in terms of generating the most
economic value from data and analytics. Effective data management guarantees that
businesses may use data to inform choices and obtain a competitive advantage in the market
[Gartner, "Predicts 2021: Data and Analytics Strategies."].
Data management and backup challenges:
The methods of data management and backup provide a number of difficulties. Data loss
caused by human error, technical malfunction, or cyber-attacks is still a major worry.
According to a research by the Ponemon Institute, the average cost of a data breach was
$3.86 million in 2020, highlighting the financial costs associated with insufficient data protection
[Ponemon Institute, "Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020"].
Modern Backup Options:
Modern backup solutions are made to efficiently handle the problems of data loss. Continuous
Data Protection (CDP) makes ensuring that backups are made very instantly, preventing data
loss. According to a Zerto study that emphasized CDP's advantages, 90% of firms that use it
can resume operations at any point in time [Zerto, "The State of IT Resilience 2020"].
Immutable storage is becoming more popular as a way to improve security and stop data
manipulation. AWS's "Immutable S3 Storage: Making Data Immutable to Ransomware with
Amazon S3 Object Lock" whitepaper describes how Immutable S3 storage is intended to offer
a better level of protection for critical data by making it tamper-evident and protecting
against inadvertent deletion.
In conclusion, enterprises must implement cutting-edge technology and methods to maintain
data resilience, security, and operational continuity due to the changing landscape of data
management and backup solutions. By utilizing Continuous Data Protection, immutable

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storage, cloud-based solutions, and AI-driven methodologies, data management procedures
may be greatly improved and the risks of data loss can be reduced.

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 8. Conclusions
The internship at Tunisie Micro-Informatique (TMI) a pioneer in the field of data management
and servers implementation since 1987 provided insights into the world of IT . This journey was
a way to explore TMI’s operations with a focus on data backup and restoration processes
through tools as VirtualBox and Netvault . Important Skills were developed, allowing the
creation of VMs (Virtual Machines) and backup strategies .
Challenges encountered during this internship provided personal growth and allowed me to
adapt into the work environment when engaging with various departments of TMI.
As the IT field is continuingly evolving , the need of good data management cannot be
unseen , which made TMI dedicated to provide the adequate solution for its clients and
become well-positioned to meet the demand of an increasingly data-centric world.
Finally, The internship not only equipped me with knowledge and technical skills but also
opened me to discover the critical role of data management .

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 9. References :
1.Ponemon Institute, "Cost of a Data Breach Report 2020."Zerto
2."The State of IT Resilience 2020."AWS
3."Immutable S3 Storage: Making Data Immutable to Ransomware with Amazon S3 Object
Lock."

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