Pure Storage has announced the modernization of AC Milan’s IT infrastructure, one of the most historic football teams in the world.
The Challenge for AC Milan
AC Milan recognized the need for technology to achieve two strategic goals: to provide the best experience for fans through online content and to modernize the team’s entertainment system using data and AI to enhance player performance.
The central element for engaging AC Milan’s supporters is their Media House, which distributes video content on social media. It also provides essential data for the club’s training and development center. Over a three-year period, the total number of employees and production from the Media House increased significantly, resulting in a notable rise in unstructured data volumes. However, a traditional data storage system that could not operate efficiently posed a significant barrier to progress.
By adopting Pure Storage’s platform, AC Milan has achieved a powerful, efficient, and secure storage infrastructure that has bolstered its technology transformation initiatives. Here are some of the benefits:
- Fast, reliable, low-latency data storage: With Pure Storage’s platform, AC Milan can now manage large volumes of unstructured data across multiple locations with very low latency, leading to significant productivity improvements. The Media House team now enjoys a content production and delivery speed that is 10 times faster. This has helped AC Milan reach over 500 million fans worldwide through enhanced digital experiences.
- Improved data security and ransomware protection: AC Milan understands the importance of data resilience and has implemented Pure Storage’s ActiveDRTM to achieve near-zero Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO). Additionally, Pure Storage’s SafeMode SnapshotsTM create data copies that cannot be deleted, modified, or encrypted in the event of a cyberattack, thereby mitigating the impact of a ransomware attack.
- A platform enabling cutting-edge AI innovation: Video footage from training sessions, stored on Pure Storage’s FlashBlade, can be analyzed using AI, along with player data obtained from sensors, to enhance performance. Furthermore, AC Milan is developing a data lake comprised of medical and performance data of players with the same goal.
Executive Vision
“Our team’s mission is to support the Club and the business in every aspect, aiming for excellence both on and off the field. Pure has helped AC Milan modernize its Media House so that content is available across multiple platforms in a tenth of the time it previously took. The project has been a great success and has laid the groundwork for us to evolve and become a strong player in social media.” – Maurizio Bonomi, Information Technology Director, AC Milan
“We are thrilled to assist AC Milan in its mission to transform how it connects with fans and in its very innovative use of AI to enhance overall player performance. The club’s traditional storage system could not meet the increasing demands of its modern and innovative data. Now, AC Milan’s Pure Storage platform addresses its complex needs. These are groundbreaking initiatives that demonstrate how real-time content delivery and AI can benefit clubs and improve the well-being of their players.” – Joao Silva, VP EMEA & Latin America, Pure Storage