EMC Reveals Speedy New Deduplication Storage System

The Data Domain storage division of EMC has taken the wraps off a speedy new inline deduplication storage system for enterprise backup applications.

The numbers shout for themselves. Data Domain claims this new system, dubbed the Global Deduplication Array, is capable of backing up 12.8TB of data per hour (which computes to a 3.5G bps I/O rate), has a top-end usable capacity of 280TB, and can handle up to 270 concurrent write streams.

Now those are true large enterprise-type specifications, but how does one system move all those bits so quickly and keep everything going to the right place? By doubling up on Data Domain’s high-end DD880 data storage controllers, it turns out.

“This is an entirely new product offering for Data Domain, in terms of using multiple controllers to be able to expand performance capacity,” Ed Reidenbach, senior director of product marketing, told eWEEK.

“There are a lot of organisations – large Fortune 1000s, for example – that are backing up 40, 50TB per day, given their backup policies. They have really large databases that they back up in full, even if there are minor changes to the database. It’s too complex, error-prone to do incremental backups in these cases. This array solves that problem.”

The new inline array distributes parts of the deduplication process to the backup servers in order to reduce network load and increase throughput performance of the GDA controllers, Reidenbach said.

Using EMC Data Domain’s Replicator software option, the Global Deduplication Array also can automate wide area network (WAN) vaulting for use in disaster recovery, remote office backup, or multisite tape consolidation, Reidenbach said.

“Figuring out how to get backups done within the allotted period of time in the face of data growth is still the biggest data protection challenge that organizations face according to our research,” said Brian Babineau, Senior Consulting Analyst with Enterprise Strategy Group.

“With their Data Domain Global Deduplication Array, EMC has far exceeded the inline deduplication performance benchmark it set with its previous top-of-line Data Domain system, but more importantly, the company has given customers a way to protect more of their data in a shorter period of time.

“We expect more companies to evaluate integration between backup software and deduplication storage to maximise these performance levels and data reduction results while consolidating administrative tasks.”

EMC also announced enhanced features for the regular DD880 arrays, including a new encryption software option designed for data at rest and new replicator features for systems with thin wires.

The DD880, Data Domain’s top-of-the-line array, now features a doubled top capacity (142.5TB usable from 71TB previously), Reidenbach said.

The EMC Data Domain Global Duplication Array will be generally available in Q2 2010.

More information about these storage systems can be found here.