Nexsan and FalconStor gun for EMC Data Domain with Dedupe SG 2 data deduplication backup device

Analysts say a series of updates to Dedupe SG -- comprised of FalconStor's dedupe software and Nexsan enterprise data storage systems -- put it into closer competition with the 800-pound gorilla Data Domain.

Download this free guide

Free Download: Complete guide to backup deduplication

Access all of the 31 articles in our Data Deduplication Essential Guide by downloading our comprehensive PDF version so that you can access all of this expert content in one, easy-to-read resource.

Start Download

• Corporate E-mail Address:

  You forgot to provide an Email Address.

  This email address doesn’t appear to be valid.

  This email address is already registered. Please login.

  You have exceeded the maximum character limit.

  Please provide a Corporate E-mail Address.

• • I agree to TechTarget’s Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and the transfer of my information to the United States for processing to provide me with relevant information as described in our Privacy Policy.

  Please check the box if you want to proceed.

• • I agree to my information being processed by TechTarget and its Partners to contact me via phone, email, or other means regarding information relevant to my professional interests. I may unsubscribe at any time.

  Please check the box if you want to proceed.

By submitting my Email address I confirm that I have read and accepted the Terms of Use and Declaration of Consent.

The updates to Dedupe SG 2 will be sold through channel partners and include high-availability access to the data deduplication system, support for replication from more remote sites, policy-based data integrity checking, support for Symantec Corp.'s OST, and a higher capacity hardware appliance from Nexsan with support for 10-Gigabit Ethernet, called the DDSG-72.

More on data deduplication Data backup and recovery planning in 2010: Mr. Backup's predictions Secure-24 switches to EMC virtual tape library -- sans data deduplication Data deduplication tools move into data backup infrastructure, but tape media hangs on Storage purchasing survey says data deduplication adoption increasing, tape backup waning

Dedupe SG 2 has also boosted the number of sites that can fan in replication to a central system from 32 in the first version to 150 with the new version. A new centralized dashboard provides real-time monitoring of all replication operations. Customers also have the option of setting replication priorities at the file or folder level to ensure critical data is replicated to a disaster recovery site without having to wait for the entire data set.

A similar policy-based management scheme has also been added to Dedupe SG 2 for data integrity checking so customers can schedule the process for less busy times on the network and specify the frequency of integrity checking operations. Customers also have the option of excluding certain volumes from data deduplication according to policy.

Finally, the partners claim the system can perform at up to 1500 MBps throughput over dual 10-GigE links using Symantec Corp.'s OpenStorage API for NetBackup. Internal tests at FalconStor indicate the second version of its File-Interface Deduplication System (FDS) can perform at 350 MBps sustained throughput over a single 10-GigE link and 700 MBps over two 10-GigE links with CIFS and NFS protocols, according to FalconStor vice president of marketing Fadi Albatal. Benchmark tests with FDS 1 and FDS 1.1 were performed using eight GigE ports, peaking at 750 MBps with high-end FDS Gateway appliances.

In addition to 10-GigE support, the DDSG-72 can hold 72 physical terabytes of storage capacity. That works out to 1.4 logical petabytes (PBs) at a 20:1 deduplication ratio. This is compared with the previous high-end DDSG model, the DDSG-52, which supported 52 physical terabytes and up to 1 logical petabyte. The products will be available through channel partners in late February, starting at $49,000.

Analysts say Dedupe SG 2 moves further onto Data Domain territory. Enterprise Strategy Group analyst Lauren Whitehouse said SG 2 includes "things that poke Data Domain in the eye, especially the high-availability configuration."

Still, she pointed out the performance numbers using OST with 10-GigE "should have some asterisks. NetBackup is very widely deployed, but not everyone is running version 6.5.4 with OST."

Wikibon analyst David Vellante said he considers Dedupe SG 2 as especially competitive with Data Domain in remote offices.

"A Data Domain type system really isn't ideal for remote office situations even though they do have a solution there," he wrote in an email to SearchDataBackup.com. "[EMC's] Avamar is a great solution for remote office[s], but with Avamar you have to rip and replace your backup software. So this Nexsan/FalconStor thing is like the best of both worlds. You get the reduction in traffic over the WAN and you don't have to do a rip and replace the home office backup software."

However, Vellante said there were still some open questions to be answered by real-world deployment of the product. "How do you size it? Put it in? Test it? What skill sets [and] testing do I need and very importantly... how do I seed the initial backup?" he asked.