Data Deduplication, Scalability Important Factors
Data deduplication and system scalability turned out to be the deciding factors in choosing the ExaGrid system over Data Domain. “In doing the research, we felt that ExaGrid’s postprocess method for data deduplication was more effective than Data Domain’s in-line approach,” said Badore. “The ExaGrid approach doesn’t take any process overhead on the backup server. Also, ExaGrid’s data deduplication technology makes it more efficient to transmit data between our two sites so there are no bottlenecks.”
ExaGrid writes backups directly to a disk-cache Landing Zone, avoiding inline processing and ensuring the highest possible backup performance, which results in the shortest backup window. Adaptive Deduplication performs deduplication and replication in parallel with backups for a strong recovery point (RPO). As data is being deduplicated to the repository, it can also be replicated to a second ExaGrid site or the public cloud for disaster recovery (DR).
RCWD currently stores 60 copies of its daily, full and weekend backups on the ExaGrid system and has room for more. But looking ahead, system expandability will be important as RCWD’s data grows. “Scalability is an important issue for us, and the ExaGrid system was more expandable than the Data Domain system,” said Badore. “With ExaGrid, if we need more space we can just add another unit, plug it in and point Commvault to the system. We couldn’t ask for it to be any easier.”
ExaGrid’s scale-out architecture provides easy scalability, so the system can grow as RCWD’s backup requirements grow. When plugged into a switch, additional ExaGrid systems virtualize into one another, appearing as a single system to the backup server, and load balancing of all data across servers is automatic.
The ExaGrid system works alongside RWDC’s backup application, Commvault. “ExaGrid and Commvault work together nicely; as fast as Commvault can push the data out, the ExaGrid can pull it in. If we were writing to tape, everything would have to queue up and it would take forever,” Bador said.