PRODUCT BRIEF Quantum DXi6500 Family of Network-Attached Disk Backup Appliances with Deduplication NOTICE This Product Brief contains proprietary information protected by copyright. Information in this Product Brief is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on the part of Quantum. Quantum assumes no liability for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this Product Brief. Quantum makes no commitment to update or keep current this information in this Product Brief, and reserves the right to make changes to or discontinue this Product Brief and/or products without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems, for any purpose other than the purchaser s personal use, without the express written permission of Quantum.
CONTENTS Executive Summary...3 The Right Solution for Your Backup Problems...3 DXi6500 Features and Benefits...4 Product Family Overview....7 Quantum, a Leader in Disk-Based Backup... 7 Certifications....8 2 Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief
PRODUCT BRIEF Executive Summary For many IT departments, traditional backup has not kept up with the need for faster performance and trouble-free restore. Disk-to-disk systems, which can increase backup speed and reliability, fill up too quickly, hold too few recovery points, and do not offer a practical DR solution. The ideal backup solution, IT departments are often told, will require major infrastructure changes, complex integration, and high costs. The DXi6500 from Quantum offers a different kind of solution it solves even complex backup problems simply and affordably by integrating the most advanced storage technology into a simple, pre-configured purpose-built appliance that includes all software licenses in the base price. The DXi6500 is a family of easily shared backup solutions that give industry leading disk-to-disk backup and restore performance for all leading backup applications using a simple NAS interface. The DXi6500 s 2.0 software provides inline deduplication that leverages the latest generation hardware and multiple storage tiers for leading performance, and it uses variable-length deduplication for optimal reduction across all applications. For DR protection, the DXi6500 replicates encrypted backup data between sites, using global deduplication to reduce typical network bandwidth requirements by a factor of 20 or more. For long term retention, the DXi6500 is designed to provide direct tape creation in conjunction with leading backup applications, including Symantec applications using the OpenStorage (OST) API. The end result is multi-site, multi-tier protection that is easy to manage both for near-term restore and long-term retention. The DXi6500 is VM-ready, providing powerful protection for virtual environments as well as for conventional servers, and it includes backup software for VMware with every unit. With the DXi6500, IT departments improve backup and restore performance, enhance overall reliability, improve backup in virtual environments, provide improved DR, reduce management overhead, and lower costs. The Right Solution for Your Backup Problems Improving Backup and Restore Performance Many IT departments struggle to complete backups during the allotted window and to recover files quickly. The DXi6500 provides fast disk-to-disk performance so that backups get finished more quickly, and its random access storage pool and RAID 6 protection mean that files can be recovered reliably in just minutes. Quantum DXi users report an average increase in backup speed of 125%, 87% fewer failed backup jobs, and a restore profile that saves time and reduces offsite storage and media recall costs. Handling Growth More Effectively Data growth is a fact of life for IT departments, and its impact is greater on backup systems where multiple copies of data are stored than it is for primary storage. The DXi6500 is cost-effective insurance against unpredictable growth. Its data deduplication technology reduces the amount of disk typically needed to hold backup data by 90% or more while preserving disk performance for backup and restore. And the DXi6500 features streamlined scalability that allows users to increase their capacity easily and nondisruptively without requiring a service visit. Enhancing DR Protection Protecting multiple sites against data loss is a major problem for organizations that rely exclusively on silos of backup data and removable media. The problem is most acute in smaller offices that are not supported by a local IT staff. The DXi-Series replication capability provides a powerful DR protection alternative, allowing backup sets to be replicated over WANs by moving only changed blocks. The result is to increase the effective bandwidth of the WAN 20 to 50 times in most situations. With automated DR provided by networked DXi systems, users can have daily remote DR copies of their backup data created while reducing or eliminating the need to manage removable media. Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief 3
Reducing Costs At the same time that data volumes are increasing, budget pressures are forcing IT departments to find savings wherever they can. The DXi6500 is designed to reduce the amount spent on backup, even while it improves overall protection levels. Savings come from low acquisition costs, decreased disk use, lower bandwidth requirements, and reduced creation and management of removable media. DXi users report average reductions of 32% in offsite vaulting costs, 48% lower media purchase expenses, 63% less time spent managing backup, and a 97% reduction in media recall costs. Typical projected return on user investment is 4 to 12 months. Solving the Virtual Backup Problem The use of virtual servers saves IT departments time and money as they manage primary servers, but it can create new backup problems. With traditional agent-based backup, users pay for more licenses, duplicate data is increased as more copies of system data are loaded, and backup often slows down when multiple virtual servers try to use the same physical server. Using DXi systems in virtual environments, users eliminate the need to store duplicate data so they reduce disk needs even more than for conventional servers, and they can leverage replication for integrated DR protection. The result is better protection, lower costs, less disk, and shorter backup windows. DXi6500 Features and Benefits Data Deduplication to Reduce Disk Requirements Quantum s approach to data deduplication technology divides data into variable-length blocks and uses signatures to identify blocks that it has seen before. When it sees a repeated block, it stores a pointer to the original instead of storing another copy of the data. Since the pointer takes up less space than the data block, disk requirements are reduced. In typical backup configurations, users reduce the disk needed for backup by 90% or more. Deduplication allows users to hold more backup data on disk, giving them more recovery points from fast recovery, random access storage. Variable-length deduplication, for which Quantum owns the foundational patent, provides consistently high rates of data reduction for standard primary applications (email, databases, user shares, etc.) and is the most widely deployed deduplication approach. Simple NAS Interface for Easy Installation and Sharing The DXi6500 is designed to make advanced deduplication easy to order, deploy, and scale in the widest variety of user environments. The interface for all DXi6500 models uses a standard NAS presentation (either CIFS or NFS) to make it simple to add to any environment with Ethernet-based networks, and easy to share between multiple servers. All DXi6500 units also support the Symantec OpenStorage (OST) interface as well for users of NetBackup and Backup Exec 2010. Users can define up to 128 separate shares in any DXi6500, and the system allows users to mix share types (CIFS, NFS, OST). That feature makes it easy to consolidate backup across Unix, Linux, and Windows systems and across different backup applications in a single backup device. 4 Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief
PRODUCT BRIEF Five Pre-configured Models for Simplicity and Affordability The DXi6500 models were designed for simplicity and affordability. There are five models (see table below), each of which includes all the hardware needed to support the full range of capacities and all the software to support all operating configurations. Units are designed to be installed by the end user or by a Quantum reseller, and units scale by adding an 8TB expansion shelf to the existing system. An onsite service call is not required for either installation or scaling. All software licenses for unit operation deduplication for the entire system, NFS and CIFS operation, replication, and OpenStorage (OST) are included in the base price for all DXi6500 units and are delivered with the system. The inclusion of all software, reduces costs, simplifies ordering, and makes it easy for users to expand capabilities in the future without incurring additional expenses. Model DXi6510 DXi6520 DXi6530 DXi6540* DXi6550 Capacity (usable) 8TB 8TB - 32TB 24TB - 56TB 24TB - 56TB 24TB - 56TB Connectivity 2 1GbE 6 1GbE 6 1GbE 6 1GbE 2 1GbE, 2 10GbE Configuration System node System node + up to 3 expansion modules Highlights Most affordable midrange dedupe appliance. Scales to 32TB, with increased connectivity. System node + up to 6 expansion modules Scales from 24 to 56TB. * DXi6540 units may be converted in the field to a DXi6550 to take advantage of 10 GbE connectivity System node + up to 6 expansion modules Scales from 24 to 56TB, and provides direct path to tape (2 8Gb FC). System node + up to 6 expansion modules Scales from 24 to 56TB, provides direct path to tape (2 8Gb FC), and 10GbE connectivity. Replication for DR Protection That Reduces Media Management Data backed up locally is an ideal source for replication since it already represents a point-in-time copy of the data to be protected. That means that its replication does not have to be concerned with synchronizing transactions or maintaining consistency of databases because that has already been achieved as part of the backup process. By using deduplication, the DXi replication technology can create a duplicate copy of a backup while moving only the unique blocks that it contains. This functionality effectively increases typical network bandwidth 20 to 50 times, allowing replication of backup data over a WAN to become a feasible and cost-effective part of a Disaster Recovery (DR) protection strategy. The DXi-Series can replicate all the data on a given system or let users select data in specific shares, directories, or files. It supports bi-directional replication so the backup data created locally at a central site, for example, can be protected against disaster by replicating it back out to one of the regional offices, and the appliances provide bandwidth control to minimize potential conflict with other applications. The DXi-Series approach to replication minimizes the bandwidth required by checking which unique blocks require migration before any are moved. Since the DXi systems support replication from multiple sources to a single target, any data which may have already been captured from one site is not sent unnecessarily from another. This global approach to multi-site replication also means that disk space requirements on the target are kept to an absolute minimum. Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief 5
Remote Office DXi4500 DXi5500 Remote Office DXi6500 DXi8500 Enterprise at Datacenter Remote Office DXi6500 In the event of a recovery being required at the central site or a failback to the remote site, it is possible to choose from ten different point-in-time views of the backup data. The DXi-Series replication model has the ability to reduce or eliminate tape management requirements at the remote site. In turn this can mean a reduction in the requirements for skilled IT staff in remote offices, less media management, reduced costs, and improved security. Note that with the DXi-Series, all replication data is encrypted in transit and automatically decrypted at the target to provide maximum security for user data. Making replication application aware. With the DXi6500, users of Symantec s NetBackup 6.5 or higher and Backup Exec 2010 have the option of using the system in a Symantec OpenStorage (OST) environment. The OST license, included as part of the base price of all DXi6500 units, allows the NetBackup media server to write data to a Logical Storage Unit (LSU) on a DXi system, and it enables replicating data between two DXi systems under the control of NetBackup. Application-aware replication means the application can manage each instance of the data independently, providing more control and reducing management overhead. Integrated Tape Creation: Long Term Data Protection Most enterprises comply with regulatory retention requirements, protect themselves against litigation, maintain long term archives of their business, and minimize power, space, and cooling requirements by deploying tape for their longer term storage of backup data, even after including a disk layer in their backup scenario. Tape requires minimal expenditure of power and cooling to store data safely for 30 years or more, and its cost per gigabyte is lower than any other medium. The DXi6500 family makes it easy to integrate tape creation with disk backup. All of the DXi6500 family solutions are supported by Quantum Vision, software that lets users view and manage all Quantum disk and tape resources in all locations from a single console. And Quantum supports disk and tape systems with a common service team. 6 Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief
PRODUCT BRIEF In addition, the DXi6540 and DXi6550 provide an integrated path to tape, giving users a direct Fibre Channel link for creating physical tape in an attached library, without sending data back through the media server. Control of the process is provided by Symantec NetBackup under the OpenStorage (OST) initiative, including initiating the tape creation, managing the process under NBU LifeCycle policies, and keeping a master catalog of all copies of the data. All media created in the direct tape creation process is in native NetBackup format so it can be read directly from any tape drive in a single stage process. When used with Quantum libraries featuring drive-based security, the direct tape creation feature is fully compatible with drive-based encryption and integrated key management capabilities. Security The protection of data is one of every IT department s highest priorities. The DXi-Series can play a major role in this protection in several ways. By replacing removable media in your remote offices with replicated data across the WAN, any risk associated with managing physical media is avoided. All data that is transmitted between DXi-Series systems is encrypted in flight to ensure that any intercepted transmissions are useless to an outsider. When direct tape creation is deployed, it supports drive-based encryption in Quantum libraries as well as Quantum s integrated key management solutions. All DXi-Series appliances in any location can be managed centrally via a web interface using SSL for privacy and multi-layered access for security. And the use of StorageCare Guardian, a free product providing monitoring, diagnostic access and firmware upload/download, is protected by a link using public key encryption for maximum security. Product Family Overview Quantum s DXi family of backup/recovery appliances provides a spectrum of solutions for your business, whether small or large, distributed or centralized: The DXi-Series provides the industry s widest range of deduplication solutions with a common technology base, providing award-winning appliances designed to protect small businesses, remote offices, regional IT locations, corporate data centers, and multi-site, distributed operations. Quantum, a Leader in Disk-Based Backup For over 25 years, Quantum has been providing backup, recovery and archive solutions to all sizes of businesses world-wide and is currently the largest independent company in this space. With annual revenues of approximately three-quarters of a billion dollars and operations in 127 countries Quantum is uniquely positioned to advise and provide products and services to satisfy all your data protection needs. Quantum has been a pioneer in the development of disk systems designed to provide backup for open systems environments. In 2003, Quantum introduced the first Virtual Tape Library specifically designed for protecting backup data in open systems. In 2004, the Company was the first to integrate disk-to-tape data migration technology into open systems backup and archive solutions. In 2006, Quantum applied technology from its seminal patent (US 5,990,810) to introduce the first comprehensive set of backup and recovery solutions that leverage disk, tape, and replication using data deduplication technology. Quantum DXi6500 Product Brief 7
In 2009, Quantum became the first supplier with end-to-end support for Symantec s OpenStorage API, providing both application aware replication and direct tape creation for data written to disk. The company also became the first supplier of deduplication systems with built-in support for virtual environments by including backup software for VMware installations with every DXi system. Backup Software Compatibility The DXi6500 is fully compatible with all leading backup software applications. Supported applications include: Symantec Backup Exec 2010, under the Symantec OpenStorage (OST) API Symantec NetBackup, under the Symantec OpenStorage (OST) API EMC Networker CommVault Simpana CA BrightStor HP Data Protector IBM Tivoli Storage Manager atempo TimeNavigator Backbone Netvault For contact and product information, visit quantum.com or call 866-809-5230 Preserving the World s Most Important Data. Yours. 2011 Quantum Corporation. All rights reserved. Quantum, the Quantum logo, DXi, Scalar and StorNext are registered trademarks of Quantum Corporation and its affiliates in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. About Quantum Quantum Corp. (NYSE:QTM) is the leading global specialist in backup, recovery, and archive. From small businesses to multinational enterprises, more than 50,000 customers trust Quantum to solve their data protection, retention and management challenges. Quantum s best-of-breed, open systems solutions provide significant storage efficiencies and cost savings while minimizing risk and protecting prior investments. They include three market-leading, highly scalable platforms: DXi -Series disk-based deduplication and replication systems for fast backup and restore, Scalar tape automation products for disaster recovery and long-term data retention, and StorNext data management software for highperformance file sharing and archiving. Quantum Corp., 1650 Technology Drive, Suite 800, San Jose, CA 95110, (408) 944-4000, www.quantum.com. PB00036A-v04 April 2011