ExaGrid Systems, Inc, entered the disk backup with deduplication market in 2006. Since then, the company has revolutionized how organizations back up and protect their data. Its cost-effective disk-based backup systems help IT organizations solve two of the most pressing issues they face today: how to protect and manage an ever-increasing amount of data and how to do so at less cost.
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ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes.
ExaGrid Makes Adhering to Industry Standards Easier 7-Eleven Stores must adhere to Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards, which dictate how sensitive credit and debit card is handled and stored. Crouch said that installing a two-site ExaGrid system will enable the company to more easily comply with the stringent PCI requirements than it could with tape because data backups can be better tracked and are more secure. The company is audited periodically to demonstrate that it is properly storing transaction data.
When ABC Companies installed a new Oracle ERP system, the organization’s IT staff decided the time was right to look for a more reliable backup solution. The company had been backing up its data to a tape library and then transporting tape offsite but wanted a more robust solution with data deduplication to reduce the amount of data stored and the ability to replicate data offsite for better disaster recovery.
ExaGrid’s data deduplication methodology also helps us reduce backup times because the data is deduped after it hits the system, so backup jobs to run as quickly as possible,” said Shah. “Backup times were one of our huge pain points before we installed the solution but since implementing the ExaGrid system, they’ve been reduced from 10 to 1 hours because we write a synthetic flow backup with Veeam, which eliminated the need to run full backups.
Our backup times were getting longer and longer and we were constantly pushing up against our backup window. Our backups need to be completed by the time our users start working or our network slows down to a crawl,” said James Suvanaket, senior systems engineer for All Star International. “Restores were challenging, too. Our tapes are stored off-site, so before we could even go through the restore process, we had to get the tapes here. It was so frustrating. I can’t even count the number of times that we had restore requests right after the courier left with our tapes. We needed a solution that would enable us to back up our data each and every night within our backup window and we needed better access to our data for restores.
As AVH’s data grows, ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable the company to easily expand the system to accommodate more data. ExaGrid’s GRID computing software makes the system highly scalable, and when plugged into a switch, different sized configurations can be mixed and matched into a single GRID system with capacities of up to a 100TB full backup plus retention. Once virtualized, they appear as a single system to the backup server, and load balancing of all data across servers is automatic.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
“There was a lot more flexibility in the ExaGrid product than in the other systems we looked at. The ExaGrid was cost effective and its built-in data deduplication technology will enable us to really maximize disk space,” said McMasters. “We were particularly interested in ExaGrid’s post-process deduplication approach to backups. It made much more sense than the in-line approach we looked at,” she said.
Smith said that the main factors that contributed to Arch’s decision to install ExaGrid over the competition were value for the price, scalability, and support. “Scalability in particular is very important to us. We have an ExaGrid in each of two Bermudian data centers, and we’re currently cross-replicating with the intention of adding another system shortly for disaster recovery. In addition, we have a system in Dublin and one in Zurich that also cross replicate. We’ve already expanded our ExaGrid system. All I had to do was add another device; we didn’t need to do a forklift upgrade,” he said. An added plus was the fact that ExaGrid works seamlessly with their existing backup application, Symantec Backup Exec.
Because we expect our data to grow substantially in the coming months, we needed to be sure that the backup system we chose could grow as our demands grew. ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to easily accommodate more and more data without forklifting the system,” said Hansen. “Also, the fact that we can add a second system for data replication at some point in the future is a tremendous advantage and it will enable us to improve our disaster recovery capabilities when the time is right. The ExaGrid system helped solve our immediate backup issues and we’re confident that it will be able to handle our backup requirements into the future.
The ExaGrid system was cost-effective, and it delivered the retention, ease of management and customer support were looking for,” he said. “Data deduplication was also important. We have a lot of redundant data and wanted strong deduplication technology to enable us to store more data in a smaller footprint.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes.
With the combination of ExaGrid and Veeam, we’re able to provide faster, more granular recovery processes for our customers,” Kendell said. “Also, ExaGrid’s data deduplication enables us to reduce our backup data even further so we save disk space.
The fact that the ExaGrid system can work so efficiently as a disaster recovery site was important to us,” said Voss. “Using ExaGrid will enable us to nearly eliminate our offsite storage costs because most of our data will be backed up to disk.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
Backing up that volume of data to tape was creating a “shoeshine” effect due to the intensive back-and-forth movements of the tape media across the tape head. This slowed down the process of tape backup, literally taking all weekend to back up the data on the document management system.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
“Our data is growing by leaps and bounds and we needed to ensure that our backup environment could scale to meet our future needs. The ExaGrid system’s GRID architecture will enable us to quickly and easily grow the system to accommodate more data. It’s a system that will serve us well now and into the future,” said Treamer.
“As our backup demands grow, we’re confident that the ExaGrid system will be able to help us meet our needs well into the future. The system is extremely scalable so we’ll be able to expand it as our backup demands increase. We’re also talking about replicating data between ExaGrid systems at some point in the near future to improve our ability to recover from a disaster. That kind of flexibility is invaluable,” said Kerrick.
CA ARCserve Backup delivers reliable, enterprise-class data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies. Organizations using ARCserve Backup can look to ExaGrid as an alternative to tape for nightly backups. ExaGrid sits behind existing backup applications, such as ARCserve Backup, providing faster and more reliable backups and restores. In a network running ARCserve Backup, using ExaGrid in place of a tape backup system is as easy as pointing existing backup jobs at a NAS share on the ExaGrid system. Backup jobs are sent directly from the backup application to the ExaGrid for onsite backup to disk.
We’re a growing company, and as we continue to add people, servers and data, we need to ensure that we can protect all of our information within our defined backup windows,” said Tony Hughes, Chief Information Officer for FARO Technologies. “We were also looking to increase the amount of data we could retain on disk, so data deduplication was a requirement as well.”
Backup Software “Using tape, we weren’t getting our backups done in the timely manner that we needed,” said Tim Miller, senior vice president and manager, IT. The bank’s backup window of 12 hours was woefully insufficient to handle the full range of data FNBH needed to protect. “We got to a point where not only were we not doing full backups, we weren’t backing up some servers at all because our backups could reach the 20-hour mark,” said Miller. The bank was far outside of its backup window and looking forward, knew the problem would continue to worsen as their volume of data invariably continued to grow.
ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable the company to easily expand the system to accommodate more data. ExaGrid’s GRID computing software makes the system highly scalable, and when plugged into a switch, different sized configurations can be mixed and matched into a single GRID system with capacities of up to a 100TB full backup plus retention. Once virtualized, they appear as a single system to the backup server, and load balancing of all data across servers is automatic.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to grow the system easily as our backup requirements grow. Architecturally, it’s a nice solution,” said Zerwer. “The ExaGrid was a great solution for our backup needs. We’re confident that we have valid primary and offsite backups day in and day out, and in the case of a disaster, it’s nice to know that we can recover quickly. We’ve been very pleased with the solution.
Implementing the ExaGrid system has significantly reduced the amount of time we spend on backups. I used to spend at least an hour and a half per week managing tapes, another hour or so transporting them and even more time on manual intervention when we had issues,” said Ensley. “Having the ExaGrid system in place has streamlined our backup processes, and it enables me to focus on other parts of my job.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
It’s wonderful to be able to have different retention policies for our data. We were really nervous about retention with tape but now we’re able to retain data as long as we need to. Also, because we’re able to run so many jobs simultaneously, our backups our running extremely fast and we’re now able to back up everything with plenty of room for retention,” said Sarah Flint, business analyst at GlobalSpec. “ExaGrid’s data deduplication technology does a great job at reducing our data so that we’re able to maximize retention. One area where the ExaGrid has made a huge impact has been restores. We’re now extremely confident in our ability to restore data and it takes no time at all.
CA ARCserve delivers reliable, enterprise-class data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies.
The ExaGrid system has tight native integration with Backup Exec. HNE takes advantage of Backup Exec’s OpenStorage Technology (OST) capabilities, which enable both onsite and offsite backup data to be stored on the ExaGrid system and managed from within the Backup Exec console. The backup catalog is also kept up to date with the replicated offsite backups, so status of onsite and offsite backups through Backup Exec reporting can be monitored. Backup data can also be easily recovered from within the Backup Exec console.
Over the last 24 years, Highland Capital Partners, an ExaGrid investor, has grown into an international industry-leading VC firm. As Highland Capital has continued to grow and expand, so too have its data volume and backup window. Because the company has decided not to cap user data for primarily litigious reasons, its Exchange data in particular has a consistently vertical growth trend.
As Hoffman’s data grows, ExaGrid’s scalable architecture allows the IT team to plug in additional ExaGrid systems to create a larger virtual pool of storage without sacrificing performance. Veeam Backup & Replication automatically recognizes and takes advantage of the additional storage. Together, ExaGrid and Veeam enable backups to grow without additional expense and ongoing configuration and management issues.
One of the things we liked about the ExaGrid system was its approach to data deduplication. We had experimented with dedupe before but we preferred ExaGrid’s approach because it processes the data after it hits the system. With the ExaGrid, we have a complete backup available to us in case we need to restore a file,” said Commons. “With some of the other technologies on the market, the data is deduped before it hits the system or while the backup is processing. We weren’t comfortable with those approaches because we were concerned about the availability of our data in the event of some sort of error.
The ExaGrid system gives us the flexibility to add another system on for data replication at any point in the future,” said Winckler. “We also like the fact that we can expand the capacity of the ExaGrid when we need to by adding on extra units. Some of the other solutions we looked at weren’t scalable at all, but the ExaGrid will enable us to scale the system as our needs grow.
“One of the main factors that was of importance in evaluating a new solution was increasing our retention to at least six months or a year for quick recovery,” said Dhiman. “So deduplication was a natural part of that, but the way ExaGrid handles deduplication post-process versus inline was a key differentiator from the competition.” Dhiman is pleased with the way ExaGrid handles data reduction as well as the 10:1 ratios they are currently experiencing.
It got to the point where we couldn’t purchase more shelves because we had limited space available in our datacenter,” said Phan. “We’re working to reduce our energy consumption and are very sensitive to power and cooling issues. The ExaGrid unit is compact and efficient and its data de-duplication technology enables us to pack more data onto our system. It’s helping us to maximize our datacenter space and helping us by reducing our power consumption.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
“Because our data is growing, we will probably add another ExaGrid in the near future. I like that it’s so easy to do. When we were backing up to straight disk, adding disk was a lot of work. A few years ago before ExaGrid when we needed to add capacity, we had to move everything to tape and reformat the box so that we could add another hard drive to it. It’s really nice to be able to just add another ExaGrid,” said Simmons.
“We’re constantly grappling with data growth, and we’re confident that ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will give us the ability to easily scale the system if an when we need additional capacity or performance,” she said. Harsch said that she’s confident that purchasing the ExaGrid system was the right decision for MCRHS.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data de-duplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data de-duplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When used to replicate data between two or more sites, ExaGrid systems are extremely efficient because only the byte-level changes are moved across the WAN, so only about 1/50th of the data needs to traverse the WAN. Additional site licenses are not required for second site ExaGrid systems.
According to Macias, the Marlins’ data has been growing even more quickly than the team’s IT staff anticipated, but ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable the system to scale smoothly up as backup requirements grow.
Based in the firm’s Boston office, the IT staff is responsible for backing up important data such as its Exchange servers, document management system, and its litigation support data. In particular, the litigation support software is a critical, yet enormous application that enables litigators to conduct research on ongoing cases. Documents are scanned into the system, and then each document is saved as a .tiff file, which is fully searchable and always available to the Mintz Levin staff.
Scalability to Add Capacity as Backup Requirements Grow “Scalability was important to us because we needed to ensure that the system could grow to handle future demands,” said Saylor. “Some of the other systems on the market have a head unit with disks on the back end that are difficult to scale. ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to easily grow the system as the amount of data we need to back up grows.”
Our backup times were way too long, and our network speed was suffering. Also, our tape and tape storage costs were high due to the fact that we were sending out 15 tapes per week,” said Rupesh Nair of Marfic Technologies, Movius’ IT business partner. “We needed a cost-effective solution that could cut our backup times and give us the ability to keep more data on site.
“We needed a system that would enable us to efficiently backup all of our data, alleviate our backup window and provide faster restores. ExaGrid provided us with all of that functionality and more in an easy to use appliance,” said Miller.
As a law firm, the ability to maintain stringent retention policies is critical. Because the Pepe & Hazard needed to ensure that its backup system could handle additional data in the future, it was important that its system be scalable. “We’re already thinking about expanding our ExaGrid to add more retention. ExaGrid’s GRID architecture is inherently scalable and will enable us to grow the system easily to accommodate more data or extend our retention,” said Ciarcia.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality disk drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is far more cost effective than simply backing up to straight disk. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of backing up to straight disk. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
Precision Dialogue Marketing (formerly Metrics Marketing Group) is an analytics-driven database marketing and interactive firm. The firm offers comprehensive analytics-driven database and interactive marketing services that include automated marketing systems, database development and hosting, and predictive modeling as well as website design, development and hosting, web analytics, user research, and more. Precision Dialogue Marketing’s primary data center is located in Westlake, Ohio, and their DR site is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
We love the fact that ExaGrid can easily scale as our data grows without costing us an arm and a leg,” said O’Connor. “ExaGrid allows us to seamlessly add additional servers if we decide to increase our retention down the road.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality disk drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is far more cost effective than simply backing up to straight disk. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of backing up to straight disk. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
As our business grows, we will be adding more vertical markets, and we need to ensure that we can handle the additional data and retention policies that our customers demand. Just recently, we brought on a couple of new customers who required on-demand retention policies, and we were able to meet their needs quickly with our VMware environment and the ExaGrid system because everything was in place. The ExaGrid system is extremely scalable, and it will enable us to meet our backup needs now and into the future.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliances are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliances are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
The ExaGrid system was extremely cost effective and gave us the backup and restore performance and the retention we needed,” said Müller. “ExaGrid’s data deduplication technology is very effective at reducing our data and it enables us to make the most of our disk space. The data deduplication is automatic and happens in the background so we never even know it is occurring.
SEC realized that to decrease its storage requirements, it needed to deploy deduplication technology. The company also required a solution that would work with its existing backup application, Symantec Backup Exec.
We were trying to upgrade our backup system, and discovered that 20 to 30 percent of the files were corrupt,” said Vincent Monaco, manager of systems and networking at SpaFinder. “That was a real wakeup call. For us, the ability to quickly recover from a disaster is an absolute requirement. We decided right then to look for a new backup solution that could improve disaster recovery and retention, and deliver faster, more reliable backups.
As we researched options, we began to wonder if the salespeople were inflating the product’s performance claims, and we weren’t sure if the ExaGrid solution could meet their stated performance,” said Pariag. “The ExaGrid has been delivering dedupe ratios as high as 29:1 for our SQL data. In our environment, the ExaGrid system has met or exceeded the claims made during the sales process.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data de-duplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk space needed to at least 20 to 1, and resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with compression and byte-level data de-duplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk space needed to at least 20 to 1, and resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives.
The ability to reduce the amount of data stored is probably one of the most valuable benefits of the ExaGrid solution. We have a tremendous amount of redundant data here and ExaGrid’s data deduplication probably cuts the total amount of data down to a third,” said Steingart. “It also cuts down on the data transfer rate because we’re only writing the portion of the volume that has changed to disk. It enables us to complete a full backup of each server every day.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality disk drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is far more cost effective than simply backing up to straight disk. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of backing up to straight disk. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
ExaGrid is a cost-effective, scalable disk-based backup solution that replaces tape in your nightly backup process, enabling faster and more reliable backups at a price comparable to a new tape library. ExaGrid offers the only disk backup appliance with data deduplication purpose - built for backup that leverages a unique architecture optimized for performance, scalability and price.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliances are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliances are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
UNI IT has seen positive results from ditching tape in favor of ExaGrid appliances. “We’ve saved a lot of time by not having to manually send tapes offsite anymore,” said Bokelman. “We also shortened backup windows by no longer being limited by the number of tape drives we had as to how many different servers could back up at once. ExaGrid has also allowed us to actually increase the distance between our offsite copies and our primary datacenters while reducing the amount of effort that went into getting the data there. In the past, our backup systems were limited in their speed by the ability of the client to output data. With ExaGrid, we are able to run more backups simultaneously. This has resulted in backups as a whole getting done faster,” he said.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
One of the key reasons VSECU selected the ExaGrid system was its scalability. The ExaGrid system was way more scalable than many of the other solutions we considered. Several of the other systems we looked at would have enabled us to add disk capacity but not enhance the core system, so backup times would have increased as we added more data,” said Koenemann. “The ExaGrid system’s modular design will enable us to gain capacity by adding additional units, so we’re also adding additional memory, processor disk and Gigabit Ethernet to ensure that we won’t lose performance.”
Wayne ARC has experienced a large increase in throughput due to removing the limitations of a tape backup system. ExaGrid delivers unparalleled cost savings and performance using post-process deduplication that allows the backups to write directly to disk at disk speeds. This unique approach results in a steep drop in disk storage requirements and produces a faster backup with a shorter backup window. Burke reports that Wayne ARC currently achieves deduplication ratios up to 36:1.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
Scalability to Meet Future Backup Demands “Since we revamped our network, our users are generating more and more data each and every day,” said Sheard. “ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to meet the demands of our environment well into the future because we can add capacity as we need it.”
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data de-duplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes.
We couldn’t continue to operate the way we were. Our backups were running around the clock and it wasn’t uncommon to experience issues like tape jams and failures,” said Schwartzberg. “After some extensive research, we decided that disk backup with deduplication would allow us to greatly improve our backup times and phase out our reliance on tape.
ExaGrid is a cost-effective, scalable disk-based backup solution that replaces tape in your nightly backup process, enabling faster and more reliable backups at a price comparable to a new tape library. ExaGrid offers the only disk backup appliance with data deduplication purpose - built for backup that leverages a unique architecture optimized for performance, scalability and price.
ExaGrid’s data de-duplication technology enables us to maximize the amount of data we can back up onto the system,” said Associate Director, Information Technology Khanh Tran. “Overall, we’re trying to reduce our energy usage and the ability to backup massive amounts of data onto ExaGrid’s 3U footprint certainly helps.
Customers worldwide depend on ExaGrid Systems to solve their backup problems–effectively and permanently. ExaGrid’s disk-based, scale-out GRID architecture adjusts to increasing backup demands due to constantly growing data volumes. It is the only solution that combines compute with capacity as well as a unique landing zone to permanently shorten backup windows and eliminate expensive forklift upgrades. Learn more at www.exagrid.com.
ExaGrid’s built-in byte-level data deduplication technology significantly reduced the amount of data stored on the system and enables the district to maximize the amount of disk space used. According to Henderson, the district is currently experiencing data deduplication rates of 11.5:1.
Canandaigua National Bank & Trust’s IT department had moved many of the financial institution’s backup jobs from tape to disk in an effort to streamline backup processes and simplify operations. The staff was so happy with the results that they began looking for ways to completely eliminate tape altogether. After doing some research, the bank decided to install a two-site ExaGrid disk-based backup system with data deduplication.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data de-duplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data de-duplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When used to replicate data between two or more sites, ExaGrid systems are extremely efficient because only the byte-level changes are moved across the WAN, so only about 1/50th of the data needs to traverse the WAN. Additional site licenses are not required for second site ExaGrid systems.
“We looked for a backup system to meet our key requirements, which were tapeless backups and the ability to replicate our data safely offsite,” said Steve Pudimott, manager of IT Services for American Standard.
After the initial setup which wasn’t that hard to do, we really have not had to call for much help. We even get notifications if there is error of any sort so our devices are being monitored proactively by the ExaGrid team,” said Mier. “The rare instance that we do need to chat with a person, I find the service to be a little more personal and the rep is always knowledgeable of our environment and gets the issue resolved quickly.
“Our backups are now running very quickly and are completed well within our backup windows,” said Booth. “We’ve also been very happy with ExaGrid’s data de-duplication capabilities. It’s extremely effective at reducing our data and it enables us to maximize the amount of data we keep on the system. It’s really amazing,” said Booth.
Williams reports a reduction in backup window from 14 plus hours (sometimes as high as 24) down to just 8 hours. The company installed two ExaGrid systems in two sites that crossreplicate using Backup Exec OST. The backup is sent by the media server to the local ExaGrid appliance, and is replicated to the remote ExaGrid. Upon completion, the Backup Exec catalog is updated with both the local and remote copies of the data, for easy recovery. By allowing the catalog to be updated with local and remote copies, restores from the remote appliance become much easier. Optimized duplication also allows for different local and remote retention policies, as well as automated tape copy from the remote site.
The ExaGrid system was more cost effective, and we liked how tightly integrated it was with Backup Exec,” Wrona said. “Native integration with Backup Exec was extremely important to us. It enables us to get more detailed reports and job-by-job visibility on our data deduplication ratios directly from the ExaGrid system.
Given that our infrastructure is ninety-five percent virtual, there was no doubt that we needed a dedupe system that was disk-based. We wanted to leverage that speed; we wanted to be able to maintain backups for a large window, and dedupe enables us to do that with a disk-based system.
Of paramount importance to Allegro was not overspending to obtain a new backup solution. However, features and benefits were of course important also. Gomes was impressed with ExaGrid’s approach to deduplication and how deduplication maximized his disk storage and minimized his backup window. The ExaGrid system stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
CA ARCserve Backup delivers reliable, enterprise-class data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies.
“We chose the ExaGrid over other solutions for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the uncomplicated scalability as well as the ability to do replication,” said Campbell. “We were also pleased with the tight integration of ExaGrid and ARCserve. It was important to us that the ExaGrid system and ARCserve work together seamlessly.” Those factors combined with the affordability of the system were key to Campbell’s decision in choosing ExaGrid.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
The ExaGrid was perfectly suited for an environment like ours. Its data deduplication technology works well and enables us to quickly back up and retain lots of data on the unit,” he said. “It also makes the system more economical because it maximizes our storage.
CommVault Galaxy Backup and Recovery software contains extensive capabilities to simplify the management of backup media resources. Galaxy software writes backup data to a broad collection of storage devices, including disk as a media target. This ability to write to magnetic disk as a functional equal of all other media types while exploiting the random access nature of the disk media sets Galaxy software apart.
ExaGrid’s data deduplication technology is outstanding. In our environment, we have a lot of static information. The ExaGrid only backs up unique data, which in turn enables us to make the most of our available disk space. We’re extremely pleased with our results and it’s nice to have so much data on hand in case we need to do a restore,” said Costa. “Restores are so much faster than they were with tape. We have immediate access to our information and don’t have to call and retrieve tapes. We’re able to basically restore anything we want with the touch of a button.
We compared both solutions and liked ExaGrid’s data deduplication method better than the EMC Data Domain solution,” said Sauriol. “The ExaGrid system was also more cost-effective. We were able to stretch our budget dollars further with the ExaGrid, which allowed us to purchase a two-site system for disaster recovery sooner than we would have with the EMC Data Domain.
We had a fairly small budget and I really didn’t think we would be able to get the functionality we needed.. We considered solutions from all the major players, including EMC Data Domain and Symantec,” Gravett said. “In the end, we chose the ExaGrid system because it was cost-effective and it offered the scalability, integration with Backup Exec and strong data deduplication technology we were looking for.
CA ARCserve Backup delivers comprehensive data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Combining innovative disk backup with powerful, integrated anti-virus and encryption tools, CA ARCserve Backup is one of the most secure “out-of-the-box” backup solutions offered today. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies.
We needed to expand the capacity and increase the performance of our EMC Data Domain solution, but we soon realized that it would be too expensive. We decided to look at the marketplace and see if there were other systems that would fit the bill and discovered ExaGrid,” said Tom Godon, assistant vice president and network engineer at Bollinger Insurance. “We liked ExaGrid’s scalability and its approach to data deduplication and decided to purchase a pair of systems for primary backup and disaster recovery. Cost was also a factor; the ExaGrid was about half the cost of a new, comparable EMC Data Domain system.
According to Hargus, ExaGrid’s unique data deduplication technology and architecture are important for his requirements. ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and processing power, memory and bandwidth are paid for only as needed. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
Strong support for CommVault Simpana was an absolute requirement for us, and we certainly haven’t been disappointed. Not only is the ExaGrid product tightly integrated with CommVault, but our ExaGrid support engineer is well versed in it as well,” said King. “We’ve had good experience with ExaGrid’s customer support. Our support engineer knows his way around the system, and he’s provided a lot of value to us. In particular, he’s spent a lot of time working with the CommVault product and tweaking our system to improve performance.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliances are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliances are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
CommVault Simpana Backup and Recovery software contains extensive capabilities to simplify the management of backup media resources. Simpana software writes backup data to a broad collection of storage devices, including disk as a media target. This ability to write to magnetic disk as a functional equal of all other media types while exploiting the random access nature of the disk media sets Simpana software apart.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
We were always adding disk in order to keep up with our backup demands. We began looking at data deduplication technologies in hopes of reducing our disk usage when we learned about ExaGrid,” said Chris Hipskind, senior systems administrator for the City of Miami Beach. “We were immediately impressed with ExaGrid’s post-process approach to data deduplication, and we liked the fact that the ExaGrid is fully integrated with NetBackup, including Open Storage Option (OST) support. NetBackup is an integral part of our backup strategy, and we needed to be sure that we could retain our investment in it.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid’s data de-duplication stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data de-duplication is performed post-process after the data is stored. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
When CCHS studied its options, one of the features of the ExaGrid that the IT staff liked was the post-process deduplication. This made more sense to them from the standpoint of reducing traffic on their WAN, and since the data lands in its entirety prior to deduplication, not only is their data more secure, but a full non-deduplicated copy is readily available for speedy restores.
The ExaGrid system enables our staff to be far more efficient because we’re not spending so much time on managing backups. It’s also saved us money. In fact, we’re saving nearly $800 each month in tape costs alone,” said Firkins. “It’s been a terrific solution for our company.
systems analyst for Dick Smith Automotive. “We needed a solution that would enable us to back up our data more efficiently while giving us a high degree of confidence that the data would be there if and when we needed it. We also wanted to get away from tape and move towards a disk-based solution. Tape is so cumbersome and labor intensive. Disk is a much simpler, cleaner way to back up data.”
Dot Foods selected a two-site ExaGrid disk backup system with data deduplication. Data is replicated between the two systems for disaster recovery. Deploying two ExaGrid systems enables the company to have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan in case of emergency.
We were using Symantec NetBackup, but our backup processes took way too long and often failed, making it difficult or nearly impossible to restore files when we needed to. We were also only able to keep two weeks of retention, and that wasn’t acceptable to us,” said David Eccles, network administrator at DuPage Health. “In the end, NetBackup was actually failing at one of our sites. The final straw was when we had to pay a data recovery company to come in and restore data. We finally decided to look for a new solution that would offer more resiliency and redundancy.
The legacy of Dynamic Aviation begins almost 75 years ago in 1936. Over the years, Dynamic Aviation has continually found creative ways to meet its customers’ most challenging requirements. They offer a comprehensive range of innovative aviation solutions, including Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, airborne data acquisition, fire management, aerial application, and sterile insect technique.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
“We expect our data to continue to grow over the course of the next few months, we needed to be sure that the solution we chose could grow with our needs. ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to easily accommodate more and more data,” said Anderson.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality disk drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is far more cost effective than simply backing up to straight disk. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of backing up to straight disk. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data de-duplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When used to replicate data between two or more sites, ExaGrid systems are extremely efficient because only the byte-level changes are moved across the WAN, so only about 1/50th of the data needs to traverse the WAN. Additional backup application site licenses are not required for second site ExaGrid systems.
CA ARCserve Backup delivers reliable, enterprise-class data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies. Organizations using ARCserve Backup can look to ExaGrid as an alternative to tape for nightly backups. ExaGrid sits behind existing backup applications, such as ARCserve Backup, providing faster and more reliable backups and restores. In a network running ARCserve Backup, using ExaGrid in place of a tape backup system is as easy as pointing existing backup jobs at a NAS share on the ExaGrid system. Backup jobs are sent directly from the backup application to the ExaGrid for onsite backup to disk.
As a research organization, we need to ensure that we can recover quickly from a disaster, and we were concerned about our ability to do that with tape,” said Paul Kelly, director of IT at FORMA Therapeutics. “We also needed to reduce our backup times. Our weekend backup jobs were spilling into Monday mornings, and we were beginning to see network slowdowns as a result. We decided to look around for alternative backup methods and quickly realized that disk-based backup was the way to go.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
Siu said that within a year after FutureCare purchased its first two ExaGrid systems, the company experienced a spurt in its data growth and decided to purchase two more appliances to handle the increased amounts of data.
In a learning environment, mistakes happen and files need to be restored quickly. “Our restores seem to go in waves,” said Jay. “We can go for a while when we won’t need to perform a restore, but then a student accidentally deletes a file, and we’ll go through a period where we’ll have 6 or 8 incidents within a couple of days.” Sometimes the file can be recovered off the server, but ExaGrid’s fast data recovery provides fast restores where restoring from tape was a time consuming and cumbersome process.
ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to scale the system up as we need to, without a huge expenditure or reconfiguration,” said Williamson. “Installing the ExaGrid has saved a considerable amount of time when it comes to executing daily backups, and it also slid into our existing infrastructure seamlessly.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory, and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
Deduplication performance was one of the determining factors in choosing ExaGrid rather than a solution from EMC or Dell. ExaGrid’s unique deduplication approach reduces the disk space required for backups by up to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and then data deduplication is performed after the data is stored (“post-process”) to reduce disk space requirements.
ExaGrid combines standard compression along with zonelevel data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only the changes from backup to backup, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid is a cost-effective, scalable disk-based backup solution that replaces tape in your nightly backup process, enabling faster and more reliable backups at a price comparable to a new tape library. ExaGrid offers the only disk backup appliance with data deduplication purpose - built for backup that leverages a unique architecture optimized for performance, scalability and price.
“The right decision became very clear when we compared a new tape library to the ExaGrid System. With the ExaGrid, I no longer have to worry about my backups completing. The system just works,” said Nguyen. “The ExaGrid was cost effective and its built-in data deduplication technology will enable us to really maximize disk space,” he said.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data de-duplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data de-duplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
When its network was run by Baylor Health Care, backups were performed using tape, but in selecting the backup method for its new network, the IT staff decided that disk-based backup would be the most cost-effective and efficient way to protect the facility’s data. Memorial Hospital chose ExaGrid’s disk-based backup system along with Symantec’s Backup Exec™ backup application. One of the main reasons that Memorial Hospital selected ExaGrid was its tight integration with Backup Exec and the fact that setup was simple and quick.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
We’re thrilled with the improvement in our backup times. The other area where the ExaGrid has made a big impact in is with restores. We had an issue recently where an entire data warehouse was corrupted and we were able to restore all the data in a little over two hours. It would have been a nightmare with tape. Even simply finding the right tapes and transporting them back would have taken days,” said he said. “We’re often able to complete restores for our users even before we’re able to complete a service ticket. With the ExaGrid, we don’t have to worry about our data or our ability to restore it if need be.
“Our backups are now running very quickly and are completed well within our backup windows,” said Martin. “We’ve also been very happy with ExaGrid’s data deduplication capabilities. It’s extremely effective at reducing our data and it enables us to maximize the amount of data we keep on the system,” said Martin.
Data De-duplication for Fast Backups, Flexibility “ExaGrid’s post-process approach to data de-duplication is very effective at reducing our data, and we found that the ExaGrid system provides faster backups than competitive products because the data is de-duplicated after it lands on the system,” said McCann. “Also, because the most recent copy is stored as a regular backup file, we can continue to back up to tape when it makes sense. Some of our customers need to store up to seven years of data on tape to meet specific requirements and we have the flexibility to meet their needs with ExaGrid.”
JCISD began its evaluation of its options and compared various solutions. JCISD chose ExaGrid, in part because it works seamlessly with their existing backup application, Symantec Backup Exec. “It was important to us to utilize Backup Exec,” said Wade. “It’s a product we know inside-out. Some of the other solutions we looked at required that we learn a whole new method and interface. That’s not the case with ExaGrid.” In addition, not only was ExaGrid aggressively priced, but knowing JCISD will continue to grow, the ability to easily scale the system up to accommodate its increasing storage requirements was also of critical importance.
Johnson Health Network is expanding its data center and deploying an electronic medical records system enabling the organization to transition the storage of its e-patient information from an ASP solution to onsite. This data growth, combined with the need for a tighter disaster recovery plan, motivated the health network to seek alternatives to its existing backup process which involved writing some backups to their primary storage array and some to a tape-based backup system.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
Quite honestly, having the ExaGrid system in place is a huge relief. We knew that tape wouldn’t have provided the reliability or redundancy that ExaGrid’s disk-based solution does, and that was critical in a co-location environment. We don’t have to worry about changing tapes, moving tapes offsite, or tapes breaking,” said Ruckle. “We have 20-plus locations to deal with, multiple states and time zones, and business-critical data that we simply cannot afford to lose. We can’t afford to be down and we need to be able to restore data at a moment’s notice. The ExaGrid system was the perfect choice for us.
“We really liked ExaGrid’s post process approach to data deduplication more so than the other vendors we looked at. The ExaGrid was cost effective and its built-in data deduplication technology will enable us to really maximize disk space. We’re amazed at how efficient it is and it lets us keep lots of data disk in case we need to quickly perform a restore,” said Roxas.
Efficient Data De-duplication Reduces Data, Makes Restores Faster “ExaGrid’s data de-duplication technology is very efficient at reducing our data. It enables us to maximize the storage space on our system and we’re able to keep three months of data directly on the ExaGrid so we’re always ready to restore information if we need to,” said LeBlond.
The ExaGrid system was the clear winner. The price and performance were good. It was easy to implement and it fit right into our existing environment. We were also able to deploy a two-site system that enables us to replicate data to our disaster recovery site,” said Wilson. “We did a lot of research into both post-process and in-line data deduplication technologies. We decided that ExaGrid’s post-process approach would give us the fastest backups because the deduplication is performed after the backup lands on the system. ExaGrid’s data deduplication technology also helps us maximize disk space. We’ve seen dedupe ratios as high as 14:1.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you only pay for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data de-duplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes.
Dell vRanger offers full image-level and differential backups of virtual machines to enable faster, more efficient storage and recovery of virtual machines. ExaGrid’s disk-based backup systems serve as the backup target for these virtual machine images, using high-performance, post-process data deduplication to dramatically reduce the disk storage capacity required for backups versus standard disk storage.
The ExaGrid’s data de-duplication technology is very effective at reducing our data and it enables us to make the most of our disk space,” said LaRosa. “We’re now able to easily meet our retention goals and our whole restore process is now much faster and more efficient. It’s easier on our IT department and we are able to provide a faster response time to our end users.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives.
“The ExaGrid system has more than lived up to our expectations. Our backup times have been cut in half and we’re far more confident in our ability to restore files on a daily basis and in our ability to recover from a disaster. We’re also perfectly positioned in terms of growth because ExaGrid’s GRID architecture will enable us to easily scale in the future,” he said.
“We liked the fact that we could start with one ExaGrid system and then add on a second system to replicate data to our disaster recovery site at a later date. Having two ExaGrid systems will enable us to improve our ability to recover in the event of an emergency and will enable us to eliminate tape,” said McElvoy.
When Midwest Bank made its decision to overhaul its entire network and begin its migration to virtualization, the bank recognized the need to simultaneously evaluate its backup strategy as well as its ability to quickly and reliably recover business-critical data in the event of a disaster.
The amount of data we back up fluctuates, and by nature it increases towards the end of the school year,” he said. “With tape, we were limited in our ability to purge old data because we needed to keep the physical tapes in storage. The ExaGrid system enables us to effectively manage our stored data, and its data deduplication technology does a fantastic job at reducing it.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliances are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliances are added to the GRID, the system automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
CA ARCserve Backup delivers reliable, enterprise-class data protection across multiple hardware and software platforms. Its proven technology — unified by a single, easy-to-use interface — enables multi-tiered protection driven by business goals and policies. Organizations using ARCserve Backup can look to ExaGrid as an alternative to tape for nightly backups. ExaGrid sits behind existing backup applications, such as ARCserv Backup, providing faster and more reliable backups and restores. In a network running ARCserve Backup, using ExaGrid in place of a tape backup system is as easy as pointing existing backup jobs at a NAS share on the ExaGrid system. Backup jobs are sent directly from the backup application to the ExaGrid for onsite backup to disk.
Now, with the addition of Symantec and ExaGrid’s joint OST capability, we have complete visibility into both our on-site and off-site copies of backups. In the event we need to restore from a DR copy of a backup, we can seamlessly do so without any additional catalog operations as the ExaGrid appliance has informed NetBackup of the replicated copy, thus saving us time during critical restores. Further, we can now set differing retention policies for on-site and off-site copies, allowing us to more cost effectively use the capacity on the ExaGrid appliance.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, and you are only paying for the amount of processing power, memory and bandwidth as you need it. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
Restores were a huge hassle because most of our data was kept offsite on tape,” said Steve Qualley, senior systems engineer for North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation. “We liked the convenience of backing up to disk, but we needed a solution that would give us more retention and enable us to reduce our reliance on tape.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality SATA drives with byte-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is more cost effective than standard SATA drives. ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of standard SATA drives. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
ExaGrid fit nicely into our existing environment and we were able to keep our investment in ARCserve, so we didn’t have to learn any new applications or purchase additional equipment,” said Ostrowski. “Footprint and power draw were also considerations for us because we were going to install one of our ExaGrid’s in a co-location facility. We were able to purchase a smaller system than we otherwise would have because ExaGrid’s data deduplication enables us to maximize the amount of data we can keep on system and it makes the most of our rack space.
George said that ExaGrid’s straightforward and intuitive management interface helps to simplify daily administration. “ExaGrid’s interface is brilliant in its minimalist approach. It’s clean and simple, and it gives you lots of information right up front without the need to drill down multiple layers. All the data needed is right there in front of you,” he said.
“Data deduplication was a mandatory requirement for us and we haven’t been disappointed by the ExaGrid system. It not only helps us maximize disk space on the ExaGrid units, but it also helps with the transmission speed between systems because only the changed data is moved between sites each night,” said Hill. ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
Adding a second ExaGrid system will enable us to reduce our reliance on tape and improve our disaster recovery capabilities,” said Tapia. “We’re always mindful of the amount of traffic we put across our network, and ExaGrid’s byte-level data de-duplication technology will allow us to deploy the second system in a way that will minimize the amount of bandwidth we use between sites.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, where each appliance contains processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. When the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them additional processing power, memory, bandwidth, and disk. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows, paying for the amount of processing power, memory, and bandwidth only as it’s needed. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
ExaGrid’s turnkey disk-based backup system combines high quality disk drives with zone-level data deduplication, delivering a disk-based solution that is far more cost effective than simply backing up to straight disk. ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology stores only the changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies, reducing the amount of disk needed by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, resulting in a solution that is 25 to 30% the cost of backing up to straight disk. The ExaGrid system is easy to install and use and works seamlessly with popular backup applications, so organizations can retain their investment in existing applications and processes. ExaGrid servers can be used at primary and secondary sites to supplement or eliminate offsite tapes with live data repositories for disaster recovery.
ExaGrid combines last backup compression along with data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post-process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s byte-level data deduplication technology moves only changes, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
We have an undelete function on our server, but it is limited by the size of the file and the age of the data. When we do need to restore data, it’s either a larger file or one that is several days old,” said Badore. “Prior to using the ExaGrid, we would have had to dig through tapes to find the find the correct one, load it in the library, and then check it in and pull the file off. The whole process took at least 30 minutes. With the ExaGrid, I simply point and click and the file is restored.
ExaGrid combines standard compression along with zonelevel data deduplication, which stores changes from backup to backup instead of storing full file copies. This unique approach reduces the disk space required by a range of 10:1 to 50:1 or more, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance. ExaGrid delivers extremely fast backup performance because data is written directly to disk, and data deduplication is performed post process after the data is stored to reduce data. When a second site is used, the cost savings are even greater because ExaGrid’s zone-level data deduplication technology moves only the changes from backup to backup, requiring minimal WAN bandwidth.
ExaGrid uses a GRID-based configuration, so when the system needs to expand, additional appliance nodes are attached to the GRID, bringing with them not only additional disk but also processing power, memory, and bandwidth. This type of configuration allows the system to maintain all the aspects of performance as the amount of data grows. In addition, as new ExaGrid appliance nodes are added to the GRID, the ExaGrid automatically load balances available capacity, maintaining a virtual pool of storage that is shared across the GRID.
