Two New Quantum DXi6700 De-Dupe Systems

Quantum Corp. announced two new additions to its DXi6700 family of disk backup systems, offering a combination of performance and value and the ability to extend deduplication beyond appliances.

With future-proof features and scalability spanning midrange and enterprise environments, the DXi6701 and DXi6702 appliances provide multi-protocol interfaces and the highest performance in their class. Encompassing new DXi Accent software that distributes deduplication to backup servers, the new additions to the DXi-Series provide flexibility for where deduplication takes place on the network. With the necessary software licenses included in the price and an easy-to-deploy design, the DXi6700 family delivers best-in-class TCO.

A Future-Proof Feature Set
That Protects System Investments

• High Performance Kept Simple: The DXi6700 family achieves the highest performance in its class without requiring extra software. It delivers 5.8 TB/hour (1610 MB/sec) backup performance in target mode, using a VTL or OST interface, or 5.0 TB/hour (1389 MB/sec) in NAS environments. Leveraging Quantum’s DXi 2.0 inline data flow, a DXi6700 runs at more than twice the speed of the leading competitive offering and works with all leading backup applications.
• Scalability to Span Midrange and Enterprise Environments: For users with growing data or uncertain capacity needs, the DXi6700 family easily scales from 8 TB to 80 TB of usable capacity – the broadest range in the midrange-to-enterprise class for a single appliance – thereby protecting system investments and taking some of the guesswork out of purchasing decisions. Upgrades are affordable and simple to install.
• Multi-Protocol Interface Approach: The DXi6700 family features multiple protocols on all models to ensure a fit for a range of end-user environments, including CIFS and NFS shares, Fibre Channel Virtual Tape Library presentation, and Symantec OpenStorage (OST) Logical Storage Unit (LSU), removing the interface decision while preserving future flexibility.
• Enabling Future Expansion of Data Protection: The DXi6700 family is both for users already requiring direct tape creation functionality or an edge-to-core data protection strategy, and those who don’t have such requirements immediately but anticipate them in the future.

Setting Standard for Value

• TCO: The DXi6701 and DXi6702 deliver the best price/performance ratio in the industry with a four-fold advantage over leading competitive products and start at a new, lower price-point than the earlier-generation single-protocol DXi6700 systems. Costs stay low into the future because there are no extra charges for any of the advanced software features.
• Simple Model Structure: The DXi6701 comes with 1GbE connectivity, while the DXi6702 comes with 10GbE connectivity, and conversion requires only a field upgrade. This approach helps keep future costs low and predictable. Both models scale easily from 8 TB to 80 TB.
• Software Licenses Included: Replication, NAS and VTL interfaces, direct tape creation, Symantec OST API support, and DXi Accent software for hybrid deduplication are all included in the base price of each model, at all capacities. Like the rest of the DXi-Series, DXi Advanced Reporting software is included at no additional cost, giving users a detailed view of internal appliance operations and providing them with years of backup and replication data for extended trend analysis.

Delivering Distributed Deduplication

• DXi Accent: DXi Accent software allows data deduplication to be distributed between DXi appliances and media servers, supporting deduplicated backup over bandwidth-limited LANs and WANs and providing built-in support for disaster recovery and long-term retention.
• Improved Network Bandwidth Utilization: DXi Accent supports a range of use cases than either appliance-only or software-only approaches. It allows the backup server to collaborate in the deduplication process, off-loading part of the deduplication activity so only unique blocks are sent over the LAN or WAN to the DXi appliance. The result of this hybrid operation is faster backups in network-constrained environments.
• Flexible Deployment: DXi Accent allows server-by-server deployment and provides replication and direct tape creation for integrated disaster recovery protection and low-cost, long-term retention. Included in the base price of all the new-generation DXi6700 models, DXi Accent currently supports NetBackup media servers using the OST API, with plans to extend support to other applications in the future.

Bill Uhde, manager, Server Infrastructure, Warnaco, said: "The DXi-Series has proven itself as a valuable asset in our efforts to reduce our backup footprint, manage storage costs and keep pace with our growing data protection needs. With broad scalability and impressive performance, the new DXi6700 family shows great promise for delivering compelling deduplication value."

Mark Teter, CTO, Advanced Systems Group, said: "By combining the broadest scalability and highest performance with leading value and unique extensibility, the DXi6700 family provides a powerful solution for customers considering the move to deduplication."

David A. Chapa, senior analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group, said: "Following multiple generations of development, Quantum has addressed key issues that have kept IT departments from taking full advantage of the benefits that deduplication offers. The DXi6700 family stands to relieve IT departments from the need to compromise on performance, scalability, interface protocols, or TCO when choosing a deduplication solution."

Rob Clark, senior vice president, Disk and Tape Backup Product Group, Quantum, said: "End users tell us that too many deduplication products are overly complex, with limited options and feature sets that constrain their ability to meet goals for TCO and growth. Quantum believes that these constraints have hampered the adoption of deduplication. The DXi6700 family removes these limitations, at a price point that is accessible for a broader set of customers."

Pricing and Availability

• $58,000 MSRP (DXi6701)
• Available July 2011

Video with Quantum disk product marketing manager Steve Whitner on DXi6700 family