ESG Lab Report on Druva inSync

Druva, Inc. announces the results of an Enterprise Strategy Group Lab report: Druva inSync: Simplified, Robust Endpoint Data Protection, August 2011.

The report validates Druva inSync’s ease of installation as well as the benefits of its application-aware global deduplication, WAN optimization and efficient client-side processing that provides data protection at 90 percent savings in bandwidth and data stored.

Key findings from the report include:

ESG Lab was able to install the 50MB executable file on the server and configure the network in 20 minutes, so began protecting local and remote Windows and Mac clients with minimal effort and no impact to user’s normal workflows within 20 minutes of sitting down at the keyboard of the server.
While Druva inSync protected 1,1013 GB over the course of the test, it backed up just 38 GB, providing a 96 percent reduction in storage requirements and a deduplication ratio of 26:1.
On the inSync server, all processes combined consumed just 11 percent of the CPU and 140 megabytes of RAM (similarly low resource consumption was observed on the end user side).
Bare metal restore was fast and efficient, reconstituting a full restore image using multiple deduplicated backups and enabling recreation of a complete Windows workstation, including all installed applications and user data in less than 15 minutes.

"Simplifying endpoint data backup and more importantly, recovery for administrators and users creates significant value for widely dispersed IT environments with an increasingly mobile workforce. ESG Lab has tested many offerings and we found that Druva inSync is one of the most complete endpoint data protection solutions available for the enterprise," said Tony Palmer, senior engineer at ESG Lab. "Druva inSync offers critical features that provide enterprises with the functionality, reliability and flexibility that they need—in a low-cost package. ESG research indicates that cost and impact to performance are two of the leading considerations when evaluating disk-based data deduplicated backup solutions. The ability to efficiently deduplicate data across all users’ backups with client-side processing addresses both of these issues. No business can afford to operate without a backup and recovery solution–and Druva inSync ensures that every business can afford a compelling one."

"ESG Lab is one the most trusted sources of research and information in the storage market and their study confirms the same benefits our customers are seeing," said Jaspreet Singh, CEO of Druva. "Enterprises are seeking to protect vital information stored on endpoints and are recognizing that Druva inSync’s unique approach to data deduplication and WAN optimization, packaged in a solution that’s easy to install and-manage, provides 90 percent bandwidth and storage savings and simplified data access across all devices including smartphones and tablets."

ESG Lab performed evaluation and testing of Druva’s inSync Server and client software in a lab environment that consisted of one Druva inSync Enterprise Server and several Windows and Mac endpoints at ESG Lab’s own users’ home and office locations throughout the San Francisco Bay area.

Excerpts from the report include:
"Providing an easy to implement, capacity and bandwidth-efficient disk-to-disk solution for data protection is a powerful value proposition for companies looking to protect their local and remote endpoint devices. With a simple to use GUI and a very efficient memory and CPU footprint, Druva inSync Enterprise requires no special training or expertise for IT administrators."

"Through hands-on testing, ESG Lab validated the ease of use and consistent management functions for backup and recovery of local and remote users, including physical and virtual Windows and Macintosh systems performing multiple simultaneous deduplicated backups of heterogeneous systems with little to no impact on clients. Bare metal restore was particularly fast and efficient, reconstituting a full restore image using multiple deduplicated backups and enabling recreation of a complete Windows workstation, including all installed applications and user data in less than 15 minutes."

"ESG Lab has validated that data deduplication provided by Druva inSync can be used to reduce disk capacity significantly with minimal impact to client or server resources. Administrators can effectively provide high performance backup services to remote users, plus fast and reliable restores, using greatly reduced disk capacity. This lowers the cost per GB for backup data and enables companies to retain larger numbers of users’ data exponentially longer while minimizing the impact of deduplication on users’ workflows."

"Organizations are looking for cost effective, easy to manage solutions for endpoint data protection. ESG Lab was able to deploy a new Druva inSync server and begin protecting users’ desktops and laptops in 20 minutes. With enterprise class distributed data deduplication and user management built in to a low cost package, Druva delivers a compelling solution for businesses of all sizes."

To download the ESG Lab Report (you need to register)