HP takes on deduplication with StoreOnce

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HP is attacking the deduplication market with the launch of a new software solution, aimed at bringing together the different types of dedupe into one offering.

The StoreOnce software was designed by HP Labs and the company is putting a lot of emphasis on its “ground up” approach to the technology, perhaps digging at the likes of its big dedupe rival EMC which bought in its technology with the acquisition of Data Domain.

It works in the same way as any deduplication software, searching for duplicated data and compressing it down to just one copy for storage. However, rather than separating the types of deduplication such as in line or at the target, this software provides for all situations.

Dave Roberson, senior vice president of the StorageWorks division at HP, said at the press launch of the product at HP's Tech Forum in Las Vegas: “It is very complicated [and] very expensive [with] a lot of different management paradigms... [but] this is how it is done today. It is not easy, it is not seamless and the data has to be expanded and contracted every time you move it. You can see why this type of solution creates complexity and sprawl.”

He added: “[With] what we are introducing today... it is all the same. It doesn't matter if it is the remote site, the region site or the data centre. No-one else in the industry has this today [and it is] really going to reset what data deduplication is all about – think about it as deduplication 2.0.”

The new software is not compatible with tape at present but Roberson claimed at the press conference there was “no reason” as to why this couldn't happen in the future.

HP is also launching a new backup product, with the less than catchy name of the D2D4312 BackupSystem, to accompany the software release.

The system, which starts at 18TB but can scale to 48TB, is all about speed and increasing how quickly the dedupe and backup can take place, according to Roberson.

It also based on the same modular components as with HP's earlier server announcement, again giving a uniform appearance to the boxes whilst reducing the costs and complexity associated with upgrading or replacing components and power supplies.

A further two storage products were announced to complete the refresh from the company.

The HP P4800 BladeSystem SAN solution is specifically designed to be used for client virtualisation operations – such as desktop virtualisation. The box has the SAN running on the inside - meaning you will need one to connect to the outside world - and it offers businesses the opportunity to cut the number of cables and connections dramatically.

Finally the EVA Cluster was announced. It enables scale of up to 2PB in one integrated virtual system and claimed a capacity utilisation increase of 300 per cent.

Roberson confirmed all the products would be available within the next 40 days.

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