IBM TS7650G: a VTL With In-Line Dedup

The IBM System Storage TS7650G ProtecTIER De-duplication Gateway is a virtual tape library (VTL) that appears to back up applications as one or many automated tape libraries. This enables implementation of the TS7650G and ProtectTIER with minimal change to existing backup policies, practices, or procedures. The backup application accesses virtual tape drives, robotics, and cartridges just as it would in a physical tape library environment.

Typical virtual tape library solutions provide about 2:1 compression of the data backed up. The TS7650G ProtecTIER De-duplication Gateway, featuring HyperFactor data de-duplication technology, provides up to 25:1 or more data volume reduction.
Data protection pain points in the data center

Enterprise data centers require a high performance, high capacity, reliable, and scalable disk-based data protection solution. Delivering high level data protection is increasingly difficult for many reasons:

• Information volume is growing almost exponentially and must be protected.
• Shrinking backup and restore windows require more efficient high performance data protection solutions.
• Pressure to lower capital expenditures for data infrastructure is driving the need for a simpler way to deploy and manage data protection solutions.
• Increased need to more efficiently manage disk space of existing infrastructure by improving utilization of current hardware.
• Increasing need to support more efficient, easier to manage, disaster recovery strategies.

TS7650G ProtecTIER De-duplication Gateway differentiators
The TS7650G ProtecTIER De-duplication Gateway features HyperFactor technology, which is designed to provide in-line de-duplication capabilities and boast the following core differentiators:

• In-line de-duplication: Helps avoid disruption to production activities.
• High performance: Cluster topology offers sustainable throughput of up to 900 MB/s in-line de-duplication capability regardless of repository size.
• Flexible disk-based storage options: offer multiple configurations for different environments.
• Increased capacity: Enables up to 25X increase in usable capacity.
• Scalability: One gateway server can help protect up to 1 PB of user data.
• Higher availability: Clustered configuration available to provide hardware redundancy in the event of a node failure.
• Data integrity: Helps avoids "hash collisions" or "false positive" data matches.
• Data agnostic: Not sensitive to data type, file name, or data structure of the specific backup application (unlike content-aware approaches).

Planned availability date
August 29, 2008