dedup

This year's Storage Networking World (SNW) is coming up fast -- October 12-15, 2009.  Dell Storage is participating in 3 excellent Hands On Labs, which you can register for here.  So while hanging out in Phoenix, stop by and get some quality time in with our DL2000, EqualLogic, and MD3000i.  I've listed the theme, abstract, and our labs below:

IP SAN Solutions
In organization of all sizes, Internet (IP) Storage Area Networks (SANs) are increasingly becoming a networked storage solution for business critical IT environments. This Lab guides students through the steps required to quickly setup and configure an IP SAN. Upon completion, attendees will better understand IP based SAN technology, associated strategies, storage system capabilities, and usage of IP Storage solutions.
In detail, students will learn how to setup and configure a iSCSI SAN in a choice of Windows or Linux environments. Students will also learn how to setup and configure a network boot environment using a Windows iSCSI initiator, how to attach to an iSCSI LUN/volume from a virtual host server, and preserve/restore data using snapshot technology.

• Dell EqualLogic PS Series
• Dell PowerVault MD3000i

Storage Virtualization
With ever more focus on ROI and TCO, there is heightened interest in storage virtualization. This Lab guides students through the steps required to establish a virtualized storage environment. Upon completion, students will have a good basic understanding of how to set up and configure a virtualized block storage environment with fault-tolerant protection.
Exercises will include basic provisioning, data migration, volume expansion, and data protection. Students will understand how to set up and take advantage of advanced virtualization features in a storage environment, including dynamic expansion and allocation of resources, replication, data migration, and data protection.

• Dell EqualLogic PS Series

Data Deduplication
With today’s pressure on organizations' storage infrastructure, deduplicating data offers a solution to reduce the physical disk footprint and required bandwidth. This lab guides students through exercises that illustrate how organizations store data - first for backup and disaster recovery, and now across the entire storage ecosystem - using data deduplication technology. Upon completion, students will better understand the powerful cost savings this new technology can offer as a way to augment traditional data protection methodologies.

• Dell PowerVault DL2000 with CommVault

Instead of storing multiple copies of the same data, why not use pointers to unique copies? Enter Deduplication, stage left. Deduplication, also known as single instance storage eliminates redundant data. Per Greg White’s blog: “Deduplication can be implemented in different ways, whether through dedicated appliances or through integration into existing areas, such as in backup software. Dell's view is that an integrated approach -- a feature of your software -- provides the greatest benefits to you .” One way we provide integrated deduplication is through the recently announced PowerVault DL2000. Powered by CommVault, it has “a built-in compression and deduplication capability that stores data segments only once, eliminating redundant data across consolidated backup sets.”

What makes the Dell PowerVault DL2000 different than the average dedup-buzzword touting appliance? Primarily it’s because it uses block level, embedded deduplication. Most appliances that claim deduplication do not actually start the dedup processing of the data until after it has been written to disk. The DL2000, using CommVault’s Simpana software, is content aware and eliminates the duplicate copies of backup and archive data based on your storage policy prior to its landing on the disk. Not only is it storing your data efficiently, but it’s fast too. The guys in this whitepaper showed 1.5 TB per hour backing up with deduplication enabled! Also, the DL2000 eliminates the need to buy both a backup server and a de-dupe appliance.  It is integrated in one solution with DL and it can also be set up by anyone in less than 30 minutes.  Try that with most de-dupe appliances.

I know what you’re thinking. “I’m at VMworld (or virtually there.) There needs to be more words that start with ‘V’ in the very near future or you’ll lose my interest.” Never fear. Deduplication is huge for virtual machines -- Simply put: SIGNIFICANT storage reduction. There are typically tons of duplicated files across Virtual Machines – especially as it relates to the operating systems and applications, making for great reduction/deduplication rates. Also, CommVault Simpana software’s Universal Virtual Server Agent, (UVSA) which is a separately licensed feature, takes advantage of the virtualized server environments. No need to an install an agent on each of your VM’s – instead put one on a proxy server, and that agent ties directly into the VMWare Consolidated Backup (VCB.) The UVSA can perform block-level, incremental image, volume-level or file level backups of your VM’s. This isn’t at the expense of restore granularity either – You can recover at the virtual machine level on down to a single file.

Considering the cost; The Dell PowerVault DL2000, powered by CommVault Simpana is an amazing value. If you get a minute, stop by the Dell booth at VMWorld and checkout the Dell PowerVault DL2000 demonstration. There’s oodles of content available for further reading out on dell.com/deduplication, dell.com/dl2000, and of course www.DellTechCenter.com.

Hello world

My first week at Dell is past and no longer do I feel like a complete fish out of water. For the record, I was only lost in one building, out of the four I visited... of course that one building was my own. With hat in hand, I had to call Scott and get turn by turn directions to where I'd park my laptop that day. I felt like Ozzy in that recent Samsung phone commercial where he uses the GPS feature to find his bathroom.

One of the exciting topics we discussed last week was data deduplication.  Just a short while ago, it seemed like overnight 'dedup' became a key topic in every customer meeting. Naturally I investigated a bit. It's a fairly straight forward concept -- rather than duplicate a copy of the same file, a pointer can be used to go to a previously stored version. A similar technology you've likely run into is the single information store with Exchange. Not everyone gets dedup right away -- gotta love the talking heads. Without them, I think the Daily Show wouldn't be nearly as funny.

Here at Dell, deduplication is available with our Powervault DL2000.  On Friday, Darren Thomas -- VP/GM of Dell's Storage business, addressed the press and analysts on the subject in San Francisco.  He unveiled Dell's point of view on deduplication and specifics of enhancements to PowerVault DL2000 for block-level deduplication.

On Thursday June 11, Greg White, Dell / EMC storage marketing manager for Global Commercial Marketing will be featured on a Dell TechCenter Chat I'll be moderating on deduplication. Greg published an excellent blog Friday on the subject, which also has a video of Darren Thomas explaining Dell's view. The content and resources on www.dell.com/deduplication too are worth a gander.

I encourage you to join our Dell TechCenter chat on Thursday, June 11 at 3PM CST-- and bring your best dedup questions. On our chat page you can find white paper links for more dedup reading pleasure. 

Speaking of fish out of water, a friend and I hit Lake Belton this past weekend and all we managed was this mangled creature:

It was 14", but had a strange gash down the side of his body and was missing half of it's top fin. We didn't find any others to join him in a fish fry, so it was released later in the day. 

PS -- I've found many twitter-follow worthy folks including: jgargis, atxtraveler, Bruceericatdell, storagemonkeys, dell_storage, LionelatDell, mattmcginnis, gregorydwhite