FalconStor's flying backup accelerator

Backup idea offloads host

By Chris Mellor • Get more from this author

Posted in Enterprise, 27th March 2009 12:27 GMT

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IP storage software, deduplication and virtual tape library supplier FalconStor is introducing a backup accelerator for its VTL at SNW on 6 April.

A VTL accelerates backup, because data streams from the host server's storage to the VTL at disk ingestion speed, instead of the slower tape ingestion speed. This reduces the backup window - the time needed for the backup - during which the host server is not doing normal operational work.

FalconStor's idea is to remove the backup responsibility from the host and cut the backup window to zero by using its forthcoming VTL Backup Acceleration Option. The company reckons this means backups can be run at any time, will free the host server from dedicating virtually any CPU cycles to backup, and uses a SAN infrastructure instead of a generally slower LAN. It thinks that backup speed can be accelerated 4 - 8 times compared to a host-based backup.

The backup acceleration software is deployed on an x86 server and shares the same pool of storage as the VTL. It provides data access to the backup software and maintains a current copy of the data to be backed up through the SAN infrastructure. It also includes host agents to insure the consistency of the data in the Backup Acceleration Option repository. They require a few CPU cycles for a few seconds and have no impact on production environments.

The product will also include a HyperTrac integration tool for backup applications that ensures that backup operations are processed through the Backup Acceleration Option repository and that all backup processes are streamlined.

FalconStor's VTL Backup Acceleration Option will come as a bundle, including a software license, 16 host agent licenses for Microsoft Windows and/or Linux environments, and one HyperTrac license for any backup software. The software licensing fee for this lot will be $10,000. ®

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