Jun 2007
Data De-duplication: Changing the nature of data protection

The emergence of data de-duplication technology is helping to change the fundamental nature and economics of data protection for enterprise IT organizations. In particular, it is at the forefront of a major shift in the way organizations deploy and maintain their backup infrastructure. Software that strips out the redundancies that exist in traditional data backups, aligned with low-cost disk storage systems, is for the first time allowing organizations of all sizes to store and maintain an ever-increasing amount of their backup data 'online.' This has multiple significant advantages. In particular, it allows organizations to better meet the challenges caused by data growth, the increasing compliance and legal discovery burden, zero tolerance for data loss and application downtime, and the need to locate and recover the right data as quickly as possible.

The 451 Group believes that the emergence of data de-duplication technology is shaping the new backup paradigm, and is a critical component in a group of technologies that 451 analysts collectively refer to as 'next-generation data-protection' (NGDP) technologies. In addition to spearheading a huge change in the way organizations protect their data, de-duplication is also presenting new challenges and opportunities among data-protection vendors. With Data Domain, the current market leader, having successfully gone public, incumbent vendors now find themselves facing challenges from innovative, disruptive startups. The storage IPO market is slowly coming to life, and the possibility of an exit strategy beyond acquisition could reinvigorate the startup/venture capital landscape.

Some of the more significant players in the storage market have been caught off guard by the emergence of de-duplication. Some have already acquired technologies to close the gap, and more will follow, while other small and large players are in the process of developing their own technology. The next 12-18 months will see the de-duplication landscape change as these players come to market.

This 451 Special Report is designed to demystify de-duplication in its various forms and to bring some needed clarity to the market landscape. It provides a thorough explanation of the widely different technology approaches, analyzing the relative merits of each and their applicability to different market segments. It identifies which of the startups have truly innovative technological approaches and takes an in-depth look at the relative market opportunities across a wide range of end users. It also provides the results of a comprehensive enterprise IT end-user survey about the perception, application and results of de-duplication implementation. Finally, it takes a close look at how this market will evolve from the technology and vendor perspectives, including analysis of previous and future M&A activity, pending IPOs and potential new market entrants.

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About The 451 Group

The 451 Group is an independent technology industry analyst company focused on the business of enterprise IT innovation. The company’s analysts provide critical and timely insight into the market and competitive dynamics of innovation in emerging technology segments. Clients of the company – at vendor, investor, service- provider and end-user organizations – rely on 451 insight to support both strategic and tactical decision-making for competitive advantage.

The 451 Group is headquartered in New York, with offices in key locations, including San Francisco, London and Boston. For additional information on the company or to apply for trial access to its services, go to: www.the451group.com