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EMC extends deduplication to corporate laptops, desktops

EMC extends deduplication backup offerings to corporate laptop and desktops, protecting all corporate assets.
Written by Sam Diaz, Inactive

EMC, in its effort to reduce the use of tape for long-term storage, will announce Tuesday that it is extending its Avamar deduplication technology to laptop and desktop computers, taking it beyond networked servers and data centers.

For many businesses, data backups occur regularly for files that reside on the network. But files that are physically housed on a laptop or desktop computer don't always have the same protections. In a statement, EMC VP Jim O'Dorisio said:

The backup and protection of critical corporate data on desktops and laptops is often overlooked. Also, as the number of mobile users grows and the amount and importance of the data stored by those users increases, organizations can face critical corporate data protection exposures. Until now, the solution or many customers has been to deploy costly point solutions that focus only on desktops and laptoips. EMC Avamar provides customers with a signle solution that can protect all corporate assets, simplify operations and reduce costs by leveraging one operational skill set for all categories of data.

Deduplication not only reduces the amount of time that it takes to back up files but also reduces the amount of space that each backup uses. After the first backup, subsequent backups only record the changes to the file instead of copying the entire file again. For example, if a user creates a Powerpoint presentation and, after it's been backed up, goes in and adds an additional slide, then that slide is the only part of the file that's backed up.

Of course, this doesn't eliminate the need for tape backups but it does reduce the amount of tape storage needed if the daily backup files are duplicates of yesterday's backup files - plus a new pie chart or two.

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