Commvault backup data can be stored in VAST Data‘s scale-out file storage systems in a new partnership.
VAST’s all-flash Universal Storage system provides fast backup data ingest and restoration and is an alternative to purpose-built backup appliances (PBBA), such as Dell EMC’s PowerProtect (Data Domain), ExaGrid appliances and others. VAST claims it provides up to 50x more backup restore performance, at a cost that is 40 per cent lower than legacy PBBAs.
VAST also claims its deduplication combines with Commvault’s software to bring the effective cost of flash in line with HDD-based storage systems, but hasn’t provided example data reduction ratios to illustrate. By contrast, ExaGrid has ESG evidence it can produce 15:1 data reduction when storing Commvault backups.
Commvault has made VAST a Commvault Technology Alliances Partner and says the two have completed validation of VAST’s Universal Storage platform with Commvault’s Complete Data Protection Suite. VAST claims its storage system can run different workloads without impacting backup and restore jobs.
Pure Storage, a VAST all-flash array competitor with its FlashArray (block) and FlashBlade (file + object) systems, has a Commvault-Pure reference design combining its Complete Data Protection Suite software with the FlashBlade array to provide fast data protection and rapid recovery. The design features Pure’s SafeMode snapshots feature that creates read-only snapshots of backup data and associated metadata, as a way of combatting malware.
The VAST-Commvault alliance features VAST’s Indestructible Snapshots feature which prevents backup copies and snapshots from being altered or destroyed and similarly fights malware attacks.
The alliance with Commvault strengthens VAST’s enterprise supplier credentials and we might expect it to be followed by alliances with other enterprise-class data protectors such as, for example, Veritas, Veeam and Rubrik.
