ExaGrid Product Line
ExaGrid EX Series Product Line
ExaGrid offers a highly scalable disk-based backup system that works with your existing backup application and combines high quality SATA storage, compression and byte-level data deduplication with a virtualized GRID architecture. This unique approach reduces the disk space required for backup by a range of 10 to 50:1, delivering unparalleled cost savings and performance at a fraction of the price of standard SATA disk storage.
Scalable GRID Architecture
There are five core ExaGrid disk-based backup servers. These servers include GRID computing software. When plugged into a switch they virtualize into one another. As a result, any of the five configurations can be mixed and matched into a single GRID system, with full backup capacities up to 30TB, in 1TB increments. Once virtualized, they appear as a single system to the backup server. Load balancing of all data across servers is automatic and multiple GRID systems can be combined for additional capacity.
Five Core ExaGrid Server Configurations
- 1TB EX1000
- 2TB EX2000
- 3TB EX3000
- 4TB EX4000
- 5TB EX5000
For example, a 5TB ExaGrid server can store a 5TB full backup (5TB of primary data) plus up to 16 weeks of retention/history, while a 2TB server can take in a 2TB full backup (2TB of primary data) plus up to 16 weeks of retention. If a 30TB system is required, then six EX5000s are plugged into the switch and virtualize into a single system.
Five Mix and Match Servers
| ExaGrid Model | Primary Data Capacity | Capacity for Weekly Fulls | Capacity for Daily Fulls | Backup throughput | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copies | Total backup data | Copies | Total backup data | |||
| EX1000 | 1 TB | 16 | 16 TB | 75 | 75 TB | 380 GB/hr |
| EX2000 | 2 TB | 16 | 32 TB | 75 | 150 TB | 380 GB/hr |
| EX3000 | 3 TB | 16 | 48 TB | 75 | 225 TB | 380 GB/hr |
| EX4000 | 4 TB | 16 | 64 TB | 75 | 300 TB | 680 GB/hr |
| EX5000 | 5 TB | 16 | 80 TB | 75 | 375 TB | 680 GB/hr |
Examples of several common ExaGrid system GRID configurations between 5TB and 30TB
| Configuration Models Used | Primary Data Capacity | Capacity for Weekly Fulls | Capacity for Daily Fulls | Backup throughput | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copies | Total backup data | Copies | Total backup data | |||
| 7 TB 1 x EX4000 + 1 x EX3000 |
7 TB | 16 | 112 TB | 75 | 525 TB | 1.08 TB/hr |
| 10 TB 2 x EX5000 |
10 TB | 16 | 160 TB | 75 | 750 TB | 1.36 TB/hr |
| 12 TB 3 x EX4000 |
12 TB | 16 | 192 TB | 75 | 900 TB | 2.04 TB/hr |
| 15 TB 3 x EX5000 |
15 TB | 16 | 240 TB | 75 | 1125 TB | 2.04 TB/hr |
| 20 TB 4 x EX5000 |
20 TB | 16 | 320 TB | 75 | 1500 TB | 2.72 TB/hr |
| 25 TB 5 x EX5000 |
25 TB | 16 | 400 TB | 75 | 1875 TB | 3.40 TB/hr |
| 30 TB 6 x EX5000 |
30 TB | 16 | 480 TB | 75 | 2250 TB | 4.08 TB/hr |
Scalability and Performance
A 1TB to 5TB ExaGrid server in combination with the virtualized GRID architecture allows for the following:
- Start with the appropriate initial capacity and add capacity in 1TB to 5TB increments as needed
- "Right size" capacity up front and over time by adding only the required capacity
- As servers are added, additional memory, processor disk and GigE are also added resulting in no loss of performance. As data grows the appropriate amount of system resources are added.

On-site and Off-site, or Multi-site Disk-based Backup
ExaGrid supports two-site and multi-site topologies. Each site can act as a backup target for storage of local backups. Further, each site can transfer just the changed bytes to an off-site location so that the off-site location can perform data recovery if the local site is lost. This support is bi-directional allowing systems used as off-site repositories to also act as local backup targets for data backups at those sites. With two-site configurations, it is very common to have both systems act as a local backup target and to cross-protect each other by replicating the local data to the opposing site. With multi-site topologies, a centrally located site may cross protect with one of the other locations for long-term retention and disaster recovery for the central site backup data.

Multi-site Topology

Core Server Components
ExaGrid servers are comprised of the following:
- Intel Dual Core XEON processors
- Intel motherboard
- Seagate SATA drives
- RAID 6 hot Spare
- ExaGrid Software
Each server includes the appropriate amount of processor, memory, disk and GigE for the amount of data. As each server is plugged into the switch and virtualized into the GRID it brings not only disk capacity but also processor, memory and GigE such that performance is maintained as data is added.
Summary
ExaGrid's unique approach to scalability provides the following benefits:
- Performance is maintained as your data grows - each additional ExaGrid server added to a system provides disk, processor, memory and GigE
- Capacity utilization is load-balanced across servers - as a single server reaches full utilization, it can leverage space available on other servers in the GRID
- Plug and play expansion - adding an additional ExaGrid server is as simple as plugging it in and letting ExaGrid's automatic virtualized GRID software do the rest
- Cost-effective, system "right-sizing" - acquire just what you need now, add more later as data grows
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