VERITAS Software "Snapshot" backup solutions to support storage systems from HDS

Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., and VERITAS Software Corporation, The Data Availability Company, announced today that Hitachi Data Systems will support the VERITAS VERTEX Initiative (see related news releases, dated October 24 and 25) for next-generation enterprise data protection, a series of VERITAS NetBackup solutions based on snapshot backup and recovery methods designed to virtually eliminate backup windows and speed the recovery of data, while maintaining availability of crucial enterprise information.

Hitachi Data System`s flagship disk array, the Freedom Storage (Lightning 9900), using the Hitachi suite of data replication software and the next generation of VERITAS NetBackup software, will combine to create "point-in-time" snapshot images that allow for performance and availability improvements necessary to protect critical business data, which continues to grow at an unprecedented rate.

"Because the World Wide Web has increased computer users` exposure to virus and hack attacks, the need for data backup is greater than ever, while the window for recovery is shorter than ever," said Hu Yoshida, Hitachi Data Systems vice president of Data Network Solutions. "Hitachi Data Systems and VERITAS Software are natural teammates in addressing this problem. Our Lightning 9900, with its software suite for making non-disruptive copies of data, enables customers to complete frequent, non-disruptive backups. This shortened time between backups leads to faster recovery, because fewer transactions need to be recovered since the last consistent backup copy. The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative for server-free backup greatly reduces host cycles and shortens the time required for backup. The VERITAS VERTEX Initiative also manages the entire process so that customers can be confident in looking beyond conventional methods for storage solutions to satisfy their backup and restore requirements."

"Snapshot backup technology, the process of taking a `point-in-time` recording of data to create a copy for backup and restoration, serves as the fundamental technology throughout the VERITAS VERTEX Initiative, because it addresses the performance and availability issues coming to the forefront in the information explosion," said Neal Ater, senior vice president, Data Protection Product Group, VERITAS Software. "Hitachi Data Systems is working closely with VERITAS Software so that our combined solutions enable organizations to better manage and protect their information systems."

Support for the Hitachi Data System`s hardware snapshot approach will occur during the second phase of the two-stage VERITAS VERTEX Initiative. The phase one release includes proven VERITAS Software snapshot backup solutions, introduces the new VERITAS NetBackup ServerFree Agent (see related news release, dated October 24), and includes support for selected hardware-based snapshot solutions. The second phase of the VERITAS VERTEX Initiative, which will roll out over the course of next year, extends VERITAS Software technologies to support additional operating systems, SAN hardware, databases, and storage systems such as the Hitachi Data System family of storage arrays. This support of non-VERITAS Software solutions will provide dynamically growing enterprise environments with a flexible data protection solution that protects their current storage investments and is capable of keeping up with today`s high availability demands.