HP Debuts New Backup Systems for SMBs

By NewsFactor Network | February 27, 2007

Hewlett-Packard has released two new disk-based backup and recovery systems that are specifically designed for small business owners looking for affordable and easy-to-use backup hardware.

In the amount of time it takes to get a pizza delivered, the StorageWorks D2D100 or D2D120 can be up and running, according to HP. They both offer a setup wizard interface, Web-based monitoring capabilities, and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.

The new D2D100 and D2D120 backup systems — HP’s fourth set of new storage products for SMBs since September — are specifically designed for small and midsize businesses that don’t have the in-house staff needed to install complex storage systems.

Simplicity Matters

“We kept in mind that this needs to be simple, affordable, and reliable,” said Mike Ewell, product marketing manager for HP’s StorageWorks Division. “One of the tenets of mine was that this be affordable. And when I say affordable, I mean very affordable.”

While affordability is certainly important for small businesses, secure data backup is even more important. According to research firm IDC, over 50 percent of small and midsize businesses specify recovery and improved data availability as priority No. 1.

The new StorageWorks D2D backup systems can automatically save data from up to four servers, with a capacity of 750 GB for the StorageWorks D2D100 or 1.5 TB for the StorageWorks D2D120.

Disk vs. Tape

Because the new D2D systems are disk-based — as opposed to the traditional tape-based method of backing up data — users can restore lost files within minutes, as opposed to the hours it can take to restore backups from a tape-based system.

Still, HP doesn’t advise customers to ditch tape storage altogether. The company maintains that tape-based storage still has a role in business settings. “Tape is still the best product for disaster recovery,” noted Ewell.

Hewlett-Packard’s new D2D100 model with…

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