Data Backup Digest

Shared resource virtualization, while once a foreign concept to many, is quickly catching on within the world of data storage, processing and archival. In a world that promotes sharing, virtualization and pooling in nearly every aspect of modern computing, it should come as no surprise that the backup capacity of some archival systems is also being pooled and combined to offer greater storage space.

In fact, one of HP's devices, the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst, is attempting to do just that. Originally unveiled all the way back in 2014, the device still has a very pertinent and relevant use in enterprise-level IT.

According to an official statement, the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst: "Reduces management overhead by 75 percent by eliminating physical mapping of backup jobs to individual backup appliances and freeing up administrators’ time so they can focus on higher value IT projects."

Key Benefits

HP offers an official whitepaper alongside the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst, which provides an in-depth overview of the features and functionality of the device. According to the paper, the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst has three primary purposes: the simplification of backup protocol, to bolster available storage space via comprehensive deduplication and to reduce the overall number of server resources.

Other benefits of the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst include rapid restoration capabilities and the option to automate backup processes. Ultimately, the device can relieve a great deal of stress and strain from your IT team's shoulders.

Real Use in the Real World

An IT spokesperson with BlueShore, a financial institution located in British Columbia, Canada, spoke about the improvements BlueShore expected to see when making the transition to the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst. "Right now it's a lot of manual work to manage all these individual Catalyst stores. From what I understand and what I expect, it will be giving us that easier management, but also better utilization of the assets we have."

Thanks to the implementation of the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst, BlueShore's IT department was able to take multiple HP StoreOnce 6500 backup appliances, four to be exact, and virtually combine them into one large pool of usable capacity. Moreover, data deduplication is also available across the entire pool of storage space.

Pricing Information

When the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst was first announced, it carried a manufacturer's suggested retail price of just over $37,000, which includes paired nodes with autonomic restart and failover capabilities. Although it's a couple years old at this point, prices have remained relatively stable. Although prices for used hardware may be slightly lower, the lack of any guaranteed warranties may not be worth it. Either way you look at it, the HP StoreOnce Federated Catalyst is a device that is only for those who are serious about upgrading their company's IT operations.

More Information

If you are interested in finding out more about how HP's StoreOnce Federated Catalyst can improve IT operations on behalf of your business, please visit Hewlett-Packard's official website at www.hp.com. HP's customer support teams are also available on all of the most popular social media sites.