HP takes on Dell/EMC in SMB storage

Computerworld - Competing with Dell Inc. for small business users who needs to back up their data, Hewlett-Packard Co. launched a low-priced, disk-based backup and recovery system today.

The HP StorageWorks D2D Backup System will automatically save the data from as many as four servers, with total capacity of either 750GB or 1.5TB. Users can restore lost files within minutes, compared to a process of several hours for a tape-based system, HP said.

Most users say that tape-based systems are the most cost-effective method of backing up data, but as new accounting laws demand greater storage regulations, that could soon change, said Adam Thew, marketing director for HP's StorageWorks division.

Compared to connecting a direct-attached tape storage device to every server in a business, HP's new disk-to-disk product can reduce the cost of ownership and chance of human error, Thew said during a webcast Monday. The D2D system is designed for small business owners with little IT management experience, offering a simple setup wizard interface, Web-based monitoring, and standard Ethernet cables with iSCSI (Internet Small Computer Systems Interface).

Still, HP says tape-based storage is important for a complete backup system. "D2D will not replace tapes entirely. We do recommend that customers keep a single tape-based system offsite for disaster recovery," Thew said.

Dell and its partner EMC Corp. launched a similar backup system on Feb. 20, offering the disk-based CX3-10 SAN (storage-area network) array for small and medium-size businesses. Like HP, Dell says its system works best in concert with tape-based storage, and also launched two new products in its tape library line, the PowerVault TL2000 and PowerVault TL4000.

Dell's systems are intended for buyers with larger storage needs and hardware budgets than HP's, with the CX3-10 starting at $22,000 and the PowerVault libraries starting at 9,300.

HP sells the D2D110 model with 750GB useable storage capacity for $1,999, and the D2D120 model with 1.5TB for $2,999. HP charges $1,000 more to bundle its Data Protector Express software with the products.