NetApp Pumps Up Its NearStore Appliance

Network Appliance Inc. is readying an update to its NearStore secondary storage appliance and associated software that will appeal to users looking for a buffer between primary storage and tape libraries.

The R200 replaces the R100 and R150 models and can hold between 8 terabytes and 96 terabytes in a single box, according to officials at the Sunnyvale, Calif., company. The products are due next month.

The R200 uses 320GB drives, with 14 drives per shelf, and incorporates a new proprietary RAID version called RAID-DP, the officials said.

In addition, the company is updating its SnapVault software to Version 2.0 to allow it to work with NetApps high-end Filer series. SnapVault will also get open-file backup support, block-level incremental backup for third-party storage and better backup of Microsoft Corp.s Windows registries. It adds support for Windows 2003s snapshot feature, officials said.

Henry King, CIO of Chicago architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP—designer of the Sears Tower and John Hancock Center, both in Chicago—currently runs backups to a NearStore R100. "In the process of designing, we produce a huge amount of data. We are backing up about 4 terabytes of data on a daily basis," King said.

The companys focus now is on being more careful about what it backs up, rather than using all available capacity. The 96 terabytes in the R200 is a nice idea, "but at some point you still have to manage that," King said.

NetApp will make the announcements Dec. 2 at its annual Analyst Day, in Santa Clara, Calif., officials said. Support for the R100 and R150 hardware will continue for five years, they said.