Quantum Removable Disk System Aimed at Small Businesses

The entry-level RDX system includes a removable cartridges and Quantum GoProtect backup software for Microsoft's Windows operating system.

Quantum, a specialist in backup, recovery and archiving solutions, announced worldwide availability of Quantum RDX, a removable disk-based data protection system that leverages data reduction technology to decrease cartridge requirements by up to 20:1. Aimed at SMBs (small to medium-sized businesses), the non-proprietary Quantum RDX system offers removable disk cartridges for onsite and offsite storage to help meet data backup, disaster recovery and archiving requirements. The disk system could serve as a replacement for low-end tape devices, such as DDS/DAT, a company release said.

The entry-level RDX system includes a dock (USB tabletop, SATA or USB internal versions), removable cartridges and Quantum GoProtect backup software for Microsoft's Windows operating system. GoProtect data reduction technology eliminates redundant data, thereby decreasing the number of cartridges required for backups. Open standards-based RDX cartridges are sold separately in 160GB, 320GB, 500GB and 640GB capacities, and each cartridge contains a 2.5 inch mobile hard drive in shock-resistant mounting that is read and write compatible and interchangeable with any RDX dock.

GoProtect software offers integrated protection plans, while data restores can be done with drag and drop functionality through Windows Explorer. RDX system is available now from Quantum's partners and distributors worldwide. Pricing for tabletop solutions (dock, removable cartridges, software) starts at just over $300 with cartridges (160GB) starting under $150. "The simplicity, speed and interoperability of the Quantum RDX system make it an ideal, cost-effective backup solution for SMB customers that like the portability of their current tape devices but also want the performance advantages of disk," said Rob Clark, senior vice president, tape business and OEM partnerships at Quantum.

Earlier this year, the company debuted its DXi4500 disk backup appliances. The turnkey DXi4510 and DXi4520 work with backup software packages to provide non-disruptive deduplication. They come bundled with all DXi software licenses needed to support backup -- including in VMware environments -- deduplication, and replication. Pricing starts at $12,500 for the DXi4510; the DXi4520 goes for $22,500. Quantum offers two DXi4500 models for a choice of capacity points. The DXi4510 provides 2TB of usable capacity, while the DXi4520 provides 4TB. Both models offer RAID 6 protection with up to 400GB per hour data ingest performance and support encrypted and compressed replication streams.

The DXi4500 appliances leverage the same software as Quantum's DXi6500 midrange and DXi7500 enterprise systems. The DXi-Series protects a range of customer needs, scaling from less than 2TB to more than 200TB of usable capacity. Quantum claimed DXi-Series customers typically cut backup time by more than 50 percent, decrease backup management time by nearly 70 percent, and reduce expenses associated with purchasing, managing and storing removable media by nearly 50 percent.

Lauren Whitehouse, a senior analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), noted ESG research found that the top four considerations for data deduplication include cost, ease of implementation and use, performance, and integration with existing backup processes. "The DXi4500 appliances convincingly address each of these areas," she said.