Adaptive Deduplication: More Data Reduction Bang for Your Backup Buck

Adaptive deduplication is a hybrid data reduction technology that combines inline compression with post-processing data deduplication. The major differentiating feature of Adaptive Deduplication is that it does not require expensive dedicated hardware; it operates on affordable Unitrends backup appliances.

The term "adaptive" refers to the fact that this technology adapts dynamically to the following factors:

  • The type of content
  • The degree of compression-ability of the content
  • The anticipated degree of deduplication-ability of the content
  • The amount of available secondary storage (disk)
  • The amount of available primary storage (memory)
  • The number of available processor cores
 Data Compression and Encryption

The specifications of Adaptive Deduplication on current generation Unitrends backup appliances is given below - note that future versions of hardware will enable other features as well.
Data Reduction Tradeoff Technique Chosen Comments
Compression versus deduplication Both Inline compression coupled with post-processing deduplication
Inline verus post-processing Both Inline compression coupled with post-processing deduplication
Source versus target Target All processing off-loaded from components being protected
File versus byte-level Byte-level Bit-level compression coupled with byte-level deduplication
Hardware versus software Hardware Integrated hardware not only at storage device level but also integrated backup
Local versus global Local Local on a per-appliance basis; no global deduplication across backup appliances. Lightweight RAIN used for federated monitoring and management; independent storage pools


Deduplication | Adaptive Backup Deduplication