Start-up Data Domain is rolling out a disk-based appliance this week that it says backs up and recovers data faster than traditional tape-based approaches.

The DD200 appliance compresses by as much as 20 times data it gets from standard back-up software. It connects to an Ethernet network and sits between a back-up server and tape library. After the back-up server gathers the data using traditional software, it stores data on the DD200 instead of tape.

Embedded software called Restore Protection Manager compresses redundant data, thereby saving on disk and tape use. Data then is migrated to tape for archival purposes and long-term storage using Veritas Software or Legato Systems back-up software.

Charles Orgish, manager of distributed systems at Stanford University in Palo Alto, has tested Data Domain's appliance.

"One of the things that is killing us is the amount of data that needs to be backed up," Orgish says. "We have multiple tapes going and only so much time at night to back up data. The fact that we can back up disk-to-disk [with the DD200] is a real win.

"Data Domain with its compression ratios lets us keep data online and recover it faster," he says.

Experts say that while primary storage technology has improved over the past 10 years, back-up technology has not improved at the same rate. According to Gartner, backup and recovery is a growing part of the total cost of ownership (TCO) for storage. While the price of primary storage is shrinking, in 2002 35% of the TCO of storage was in its backup and recovery, 20% in downtime, 18% in storage administration, and 10% is in its original purchase price.

While the DD200 competes with other Advanced Technology Attachment storage arrays from EMC, StorageTek, Network Appliance and Quantum, Kenniston says that no other vendor compresses data.

The DD200 is a seven-inch-high box that contains 16 drives for a logical 23.4 terabytes of storage.

The DD200 and RPM software costs $58,000 and is expected to be available later this year.