datadomain

Data Domain is a family of data backup appliances that deliver inline deduplication and scalable storage for backup, archiving, and disaster recovery workflows. Originating as a standalone company, Data Domain, Inc. introduced deduplication-focused storage solutions and was acquired by EMC Corporation in 2009. Following EMC’s acquisition by Dell, the products became part of Dell EMC, continuing to be marketed under the Data Domain name.

Core technology and capabilities

Data Domain appliances are designed to reduce the size of backup data and lower bandwidth requirements through inline deduplication, meaning redundant data is removed as data is written to disk. The system typically stores only unique data blocks and uses metadata to reconstruct full backups when needed. Many models include built-in data integrity features, redundant power and cooling, and RAID protection. Data Domain supports replication of deduplicated data to remote sites for disaster recovery, enabling offsite copies with reduced bandwidth. Some models offer encryption options for data at rest and in transit. The platform also supports integration with major backup software through standard protocols and may offer specialized integration via DD Boost, which allows backup applications to leverage Data Domain deduplication more efficiently.

Deployment and use cases

Data Domain appliances are commonly deployed as backup targets in enterprise environments, handling primary backups, long-term retention, and DR copies. They are used to consolidate backup storage, improve restore times, and reduce storage capacity requirements. The system can operate as a centralized backup repository or as a scalable solution across multiple sites, often working in concert with backup software from vendors such as Veritas, Commvault, IBM, and Dell EMC NetWorker.

See also

Data deduplication, Dell EMC, Data Domain DD series.