At last month’s DattoCon19, Datto unveiled its smallest BC/DR devices ever: the SIRIS 5 X1 and X2 (or S4X1 & S4X2, for short).
These backup devices are tiny enough to fit in your pocket — but don’t let the small size fool you. They’re powerful disaster recovery solutions, designed to provide dependable data protection for businesses in nearly any industry.
In this post, we take a closer look at the new S4X1 and what makes it unique from Datto’s other backup solutions.
New Small Size: S4X1 and S4X2
The Datto S4X1 and S4X2 are Datto’s all-flash versions of the new Datto SIRIS 5. They offer nearly all the same data-backup features and capabilities of the SIRIS 5, but in a compact design that can sit right on your desktop.
Just how compact?
The S4X1 and S4X2 are only 4 inches wide (and one inch tall). That’s a significant drop in size from the S3X1, which measured 5″ W x 2″ H, making the S4X1 Datto’s smallest backup device yet.
Same Blazing SSD Speeds
Despite the smaller size, the X1 and X2 are more powerful than ever.
They’re built with ultra-fast solid-state drives, which give these tiny backup devices an incredible level of performance. They ensure lightning speeds for all processes related to backup and recovery, including:
– Fast, seamless data backups: Backups can be performed as often as every 5 minutes, without draining system resources.
– Quick, dependable data recovery: Rapidly restore files, folders or entire backups directly from the device. (In the event of on-site infrastructure damage, you can also recover data from the Datto Cloud).
– Instant backup virtualization: Backups can be virtualized directly on the device for instant access to data and applications. The all-flash SSD drives ensure fast virtualization speeds and dependable app performance.
Why SSD for Backup?
There are two core benefits for using solid-state drives in BC/DR devices:
· No moving parts = low risk of mechanical failure: No storage drive lasts forever – they all have a limited lifespan. But traditional magnetic disk drives have a higher risk of mechanical failure, simply due to how they’re designed. HDD drives are constantly moving as data is read and written on the drive. Even though they’re designed for heavy use, long-term mechanical degradation is inevitable. And when it comes to data backup and recovery, you can’t afford to experience drive failure. With solid-state drives, the data is stored on chips. This means no moving parts, thus removing the risk of mechanical failure.
· Speed and performance: Flash drives use high-powered chips to bring faster performance to all aspects of the backup process. While the CPU does most of the heavy lifting for processing, the SSD drives enable the data storage to be accessed even faster. Faster read and write speeds translate into faster backups and faster recoveries.
Keep in mind that the conventional rackmount SIRIS 5 also incorporates SSD to accelerate backup processes, but additional HDD drives are used for the backup storage, offering capacity up to 100 TB. What makes the X1 and X2 different is that they are all flash, meaning that the backups are stored on SSD too.
Up to 2 TB of Storage – and That’s Just the Beginning
The S4X1 and S4X2 get their names from the storage capacities they offer: 1 TB and 2 TB of data, respectively. That will fit the needs of most small businesses, but if you have greater storage needs, Datto has some other options for you.
In addition to the mini desktop version, the all-flash SIRIS 5X is also available in rackmount versions. This gives you the speed and performance benefits of SSD, combined with much larger storage capacities – up to 48 TB.
No More Agent Limits
This is a really great update that didn’t get much attention at DattoCon. Unlike the SIRIS 3X and previous versions, the new 4X series has no limits on agents.
We repeat: the S4X1 and S4X2 do not have agent limits. This means you can add the Datto agent to as many machines as you want, and they’ll all be protected (as long as you stay under the storage capacity, of course).
Affordable for SMBs
There’s a lot to like about the S4X1 – the all-flash speed, performance, super-small form factor and overall continuity benefits delivered by all SIRIS appliances.
But another thing we love about the 4X devices is the affordability. They truly provide enterprise-level data protection for a fraction of the typical cost. Businesses using the S4X1 achieve a level of continuity that was previously only available to companies paying a hundred times more.
Pricing can vary depending on your specific setup (which device you choose, how many agents you’re using, etc.), but no matter how you deploy it, Datto and its MSP partners have worked to ensure that price makes sense for SMB budgets.
Record virtualization boot time
After a ransomware attack, small businesses lose an average of $8,581 per hour, due to the downtime that results from the data loss. For larger businesses, those figures balloon into tens of thousands of dollars for each hour of inactivity.
With Datto’s S4X1 and other SIRIS 5 devices, you don’t have to wait to regain access to your critical applications and data. It only takes seconds.
Like all SIRIS appliances, the S4X1 allows you to boot your backup as a virtual machine. This virtualization can be done directly on the appliance or off-site via the Datto Cloud. In either scenario, the boot time is near instant. In as little as 6 seconds, you can get back to business, using the critical apps that power your operations.
Powerful Intel CPUs, combined with the SSD drives, make this virtualization quicker than ever, while also ensuring that your heavy-duty apps work seamlessly with no hiccups or lag.
Hybrid Protection
Even if you only need access to a few files or folders, you can quickly restore them from either location:
· On site: S4X1
· Off site: Datto Cloud
This redundancy, referred to as hybrid cloud backup, ensures your data is protected from a greater range of disaster scenarios.
In most situations, you’ll restore data directly from the on-site device. This ensures the fastest possible recovery.
But what if your building is destroyed in a fire or is otherwise inaccessible? If you’ve kept all your eggs in one basket—i.e. backups only at the affected location—then your data would probably be gone forever (and potentially your business, too).
With SIRIS, you can have peace of mind knowing that your data is also stored in the cloud and instantly available for a file-level restore, full backup recovery or virtualization.
Speaking of Ransomware …
Like other data backup and disaster recovery solutions from Datto, the SIRIS X series features built-in ransomware protection.
A good antimalware solution will always be a critical first line of defense against known ransomware strains. Software + network firewalls + file access controls will help to block most threats before an infection can take root. But if ransomware does slip through, the S4X1 can help you stop it in its tracks.
SIRIS devices actively monitor your backups for common signs of a ransomware infection. When an infection is detected, administrators are alerted, so that they can quickly roll back to a clean recovery point. This rapid response can significantly reduce the impact of a ransomware attack.
Now with Self-Healing RAM
One of the big updates to come out of DattoCon19 was that all SIRIS 5 appliances will now feature self-healing ECC memory (short for error-correcting code), which reduces the risk of data corruption.
Datto’s backups are already extremely resilient, thanks to the company’s Inverse Chain Technology, which removes the dependence on backup chains where common data-corruption problems occur. But now with ECC memory, SIRIS backups are even more iron-clad.
ECC RAM detects internal data corruption that leads to memory failure and corrects it automatically. A reduced rate of memory failure means fewer corrupted backups. And in the event that something is wrong with the backup, Datto’s Screenshot Verification process automatically alerts admins, so they can address it immediately.
Which SIRIS is Right for Your Needs?
This depends on a few factors.
The S4X1 and S4X2 are primarily intended for smaller businesses that prefer the simple setup and small size of the mini desktop device. But given the vast capabilities of these devices, larger companies may choose to deploy them as well.
In the past, the X series was ideal for businesses with single-license backup needs. So for example, it was a good fit for businesses with only one server.
But with the removal of agent limits on the X series, this opens up more opportunities for other deployments.
Your data storage needs should be the first rule of thumb for determining which SIRIS is right for you. As mentioned above, the X series offers storage capacity up to 48 TB on the rackmount versions. But if you prefer the pocket-sized S4X1 and S4X2, your capacity can’t exceed 1 TB or 2 TB, respectively.
If you’re unsure which backup solution is right for you, give us a call and our experts will be happy to guide you in the right direction.
Learn more
Request a free demo to take a tour of the SIRIS 5 X series or other disaster recovery solutions from Datto. For more information, contact our business continuity specialists at (646) 395-1170.
