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Data deduplication

Data deduplication

Data deduplication definition

Data deduplication is a technique used in computer storage systems to eliminate redundant or duplicate copies of data. It aims to reduce the amount of storage space required and improve overall efficiency.

See also: data center storage, storage capacity

How data deduplication works

In order to store only one copy of each unique data segment, the system identifies and eliminates identical segments or blocks. Then, a reference or pointer is created to the single stored copy. When data needs to be accessed or retrieved, the system uses these references to reconstruct the original data.

There are several different types of data deduplication techniques:

1. File-level deduplication: identifies duplicate files and stores only a single copy, eliminating duplicate files across the storage system.
2. Block-level deduplication: operates at a lower level by dividing files into smaller blocks or chunks. Duplicate blocks are identified and stored only once. This method allows for deduplication within files.
3. Variable-length deduplication: identifies and removes redundant data at variable lengths, which means that duplicates of any size can be eliminated.

Data deduplication advantages

1. Reduced storage requirements. By eliminating redundant data, organizations can save significant storage space and reduce storage costs.
2. Improved backup and restore times. Deduplication reduces the amount of data that needs to be backed up or restored, leading to faster operations, as well as shorter recovery times in case of data loss or system failures.
3. Bandwidth optimization and increased transfer efficiency. When transferring data over networks, deduplication reduces the amount of data that needs to be transmitted. This speeds up transfers between systems, as only unique data needs to be transmitted.