Overland Storage REO 4000

Tandberg Data's BAKStor appliance is a direct competitor and, although it doesn't support FC connectivity, our tests show clearly what overall iSCSI performance you should be expecting. Using the same client system and tests, the BAKstor returned 76MB/sec for a standard iSCSI disk target and a speedy 26.4MB/sec while backing up to a virtual LTO-2 tape drive. As is always our policy in the Labs when we have concerns over performance, the vendor was advised of our results. Overland Storage wouldn't confirm or deny them, but did state that it's extremely unlikely that the REO 4000 is capable of delivering the speeds we've generally been seeing in the Labs for other iSCSI and FC devices.

It's a great shame about the performance, as otherwise the REO 4000 has a lot going for it as a backup and recovery appliance. iSCSI virtual disk, tape and library plus FC support makes it highly versatile. But if you feel the need for speed then you must look elsewhere.

Author: Dave Mitchell