Backup Exec 2012 Hyper-V and Optimized Deduplication

[js_newc]

We have several Hyper-V hosts that we are backing up to deduplication storage at several remote sites all managed by a CASO server.   We are in the process of setting up optimized deduplication by duplicating the deduplication disk storage at our remote locations to a central location.  To get the best performance (and use the least amount of bandwidth) during the duplication to our central site, should we backup the Hyper-V guests using the Hyper-V agent on the host or backup each vm guest separately with the Windows Agent?  We do have the Windows agent installed on every Hyper-V guest so that we can use GRT.  I was not sure if Optimized Deduplication worked well with the Hyper-V agent backups, since is it backing up the whole VHD file of the guest and didn't know if that would offer any "optimization" during the duplication process.

[teiva-boy]

RAWS offers the best dedupe performance when compared to Hyper-V.  With 2012, there is a ne wapplication streamer for Hyper-V VHD files, but again, RAWS is the best for overall dedupe rates.  The streamers are an intelligent reader of the file format to best break it up and dedupe it.  It's also a first release of the Hyper-V streamer too, so your mileage will vary.

Arguably, RAWS even bests Vmware to some degree too for dedupe performance.  However, who wants to back up guest OS's?  Images are the way to go...