Partner POV | NetBackup DirectIO: Modernizing NetBackup with Cohesity Data Cloud
In this article
This article was written and submitted for publication by our partner, Cohesity.
Enterprises today face escalating threats, expanding data estates, and growing operational complexity. To stay resilient, IT organizations must modernize their data protection without sacrificing the reliability of existing investments.
NetBackup DirectIO, powered by Cohesity Data Cloud, delivers a modern, secure, and scalable foundation for NetBackup environments. By connecting Cohesity NetBackup directly to Cohesity SpanFS®— the same web-scale file system that powers Cohesity's unified data platform—DirectIO will transform your backup infrastructure into a highperformance, cyber-resilient, and AI-ready data foundation. It enables faster recovery, simplified operations, stronger security, and dramatically lower total cost of ownership—all without workflow disruption or migration.
How it works
Traditional NetBackup deployments rely on OST (OpenStorage Technology) plugins and third-party deduplication arrays, often leading to performance bottlenecks and limited scalability. DirectIO replaces these constraints with a streamlined, nextgeneration data path built for the Cohesity Data Cloud.
DirectIO modernizes data protection with three integrated layers:
- Client deduplication – Deduplication happens at the source, minimizing network traffic, accelerating backups, and reducing storage costs.
- DirectIO protocol – A Cohesity-optimized evolution of OST adding inline indexing, replication, and SmartFiles views for instant access and secondary data use.
- SpanFS File system – Cohesity's patented, scale-out f ile system consolidates backup, file, and object storage into one intelligent, immutable data layer. It enables simultaneous access by NetBackup, DataProtect, and Cohesity analytics services—all from a single optimized copy of data.
This integration turns backup data into a live, actionable asset—available for recovery, analysis, and cyber defense at any scale.
Built for enterprise flexibility
DirectIO is designed for large, distributed environments that demand speed, simplicity, and adaptability. It supports a wide range of workloads and deployment configurations:
Future enhancements include instant recovery for VMware, TLS 1.3, Isolated Recovery Environments (IRE), additional platforms/workloads, and more.
The DirectIO advantage
Seamless modernization – no migration required An enhanced integration that allows NetBackup to write directly to SpanFS, eliminating legacy storage without workflow disruption.
Enterprise scale and performance Client-side deduplication and distributed processing enable linear scalability and optimized throughput.
Lower total cost of ownership - Reduce infrastructure costs with fewer media servers, efficient deduplication, and unified operations.
Future-proof intelligence and insight - In the future, you'll be able to leverage Cohesity Gaia and SmartFiles for AI-powered analytics, classification, and enterprise search.
A smarter path to cyber resilience
NetBackup DirectIO redefines what's possible in enterprise data protection. By uniting the reliability of NetBackup with Cohesity's modern data architecture, organizations gain a simpler, smarter, and more secure foundation for the future. With a single platform for protection, recovery, analytics, and AI, DirectIO transforms backup data from a passive archive into an active source of resilience and insight. Modernize your NetBackup infrastructure today—and turn data protection into a competitive advantage.