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Data protection initiatives may fall flat without these three key attributes

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4 years ago

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Data protection

Benchmarks show Huawei’s OceanProtect surpasses peer

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 22, 2022/APO Group/ — 

As modern enterprises hail data as the lifeblood of their business, comprehensive data protection has become paramount. Indeed, the accelerated pace of digital transformation in recent years has made data a fundamental and strategic business resource as well as a key production factor.

Already, data is being generated, consumed and stored at an unprecedented pace. According to IDC, global data creation and replication is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 23 percent from 2020 to 2025. In 2020, 64.2 ZB of data were created or replicated. The research firm reckons that the amount of digital data created over the next five years will be greater than twice the amount of data created since the advent of digital storage.

The data deluge is prompting prudent companies to refocus IT budgets on protecting data, especially their most critical business asset – production data.

Efficiency, performance, reliability

The cost of data protection aside, the major challenge for IT is to mitigate the risk of a devastating data loss in the face of mounting ransomware attacks and data breaches.

Further, the rapid development cycles of modern cloud-native application environments and evolving data-intensive applications – such as artificial intelligence, automation, Internet of Things and video surveillance – have increased the required levels of protection, performance and scale dramatically.

Such demands overwhelm the capabilities of traditional backup tools. In this exacting IT landscape, enterprises need data protection solutions that bear three critical attributes: highly efficient data reduction rates, fast backup and recovery performance, and highly reliable and available data copies

Data reduction efficiency enables enterprises to store and transfer large amounts of backup data expeditiously so they can optimize investments in storage hardware, increase effective capacity and reduce total cost of ownership.

Fast backup and recovery performance enables businesses to minimize operational downtime or disruption, especially in the aftermath of a ransomware attack. Underpinning these is reliability. Having a good, clean backup to recover from lays the foundation for an effective data protection strategy.

Geared to deliver these benefits, the Huawei OceanProtect data protection solution adopts a unified approach – protecting exabytes of structured and unstructured data generated by databases, file systems and VMware virtual machines (VMs) – that ensures zero service disruption, zero data loss, and long-term information retention.

Huawei OceanProtect outperforms peer

A recent report (https://bit.ly/3i0CJzG) jointly published by Evaluator Group presented results of comprehensive benchmarking tests that compare the Huawei OceanProtect (https://bit.ly/3ERCIqI) data protection system with a peer product, the Dell EMC PowerProtect DD, based on the three attributes mentioned above.

The test environment was configured for function and performance verification. Network connectivity and hosts had the same configurations. Each data protection system was connected to seven servers through IP switches. The Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 x86_64 operating system was deployed on four of the servers for performance tests.

VMware virtualization applications and Oracle database applications were deployed on two servers to compare and verify data reduction ratios in different scenarios. The other server was used as the media server for the backup application Veritas NetBackup (NBU).

Rapid backup and recovery

To test backup and recovery speed, the primary tool utilized was vdbench in file mode. The aim is to accurately perform file operations while ensuring high I/O rates to files as desired. The choice of tool removes potential bottlenecks from the backup application as well as any bias for or against any third-party backup application.

The Huawei OceanProtect and Dell EMC PowerProtect systems each included a storage pool created with a 1 PB filesystem. The filesystem was then NFS mounted to eight mount points on each of the four machines running the workloads. High performance optimizations were set for both test systems.

Test results show that Huawei OceanProtect’s Oracle backup performance of 6,853 MB/s was 2.6 times faster than the 2,621 MB/s clocked by the peer product from Dell EMC. In the VM backup performance test, OceanProtect’s speed of 8,004 MB/s was 2.4 times faster than the peer product’s 3,383 MB/s.

The research firm reckons that the amount of digital data created over the next five years will be greater than twice the amount of data created since the advent of digital storage

Next, the write performance of both systems was measured by simulating the first full backup of general applications. Here, Huawei OceanProtect’s 10,591 MB/s was 2.3 times faster than the peer product’s 4.640 MB/s.

Overall, Huawei OceanProtect delivered more than two times faster backup data rates than its leading competitor. The test results bolster Huawei OceanProtect’s status as a solution that creates opportunities for improved system utilization, cost savings and management efficiency.

After the backup simulations, the read bandwidth recovery performance of both systems was simulated and tested. The application restore performance comparison showed that Huawei OceanProtect’s read bandwidth after the first backup is 1.5 times that for the Dell EMC system.

Since the recovery test was performed after the first backup, the read bandwidth of systems like Dell EMC’s, which use rotating media (i.e. hard disk drive), will decline as additional backups are created and backup data become scattered. In contrast, this has little impact on the all-flash OceanProtect system so its recovery speed advantage over those systems would increase with additional backups.

Efficient data reduction

The NBU application was used to verify the data reduction ratios of both products in daily full backups of Oracle database and VM data.

The Oracle database to be backed up was activated with the NBU client installed and user authentication on the NBU client and Oracle database completed. From the management pages of both systems, Evaluator Group observed that the data reduction ratio of Huawei OceanProtect for daily full backup of the Oracle database was 43.4, higher than the 28.1 for the Dell EMC product.

The Linux VM to be backed up was prepared on each solution’s VMware ESXi server. Again, the Huawei OceanProtect’s data reduction ratio of 29.3 for daily full backup of VM data was higher than the peer product’s ratio of 19.7.

By achieving approximately 50 percent greater reduction ratios for various data, Huawei OceanProtect has an effective capacity of nearly 50 percent greater than Dell EMC PowerProtect when configured with the same raw capacity.

OceanProtect’s high data reduction ratios is an endorsement of its efficient usage of data storage infrastructure. Using advanced algorithms and byte-level compaction technologies, OceanProtect breaks data into chunks based on the source and other data characteristics before it deduplicates, compresses and compacts the data further.

High reliability

The Evaluator Group also observed how the simultaneous failure of any three disks in a storage pool affects backup services on both backup storage systems.

The analysts installed and configured the file backup client, prepared the test data, and recorded the Message-Digest algorithm 5 (MD5) value of the test data. They created a 1 TB NFS file share in a storage pool on the Huawei OceanProtect system and a 1 TB Mtree NFS file share in a storage pool on the Dell EMC system. Strikingly, OceanProtect supports RAID triple-parity (RAID-TP) but the peer product does not.

The file shares were mapped to the backup server as a backup storage repository. The analysts then ran a full backup of the files on the two systems. Data from this completed backup was then restored. The success of the recovery was verified by calculating the MD5 value of the restored file and using it to check the integrity of the restored data.

Meanwhile, the full backup job was run on the common file again. When this job was initiated, three disks were removed from the storage pool. Then, the status and alarms of the affected storage pool as well as the running status of the backup task were checked.

Consequently, the backup services of Huawei OceanProtect remained normal and showed no loss of access to data, but the backup services of the peer product from Dell EMC reported errors. Equipped with dual-controller active-active architecture, RAID-TP and ransomware prevention technologies, Huawei OceanProtect is well positioned to deliver 99.9999 percent availability, as can be shown by real-life examples beyond the lab.

Conclusion

The Evaluator Group’s test results evidently show that the Huawei OceanProtect outperforms the peer product in all three critical aspects: data reduction ratio, backup and recovery speed, and reliability.

Significantly, Huawei OceanProtect’s superior capabilities translate to shorter backup windows and data recovery times, reduced expenditure, and higher levels of uptime. They also affirm OceanProtect’s trustworthiness as an intelligent all-flash backup storage designed to address enterprises’ data protection pain points in a dynamic, data-intensive digital economy.

To know more about Huawei OceanProtect, please click here (https://bit.ly/3OtHihX).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Huawei Enterprise.

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WARC reveals insights from the winners of the Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026

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36 minutes ago

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August 12, 2026

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Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026
Cultural insights, interactive experiences, strategic creator partnerships and platform-native ideas lead to commercial success
12 August 2026 – Strategically integrating cultural insights, interactive experiences, strategic creator partnerships, and platform-native ideas into campaigns are key drivers of commercial success, according to a new report by WARC, the global authority on marketing effectiveness.

‘Creative Effectiveness Lions – Insights from the 2026 winners’, identifies trends and themes common to the winners of this year’s Cannes Creative Effectiveness Lions awards category, which rewards creativity that has also met business goals and driven sustainable impact over time.

Based on WARC’s exclusive access to the jury deliberations and analysis of the entries, the report unearths insights into what makes a campaign both creative and effective, offers a behind-the-scenes view on the strategies that led to success, and provides takeaways for advertisers, agencies, media owners, people and planet.

Commenting on the report, John Bizzell, Content Lead, WARC, said: “This year’s winning Creative Effectiveness campaigns offer valuable insights for marketers, demonstrating how creative excellence can address genuine business and social issues while delivering meaningful growth.”

On the winners, jury president Bertille Toledano, CEO, BETC, Havas Creative Middle East and President of Havas Creative Network, commented: “The jury sought to award Lions to campaigns that delivered genuine impact on real people – the kind of campaigns you would discuss with your mother over lunch. We kept in mind the Creative Effectiveness Ladder to select the most effective creative work that embodied a cultural vision and a clear sense of what the brand stands for. These are the ones I’ll be telling my mother about.”

The three key themes of the Creative Effectiveness Lions 2026 winners are:

  • Rewrite cultural rules, don’t just reflect them

Cultural insight is a strategic business tool that helps brands actively focus on what connects people, and how to respond and innovate. Brands that move beyond surface-level understanding and instead use cultural analysis strategically can unlock new opportunities for growth, relevance and differentiation.

 

Brands should prioritize activation over observation, position themselves as cultural solutions, and focus on value exchange rather than transactional relationships.

Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix winner, Three Words for insurance brand AXA by Publicis France, transformed its home insurance offering to support victims of domestic violence in France by adding the clause ‘and domestic violence’ to its contracts, enabling emergency relocations for those in need.

Gold winner Pedigree’s Caramelo campaign by AlmapBBDO São Paulo, redefined the concept of ‘pedigree’ and increased the adoption of mixed-breed dogs in Brazil, particularly the culturally significant Caramelo, expanding its total addressable market.

  • Interactive experiences foster deeper brand involvement

Turning brand assets into interactive tools enables brands to deepen engagement, foster participation and create memorable moments for audiences.

Brands should embrace direct consumer participation utilising assets, leverage data to build credibility, and implement meaningful reward mechanisms to drive engagement.

Vaseline, the trusted skin healer’s silver-winning Vaseline Verified campaign by Ogilvy Singapore, engaged directly with creators to address misinformation about its product on social media to ensure safe usage among consumers.

Furniture retailer IKEA’s Hidden Tags silver campaign in Portugal by Uzina, Lisbon, encouraged customers to discover the hidden production dates on their products to build consumer trust and reinforce long-term brand commitment.

  • Strategic creator partnerships and platform-native ideas build brands

Creators are more than paid promoters; they can be authentic advocates who add real value. Platform-specific features earn community buy-in and mean reach continues when spend stops.

Brands should focus on integration rather than interruption, look beyond simple amplification, and meet audiences where they naturally engage.

Uber Easts, the food delivery platform’s silver-winning campaign Football is for Food, by Special US, transformed its NFL sponsorship into a purchase opportunity by embedding itself into the sport, linking football with food.

Bronze-winning campaign ‘U Up?’ by Rethink Canada for IKEA leveraged multiple touchpoints to create unexpected brand interactions into points of purchase for mattresses by turning consumer insomnia into immediate conversation.

WARC’s John Bizzell added: “This year’s jury talked a lot about context, from sourcing to metrics and culture. The jury wanted to see work that included well-sourced, credible data and metrics on what was the business impact. They also wanted to see cultural context – on an international jury, not everyone may understand why an insight is so important for a brand or category. Entrants should bear these factors in mind for next year.”

The full report is available to WARC Strategy subscribers. An upcoming WARC Podcast available from 20 August will discuss the findings.

 

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Energy

ExxonMobil’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breakthrough Signals New Era of Digital Exploration in Guyana Ahead of Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027

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2 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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Etu Energias

As artificial intelligence transforms upstream decision-making, Guyana’s energy sector continues to attract investment and innovation ahead of the Caribbean Energy Week 2027 In-Country Launch in Georgetown on 1 September 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, August 12, 2026/APO Group/ –ExxonMobil’s announcement that artificial intelligence has identified four new exploration opportunities within Guyana’s prolific Stabroek Block marks a significant milestone in the country’s digital transformation. By applying AI to historical discoveries, drilling results and subsurface data, the company is demonstrating how advanced analytics, machine learning, high-performance computing and next-generation seismic imaging can accelerate exploration, reduce costs and improve discovery success rates.

 

The breakthrough comes as Guyana targets crude oil production of 1.3 million barrels per day by 2027 and 1.7 million barrels per day by 2030, underscoring the growing role of digital technologies in maximizing resource development alongside continued investment in drilling and infrastructure.

Against this backdrop, the Caribbean Energy Week (CEW) 2027 Guyana In-Country Launch, taking place on 1 September 2026 at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, will bring together operators, technology providers, geoscience companies, investors and regulators to examine the latest developments shaping Guyana’s energy sector and build momentum ahead of CEW 2027 next July. Returning for its second edition, CEW provides a premier platform for advancing investment, showcasing new projects and highlighting the technologies driving the country’s next phase of upstream growth.

Momentum behind AI adoption continues to build. In May 2026, ExxonMobil Vice President of Exploration John Ardill confirmed the company was expanding its use of deep learning, machine learning and high-performance computing to analyze seismic data and identify hydrocarbon-bearing prospects that were previously more difficult to evaluate.

The company is simultaneously advancing an ambitious offshore drilling program. This month, ExxonMobil commenced new drilling activities in Guyana’s Exclusive Economic Zone, including the Whiptail development well and Rockhead-1 exploration well. Earlier this year, the company also sought environmental authorization for the Haimara gas-condensate development and has proposed a 35-well drilling campaign between 2028 and 2033, reinforcing confidence in Guyana’s long-term exploration potential.

These developments are creating growing opportunities for AI developers, digital technology providers, seismic specialists, engineering firms and oilfield service companies that can support increasingly data-driven exploration and field development activities.

As the first official milestone on the road to Caribbean Energy Week 2027, the Georgetown launch will provide a platform for industry leaders to examine the technologies, partnerships and investment strategies driving Guyana’s next phase of growth while strengthening collaboration across the Caribbean energy sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Business

SOKOYO Advances Global Solar Street Lighting Capabilities

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3 hours ago

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August 12, 2026

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SOKOYO

BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 August 2026 – SOKOYO, a top manufacturer of solar street lights, has installed 252 sets of lighting units in QatarEnergy’s solar power project in Ras Laffan and Masaieed in Qatar.

Installation of SOKOYO’s split solar street lights for the project being built by Samsung C&T Corp. was completed in July. The arrangement of solar panels was customized at the customer’s request for ease of maintenance.

“SOKOYO provided us with a specially customized solution for our power station,” said Ms. Kathy, senior procurement manager for Samsung. “The entire solar street lighting system consistently met our expectations for brightness, battery life and overall reliability.”

SOKOYO, founded in 2008, has manufactured more than 1 million lighting units installed in a wide range of settings across SoutheastAsia, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.

The company manufactures its own LED modules, solar panels, batteries, light housings and light poles. They have third-party certification for European Union and other safety and reliability standards, which qualifies them for export to global markets.

SOKOYO is regularly appointed to bodies that establish national and industry standards.

SOKOYO’s product line includes all-in-one solar street lights, all-in-two solar street lights and split-type solar street lights. They can be controlled remotely with IoT technology to improve safety and efficiency. Using solar power makes them immune to disruptions in supplies of oil and gas.

As the industry evolves to focus on “system-level R&D,” SOKOYO is reducing customer costs by enhancing reliability and resistance to heat and cold. To improve efficiency, it is developing smart lighting and IoT applications. It is promoting modular production, intelligent manufacturing and standardized process management.

The research team has seven engineers, some with more than two decades of industry experience. They develop technology for a wide range of environments and customer needs.

SOKOYO has experience in markets including Thailand, thePhilippines, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. It has developed technology to cope with heat, humidity, sandstorms and low light during extended rains, a challenge in central Africa and other areas.

In Uganda, SOKOYO supplied 1,000 light sets to help improve safety on a busy expressway between the capital, Kampala, and the eastern industrial center of Jinja. They provide the first nighttime lighting on a 22-kilometer section of road crowded with trucks, buses and motorcycles.

In Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, SOKOYO lights use LED modules developed to cope with heat, sun and sand.

The company supplied more than 2,000 light units to Saudi Arabia’s planned high-tech city of NEOM as part of the Saudi 2030 Vision plan.

Customers can use SOKOYO’s test facilities to try out different light configurations. Lights can be tested on roads of up to four lanes in an1,100-square-meter darkroom. Designers and urban planners can ensure light is distributed effectively, eliminating dark areas on the road and improving safety.

Batteries are tested to confirm they resist crushing, heat and cold, vibration, overcharging or being dropped. LED modules are drenched in salt spray for up to 72 hours to make sure they resist corrosion.

SOKOYO has been chosen for bodies that formulated eight national and industry standards including the “General Technical Specification for Solar Photovoltaic Lighting Devices” in 2025 with definitions and standards for split-type and integrated solar devices.

SOKOYO products have third-party certification that they meet standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and other bodies.Its batteries meet the requirements of the CB scheme under the IEC, recognized in more than 50 countries. Tests confirm they withstand overcharging, high temperature, vibration, impact and short circuit.

The company’s solar panels received IEC certification that they meet standards for electric shock protection, temperature changes, damp, heat, humidity, hail impact and other factors.

SOKOYO participates in efforts to improve the industry’s reputation by promoting “zero false labeling” and reliable products that refuse to cut corners.

SOKOYO pays attention to the environment. Its products are designed to minimize light pollution and limit disruption for wildlife, stargazers and the public.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

 

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