Case Study: Xcel Energy achieves 75% shorter backup windows and rapid remote recoveries with Dell EMC Data Domain

EMC delivers operational excellence for enterprise-wide backup and recovery

Xcel Energy, a major electricity and natural gas provider serving millions of customers, faced unreliable, slow remote-site backups—many in hard-to-reach, low-bandwidth locations—reliant on costly tape processes that threatened restorability and business continuity. To address these issues, Xcel Energy selected Dell EMC and its Data Domain deduplication storage systems (plus Data Domain Replicator and Data Domain Boost for Symantec NetBackup) to modernize remote-site protection.

Dell EMC deployed Data Domain appliances across 44 remote sites and two primary data centers, enabling efficient deduplication, network-efficient replication and tight NetBackup integration. As a result, Xcel Energy cut backup windows by about 75% to three–four hours, completed remote recoveries in as little as 90 minutes, achieved deduplication ratios exceeding 20:1, and significantly reduced outsourced data management costs and WAN impact—delivering measurable improvements in reliability and operational efficiency.

Xcel Energy

Daniel Brown

Business Technology Executive