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Copy data is the creation of numerous copies of electronic data due to the use of multiple silo data management systems performing functions such as disaster recovery, business continuity, software development and testing, and backups independently of each other. Copy data causes problems in the form wasted storage capacity, poor network performance, and increased costs. Copy data management reduces the costs and other problems associated with copy data by centralizing data and providing users with virtual instances of files in order to avoid unnecessary duplication.

Origin and impact of copy data
Copy data is generated by the use of multiple information silo } siloed systems and processes that duplicate data such as disaster recovery backup systems, business continuity applications, software development and testing, processing discovery requests in litigation, regulatory requests, etc. Copy data is often distributed throughout large organizations and forgotten about while consuming valuable IT resources.

According to research published by IDC, copy data cost businesses $44 billion in 2013. A survey of IT managers found that up to 120 copies of a piece of particular data are made. At this time, business was spending more on coping with copy data than actual production data. In 2012, more than 60 percent of all worldwide corporate storage capacity was filled with copy data. The same year, copy data accounted for 85% of the cost of storage hardware purchases and 65% of storage software spending. It was estimated that spending on copy data management would grow to $50 billion globally by 2016 and that copy data would occupy 300 exabytes of storage.

Copy data management
Copy data management reduces the costs and other problems associated with copy data through centralized data integration and providing users with virtual instances of files in order to avoid unnecessary duplication. Another key component of copy data management is reducing the number of systems involved in managing storage.