BackupAssist vs Microsoft DPM comparison

BackupAssist and Microsoft are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. BackupAssist is ranked #62, while Microsoft is ranked #39 with an average rating of 7.8. BackupAssist holds a 0.8% mindshare in BRS, compared to Microsoft’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of BackupAssist users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 73% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.

BackupAssist

Read 5 BackupAssist reviews

1,735 Views
1,683 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft DPM

Read 21 Microsoft DPM reviews

3,314 Views
2,949 Comparison Views

73% willing to recommend

BackupAssist

Microsoft DPM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

Microsoft DPM and BackupAssist are competing products in the data backup and recovery sector. Microsoft DPM holds the upper hand in enterprise-level integration, while BackupAssist shines with its flexibility and affordability for SMB environments.

Features: Microsoft DPM provides seamless backup and recovery for SQL Server, Exchange, and SharePoint, continuous data protection, and scalability. BackupAssist offers remote archiving, comprehensive backup solutions including file and system backups, and supports a broad range of environments.

Room for Improvement: Microsoft DPM could improve its user-friendliness and reduce complexity in deployment for smaller businesses. It may also enhance support for non-Windows environments. BackupAssist might benefit from enhanced enterprise-level capabilities and stronger integration with cloud-based services. It also lacks some advanced features found in enterprise-focused solutions.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Microsoft DPM's deployment is complex, requiring skilled professionals, though it benefits from extensive support resources. BackupAssist is easier to deploy with intuitive design and user-friendly installation, and its customer service is personalized and accessible for businesses of all sizes.

Pricing and ROI: Microsoft DPM is more costly, focusing on long-term value through advanced features for large enterprises. BackupAssist is budget-friendly, with lower upfront costs and scalable features appealing to businesses with tighter budgets. Microsoft DPM appeals to large organizations, while BackupAssist provides value for smaller companies through affordable services.

To learn more, read our detailed BackupAssist vs. Microsoft DPM Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

BackupAssist vs. Microsoft DPM

April 2026

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Helped 893,244 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

BackupAssist

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

62nd

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

MSP Backup (13th)

Microsoft DPM

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

39th

Average Rating

7.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of BackupAssist is 0.8%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft DPM is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Microsoft DPM	0.9%
BackupAssist	0.8%
Other	98.3%

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

RichardMukarakate

Director at Gemini Systems

Provides ransomware protection, does good reporting, and is close to perfect for our use case

The main challenge that I have had with it was no line of support, but I've anyway taken away the Linux machine that I was using. So, I don't need that anymore. I'm migrating my Exchange to the cloud. So, I probably will stop using the exchange backup side of it sometime next year, but the rest of the virtual machines that I have on-premises are very well covered by it. To be able to back up my online Exchange, I know there is a backup in the cloud, but I prefer to have something physical with something on my premises as well. It stopped doing my backups after I did the last update on it.

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Nirukshitha Gamage

Senior Manager - System Infrastructure Software Support Team at DMS Electronics (Pvt) Ltd

User finds setup straightforward but seeks wider platform support and advanced features

Microsoft DPM could implement backup capabilities for third-party systems such as Linux. They also need to consider other features such as replication to DR sites, similar to what Veeam and other products offer. Microsoft DPM didn't have that capability at that time. If they want to remain competitive in the market, they need to observe the competition and implement improvements. The backup should have compression, deduplication, and DR replication. They should also improve monitoring of the environment. Microsoft DPM didn't have these basics at that time. If they had continued development on the products, they could have reached a higher level, especially given Microsoft's significant presence and majority of servers. Microsoft DPM didn't have any support structure in the backend. If they had a support structure, we could have escalated issues. I never received any support from Microsoft DPM.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"I get my reports. It is generally very reliable. Unless there is a major change, it doesn't stop backing up. I've got my server room set up with everything connected to the same power, and I never have power issues or failures of backups because a sub-site has gone off."

"I find BackupAssist very convenient to work on and I really like its user interface."

"We managed to have good backups which were easy to recover, and easy backup of MS Exchange and SQL databases."

"We can configure the notifications themselves so that the right people get the notifications. This is very helpful. It allows key stakeholders to know if backups have happened and to remind each other to check the backups if something is not right."

"Now that we are using the solution, we get notified online when our backups are done."

"The most valuable features of BackupAssist are ease of use, configure is simple, and more importantly, ease of recovery. If you needed to do a complete system recovery or another recovery it is straightforward."

"I have found that the backups are usually very successful."

"I would definitely recommend this solution to others."

More BackupAssist pros

"The initial setup is quite straightforward."

"Microsoft DPM was more affordable for customers compared to other products such as Veritas, which were somewhat expensive."

"The most valuable feature is the total integration of the System Center solution."

"I like the core backup feature. I also like the file server backup feature. I find Microsoft DPM interesting because it has fantastic integration with Microsoft products. For example, in Exchange and SharePoint, DPM is excellent when it comes to backing up data. It also does a decent job with open-source products."

"The solution is stable and reliable; it doesn't crash or break down, there aren't bugs or glitches, and it works well."

"Data Protection Manager provides data protection to your business system which covers every challenge posed by VMs migration."

"The most valuable feature is that DPM has an index so individual files can be searched."

"The solution backs up Microsoft workloads as well as anything on the market."

More Microsoft DPM pros

Cons

"Many solutions become stagnant over time. However, BackupAssist has been consistent in updates but they must continue to innovate and improve to avoid stagnation."

"It stopped doing my backups after I did the last update on it."

"The solution needs a dashboard or some form of central control from which you can manage all backups."

"It stopped doing my backups after I did the last update on it."

"Many solutions become stagnant over time. However, BackupAssist has been consistent in updates but they must continue to innovate and improve to avoid stagnation."

"Has a few problems working with snapshots time-outs and failed backups."

"One issue I had with this program, was that I couldn't get it to back up my Linux virtual machines."

"In the future I would like to see more support for Linux."

More BackupAssist cons

"You have only a few settings and if you change them for some special configurations, it's very difficult."

"To evaluate the solution's abilities and its performance under demanding conditions, it is recommended to carry out a stress test."

"The stability in Microsoft DPM 2015 was better than the 2019 version; we have had some problems."

"We can't take a snapshot and take it outside, which is a problem."

"There is a very poor online user community in terms of people blogging about their experiences with DPM."

"Management reporting could be improved."

"It can back up, yet it lacks features compared to Veeam."

"The real hands-on experience with DPM is that it's difficult to set up unless you get it right first time, the agent processes gobble CPU and i/o, and if you're unfortunate enough for your DPM primary to go awol, you're faced with building a complete DPM network again because the secondary/ies will refuse full backups if the primary isn't there."

More Microsoft DPM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product pricing here in Zimbabwe is good, I cannot complain."

"There's a yearly licensing cost. The costs might be around $2000 USD annually."

"It's on a yearly basis, but I'm not the one who does the licensing on that. I don't have any figures, but it's on a yearly basis, and I believe it's reasonable."

"The cost of the solution is reasonable and there are add-on options that can be purchased. I have used other solutions that are a lot more expensive that are not as good. The ability to get support is very simple and very reasonable from a cost standpoint."

"I think Microsoft DPM pricing is reasonable. The additional costs are related to storage and technical support."

"Microsoft DPM is a free solution. However, we pay approximately $3,000 annually for support."

"Microsoft DPM can be considered as an expensive solution for smaller or medium enterprises, but we have been satisfied with the price structure as it is fixed and it offers a variety of useful features"

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893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Non Profit

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft DPM?

The pricing of Microsoft solutions rates in the middle range at five out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft DPM?

Microsoft DPM could improve by adding S3 backup to S3 storage capabilities. AI integration is not necessary for backups as this is not a security solution.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Microsoft DPM?

We use Microsoft DPM for backup servers. ManageEngine is used to manage workstations and servers, and Operation Manager is used for monitoring.

See all answers

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Compared 5% of the time

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Catalogic DPX vs Microsoft DPM

Compared 3% of the time

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Compared 3% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs Microsoft DPM

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

BackupAssist

May 2026

Download BackupAssist product report

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft DPM

April 2026

Download Microsoft DPM product report

Also Known As

No data available

DPM, Data Protection Manager, MS DPM

Overview

BackupAssist is a versatile backup software offering tape and drive backups, customizable alerts, Exchange and SQL backups with options for network and cloud data storage, including AWS and Wasabi, ensuring data safety and ease of recovery.

BackupAssist provides reliable backup solutions for businesses with its intuitive interface and straightforward recovery process. It supports a range of storage media and offers cloud storage solutions. While consistently updated, it faces compatibility issues with Linux virtual machines and iSCSI connectivity. There's room for improvement in its marketing and a centralized dashboard is needed. Its Exchange backup processes require attention, and it lacks a dedicated support line, impacting user experience. Deployment covers a variety of servers including file and active directory, demonstrating flexibility in server management and backup processes.

What are the important features of BackupAssist?

Versatile Backup Options: Supports tape, drive, and cloud storage solutions including AWS and Wasabi.
Customizable Alerts: Keeps stakeholders informed with adjustable notifications.
Exchange and SQL Support: Provides dedicated support for critical applications.
Ransomware Protection: Incorporates ransomware checks to enhance security.
User-Friendly: Features an easy-to-navigate interface simplifying backup management.

What benefits should users expect in reviews?

Easy Recovery: Ensures straightforward data restoration processes.
Comprehensive Support: Knowledgebase resources aid in troubleshooting and feature evolution.
Reliable Updates: Regular updates promise continuous improvement.
Flexible Cloud Integration: Options for AWS and Wasabi cater to diverse requirements.
Stability During Power Outages: Maintains data integrity when power issues occur.

In industries, BackupAssist is implemented extensively for server backups, particularly in managing Hyper-V hosts to iSCSI devices, covering vast data volumes and supporting numerous virtual machines. It plays a crucial role in backing up essentials like Exchange, databases, payroll systems, and active directory across multiple sectors by providing on-premise and offsite data retention solutions.

BackupAssist

Microsoft DPM is a comprehensive backup and recovery software that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft applications, providing efficient recovery capabilities and ensuring compatibility across workloads.

Microsoft's Data Protection Manager offers significant integration capabilities with Microsoft applications and Azure Active Directory for Single Sign-On, enhancing scalability through integration with System Center. It supports streamlined backup solutions for both physical and virtual Microsoft environments, with automated operations and a user-friendly interface. While DPM showcases robust file search capabilities, time-saving functionalities, and enhanced security measures, improvements are needed in third-party integrations, backup for external devices, and affordable cloud storage options. Enterprises might face challenges due to complex configurations and limited user-community support.

What are the key features of Microsoft DPM?

Seamless integration with Microsoft Apps: Provides straightforward integration for enhanced operational efficiency.
Efficient Recovery Capabilities: Enables quick data restoration to minimize downtime.
Azure Active Directory Integration: Facilitates Single Sign-On for easier access control.
Compatibility with System Center: Enhances scalability and management efficiency.
Automated Operations: Streamlines backup processes, reducing manual effort.

What benefits should users seek in reviews?

Enhanced Security: Strong file search capabilities contribute to data protection.
Time-Saving: Quick recovery processes improve operational efficiency.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies backup management for IT teams.

In industries such as consulting, local government, and data centers, Microsoft DPM plays a critical role in managing backup and recovery operations. Organizations rely on it to safeguard environments, including ERP systems and virtual machines, by supporting daily, weekly, and incremental backups, disaster recovery, and data replication across physical Windows Servers, Hyper-V Servers, SharePoint, and more.

Microsoft

Sample Customers

Monash University, NASA, NYU, Pfizer, RAF Association, Rockwell Colins, University of Arizona, US Department of State, Volvo

Medical Park, Centropol Energy, a.s., NCFE, D & H Distributing, Metalor, Colosseum, a.s., Sanitas S.A., Icebreaker

Buyer's Guide

BackupAssist vs. Microsoft DPM

April 2026

Free Report: BackupAssist vs. Microsoft DPM

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