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Dell NetWorker vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

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

Dell NetWorker
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
10th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
85
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Dell PowerProtect Data Manager
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
9th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (7th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell NetWorker is 2.3%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is 3.7%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Manager3.7%
Dell NetWorker2.3%
Other94.0%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

ErmiasGirma - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers seamless integration and cost-saving benefits with enhanced recovery capabilities
Currently, in my organization, I am using Dell NetWorker for open-source solutions like PostgreSQL and MySQL databases, and some large VM environments. It also supports the Dell library and is used for the library archiving system Dell NetWorker allows for extensive customization, supporting…
MinaMagdy1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Comprehensive integration and user-friendly dashboard enhance data protection workflows
PowerProtect Data Manager lacks the tape-out functionality, which is important for organizations relying on it for offsite backup. While PowerProtect Data Manager offers a workaround, it's not always accepted, notably by sectors like banking. Additionally, I would like PowerProtect Data Manager to provide microservices and container backup for modern applications.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I feel that it is a good product."
"When it was required that data had to be restored for our customer, it was accomplished successfully and this has kept our end users satisfied."
"It is an extremely stable product."
"It's easy to use."
"The solution has a longer lifespan."
"Simple, stable and straightforward."
"I started off as a storage engineer and ended up owning Dell EMC Data Domain and Dell EMC NetWorker. I've not used any other backup solutions at this scale. Dell EMC NetWorker does what I need it to do, it's efficient."
"The solution is simple to understand."
"Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager is user-friendly and easy to use. it does what it needs to do."
"Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is a comprehensive backup software that integrates with Dell backup storage to enhance data protection."
"It's the perfect solution for virtual and container directives. The data reduction feature works well, and we haven't had any issues."
"The deduplication is the most valuable feature because it helps to control the overhead."
"I would say flexibility is the most important feature of the product. The performance and speed are the best on the market."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy."
"The solution adequately handles data storage."
"It satisfies my customers' scalability needs and provides interactive features, allowing efficient integration."
 

Cons

"The configuration is too complex."
"There should be more vendors incorporated into the solution."
"It is a little buggy at times, which is the only thing that I dislike about this product."
"When you're working with VMware, you need to use vProxy machines. You have to install the vProxy for every host in the VMware environment."
"The user interface is hard to use, it should be simplified. There are a lot of web-based management interfaces which they should consider."
"Dell NetWorker could improve the GUI to include rack recovery."
"I would like to see the user interface improved, more documentation, faster support, and it could be easier to configure."
"Management of the software is a little bit hazy and not easy."
"The Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager reports could improve. There should be different kinds of reports on failures, such as dashboards that we can submit to top management or auditors."
"PowerProtect Data Manager is missing a feature for takeout, which means I cannot store backup data off-site within the software. This is a limitation for organizations that require off-site solutions."
"When I raise a ticket, it sometimes takes a while to get a response."
"Management is difficult and it is hard to determine when things aren't working properly."
"There is always room for improvement. The compression ratio should be improved as well as the efficiency."
"The solution should enhance its user interface and make it more flexible."
"As a new product, there are some things that still need to improve a bit as it matures."
"The tool's scalability has certain shortcomings, making it an area where improvements are required."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Low cost is key."
"Licensing is based on the number of terabytes, so you need to purchase packages."
"It is not very expensive and not very cheap."
"The licensing model can be traditional licensing or capacity-based licensing."
"Dell NetWorker has two types of licensing models."
"There is a licensing fee."
"It is inexpensive compared to new products."
"It is a relatively inexpensive product compared to one of its competitors."
"The licensing costs and pricing model are based on capacity and the license is easy to upgrade."
"The solution is not less expensive than competitors but pricing deals are available."
"We offer monthly or yearly subscriptions. The price could be cheaper."
"The price of Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager is reasonable."
"The solution is more affordable than other vendors."
"The product is offered at a very competitive price in the market."
"Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is not an expensive solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Computer Software Company
11%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business24
Midsize Enterprise33
Large Enterprise37
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise6
 

Questions from the Community

What's the difference between Dell EMC Avamar and Dell EMC NetWorker?
From the very beginning, Dell EMC NetWorker considers users and those who might potentially become users. In terms of both pricing and setup, this product offers an experience that is significantly...
What do you like most about Dell NetWorker?
The feature that offers the greatest benefits in ensuring data integrity is its backup capability.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell NetWorker?
The licensing cost is somewhat expensive. While we use a traditional license, there is a capacity-based license available, but our customer is not comfortable switching to it. A five to seven perce...
What do you like most about Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?
One notable feature is its robust backup support for Kubernetes and container environments. Additionally, PPDM stands out for its ease of deployment and management compared to other backup solution...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?
Overall, pricing does not significantly impact our decision. The main concern is the solution itself, presales activities, and positioning it in the right place. Commercial aspects are secondary to...
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?
The marketing strategy is lagging behind competitors such as CommVault. Dell needs to improve its market presence and communication with customers and solution providers.
 

Also Known As

NetWorker
PowerProtect, Dell EMC PowerProtect
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Republic Bank, Westgate Resorts, Macquire Cloud Services, Shriners, Panatonni, Qatar Islamic Bank, Eurosport
National Bank of Greece, USC Australia, PCS Publishing, Dell Digital IT, Rushmore Electric, Melanson Health, Arrow Electronics
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell NetWorker vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.