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Dell NetWorker vs Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) 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
12th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
84
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
21st
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell NetWorker is 2.9%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is 0.6%, down from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
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…
SamuelThomas - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures data safety and effective cloud integration with AI-powered protection
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) offers a backup, recovery, and management tool that is very easy to use. It provides a flexible protection suite that accommodates scalability and performance needs. Integration with VMware and multi-cloud protection is effective. AI integration enhances backup operations by analyzing data and ensuring malware protection. Customers also benefit from hybrid cloud options and tiers of backup.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The standout feature of Dell NetWorker is its expertise in handling our VMware environment."
"It can support many different versions, both newer and older."
"The best feature of Dell EMC NetWorker is its wide spectrum of available plugins for each and every software that you can back up, such as SAP HANA, Oracle, AXI-based machines, or Dell-based machines. Whatever you want to back up, you can do it with Dell EMC NetWorker. It is a very solid backup software. It is the oldest backup software from EMC, and it comes from Dell EMC's legacy."
"Anybody could drive the GUI."
"The initial setup is very easy. It's incredibly fast."
"The software implementation takes about 30 minutes."
"Dell NetWorker's valuable feature is its ability to configure the network for immutability, specifically for backups."
"Dell NetWorker allows for extensive customization, supporting various open-source databases like PostgreSQL."
"Dell PowerProtect is stable and scalable."
"IDPA's best feature is Turbo Boost Technology. The compression and duplication features are excellent, too."
"The product is easy to troubleshoot and store data."
"We use it for complete backup and recovery. We have multiple clients and have created multiple large virtual capabilities and zoning backlogs."
"It backs up our Windows systems and our Linux systems and everything."
"The most valuable feature is the deduplication rate."
"The product is integrated with Huawei software and its backup and recovery time is very fast."
"It is very simple to perform an upgrade of the system and the environment."
 

Cons

"Management of the software is a little bit hazy and not easy."
"The stability of the NMC could use some attention, as it tends to be a bit shaky during jobs and other operations."
"Currently, the NetWorker server only supports the Windows server bare-metal recovery, so an improvement would be built-in support for Linux and UNIX BMR."
"It would be beneficial to have a single user interface for all of the features."
"NetWorker's major problem is its legacy software."
"It could be more user-friendly."
"I would like to see the user interface improved, more documentation, faster support, and it could be easier to configure."
"We have faced problems with the initial configuration of the solution."
"After resizing and compression, the system continuously runs out of space. Dell EMC doesn't do automatic cleanup or other things, so we constantly have to manually go in there or work with Dell support on this. The solution has not been working as advertised."
"The only thing that could be improved would be the complexity of the initial setup."
"I would like to see integration with Dell EMC's Cloud Tier."
"The product's index master feature needs improvement."
"Managing the product is a little bit complicated."
"The price could be lowered slightly, to make it more competitive."
"There is room for improvement in terms of network connectivity."
"We would like to see the pricing drop a bit."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
"You have to buy the deduplication software separately from the license."
"Earlier, users had to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs of the product. The licenses were expensive but users used to get the best device to use."
"It's approximate, but I believe we pay around $20-30,000 a month in licensing."
"It is inexpensive compared to new products."
"Dell NetWorker is an expensive solution. None of the backup products are cheap. The licensing model offered is usually a five-year one."
"The price is a little on the high side, but it's reliable and provides a good service."
"Licensing is based on the number of terabytes, so you need to purchase packages."
"It is a cost-effective solution."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"We have a perpetual license. It is a capacity-based license."
"The licensing is billed on a monthly basis. Dell is bundled so that when you order IDPA, you get everything together with the license."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) has a yearly subscription fee."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
8%
Educational Organization
19%
University
15%
Government
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 DP (IDPA)?
What I find valuable about Dell PowerProtect IDPA is its stability and strong performance.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
Pricing is competitive with other software vendors. The product's features, network, and VMware integration contribute to its value. There are different licensing options available, such as applian...
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) requires more updates and innovations in AI-powered cyber resilience. While technical support is generally not poor, there are challenges with expertise in Linux-based c...
 

Also Known As

NetWorker
Dell EMC IDPA, Dell IDPA, EMC IDPA
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Republic Bank, Westgate Resorts, Macquire Cloud Services, Shriners, Panatonni, Qatar Islamic Bank, Eurosport
Under Armour, Christian Brothers University, Presidio
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell NetWorker vs. Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.