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Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs ExaGrid EX comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 2026

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 PowerProtect Data Domain
Ranking in Disk Based Backup Systems
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
99
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (1st)
ExaGrid EX
Ranking in Disk Based Backup Systems
4th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Disk Based Backup Systems category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is 33.9%, down from 40.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExaGrid EX is 10.2%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Disk Based Backup Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain33.9%
ExaGrid EX10.2%
Other55.900000000000006%
Disk Based Backup Systems
 

Featured Reviews

Branko Cirovic - PeerSpot reviewer
Storage Engineer at Comtrade Group
Provides seamless backup integration and long-term reliability for enterprise data protection
The price is quite high; this product is not considered cheap. Additionally, if you use higher availability boxes, they also come at a premium price. However, they provide business continuity, which is the main reason why companies invest in this solution. Tape is slow; when restoring several virtual machines or databases amounting to several terabytes, Dell PowerProtect Data Domain represents the fastest and most reliable solution, ensuring great integration with backup software. If a customer has limited budget constraints, they may opt for cheaper external storage comprised of just a bunch of disks and utilize it for backup, as backup is not a business-critical service. However, I see great value in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain because it is fully automated, features great integration with backup software, and provides good value for money. I would rate software support as a ten, while I would give hardware support a seven. I never give any product a perfect score; I think Dell PowerProtect Data Domain deserves a nine. The only minor problems are the certificate issue and the price. These certificate issues are quite rare and mainly arise when we forget to restart and upgrade the box for several years.
AhmedEl-Tayeb - PeerSpot reviewer
Sales Manager at MCS
Has offered a cost-effective option with solid results but requires automation features for better efficiency
For ExaGrid EX, I would appreciate additional features such as backup and restore, automation processes, and automation software for backup and restore processes. I mention that some additional features may be provided by VMware or Dell as support for the hardware they are selling, but ExaGrid EX is more of a budget-friendly solution for customers who are in charge on a daily basis of the solution itself, dealing with manual tasks rather than automated tasks. I am not in a situation to provide an exact answer for what I would specifically improve in this regard.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The reason I stay with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is because of these factors."
"It's very easy to use Data Domain once it's been set up, and the interface is also user-friendly."
"I feel the solution works fine for us."
"I advise those considering Dell PowerProtect Data Domain to try it out, as there are various products on the market, but Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is easy to use, easy to install, and integrates well with the customer's environment, boasting spectacular backup and restore capabilities."
"We were able to minimize the service failure to 15 minutes approximately."
"One of the most valuable features is that it looks for the deduplication, which can reduce the amount of the data."
"It is a stable solution."
"I like the different features. We work closely with Dell on different products and features, which is why we use them all."
"The most valuable features of ExaGrid EX are the Veeam features and Landing Zone."
"Both the pricing and the performance are excellent."
"Backup and restore processes are much shorter now, and we don't need forklift upgrades every three to four years."
"I find ExaGrid EX to be a useful solution for customers looking for a budget-friendly product."
 

Cons

"I would not recommend this solution to others."
"When you use Data Domain, you have to have at least 20% free space so it can work properly. Sometimes we struggle with that, because we wanted to use all the free space, but then Data Domain becomes really slow. I understand that 20% is needed to process all the data, and doing the duplication and compression and all that, but it would be a big improvement if they did not require that 20%, because it is just too much to have available."
"The initial setup is complex."
"The pricing could be lower."
"The model 3330 may need improvement."
"We are not able to deal directly with the OEM we have to go to their partners in Nigeria."
"From a pricing perspective, it is quite high and very costly compared to other storage or backup solutions."
"It can be complex to implement."
"ExaGrid EX is more of a budget-friendly solution for customers who are in charge on a daily basis of the solution itself, dealing with manual tasks rather than automated tasks."
"The solution’s web access should be improved."
"I would like to see free disk space."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is one of the more expensive backup solutions on the market."
"It could be more competitively priced. Its licensing was for five years. Obviously, the support will get renewed at some stage, but that's it."
"On a scale where one represents high price, and ten represents low price, I rate the solution a five, which means that the solution is of medium pricing."
"Pricing for this product could still be improved, though several years ago, its price was very high. When buying an IDPA product such as Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), you don't have to buy anything else, because you'll have an integrated solution: a data domain appliance plus software."
"Dell PowerProtect DD's pricing is expensive, and there is no option for perpetual licensing."
"The price of Dell EMC PowerProtect DD could improve, it is expensive."
"We usually buy products at the end year, and the license is included."
"The price of the backup appliance is slightly expensive. Compared to other vendors, the pricing will be slightly higher."
"I rate ExaGrid EX ten out of ten for pricing."
"The renewal fee is approximately $3,500 to $3.750 for a 60 terabyte device."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise25
Large Enterprise44
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your primary use case for Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
My main use case for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is as a data backup target.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
Pricing, setup cost, and licensing are not my areas of expertise, as I mainly focus on implementation engineering.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
To improve Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, I would suggest making it cheaper. I would like to see the ability to use more back end data ports as a new feature.
What needs improvement with ExaGrid EX?
For ExaGrid EX, I would appreciate additional features such as backup and restore, automation processes, and automation software for backup and restore processes. I mention that some additional fea...
What is your primary use case for ExaGrid EX?
My role in relation to ExaGrid EX is partner and reseller.
What advice do you have for others considering ExaGrid EX?
I would prefer another way to provide support; sending all the questions in an Excel sheet or a Word file would allow me to answer them in a couple of hours and send them back. I have no problem re...
 

Also Known As

DataDomain, Dell EMC Data Domain, PowerProtect Data Domain
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

The US Army, City of Houston, Lloyds TSB, TiVo, Teck, Ingram Entertainment, The New York Mets
7-Eleven, ABC, ACNB Bank, Admiration Foods, Aeroflex, AGH, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, Alberta Motor Association, Allegro MicroSystems, American Standard, Ameris Bank, Arch Reinsurance Ltd., Arthritis Foundation
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs. ExaGrid EX and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.