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Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs ExaGrid EX comparison

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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
106
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (1st)
ExaGrid EX
Ranking in Disk Based Backup Systems
6th
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 September 2026, in the Disk Based Backup Systems category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is 33.1%, down from 39.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExaGrid EX is 9.5%, down from 11.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Disk Based Backup Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain33.1%
ExaGrid EX9.5%
Other57.4%
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 a tech consulting company with 201-500 employees
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

"It securely protects data against threats like Trojans."
"Stable and scalable suite of solutions with deduplication, apart from data protection, storage, and backup."
"Dell EMC PowerProtect DD is highly stable and reliable."
"Deduplication and compression are the best features of the solution, which are popular and very effective."
"Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is a perfect solution and is completely perfect for enterprise-class customers when the data size is huge and needs to be stored in terabyte or petabyte form."
"The biggest advantages in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain are security, cybersecurity, cyber resiliency, and the deduplication ratio."
"The most important feature is the level of data compression provided by Dell EMC. It's a leader in data compression and deduplication, and the level of compression isn't available with any other vendors in the market."
"The most valuable feature, beyond simply backing up our servers, is the data compression capability."
"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."
"Both the pricing and the performance are excellent."
"The most valuable features of ExaGrid EX are the Veeam features and Landing Zone."
 

Cons

"If we lose the admin password, Dell always asks for separate charges."
"We have some problems with backing up on the Power Platform. PowerServer is an IBM product, and it forces us to back up over LAN, which is not suitable for us."
"I would appreciate improvements primarily in the PPDM backup software because I still feel it's lacking the features of a proper backup solution and is a bit simplistic."
"The tool's pricing could be cheaper."
"The price is quite high; this product is not considered cheap."
"The cost could be lower. Sometimes it's not very competitive."
"Installation and deployment for this product need improvement. These processes need to made easier. Currently, it's not an easy installation for customers. This product needs to be installed by professionals."
"DD Boost."
"The solution’s web access should be improved."
"I would like to see free disk space."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is on the high side."
"The price is really high compared to other vendors. The licensing cost is huge. Normal, mid-tier companies or small-scale companies wouldn't be able to afford it easily."
"I can't remember what the license costs are. They might be paid monthly or every two months."
"The pricing is cost-effective for the solution"
"There are many options in the pricing structure which can cause some confusion and necessitate the purchase of additional licensing."
"The product is expensive."
"This is one of the more expensive backup solutions on the market."
"The solution is expensive. However, if you pay less you receive less, it is cost-effective."
"The renewal fee is approximately $3,500 to $3.750 for a 60 terabyte device."
"I rate ExaGrid EX ten out of ten for pricing."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
9%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business40
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise48
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 backup. We utilize it to back up all of our data from our credit card domain application.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing is adequate; Dell is not the cheapest, but it is also not the most expensive.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
To improve Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, I would suggest that we take a look at how we also store AI data as needed.
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: September 2026.
913,806 professionals have used our research since 2012.