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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
102
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 August 2026, in the Disk Based Backup Systems category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is 33.3%, down from 40.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExaGrid EX is 9.3%, down from 11.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Disk Based Backup Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain33.3%
ExaGrid EX9.3%
Other57.400000000000006%
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

"We never go without Data Domain if we are talking about backup solutions; we always go with Data Domain, as it's a very reliable and consistent product and there's no match with any other product."
"In all these years, I never had a client who was unsatisfied with Data Domain."
"The integration of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) with leading backup applications within the infrastructure is very good."
"I like Data Domain as a protocol for data backup."
"The most valuable features of Dell PowerProtect DD are reduplication and compression. It provides a lot of data savings for backups. Additionally, the Dell PowerProtect DD solution offers a bundled backup software and storage option. If desired, users can also connect to cloud technology to create an additional copy of their data in the cloud. This solution supports synchronization with various cloud vendors, including Azure and AWS."
"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."
"I like the different features. We work closely with Dell on different products and features, which is why we use them all."
"Just keep going with the solution as it performs; it meets our expectations well."
"The most valuable features of ExaGrid EX are the Veeam features and Landing Zone."
"Backup and restore processes are much shorter now, and we don't need forklift upgrades every three to four years."
"Both the pricing and the performance are excellent."
"I find ExaGrid EX to be a useful solution for customers looking for a budget-friendly product."
 

Cons

"The price is also a disadvantage. Price is a disadvantage with the PowerProtect as it needs to be cheaper."
"I would like to see some kind of integration with the ransomware in the next release."
"From a pricing perspective, it is quite high and very costly compared to other storage or backup solutions."
"Its management can be improved."
"The product lacks some security features that would make it more stand-alone and integrated."
"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."
"One of the areas we are looking at is interconnects for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain."
"I would like to see integration with public cloud."
"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."
"The solution’s web access should be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If we do not move to the cloud solution and stay with our on-premise version we will miss some new features."
"Pricing is related to size. A lower range solution might be about $33,000. My customers use higher range versions with a price of around $100,000. That's the price for both the hardware and software."
"It is expensive, but the performance and deduplication cover for the cost."
"Becoming more expensive."
"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."
"The solution is expensive. However, if you pay less you receive less, it is cost-effective."
"Dell PowerProtect DD's pricing is expensive, and there is no option for perpetual licensing."
"The price is on the high side."
"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%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business41
Midsize Enterprise26
Large Enterprise44
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your primary use case for Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
I use Dell PowerProtect Data Domain for backup storage and target storage backup.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
The only improvement I see for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is pricing. The issue I experienced is primarily with support rather than the product itself. The product is rugged and runs smoothly, b...
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: August 2026.
908,834 professionals have used our research since 2012.