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Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs Synology DSM 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 PowerProtect DP (IDPA)
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
43rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
52nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is 0.7%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.4%, down from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)0.7%
Synology DSM1.4%
Other97.9%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

Pranav Telang - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Architect at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Integrated backup platform has simplified upgrades and centralized management for enterprise sites
You cannot integrate with any other third-party solution or your Data Domain since it is very tightly coupled and has limited licenses with respect to capacity that are integrated directly with Avamar. Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) solutions are usually costly. When it is virtualized or comes with additional licenses and additional hardware, the cost increases. The pricing is defined by what kind of performance you are looking for, so based on that, you have to decide what type of disk you need. Scalability is based on how much capacity you have or what slots are available. After that, you have to include the DAEs and capacities. Again, you have to purchase an additional license for Data Domain if you are increasing the capacity.
Michael Adejoh - PeerSpot reviewer
Solutions Manager at Excel Connect Ventures
Reliable and cost-effective
One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"What I find valuable about Dell PowerProtect IDPA is its stability and strong performance."
"The most valuable feature is the deduplication rate."
"It is very simple to perform an upgrade of the system and the environment."
"Instead of four or five tools, consisting of backup software, storage where the backup resides, and a separate system for reporting and central monitoring, they all now come in the virtual edition for IDP."
"Dell PowerProtect is stable and scalable."
"IDPA's best feature is Turbo Boost Technology. The compression and duplication features are excellent, too."
"It backs up our Windows systems and our Linux systems and everything."
"The solution's most valuable features are networker and continuous data protection."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."
"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."
 

Cons

"We would like to see the pricing drop a bit."
"We cannot add IDPA to DPC, and each IP has a DP Central, which cannot monitor other IDPAs."
"Managing the product is a little bit complicated."
"The solution should be easier to use."
"The price could be lowered slightly, to make it more competitive."
"There is room for improvement in terms of network connectivity."
"The product's index master feature needs improvement."
"The two-factor authentication is missing from Dell products."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"It is a cost-effective solution."
"We have a perpetual license. It is a capacity-based license."
"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
12%
Computer Software Company
9%
Construction Company
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
The pricing of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is competitive compared to its peers in the market, and while it can always come down, I still think it's a fair price.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
You cannot integrate with any other third-party solution or your Data Domain since it is very tightly coupled and has limited licenses with respect to capacity that are integrated directly with Ava...
What is your primary use case for Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
We implemented Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) for one of our biggest enterprise customers across their 30 sites. The customer had hyperconverged infrastructure and was looking for a completely isolate...
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Also Known As

Dell EMC IDPA, Dell IDPA, EMC IDPA
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Under Armour, Christian Brothers University, Presidio
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.