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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
36th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
18
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
51st
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 May 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 1.9% 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

LANRE OGUNDARE - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Engineer at Tenece Professional services
Centralized backups have simplified daily management and improved recovery for our customers
The only disadvantage I can see with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is the cost. In terms of the usage and also the management aspect of it, it has been great and fantastic. The solution is quite expensive in this regard. That is what most of the customers say. The solution is quite expensive, but when it comes to manageability or interaction with the solution, it is great. If tomorrow brings the next release of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA), I would like to see some additional features included and some new functionalities. At the moment, the solution is great, so I do not know if there will be any additional functionality for the solution, but I would not mind. For now, it is acceptable. Apart from price, I would say there are no other issues or areas for improvement other than cost. Only price could be slightly less.
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

"Dell PowerProtect is stable and scalable."
"The product is easy to troubleshoot and store data."
"It backs up our Windows systems and our Linux systems and everything."
"IDPA's best feature is Turbo Boost Technology; the compression and duplication features are excellent, too."
"We use it for complete backup and recovery. We have multiple clients and have created multiple large virtual capabilities and zoning backlogs."
"In summary, this product is very stable, has the best of Avamar Data Domain, and has good reporting."
"We don't need to manage different devices."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) was positioned as an appliance concept for clients, providing faster go-to-market strategies by having everything pre-integrated, which gives customers advantages so that within two to three hours, I am ready to deploy my policy."
"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."
"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"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."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."
 

Cons

"Dell PowerProtect DP needs to include more features and improve backup for a continual base."
"I would like to see integration with Dell EMC's Cloud Tier."
"The solution has not been working as advertised."
"We cannot add IDPA to DPC, and each IP has a DP Central, which cannot monitor other IDPAs."
"The only disadvantage I can see with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is the cost."
"I would like to see more options and features about Recovery from Dell EMC Cloud Tier"
"The solution's implementation was very complicated and could be improved."
"There is room for improvement in terms of network connectivity."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"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."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
 

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."
"We have a perpetual license. It is a capacity-based license."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"It is a cost-effective solution."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
11%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
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: April 2026.
893,311 professionals have used our research since 2012.