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Microsoft DPM vs Synology DSM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 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

Microsoft DPM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
41st
Average Rating
7.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
21
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 August 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Microsoft DPM is 0.9%, down from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.3%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Microsoft DPM0.9%
Synology DSM1.3%
Other97.8%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

Andrei Kolmogortsev - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Administrator at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
Efficiently manages backups with long-standing reliability and ease of integration
We use Microsoft DPM for backup servers. ManageEngine is used to manage workstations and servers, and Operation Manager is used for monitoring The two-layer backup system is a particularly valuable feature in Microsoft DPM. The short layer and long layer backups are features I appreciate.…
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

"Moving to this solution has improved our backup capability."
"Its capability to give a BMR for all the workstations that I want to connect to."
"The solution backs up Microsoft workloads as well as anything on the market."
"It is almost perfect for Microsoft products. It is not a very powerful tool, but it is okay for small sites and small businesses with Microsoft products. It is easy to use for backup and restore. It is good for backing up Microsoft servers such as Exchange and SharePoint servers."
"Microsoft DPM's is easy to set up."
"Microsoft DPM provides enhanced security and streamlines processes through automation, which results in better security for users."
"The solution really does great recovery."
"The most valuable feature is the total integration of the System Center solution."
"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."
"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 features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
"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."
 

Cons

"The data tagging feature needs improvement. The solution could be a bit more intuitive in certain aspects."
"Microsoft DPM didn't have any support structure in the backend. If they had a support structure, we could have escalated issues. I never received any support from Microsoft DPM."
"The real hands-on experience with DPM is that it's difficult to set up unless you get it right first time, the agent processes gobble CPU and i/o, and if you're unfortunate enough for your DPM primary to go awol, you're faced with building a complete DPM network again because the secondary/ies will refuse full backups if the primary isn't there."
"The DPM is pretty good, but when it comes to external devices, you can't back up to the external device."
"Microsoft DPM could improve by adding S3 backup to S3 storage capabilities."
"To evaluate the solution's abilities and its performance under demanding conditions, it is recommended to carry out a stress test."
"The problem lies with the 2019 version, it's the file system they’re using."
"Every day I have to log in and look at agent alerts and failures that I have to resolve."
"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."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Microsoft DPM is a free solution. However, we pay approximately $3,000 annually for support."
"Microsoft DPM can be considered as an expensive solution for smaller or medium enterprises, but we have been satisfied with the price structure as it is fixed and it offers a variety of useful features"
"I think Microsoft DPM pricing is reasonable. The additional costs are related to storage and technical support."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"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
Manufacturing Company
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
8%
Construction Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft DPM?
The pricing of Microsoft solutions rates in the middle range at five out of ten.
What needs improvement with Microsoft DPM?
Microsoft DPM could improve by adding S3 backup to S3 storage capabilities. AI integration is not necessary for backups as this is not a security solution.
What is your primary use case for Microsoft DPM?
We use Microsoft DPM for backup servers. ManageEngine is used to manage workstations and servers, and Operation Manager is used for monitoring.
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Also Known As

DPM, Data Protection Manager, MS DPM
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Medical Park, Centropol Energy, a.s., NCFE, D & H Distributing, Metalor, Colosseum, a.s., Sanitas S.A., Icebreaker
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft DPM vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
908,834 professionals have used our research since 2012.