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NetApp AltaVault vs Synology DSM comparison

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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

NetApp AltaVault
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
42nd
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (10th), Disk Based Backup Systems (5th), Cloud Backup (35th), Cloud Storage Gateways (5th)
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 September 2026, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of NetApp AltaVault is 0.7%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.3%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
NetApp AltaVault0.7%
Synology DSM1.3%
Other98.0%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

ST
Consultant at Tata Consultancy
Positive impacts seen with improved data security and reliable support
I have six months of experience with the product, and as a consultant, the use cases for NetApp AltaVault mainly stand out for me. Regarding the deduplication feature in the product, I am interested in whether clients are using it. There are different integrations available with NetApp AltaVault, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and I want to understand how they impact data security policies in my case.
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

"The interface is great; the GUI is great; it's so easy to work with."
"The most valuable feature is the portability of large archived data, as you're able to put things on large on-prem, low-cost storage and then augment that with even lower cost storage in the cloud."
"The solution is great for reducing headaches in the IT department."
"The solution can be used for all Office 365 applications."
"AltaVault is very economical; you don't need big expertise to manage this product."
"The jobs we have baseline into the AltaVault, it seems to be able to recover faster than the previous solution."
"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is easy to use and integrate with whichever operating systems you use, providing you with a complete view, especially when you plan to migrate to some other operating system."
"We are getting rid of our tape libraries, so this is an alternative to that, we don't have to have 100s and 1000s of tapes, and we are going into the cloud, so this helps us go into the cloud while providing better security for backup data."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"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."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"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 aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
 

Cons

"We've had a lot of issues, crashed the service console a lot, service crashes."
"The initial setup phase of the tool was difficult."
"I really want to partner it with the SnapCenter. We haven't implemented that yet. We're upgrading all of our stuff to the ONTAP 9, which you had to have."
"We have had issues getting to the right person, but once you get to the right person, they are knowledgeable."
"The initial installation is difficult for my clients who have it on both on-premises and on cloud."
"I would like to see more web support."
"My advice is to stick with ONTAP and ownCloud because NetApp AltaVault is going to die."
"It wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be. It was actually a complete rebuild, and then migrate the database."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"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."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"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."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's quite cost-effective."
"It is a rather expensive program."
"The pricing is not too bad, but could be a little better."
"There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution, which comes to around 3,000 USD."
"The price is a bit high."
"You could compare it to a Dell EMC or ECS, and I think it's probably a little less costly than that. Within the marketplace, it's a medium cost."
"In one use case, and we have several, to run for a particular customer, the price is about $375,000 a year."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"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."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
19%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

Is NetApp AltaVault compatible with AWS?
Hello. Yes, it is compatible with AWS but the great thing about it is that it's actually working with so many cloud providers, it may be just for everyone. Besides the Amazon cloud services, NetApp...
Can AltaVault be used for data reduction?
Hello, you can definitely use NetApp AltaVault for reducing your data and giving yourself some more storage. This product offers you deduplication and compression, helping you achieve that. I'm su...
What kind of security does NetApp AltaVault give you?
My organization is very happy with the security that NetApp AltaVault gives us for our data on the cloud. First, it gives us the option for data recovery, which is very good, especially if someone...
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Also Known As

AltaVault
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Blach Construction, NASA, Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downes, Seminole County Public Schools and Spot Trading
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about NetApp AltaVault vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,924 professionals have used our research since 2012.