Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Reviews

We use Data Domain for our backups, including long-term retention. This eliminates the need for two separate solutions for online and cold backups. Data Domain effectively meets both requirements, providing online backup copies and long-term archival storage.

I work in a presales role, having transitioned from a position where I was involved in day-to-day operations for over ten years. As part of a presales team, we focus on commercial aspects and meeting technical availability requirements.

There are a few exceptions to this. We have some clients using Data Domain's virtual appliance, particularly with the enterprise recovery vault solution. This solution provides an isolated third copy of backups, the enterprise recovery vault, designed to protect against ransomware attacks.

It increases uptime and compatibility with our product and other third-party backup solutions. It offers ease of integration with any of our backup systems. The software provides a reliable backup and recovery process, making it easy to integrate into that area. We have encountered very few issues, only about 1% with our data domain storage, which required an engineer to address a hardware problem.

An additional advantage is the compression provided. The front-end and back-end capacity we gain significantly reduces our total ownership cost. In most cases, we achieve a compression ratio of more than 2.5:1. For example, if we purchase 100 terabytes of storage, we can store 250 terabytes of data.

It can be effective if we design the backup solution correctly, focusing on online backups with Data Domain and not heavily on archival data. For instance, I’m working with a customer with nine petabytes of archival data.

I was looking for a virtual edition, and that is now available. Many customers struggle to find a solution for ransomware protection, but we can set up an enterprise recovery vault for that purpose. These features are now part of Dell's overall offering. The solution has matured, and while I don't criticize technology, most of our technical and business requirements are met with the Data Domain storage solution.

We can meet customer requirements easily with Data Domain. Some feedback has been received from our operations team. There’s always room for improvement. For instance, there may be suggestions regarding enhancements to the reporting dashboard

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD as a partner for over 15 years.

It offers 99.99% availability. If the sizing is done correctly, we can meet the scalability requirement. Scalability with Data Domain is straightforward. If enough disk capacity is planned with additional space for future expansion, scaling up is feasible. If the existing disk space is already full, we would need to purchase an additional unit, either a smaller one or one of similar capacity, to accommodate new data.

The majority of the bugs are fixed. The team who's working as a technical engineer to support us during the incident, are also supporting us in the right order to get that rectification or the solution.

Positive

Data Domain and NetApp are key competitors when we consider backup solutions or storage. HPE offers similar storage products, but the choice depends on the requirements. If it’s a full data center exit solution involving storage, backup, and computing, a single-vendor solution like Dell’s Data Domain or PowerProtect is a good fit.

When we consider a mix-and-match approach, we evaluate NetApp's offerings, focusing on features, overall reliability, and cost-effectiveness. In most cases, both products can meet business and technical needs. Bugs or issues with new firmware are always a factor in our decision. NetApp and Data Domain are mature enough to be reliable options.

It is simple. This is all a menu-driven GUI combination.

It varies from region to region. For example, in the Middle East, there is no strong preference for an OpEx model; most cases push us toward a CapEx model. This approach can differ from country to country.

While there are challenges, such as delays in receiving the bill of quantities and quotes, the overall value proposition with Dell remains strong. The response times in the Middle East can sometimes be slower, which we must navigate.

It’s often a preferred solution when comparing costs. Features like deduplication, compression, and ransomware protection are standard across vendors. The decision comes down to cost. If two vendors offer similar pricing and there’s no need for a mix-and-match approach, we prefer a single vendor like Dell.

It all depends on negotiation when we're bundling components. If we opt for a single-vendor solution, our relationship with that vendor often leads to more competitive pricing. HCI allows us to avoid the complexities of setting up separate backup servers, as everything comes integrated into one box, including storage and all necessary roles. We prefer HCI backup solutions if the footprint doesn't increase drastically. If we can control the infrastructure, it's more efficient without managing multiple VMs or physical machines. While Data Domain is a good product, it doesn't fit every case, as customer requirements vary. Cohesity, on the other hand, offers a software solution with comprehensive features to meet technical needs. Dell doesn't always offer the most cost-effective solution; sometimes, we find better pricing elsewhere. OEMs often struggle to add new logos, so they may provide higher margins, which we can pass on to the customer.

It's a good product, no doubt about that. Other similar products also perform well. It largely depends on the profile I'm working with; we prioritize cost in our validations. For example, getting the first vendor to match five can be challenging if one vendor quotes ten and another quotes five. On the other hand, it's often easier to negotiate down the vendor, quoting five to three or even two.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

Customers primarily use the solution for data backup. Dell PowerProtect DD is a state-of-the-art backup device. Although we can use it as a storage device with VMware Association or NFS server, most users use it as a backup solution.

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain provides data duplication. For backup technology, we take the same backup every day. The only difference should be the differential thing, whatever is added on the same day. If we take a full backup, the difference is only for one day.

The solution provides the best deduplication and compression ratio with respect to backups. Two to three organizations I worked in use Data Domain due to this great feature of deduplication and compression.

The solution allows us to take a huge number of backups, and the footprint is quite small. The speed and throughput we get are very good. We can take a backup of 16 terabytes in 20 minutes, depending on our connectivity. Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is the best product in the market right now.

Sometimes, we face support issues. We have to change the solution's password regularly. If we lose the admin password, Dell always asks for separate charges. This should also be included in the support contract.

The solution should include integrations with third-party solutions. We can introduce raw volumes to the VMware virtualized environment or assign some volumes to physical servers. If it is not available, it should be there.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD for two years.

It's a very easy and normal process. We don't need to do the backup off-site. We're just using it as a big dump of data. For scalability, we need to add new expansion to add new devices. We recently did it. Currently, we back up 1,600 terabytes daily. In my last organization, we had around 16 terabytes plus daily backups.

We sometimes encountered response issues with the technical support team. Overall, they have the technical abilities to resolve our issues. We rarely use the solution's technical support because of its strong design and product.

Positive

The solution improved our customers' operational efficiency. We are taking a copy of HDFS backup using some scripts. It is raw data. We already have two to three copies in our Cloudera environment and one copy in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. I would recommend Dell PowerProtect Data Domain to other users because it's the best product for taking backups.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

The tool's use cases primarily revolve around structured data. We can manage backups with features like compression, deduplication, and in-line deduplication. For instance, even with just a 10 KB backup space for structured data, we can achieve data reduction ratios up to 1:10. Only 1 TB of storage is needed to accommodate the equivalent of 10 TB of backups.

The product, a disk backup solution, improves our data application tasks. We used tape libraries with Dev drives in legacy architectures, resulting in slow backups compared to modern drives like NVMe and SSDs. By transitioning to NVMe and SSDs, backups have become much faster. The tool's backup restoration is faster compared to other tools. 

The tool's most valuable feature for data protection strategies is defining backup policies with specific retention periods. For example, if we take monthly backups, we can establish a one-year retention period. Additionally, we can also use incremental or differential backup methods. 

In terms of performance, Dell PowerProtect DD outperforms other data protection solutions we've used, such as Veritas and HPE Data Protector. From our experience,  Dell PowerProtect DD stands out as the best option available in the market.

The tool supports our business continuity process since we can back up the data. 

The tool's pricing could be cheaper. 

I have been using the product for the last two years. 

Dell PowerProtect DD is stable. 

Dell PowerProtect DD is an enterprise solution that is scalable to meet needs. We have more than 400 servers with multiple users for different services. 

Dell PowerProtect DD's support is good. The speed and effectiveness of tech support depend on the priority and severity level of the issue. For instance, resolving Level 3 issues might take longer as Level 3 support may not be available on a daily basis but rather weekly.

Positive

Dell PowerProtect DD's deployment is easy. It can be deployed on both physical and virtual appliances. We require long storage volumes, which can be allocated to the server. With this setup, we can store our backups as needed across the volumes, adjusting them according to our requirements.

The product can be deployed in-house. However, it is an OEM product from Dell EMC, and we need their support for deployment.

Dell PowerProtect DD's pricing is expensive, and there is no option for perpetual licensing. 

While it doesn't encompass all cybersecurity aspects, the tool employs encryption algorithms to protect data. We use tools from other vendors for cybersecurity protection. For those considering starting to use it, I would advise recognizing that the tool is primarily designed for enterprise-level solutions. However, even small- and medium-scale businesses can benefit by procuring and deploying solutions that meet their needs and requirements.

Currently, we are using only NetWorker, and that too only for a file system backup. We have also started taking backup of the Oracle data. The Oracle database plugin has been installed, the license has been bought, and we are protecting a hot backup of the Oracle database.

It's deduplication and faster recovery that are the key features. We had a challenge with the backup window because earlier, we were using traditional backup methodology, which used to take an enormous amount of time. By using Data Domain, we get the advantage of data deduplication, reducing data size. The backup window is also reduced, and recovery is definitely faster.

The Data Domain solution appliance is quite expensive. It is on the higher side, but technically or functionally, there is no issue.

We have been using Dell Data Domain for the last five years.

There have been absolutely no stability issues so far.

By keeping the increasing data in mind, we decided to go for Data Domain. It was a practical solution to the challenges we faced earlier.

Technical support was absolutely supportive. Whenever we faced any issues, we logged a call with Dell and immediately received a response, which was fantastic.

Positive

We were earlier using the traditional backup methodology, which used to take a lot of time to back up the data.

Once we received proper training from the respective vendor, and since we were using NetWorker earlier, we didn't find any difficulties. We are currently using it efficiently and are happy with the experience.

Commercially, the Data Domain solution appliance is on the higher side, however, technically and functionally, there is no issue. It is quite expensive.

Just keep going with the solution as it performs. It meets our expectations well. 

Overall, I rate it nine out of ten.

I have proposed Dell PowerProtect DD in a couple of sectors, including defense, government, finance, and banks. Dell PowerProtect DD faces strong competition with appliances from Veritas, NetVault, and Commvault. 

Dell PowerProtect DD provides better appliances than the aforementioned competitors, has better features and the license is provided without any investments. Veritas offers solution by charging on a per-terabyte licensing model. Dell PowerProtect DD is used to retain or manage backups or sites for later use. 

The licensing model is the most valuable aspect of Dell PowerProtect DD. The pricing is cost-effective for the solution, and a one-time payment is required; no annual charges or additional costs are involved with Dell PowerProtect DD. I deal with multiple brands, so the end customer of the solution contacts me to find a suitable solution to their issues. 

There are multiple Chinese products hitting the market as a competitor tool against Dell PowerProtect DD, which doesn't have a great feature set but is available at an attractive and negotiable price. Recently, Huawei launched a backup solution that is being used in Pakistan or Afghanistan, but the vendor didn't sell it elsewhere. The aforementioned solution is providing tough competition to Dell PowerProtect DD. 

Dell previously had smaller models of Dell PowerProtect DD, which were called DD3300, if the vendor is able to launch a similar mid-range product for customers with an average budget, they will be able to compete better. 

The market is moving towards AI, and NVIDIA has been successful in growing and capturing the market. In Dell PowerProtect DD, there should also be AI features in the future. The vendor is coming up with new intelligence processors. Dell PowerProtect DD must store the data, but through AI, it should know how to retrieve and use it. AI features need to be introduced in Dell PowerProtect DD to capture the upcoming market. Customers of Dell PowerProtect DD know how to store the data but are aware of the applications or use of such data. 

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD for a year. 

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. Since the past year of usage, we have never faced any stability issues with the solution, and neither did our organization's customers. 

Enterprise-level businesses, when they purchase Dell PowerProtect DD, plan to use it at least for three or five years. There are very few customers who will repurchase the license for up to seven years, the rest will buy a new version. I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

The product offers impressive scalability, but the issue is that after the initial license expires, which runs for three to five years, customers prefer to replace it with a different one. The solution is suitable for all enterprise, medium, and small-scale businesses. In several cases,  small businesses also deal with critical data, so Dell PowerProtect DD can be a suitable solution for them. 

I would rate the tech support a five out of ten. There is an inconsistency in support quality for Dell PowerProtect DD. On-ground deployment or support assistance is not available for the product in our country, Pakistan, the customers have to purchase support assistance separately.

When purchasing Dell PowerProtect DD, customers are not willing to pay an additional $3000 to $4000 for deployment services and support. But once a customer purchases the solution and faces any trouble with data migration or similar issues, they feel purchasing the deployment services and support is necessary and Dell has the same motive of pushing them to avail support services. 

Often, the account managers our company deals with want to sell equipment or reduce features to onboard the solution at a more cost-effective price.  Dell PowerProtect DD is directly integrated with the servers and not into a massive environment. The product is usually integrated into a single server that runs the software. Dell PowerProtect DD is easy to integrate, but it often involves integrating one server and two switches for redundancy. 

Neutral

It's extremely easy to setup Dell PowerProtect DD. The solution's deployment is mostly carried out by partners, and some of them face challenges because every technology around the solution, including the firmware, needs to be upgraded before the configuration.

Customers with specialized technical knowledge can deploy Dell PowerProtect DD independently. In my country, Pakistan, 95% of customers use the solution on-prem. 

In terms of pricing, Dell PowerProtect DD is facing competition from Veritas and Commvault. In my country, I have sometimes noticed that enterprise businesses are offered the aforementioned competitor solutions at a cost-effective price. I know a couple of government sector projects that have chosen a competitor solution instead of Dell PowerProtect DD due to the pricing. 

Every customer in our organization has a unique requirement; if a customer's basic requirement can be fulfilled by Veritas or Commvault, then the customer reconsiders the pricing of all the options. If Veritas offers the most affordable price, then customers might choose it over others.

If a customer has a sophisticated requirement for a data domain or if the customer's data center has already implemented a data domain, they will be eager to pay a premium price and adopt Dell PowerProtect DD. To onboard more customers in a tender business or government sector, Dell has to come up with a better price for Dell PowerProtect DD.

The deduplication feature of Dell PowerProtect DD is one of the best offering from the solution. For instance, the banking sector institutions make multiple copies of their data. The deduplication feature of the tool is capable of deduplicating at an impressive ratio or amount.

Customers who have adopted Dell PowerProtect DD won't be interested in replacing it with another tool, the cost-effectiveness is one of the factors for such notion. I would overall rate Dell PowerProtect DD a nine out of ten. I would recommend the product to others. 

The data admin works within the network and Avamar. I am collaborating with the data admin on a target-based solution using their backup server. We are using this solution with Avamar to meet Target's needs.

They're attempting to take backups from their backup solution, which has improved their overall scalability and storage efficiency because they transitioned from a traditional backup solution to a more advanced solution within the Veracode domain.

It provides data protection and network cloud.

Local support is necessary because while some aspects are well-handled, others require attention. At times, working without support can be more cost-effective.

The scalability is very good.

Support is good.

Positive

As a technical user, the initial setup of Dell PowerProtect DD is straightforward and familiar because it provides a tool for first-time initialization. Additionally, if customization is needed, the process is user-friendly for creating users and configuring other settings. Overall, the setup process is designed to be simple and accessible.

I often receive feedback for synthetic data from their own data centers, such as Silicon and the National Bank of Ethiopia. Also, I recommend permissions because their data is highly integrated. Currently, the government sector is lagging in the supply chain. However, our state and technical team are actively involved in provisioning. Clients are very interested in the solution. We have also completed the installation in Darwin and are preparing to hand over the solution

Dell PowerProtect (Data Domain) is popular enough in our region.

Knowing the commitment terms is important when working with Dell PowerProtect DD. Typically, you must sign a one-year commitment if you're participating in a campaign or program. If you are provided with a voucher or other benefits, such as for students, it will usually come with the requirement to fulfill this commitment. It's essential to understand these terms clearly before proceeding.

Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Most cases are related to databases, such as Oracle and MySQL.

Dell PowerProtect DD does not have integration with the cloud and virtualization software.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for 10 years. We are using DD6300 of the solution.

I do not remember any outage or software bug. I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

The solution is scalable. About five to ten people are using this solution. 

We are already transitioning to the cloud, and this solution is almost exclusively used for primaries. We do not intend to renew, purchase additional units, or increase capacity.

Customer support is pretty good.

Positive

The initial setup is very simple. I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

We have the installation physically. In our data center, our team and Dell personnel came to us to make the first configuration. Since we already know the solution and have been using it for many years, so it's not very hard or difficult to setup.

Dell PowerProtect is a very efficient and very stable solution. It could have more integration.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

We use Dell PowerProtect DD for all financial cloud and banking systems to back up critical workloads. It serves as a Data Domain product to back up their environment. Additionally, we offer a two-minute backup, which refers to the capability of the Data Domain. This requires using data protection tools, including Networker and PowerProtect Data Manager. Networker serves as traditional backup routers.

When utilizing Dell PowerProtect DD for backup systems, Data Domain offers fast performance with low latency, providing high throughput for quicker backups compared to other vendors. Additionally, the network component is suitable for backing up Dell infrastructure, particularly for managing MA workloads efficiently. Restoring data through the backup process is straightforward, especially for users with experience using the DPS software.

The Dell PowerProtect DD architecture offers several significant features. One is DD Boost, which is utilized at both the source and destination sites for application processing. By employing DD Boost, the backup process is offloaded to the server side, efficiently utilizing network resources. 

Additionally, the Data Domain incorporates a Global Deduplication feature. This feature allows Data Domain to deduplicate all data streams simultaneously, enabling more efficient utilization of backup space within the Data Domain system.

The solution's pricing could be cheaper.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for two years.

The solution is stable.

The solution is scalable. 300 users are using this solution.

Dell PowerProtect DD's features and functionalities vary depending on the segment. Its advantages include cost-effectiveness, reduced footprint, and efficient management of backup services.

There are two types of licenses available for Data Domain. One is the capacity license, based on the amount of data stored. For instance, you would need a capacity license if you require one terabyte of storage in Data Domain. Additionally, if you need performance and optimization features, you would require a database license, a subset of the capacity license. Harmony licenses are also necessary for certain functionalities.

Data domain has two features. We also implement many customer tracking. We like a sum of customer tests, compliance, and regulations due to government systems and cybersecurity, and the retention length is a very useful solution.

I recommend the features for all customers.

According to benchmarks and customer feedback,  Data Domain is highly regarded for its excellent throughput and performance compared to other vendors. Customers have reported that Data Domain handles backup and restore processes exceptionally well, demonstrating quick response times and efficient performance.

Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.