Our main use case for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is as a backup target.
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Virtual Edition for AWS
Dell TechnologiesExternal reviews
External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Data reduction has significantly improved backup efficiency and lowered operational costs
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The features that my customers and I like the most about Dell PowerProtect Data Domain are its data reduction capabilities, which are quite good.
We see data reduction by up to 60 times with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, but it depends on the backup application the customers use.
There are money savings connected to that with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, as it saves on disk space and rack space, along with power savings and cooling as well.
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain impacts our data protection processes by allowing us to do data reduction at the source, which means we only back up the unique data, making it very efficient also in terms of network performance since you only need to transport what has changed.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, I suggest that the licensing structure could be clearer, as it is difficult to understand how capacity relates to the license capacity, which is not very transparent.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain for about 10 or 11 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I find the stability and reliability of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain to be good; I cannot recall an issue that has caused downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain scales well with the growing needs of my customers, allowing for expansion, but one should keep in mind that expanding the capacity also requires expanding the licenses, adding an extra layer compared to PowerStore, but it is still manageable.
How are customer service and support?
I would evaluate the support for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain on a scale of 1 to 10 as an eight, as I haven't used support for a few years, but previously it was quite good; they resolved our licensing issues promptly, which is impressive for such matters.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to adopting Dell PowerProtect Data Domain products, I don't think my customers used anything else to address similar needs.
How was the initial setup?
My experience deploying Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is that it is quite easy; deploying is pretty straightforward. It used to involve using a serial cable, which isn't common anymore, so you need converters and cables, making it a bit challenging if you only have a laptop.
What was our ROI?
I don't have information on whether my customers have seen a return on investment in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, as we don't get that information from our end customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I think the pricing and setup costs for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain used to be good, but I feel the prices have gone up a bit too much recently; however, end customers are still willing to pay.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I think Dell does a very good job with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, and I don't think there are competitors with similar performance and data reduction.
What other advice do I have?
I purchase all of these products through a distributor, but for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, we buy them directly, and only all storage-related products are through a distributor.
The monitoring features of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain are helpful for operational decision-making, especially when we encounter issues concerning capacity being full; we can get rid of some old storage or restore points and free up space.
The primary reasons my customers are implementing Dell PowerProtect Data Domain are for data reduction and to have a full stack of Dell products, which offers maximum discounts when buying more products from Dell, and we also have a lot of knowledge about Dell PowerProtect Data Domain and all Dell products.
I assess the backup and recovery performance of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain as good; however, for some backup applications and models, they don't work quite well, specifically with instant restore—it is a rather technical issue where we face some problems. Generally, its performance is good.
I do use analytics and monitoring features of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain itself to see how performance is doing, including data reduction and all such things.
I rate Dell PowerProtect Data Domain an eight and a half; however, it could be a little more transparent about capacity related to license capacity. Overall, I have rated this solution an eight out of ten.
Uses advanced compression and deduplication to minimize storage footprint and improve backup efficiency
What is our primary use case?
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is predominantly used for the backup of data and recovery with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
Our daily backups are run through PPDM, our Power Data Protect Manager, using Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. Previously, it used to be Avamar, and it's backed up and retained for 30 days, and we also have long-term retention. In some cases, it's one year to multiple years. All of the data is basically stored in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
The amount of data which we have is substantial with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. Relatively, we do have a daily change rate. However, if we go with any other traditional method of backups, it's occupying quite a significant amount of space on the backup storage. Dell PowerProtect Data Domain actually helps us to minimize that, and a large amount of data can be compressed into a single Dell PowerProtect Data Domain rather than having multiple backup storage systems.
What is most valuable?
The best features Dell PowerProtect Data Domain offers are the DD Boost, the latest DD Boost protocol, and it's also able to connect and provide a better compression ratio. Dedup and compression ratio are the best parts of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain has impacted my organization positively in multiple ways. The dedup and data compression actually benefit our floor space in the data center, and we are able to reduce our backup storage, which used to be a legacy large footprint, into something more concise.
What needs improvement?
One of the areas we are looking at is interconnects for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. I know Dell PowerProtect Data Domain connects with PowerStore, but we are also potentially looking at PowerStore and PowerScale connecting or interacting with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain directly, so that we can leverage writing NAS level backup into Dell PowerProtect Data Domain rather than utilizing any other software tools such as Networker or any other tools.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Dell PowerProtect Data Domain for about 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain can scale up easily on the highest footprint up to 1.5 petabytes usable. That is a good amount of space which we will be looking for.
How are customer service and support?
The customer support for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is good. We get a good response. We have dedicated support team members. We can basically connect with them easily.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have other traditional enterprise backup tools with direct attached backup storage, which is actually significantly occupying a lot of space before switching to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. That was actually one of the key reasons to switch, and the dedup and compression ratio and smaller footprint are compacting more data into Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
How was the initial setup?
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is relatively reasonable.
What was our ROI?
I see a good return on investment with Dell PowerProtect Data Domain in a couple of ways. One is less floor space in the data center and the ability to pack more data into the backup storage on Dell PowerProtect Data Domain as compared to the traditional backup storage. That certainly represents a return on investment and money savings.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is relatively reasonable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated between DXi, and that was another product which we equally evaluated before choosing Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. However, the relationship we have with the Dell product and PPDM and Networker, which is native integration with Data Protect and the DD Boost protocol, made our decision much easier to choose Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
What other advice do I have?
You have to evaluate what your data point and daily change rate are and how your current backup methodologies are utilizing the backup storage for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. Based on that, you can analyze and compare it against Dell PowerProtect Data Domain while leveraging PPDM and Networker tools and see whether you can compress and reduce the footprint. That would be my recommendation and advice to any others looking at Dell PowerProtect Data Domain along with PPDM. I would rate this solution a 9 out of 10.
Has improved backup scheduling efficiency with reliable compression and one-click operations
What is our primary use case?
Our main use case for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is to optimize backup timing and scheduling.
What is most valuable?
The most beneficial features in the product are compatibility, which is the most valuable function. The compression factor is very good. The solution is user-friendly. Single-click operations are also a key feature.
What needs improvement?
One area for improvement regarding Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is the support. We are in Pakistan and there is no physical support available on the software side. Every time, people engage remote support, and sometimes it is not feasible for us. Local support must be available in the country.
Reporting is a specific feature I would like to see added. The current reporting mechanism is not appropriate as per our management style. We need to improve the reporting mechanism in new features.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Dell PowerProtect Data Domain for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is reliable and stable. I do not see any glitches or latency; the solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Currently, what we are using does not have any limitations on scaling. Perhaps in the future, we may need to expand usage.
How are customer service and support?
If local support is built in, I would give it a ten out of ten. If they do not build locally, then I would give it zero or one.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In the past, we were using Data Protector.
How was the initial setup?
One problem we faced at the time of installation for upgradation was a port issue because the system uses networking with many ports. The ports should be restricted.
What about the implementation team?
My experience with the implementation team was good.
What was our ROI?
This is not in my position to comment on the ROI since using Dell PowerProtect Data Domain.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We buy Dell PowerProtect Data Domain directly.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Pricing factors influenced our decision. When we were migrating from Data Protector to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, Commvault, and other solutions, management decided to move to this solution. Pricing factors played a role in that decision.
What other advice do I have?
We are working on Dell PowerProtect Data Domain with a networker. Sometimes it is complex, but we use the vendor support and that is easily handled. The vendor shares features with us from time to time, and we implement features they may add to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain. I would rate this review a nine out of ten.
Extremely reliable with unmatched deduplication and compression ratios
What is our primary use case?
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is an integrated backup appliance-based solution, and our installed base in Pakistan is substantial. We possess high expertise in both pre-sales and post-sales activities for this.
What is most valuable?
It can operate at high temperatures. Even in disaster situations, you can recover your backups. The technology has advanced significantly, and the software that operates the environment of PowerProtect is excellent. It truly is remarkable. In every instance where we've proposed and won a project based on PowerProtect, the customers have been highly satisfied and confident in their backup processes.
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is highly consistent, durable, easy to install, scalable, and compatible with any software today. The deduplication and compression ratio is unmatchable through DD Boost software.
What needs improvement?
There is a challenge when it comes to data recovery; the recovery window can exceed four to eight hours if you're dealing with backups older than five or ten years. The encryption and decryption processes take longer than those of all-flash technologies. This is the only challenge I see.
It also cannot provide an active-active infrastructure since you can have only a single controller in one appliance. If you want to implement a dual controller setup, you need to connect another appliance with a single controller. This limitation can be a drawback, especially because competitors offer dual controller architectures with end-to-end NVMe and Rocky-based back-end network infrastructure. Their IO systems can achieve faster recovery of backups, while Dell PowerProtect DD do not provide such high throughput.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with Dell solutions for more than 20 years. We are a Titanium partner of Dell Technologies, and we are working on the complete portfolio of Dell and Dell EMC.
How are customer service and support?
The support services Dell is providing are excellent.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are working with Dell Technologies, VMware, Microsoft, and Huawei. Due to huge costs, there is competition from companies such as Huawei, Veritas, and other OEMs. Dell EMC is experiencing high competition in terms of financials.
Customers go for Dell PowerProtect DD because of the support services that Dell is providing and good architecture.
People have been using it for over a decade to backup their data. It provides good data duplication and ratio. MTree mechanism allows for seamless transfers of backups between different systems, whether it's from one Data Domain (DD) to another DD or from one PowerProtect to another PowerProtect. Additionally, there are many features available. However, it's important to note that similar features are now also offered by competitors.
How was the initial setup?
It typically takes one to two hours to complete the installation, depending on the infrastructure and the size of the project. For example, if you are dealing with a backup solution of 100 to 200 terabytes, it will generally take one to two hours at most.
What about the implementation team?
As for the installation team, I am not the only one involved. We have a team of specialists, particularly when it comes to customers in the Financial Services Industry (FSI) or mission-critical environments. Dell Technologies manages a highly skilled set of expert engineers with decades of experience. We offer professional services through Dell, and we also have a certified Dell EMC team available on the ground.
Due to the critical nature of the data, the choice of implementation services that we propose to our customers depends greatly on the specific requirements. In tenders, we strive to offer both competitive pricing and high-quality service. Our deployments are typically carried out by our team members, but for Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Requests for Quotes (RFQs), we always bring Dell Professional Services on board. Their service is exceptionally professional and unmatched in my country.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)'s licensing cost was excellent in 2023, but after 2023, the operating environment licensing cost is huge. It is almost four times the earlier price.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Offers efficient data management with robust features and reliable performance
What is our primary use case?
The typical use case for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is for backup purposes; it is disk-based backup, which provides fast backup capabilities.
Additionally, data can be replicated from site one to site two, specifically backup data from backup device to backup device, not storage to storage.
Furthermore, deduplication and compression are enabled on the backup data, resulting in reduced bandwidth consumption. These are the three main functionalities.
What is most valuable?
The best feature of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is its deduplication.
The integration of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) with leading backup applications within the infrastructure is very good. It works with multiple backup solutions, not only with NetWorker or Avamar; it is also compatible with McAfee and NetBackup.
The security features of this solution, such as encryption and role-based access control, are included, and ransomware protection is also incorporated. The solution comes with security features by default.
What needs improvement?
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) can be improved in terms of price. While Dell is providing a proper device, other solutions, such as Symantec, can replicate their data through any NAS storage. Although their deduplication and compression might not be as effective, they can still accomplish the task.
Medium-level and SME-level businesses can easily utilize this feature, but Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is a relatively expensive solution to propose to customers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have approximately 10 to 12 years of experience with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), which was previously known as Data Domain before PowerProtect.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable to higher models, both vertically and horizontally.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support rates eight to nine on a scale from one to ten, with one being the worst and ten being the best.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is very easy to install and administrate.
What was our ROI?
The return on investment from Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is visible for enterprise customers, but not for SMEs. For enterprise customers, its price point is appropriate, but for SMEs, it is not suitable because the cost of the solution is much higher than the actual solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The backup solution cost is higher than the actual solution.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is more suitable for large businesses rather than small or medium-sized enterprises.
I have utilized Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) cloud-enabled capabilities to manage backups and recoveries with good results.
The on-site solution is most requested in the local market because it is a backup device, and most organizations prefer to host it in their own data centers.
On a scale of 1-10, this solution rates an 8.
Great for retention for data, deduplication, and replication
What is our primary use case?
My use case for this solution is for protecting or backing up data to safeguard against hacking or for disaster recovery. I utilize it in more projects on the governmental side, the non-governmental side, and in the banking sector since they usually need to back up their data.
What is most valuable?
Retention for data, deduplication, and replication between sites are valuable features. The solution syncs immediately.
What needs improvement?
The model 3330 may need improvement. Then we have another model, 6300. In my opinion, the 6300 model is better. It is suitable for more customers since it is small, cost-effective, and a good start for any customer to know about Data Domain and DBS solutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for between three or four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell is more stable than any other device. After Dell, HPE follows, then IBM, and then any other device. Dell is especially more stable in the enterprise product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I usually don't worry about scalability or upgradability for a device like PowerProtect, VRTX, or any Dell product.
How are customer service and support?
I can buy any Dell device in Egypt and they offer strong after-sales support. We have a call center, and they call us continuously to ensure satisfaction. I have encountered an issue before with other brands that would not have occurred with Dell.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I sold HPE servers to PepsiCo due to their global agreement. I faced issues with HPE's support. Dell resolved similar issues much quicker.
I'm aware of Huawei's scalability, which, in comparison, surpasses Dell's. Huawei's storage device can be upgraded with another 16 devices, while Dell and HVE talk about only three devices that can be scaled up.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is also a disadvantage. Price is a disadvantage with the PowerProtect as it needs to be cheaper. The cheaper device costs around $70,000, which is a big sum to pay for a device like this.
What other advice do I have?
Price is a major factor. Replication and data deduplication ensure there is no duplication for backing up data. The technology it uses is the shortest and minimized. The size of the data should be backed up every time. The customer needs to know about data duplication and data replication. This is the tool I recommended to customers.
Overall, I rate the product eight out of ten.
Utilize data protection with AI scanning but needs better hypervisor integration
What is our primary use case?
The main use case is for backup and mobile. My customers usually have a couple of authorizations and server and database. They are mainly using PowerProtect DD for backup purposes.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of PowerProtect DD are the immutable storage and the AI scanning. These features detect differences in backup versions and help in preventing any unauthorized changes, ensuring data protection. The AI scanning is also beneficial for prediction and protection, as it can scan locally without needing to connect to any external templates.
What needs improvement?
PowerProtect DD should improve the hypervisor support on the DD system. The system needs better integration with VMware to ensure full protection of the backup systems without leaving them vulnerable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with PowerProtect DD for three years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There have been no issues with the stability of the tool. It has been very stable for use.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability as eight out of ten. It is easy to scale.
How are customer service and support?
The support for PowerProtect DD is satisfactory. I have dedicated support from Dell for Vietnam, and they are responsive.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult. On a scale from one to ten, I rate the ease of setup as an eight.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price for PowerProtect DD is not suitable for my customers. It is very high. However, the actual cost can sometimes depend on the relationship with Dell, where there may be discounts available for certain customers.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for those looking to use Dell PowerProtect DD is that it is a solid product for backup and recovery. However, they should be aware of the high cost.
I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.
Secure data protection with quick support response and potential for cost-efficient improvements
What is our primary use case?
I use Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for archiving and storage for the server. It is also used for daily backup purposes.
What is most valuable?
The solution is valuable for its security purposes and good support. It securely protects data against threats like Trojans. The solution has been awesome over the last ten years, offering stability and reliability, which I recommend for stable storage.
Additionally, it supports new technologies and offers a fantastic after-sales service, with engineers responding within 24 hours to solve issues, proving crucial for our operations.
What needs improvement?
If I were a manager for this infrastructure, I would look into load balancing for cost, maintenance after sale, and improving Dell PowerProtect DD. It is important to consider features you need or don’t need.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the Dell PowerProtect DD solution since 2008.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. Over the past ten years, it has been an awesome project.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In my plan, I renew the support every three years, and it is scalable. The scalability depends on the IT department's strategy.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service after sale is very important. They respond within 24 hours of case submission, which is crucial for maintaining the solution. Technical support is rated nine out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before Dell PowerProtect DD, I used Veeam Backup, which is easy to manage and offers a reasonable backup solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is for archiving and daily backups. It is set up on premises with virtual machines.
What was our ROI?
Occasionally, there are significant monetary savings and time savings.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Pricing is sometimes reasonable depending on the discounts provided by the company.
What other advice do I have?
I advise potential users that Dell PowerProtect DD is a good product, but it has to be aligned with your strategy, capacity, and budget. Rating for the overall solution is nine out of ten. The considerations should be to focus on price and on your strategy for your environment.
Achieve efficient archiving with superior deduplication while needing improved high availability
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is for deduplication and archiving, including achieving efficient archiving. We sometimes use Veeam backup with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) and other times with Dell PowerProtect to extend retention periods of our backup jobs.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is its deduplication capability. This feature is crucial for our customers as it allows them to have more storage space for backup jobs.
Additionally, the integration with Dell EMC arrays and storage snapshot backup functionalities are key elements, enabling efficient daily and nightly backups of sensitive ERP or applications.
What needs improvement?
Improvement is needed in terms of telemetry and high availability as the high availability feature is only present in the higher models of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain). The entry-level and medium-level models, such as the 6000 and 4400, lack this feature.
Moreover, integration with cybersecurity measures can be enhanced, particularly with ransomware protection.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for about ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is stable in terms of software performance. However, problems arise during the software upgrade process from version to version.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is mainly constrained by hardware limitations. The software has good scalability, however, there is an issue with high availability in entry and medium-level models.
How are customer service and support?
Customer service from Dell is good. We buy the product with a 24-hour onsite response support in Tunisia, and we face no issues with the support quality.
How was the initial setup?
What about the implementation team?
An experienced engineer is essential to handle the complicated implementation process of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain).
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing has become higher since July, and the license costs are more expensive compared to the past. It now uses a different licensing model, which is calculated based on the number of virtual machines instead of storage or processors.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for its integration with Dell EMC solutions and its superior compression and application ratios. This makes it more interesting compared to other products.
Overall, I would rate the solution a six out of ten.
Data deduplication and faster recovery improve backups and efficiency
What is our primary use case?
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.
What is most valuable?
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.
What needs improvement?
The Data Domain solution appliance is quite expensive. It is on the higher side, but technically or functionally, there is no issue.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Dell Data Domain for the last five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
There have been absolutely no stability issues so far.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
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.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support was absolutely supportive. Whenever we faced any issues, we logged a call with Dell and immediately received a response, which was fantastic.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were earlier using the traditional backup methodology, which used to take a lot of time to back up the data.
How was the initial setup?
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.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Commercially, the Data Domain solution appliance is on the higher side, however, technically and functionally, there is no issue. It is quite expensive.
What other advice do I have?
Just keep going with the solution as it performs. It meets our expectations well.
Overall, I rate it nine out of ten.