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DD Boost vs IBM ProtectTIER comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 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

DD Boost
Ranking in Deduplication Software
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
40
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM ProtectTIER
Ranking in Deduplication Software
12th
Average Rating
7.2
Number of Reviews
7
Ranking in other categories
Backup and Recovery (66th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Deduplication Software category, the mindshare of DD Boost is 3.8%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM ProtectTIER is 2.6%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Deduplication Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
DD Boost3.8%
IBM ProtectTIER2.6%
Other93.6%
Deduplication Software
 

Featured Reviews

Daniel Dumitru - PeerSpot reviewer
Inginer de system IT Senior at ENGIE
Speedy data backup with significant space savings and efficient deduplication
DD Boost has been very beneficial in enhancing our data backup processes. We perform backups with less time, and it allows for efficient on-premises recovery and restoration. We use it in conjunction with the Veeam suite. Overall, it has helped us make a big impact by allowing us to have more restore points and optimizing our storage efficiency with faster backups compared to tape backups.
AG
Technical Lead at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Provides a short-term backup, archive, and cataloging for 20,000 people in our organization
The backup for a large amount of data is slow. When there's a large amount of data, sometimes the backup isn't completed in time. I have a 24 hour cycle, so it doesn't get completed in 24 hours with the large amount of data. With Veritas NetBackup, I can take 20 terabytes of backup in a day.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"We can retain the data for a pretty long time."
"The tool's deployment was easy."
"The solution is very good because it is easy to use and it speeds up the backup and lowers the requirement for the storage rate. It is capable of encryption, compression, and deduplication and it is fast for sending all of the data over the network because it sends only the change blocks from the client to the DD server."
"The solution is very easy to manage and gives great backup performance."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is deduplication."
"It cuts down network traffic, and only the relevant parts move around because it is deduced and encrypted."
"It saves money because I don't need as much storage."
"They had a very good experience with backup times and fast resolutions."
"I will highly recommend this product for excellent and quick backup solution in small and large IBM I Series environment."
"The most valuable features are the self-service features and the ability to search the data."
"In terms of stability, I've found it to be very stable."
"Overall IBM ProtectTIER is a great solution. It is easy to use."
"In terms of stability, I've found it to be very stable. I've walked into the server room when it was at 60 degrees Celcius, and it was still running fine."
"The command-line interface is good."
"The cataloging is the best feature, as it takes millions of frames for the backup and, because it's incremental, it takes less time to complete."
"The most valuable feature is the incremental backup."
 

Cons

"Technical support is okay but could be improved. I've sent a lot of complaints their way and I feel like they might be able to respond a bit better."
"Lack of this functionality is, in my opinion, big limitation."
"The pricing for this solution is also expensive, so you have to look carefully at its pricing."
"If we talk about Dell backup software, there is room for improvement in areas such as backup from IBM operating systems, open-source products, and Office 365."
"This product is expensive compared to other storage so the price can be improved."
"There are limitations when using the VTL protocol in extreme cases."
"Connectivity with the cloud and on-premises needs improved gateways."
"A disadvantage could be in terms of price points because price points are a hindrance at times when we position it with customers."
"It is unmanageable. Support would be good."
"Setting up the system to work with legacy equipment is a bit complex at times."
"These days, we are thinking about pushing another solution because of the poor support from IBM."
"The configuration wizards are still complex and hard to navigate. These should be easier to manage."
"I would like the possibility to back up the infrastructure and then replicate it upon on restart, without having to orchestrate the starting of the VM."
"IBM ProtectTIER could improve by being more user-friendly."
"My advice to anybody who is considering this solution is to conduct a proof of concept first because everybody's needs are different, and this product is not suitable for every kind of backup."
"The backup for a large amount of data is slow. When there's a large amount of data, sometimes the backup isn't completed in time."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution comes with a capacity license and it is a one-time purchase. There are additional costs, such as support."
"The pricing is high compared to the competition and should be reconsidered."
"We scale this product by adding licenses, which are related to capacity."
"DD Boost's price is good for its features."
"There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing charges attached to the product. The price of the product is on a higher scale, meaning not everybody can afford it."
"My company must pay approximately 10,000 USD annually, making it an expensive product."
"Dell EMC Data Domain Boost is an expensive product. There are extra costs for support because every year, you have to renew your SLA for support, and the cost is always increasing."
"You don't have to pay additional costs."
"IBM ProtectTIER is an expensive solution."
"We have a capacity-based license, which is managed centrally for all the sites of my company."
"This solution is very expensive."
"The customer can decide how they want to purchase a license. However, the price of the solution is expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
13%
Construction Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Construction Company
21%
Manufacturing Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise3
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for DD Boost?
It's complicated for me because when we buy, we buy a package, so I don't have the DD price. Every Data Domain we buy comes with Boost technology, with the DDoS feature. I don't know the price of D...
What needs improvement with DD Boost?
DD Boost can improve by providing some sort of API to track the progress or the number of remaining data transfers. For instance, in other Dell products such as storage, SRDF replication protocol i...
What is your primary use case for DD Boost?
I am handling the storage part, not the compute part. Through storage, I have Dell PowerMax 2000, Dell Unity, Data Domain, and Dell SAN switches. Additionally, I have two boxes from IBM FlashSystem...
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Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Durham Police Department, Re-Store LLC, CenterGrid, pixx.io GmbH, Australian Government Department of Defence, QD, Refresco Gerber
Find out what your peers are saying about DD Boost vs. IBM ProtectTIER and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,894 professionals have used our research since 2012.