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Dell Avamar vs Dell PowerProtect Data Domain comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
5.8
Dell Avamar offers efficient data reduction, cost savings, enhanced IT operations, and strong data security against ransomware threats.
Sentiment score
6.6
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain excels in reducing costs and storage needs, optimized for large enterprises with significant data demands.
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.
Vice President - Information Technology Systems Engineering at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The best part is the compression and deduplication feature.
Lead Architect at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
I find it cost-effective, and it does bring the return on investment.
lead at Boston Scientific
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.9
Dell Avamar support is knowledgeable but slow, with communication challenges and limited first-level responsiveness hindering comprehensive assistance.
Sentiment score
7.2
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain customer service is praised for efficiency and responsiveness, despite some regional and response time inconsistencies.
When their technical person is online, the quality of service and technical knowledge are very good.
Project Engineer at Concept Information Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
The current technical support by Dell is very good.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
They respond within 24 hours of case submission, which is crucial for maintaining the solution.
Sr System Expert at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
I have dedicated support from Dell for Vietnam, and they are responsive.
Information Technology Technician at Lac Viet Computing
I have encountered an issue before with other brands that would not have occurred with Dell.
Senior Sells at Enterprise Sigma Technology
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.6
Dell Avamar offers scalability for medium to large enterprises but requires costly node additions and has infrastructure limitations.
Sentiment score
6.8
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain offers scalable storage, supports cloud expansion, efficiently uses space, and is easy for administrators to manage.
Dell Avamar offers very good scalability.
Project Engineer at Concept Information Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
The scalability depends on the IT department's strategy.
Sr System Expert at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is very scalable; it expands easily with new enclosures.
Storage Engineer at Comtrade Group
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain can scale up horizontally to meet the growing needs of our organization.
lead at Boston Scientific
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Dell Avamar is stable and reliable, praised for smooth operation and low failure rates in various infrastructures.
Sentiment score
8.2
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is praised for stability, reliability, quick recovery from failures, and efficient data replication.
We have never encountered issues such as data corruption with these systems.
Storage Engineer at Comtrade Group
I have not experienced any downtime, crashes, or performance issues with it.
IT Infrastructure and Telecom TL at a construction company with 51-200 employees
Dell is especially more stable in the enterprise product.
Senior Sells at Enterprise Sigma Technology
 

Room For Improvement

Dell Avamar needs UI, backup speed, cloud integration, and scalability improvements, with concerns over pricing and technical support.
Enhancements needed in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain include pricing, installation, interface, support, cloud integration, deduplication, and ransomware protection.
They could add more features for cyber resilience and multi-cloud options in the next release to make it even better.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
There are instances where backups fail on certain applications, which is an area that could be improved.
Managing Director at Atlantic factorial
While Dell Avamar is a good product, the pricing is very high.
Project Engineer at Concept Information Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
Local support must be available in the country.
Head Of Systems Group at NCCPL
We can leverage writing NAS level backup into Dell PowerProtect Data Domain rather than utilizing any other software tools such as Networker.
Vice President - Information Technology Systems Engineering at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain represents the fastest and most reliable solution, ensuring great integration with backup software.
Storage Engineer at Comtrade Group
 

Setup Cost

Dell Avamar offers varying pricing experiences, with praised setup ease, but cost-effectiveness compared to competitors like Veeam is debated.
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is expensive for small firms but valued by enterprises for performance, despite rising post-2023 costs.
I don't currently have detailed knowledge about the pricing, however, it is geared towards enterprise businesses and might be on the higher side.
Managing Director at Atlantic factorial
It is almost four times the earlier price.
Head of Sales and Operations at New Horizon Computers
The pricing has become higher since July, and the license costs are more expensive compared to the past.
Technical manager at Advanced Computer Technology (ACT)
The price for PowerProtect DD is not suitable for my customers. It is very high.
Information Technology Technician at Lac Viet Computing
 

Valuable Features

Dell Avamar provides efficient deduplication, scalable backup, and recovery with strong integration and platform support for robust data protection.
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain excels in deduplication, integrates with major platforms, enhances data transfer, and optimizes backup processes.
The most valuable feature is the instant recovery capability.
Project Engineer at Concept Information Technologies India Pvt. Ltd.
The software delivers flexible and efficient backup and recovery options through its cyber resiliency features.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
The most valuable feature for me is the backup functionality.
Managing Director at Atlantic factorial
The most valuable feature of Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is its deduplication capability.
Technical manager at Advanced Computer Technology (ACT)
Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is highly consistent, durable, easy to install, scalable, and compatible with any software today.
Head of Sales and Operations at New Horizon Computers
The most beneficial features in the product are compatibility, which is the most valuable function.
Head Of Systems Group at NCCPL
 

Categories and Ranking

Dell Avamar
Ranking in Deduplication Software
5th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
90
Ranking in other categories
Backup and Recovery (8th)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
Ranking in Deduplication Software
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
83
Ranking in other categories
Disk Based Backup Systems (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Deduplication Software category, the mindshare of Dell Avamar is 10.2%, up from 8.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is 26.2%, down from 29.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Deduplication Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain26.2%
Dell Avamar10.2%
Other63.6%
Deduplication Software
 

Q&A Highlights

it_user113067 - PeerSpot reviewer
Vice President at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Feb 11, 2016
 

Featured Reviews

SamuelThomas - PeerSpot reviewer
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
Have supported critical environments despite room for improvement in legacy backup options
It is very efficient in cyber resilience. Deduplication, automation, and everything is very efficient. It is multi-cloud enabled and has broad protections. The software delivers flexible and efficient backup and recovery options through its cyber resiliency features. Dell PowerProtect Manager provides insights in managing backup processes. Its encryption mechanisms are very efficient, helping to secure sensitive data. Its integration with Dell EMC Data Domain is very good. It is easy to integrate with Data Domain. Multi-cloud options are enabled, and backup in cloud options exist in Dell Avamar.
Branko Cirovic - PeerSpot reviewer
Storage Engineer at Comtrade Group
Provides seamless backup integration and long-term reliability for enterprise data protection
The price is quite high; this product is not considered cheap. Additionally, if you use higher availability boxes, they also come at a premium price. However, they provide business continuity, which is the main reason why companies invest in this solution. Tape is slow; when restoring several virtual machines or databases amounting to several terabytes, Dell PowerProtect Data Domain represents the fastest and most reliable solution, ensuring great integration with backup software. If a customer has limited budget constraints, they may opt for cheaper external storage comprised of just a bunch of disks and utilize it for backup, as backup is not a business-critical service. However, I see great value in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain because it is fully automated, features great integration with backup software, and provides good value for money. I would rate software support as a ten, while I would give hardware support a seven. I never give any product a perfect score; I think Dell PowerProtect Data Domain deserves a nine. The only minor problems are the certificate issue and the price. These certificate issues are quite rare and mainly arise when we forget to restart and upgrade the box for several years.
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Answers from the Community

it_user113067 - PeerSpot reviewer
Vice President at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Feb 11, 2016
Feb 11, 2016
Avamar supports Extended Retention Media Access nodes -- A Media Access node exports backup data from an Avamar server to a tape library (physical or virtual) for long-term retention purposes. It has an HBA port that allows a tape device to be connected directly to the node via fiber-optic cable. It is not part of an ADS Gen4S server (not connected to the Avamar system’s internal network).
2 out of 4 answers
RI
Vice President at a tech company with 51-200 employees
May 18, 2014
TSM? Druva?
it_user8967 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager of IT at a retailer with 51-200 employees
May 19, 2014
http://www.hds.com/products/storage-software/hitachi-data-instance-manager.html
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
14%
Government
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business26
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise48
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business34
Midsize Enterprise22
Large Enterprise36
 

Questions from the Community

What's the difference between Dell EMC Avamar and Dell EMC NetWorker?
From the very beginning, Dell EMC NetWorker considers users and those who might potentially become users. In terms of both pricing and setup, this product offers an experience that is significantly...
What do you like most about Dell Avamar?
Easy to configure and highly reliable for backup.
What is your primary use case for Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
Our main use case for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is as a backup target.
What do you like most about Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
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 NV...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
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.
 

Also Known As

Avamar
DataDomain, Dell EMC Data Domain, PowerProtect Data Domain
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Dodge County, St Laurence's College, FieldCore (a GE Company), Comanche County Memorial Hospital, Getronics, Lewisville Independent School District, EnvisionRxOptions, Cincinnati Bell Technology Solutions
The US Army, City of Houston, Lloyds TSB, TiVo, Teck, Ingram Entertainment, The New York Mets
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Domain and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,259 professionals have used our research since 2012.