Dell Avamar vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager comparison

Dell Avamar and Dell PowerProtect Data Manager are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. Dell Avamar is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.1, while Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.6. Dell Avamar holds a 2.4% mindshare in BRS, compared to Dell PowerProtect Data Manager’s 3.4% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of Dell Avamar users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Dell PowerProtect Data Manager users who would recommend it.

Dell Avamar

Read 90 Dell Avamar reviews

5,265 Views
4,791 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Read 14 Dell PowerProtect Data Manager reviews

6,903 Views
5,729 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Dell Avamar

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

Dell Avamar and Dell PowerProtect Data Manager are prominent data protection solutions. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager appears superior in features and ease of deployment despite Dell Avamar's competitive pricing and support.

Features: Dell Avamar offers efficient data deduplication, robust backup capabilities, strong protection for virtual environments, and fast recovery times. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager provides advanced automation, integration, multi-cloud data management, and a modern feature set tailored for complex, diverse setups.

Room for Improvement:Dell Avamar needs a more intuitive experience, enhanced scalability, and refined reporting tools. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager requires improvements in documentation, more comprehensive support for legacy systems, and faster initial setup times.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Dell Avamar is appreciated for its relatively quick deployment process and reliable support but faces challenges with scaling. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager has a steeper learning curve but benefits from efficient deployment methods and responsive customer service with occasional setup complexity issues.

Pricing and ROI: Dell Avamar is cost-effective with reasonable setup costs and a good return on investment, especially for medium-sized enterprises. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager, though more expensive, justifies its cost with rich functionalities and significant long-term ROI, particularly for large organizations.

To learn more, read our detailed Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Report (Updated: November 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

November 2025

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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

Dell Avamar

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

6th

Ranking in Deduplication Software

5th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

8th

Ranking in Deduplication Software

6th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell Avamar is 2.4%, down from 3.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is 3.4%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Dell Avamar	2.4%
Dell PowerProtect Data Manager	3.4%
Other	94.2%

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

SamuelThomas

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.

Read full review

MinaMagdy1

Senior System Engineer at Nutanix

Comprehensive integration and user-friendly dashboard enhance data protection workflows

PowerProtect Data Manager lacks the tape-out functionality, which is important for organizations relying on it for offsite backup. While PowerProtect Data Manager offers a workaround, it's not always accepted, notably by sectors like banking. Additionally, I would like PowerProtect Data Manager to provide microservices and container backup for modern applications.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable feature is the virtual backup."

"The stability of Dell EMC Avamar is very good."

"So far, Avamar covers everything we want. We are replicating to other sites for disaster recovery, so it's working well for us."

"The solution integrates well with Unix, Windows, Hyper-V and VM."

"I like Dell EMC Avamar's compression of data."

"The software delivers flexible and efficient backup and recovery options through its cyber resiliency features."

"It is very easy when you want to restore back to the original state."

"The most valuable feature is the integration with Data Domain and your VM stacks."

More Dell Avamar pros

"It's the perfect solution for virtual and container directives. The data reduction feature works well, and we haven't had any issues."

"The product's initial setup phase was easy."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its integrated approach."

"It satisfies my customers' scalability needs and provides interactive features, allowing efficient integration."

"I would say flexibility is the most important feature of the product. The performance and speed are the best on the market."

"The most valuable features of the solution are flexibility and data protection."

"Dell PowerProtect Data Manager helps to reduce the amount of data being transferred and stored."

"Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager is user-friendly and easy to use. it does what it needs to do."

More Dell PowerProtect Data Manager pros

Cons

"There are instances where backups fail on certain applications, which is an area that could be improved."

"It's an expensive solution."

"If you don't have DPA, the reporting features are not as user-friendly, so reporting is something that they can improve on."

"The licensing model is not very flexible. Every time we upgrade our storage size, we need to upgrade the Avamar license."

"More integration would be helpful, as well as the addition of more applications."

"Technical support should be more knowledgeable."

"EMC has discontinued their Avamar hardware version. They only advertise the Avamar virtual edition."

"The UI is quite old. We've been using this UI since last year, and they haven't changed it. It would be better to update the UI periodically and create attractive dashboards from an administrative point of view."

More Dell Avamar cons

"The marketing strategy is lagging behind competitors such as CommVault. Dell needs to improve its market presence and communication with customers and solution providers."

"The main issue that needs improvement is the support system. When I raise a ticket, it sometimes takes a while to get a response."

"You need to use additional software to back up entire environments. It will be good if they could support entire tape libraries."

"As a new product, there are some things that still need to improve a bit as it matures."

"Management is difficult and it is hard to determine when things aren't working properly."

"PPDM requires further development. It is primarily integrated with DevOps systems."

"There is always room for improvement. The compression ratio should be improved as well as the efficiency."

"The Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager reports could improve. There should be different kinds of reports on failures, such as dashboards that we can submit to top management or auditors."

More Dell PowerProtect Data Manager cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's a very high-end solution and comparable to Rubrik and Cohesity."

"The cost of the solution is very expensive."

"It is expensive. The maintenance comes with it for five years. So, you buy the whole thing for five years, and your maintenance is included with it, but it's a big chunk of change upfront. We like capital expenses because we can CapEx them. We pay once every five years, so we spend a big chunk of change. You'd have to divide that out by the five years to come up with how much it costs. It's just about three-quarters of a million dollars for five years."

"This solution is less expensive than Veeam for us, although it depends on the customer because we get a great discount."

"It is very expensive. It's a trust based licensing. So that's an ethical challenge."

"There are licensing costs for Dell EMC Avamar and it is paid annually."

"It was approximately $70-80,000 when it was under support, but right now EMC has not been supporting this product for two years."

"Its price should be reduced. It would be good if you could pay as per usage, and there is a subscription model like VMware. There should be some flexibility because sometimes, the customer only uses the backup for one month or three months. Currently, I have to pay whether I use it or not. Its licensing should be flexible and based on consumption."

More Dell Avamar pricing and cost advice

"The solution is not less expensive than competitors but pricing deals are available."

"The licensing costs and pricing model are based on capacity and the license is easy to upgrade."

"The product is offered at a very competitive price in the market."

"Dell PowerProtect Data Manager is not an expensive solution."

"The price of Dell EMC PowerProtect Data Manager is reasonable."

"The solution is more affordable than other vendors."

"We offer monthly or yearly subscriptions. The price could be cheaper."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

13%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	26
Midsize Enterprise	18
Large Enterprise	48

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	6

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...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell EMC Avamar?

The cost is very significant, and it could be lower.

See all answers

What do you like most about Dell Avamar?

Easy to configure and highly reliable for backup.

See all answers

What do you like most about Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?

One notable feature is its robust backup support for Kubernetes and container environments. Additionally, PPDM stands out for its ease of deployment and management compared to other backup solution...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?

Overall, pricing does not significantly impact our decision. The main concern is the solution itself, presales activities, and positioning it in the right place. Commercial aspects are secondary to...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect Data Manager?

The marketing strategy is lagging behind competitors such as CommVault. Dell needs to improve its market presence and communication with customers and solution providers.

See all answers

Comparisons

Veeam Data Platform vs Dell Avamar

Compared 12% of the time

Rubrik vs Dell Avamar

Compared 8% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs Dell Avamar

Compared 7% of the time

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs Dell Avamar

Compared 6% of the time

Dell NetWorker vs Dell Avamar

Compared 5% of the time

More Dell Avamar Competitors

Dell NetWorker vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Compared 15% of the time

Veeam Data Platform vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Compared 12% of the time

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Compared 10% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Compared 4% of the time

Rubrik vs Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Compared 4% of the time

More Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell Avamar

November 2025

Download Dell Avamar product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

November 2025

Download Dell PowerProtect Data Manager product report

Also Known As

Avamar

PowerProtect, Dell EMC PowerProtect

Overview

Dell Avamar data protection software delivers flexible and efficient backup and recovery operations that can scale from daily backup protection for endpoints to high-performance protection for large enterprises with diverse applications and workloads. With application consistent recovery, automation and fast backup and restores, Avamar can help you meet your SLAs and optimize your backup and recovery processes

If you are deploying all or part of your backup environment to the cloud, Avamar enables you to make the most of your cloud investment, enabling replication, disaster recovery and long-term retention for customers using AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud.

Avamar is available as part of Dell Data Protection Suite, which offers comprehensive data protection software applications and tools. Avamar is delivered as software and as a virtual edition.

Dell Technologies

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager provides efficient backup and recovery for hybrid and multicloud environments. It consolidates VMware, Kubernetes, database, and file system protection through a singular interface.

PowerProtect Data Manager is a software-defined platform that integrates modern backup and recovery capabilities, focusing on enhancing performance metrics like RPO and RTO. It supports operations through automated discovery, policy-driven protection, and intelligent analytics while offering cloud mobility and robust cyber recovery mechanisms. Its architecture is designed to address complex data management needs while providing flexibility, backup efficiency, and capacity management. With capabilities spanning on-premise and cloud options, it delivers a comprehensive approach for data protection.

What key features make Dell PowerProtect Data Manager stand out?

High Deduplication: Optimizes storage by reducing data footprint.
Kubernetes Support: Ensures seamless integration with containerized environments.
Data Domain Integration: Enhances recovery metrics and performance.
Advanced Access Controls: Strengthens security measures.
Scalable Architecture: Adapts to growing enterprise needs.

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Ease of Deployment: Simplifies initial setup and configuration processes.
User-Friendly Interface: Facilitates an intuitive user experience.
Flexibility in Deployment: Supports both cloud and on-premise environments.
Efficient Data Reduction: Saves storage costs and optimizes resources.
Secure Data Management: Provides peace of mind with robust security features.

Organizations in telecom and enterprise sectors employ Dell PowerProtect Data Manager for backing up and securing data in virtual and cloud-native environments. It supports continuous data protection for VMware and Kubernetes and plays a crucial role in ensuring container stability in platforms like OpenShift. Its native application integrations and disaster recovery through incremental backups make it suitable for larger businesses seeking a reliable data management partner.

Dell Technologies

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

National Bank of Greece, USC Australia, PCS Publishing, Dell Digital IT, Rushmore Electric, Melanson Health, Arrow Electronics

Buyer's Guide

Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

November 2025

Free Report: Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Avamar vs. Dell PowerProtect Data Manager and other solutions. Updated: November 2025.

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