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Dell Data Protection Advisor vs Synology DSM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

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 Data Protection Advisor
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
38th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
22nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell Data Protection Advisor is 0.6%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.7%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Synology DSM1.7%
Dell Data Protection Advisor0.6%
Other97.7%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

AnkurGupta1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers seamless integration with robust data privacy features
I am currently working with other companies on data center solutions. In our data center, we work with HP, Dell, and Nutanix on data center build-up and migrations. I work with Dell Data Protection Advisor for cloud, though not extensively, and we provided that solution to one customer and are awaiting their approval. I am a reseller and service provider. We implemented Dell Data Protection Advisor for data privacy, and another team handles data protection and related issues. I did not work extensively on specific features, so nothing particularly stands out. From my reseller and end customer perspective, I would rate Dell Data Protection Advisor an eight out of ten as it is a good solution.
Michael Adejoh - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and cost-effective
One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The reporting feature and the Dell's continuous improvement of the solution are the most valuable features. The solution not only supports Dell Power Products but also other products."
"It supports our chargeback process by identifying resource users, which helps ensure that departments are billed accurately for data protection services rather than receiving them for free."
"I have never found any glitch in any Dell solution to date."
"I can increase the tool's licensing as per my requirement with no conditions applied."
"The most valuable aspects of the solution are the compression and the duplication."
"The platform's most valuable features are data protection and retention."
"This is a stable solution."
"The predictive analytics feature in Dell Data Protection Advisor provides predictions about backup size and capacity for future periods."
"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
 

Cons

"Some minor adjustments could be made regarding the graphical interface and customization options."
"Dell Data Protection Advisor's feature for data domain protection needs enhancement."
"The product could be improved by addressing intermittent collector failures affecting status reports' accuracy."
"The solution requires more integration with our other solutions. I know that they have full integration with VMware because it is also from EMC. However, we have to have better integration with Microsoft and Nutanix as well."
"They should empower their customers with the ability to upgrade this solution as long as it's in the same major release."
"It's a bit difficult for first-time users."
"The functionality of the Data Protection Advisor is limited and is something that is lacking in this solution. Other solutions like CloudIQ and DDMC provide a much better outlook on how data protection should be done."
"There is a steep learning curve to use the interface and to create new reports, this could be made easier. If the solution could provide more drag and drop functionality to build more advanced reports that would be very helpful."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's not very expensive — I think the price is fair."
"You have to procure the license when you are ordering or quoting for Dell Data Protection Suite (DPS). DPS is bundled with the suite and comes with a license. However, if you purchase NetWorker separately then you will have to procure the license for DPS separately."
"For pricing, I would rate Dell 2 out of 5. It's affordable."
"If the customer has huge lineup of Dell Products then they receive discount on the pricing."
"The product is affordable."
"You need to make an upfront payment for three, five, or seven years and renew the licenses for support. We can do an annual maintenance contract with Dell. I would rate the product's pricing a six out of ten."
"The product pricing has been satisfactory, particularly with the economy of scale in our agreement."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Performing Arts
13%
Government
9%
Energy/Utilities Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business2
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell Data Protection Advisor?
The platform's most valuable features are data protection and retention.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell Data Protection Advisor?
The product is satisfactory regarding pricing, setup cost, and licensing.
What needs improvement with Dell Data Protection Advisor?
From a service perspective, improvements are needed at Dell because when customers call, it takes a long time to get a response for calls or emails. Response time is the main problem that needs add...
What do you like most about Synology DSM?
The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?
The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.
What needs improvement with Synology DSM?
Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.
 

Also Known As

DPA
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Nielsen, Trek Bicycle, Cal-Israel Credit Cards
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Data Protection Advisor vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.