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Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs ExaGrid EX comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 8, 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

Dell PowerProtect Data Domain
Ranking in Disk Based Backup Systems
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
99
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (1st)
ExaGrid EX
Ranking in Disk Based Backup Systems
4th
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Disk Based Backup Systems category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is 33.9%, down from 40.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExaGrid EX is 10.2%, down from 10.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Disk Based Backup Systems Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerProtect Data Domain33.9%
ExaGrid EX10.2%
Other55.900000000000006%
Disk Based Backup Systems
 

Featured Reviews

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.
AhmedEl-Tayeb - PeerSpot reviewer
Sales Manager at MCS
Has offered a cost-effective option with solid results but requires automation features for better efficiency
For ExaGrid EX, I would appreciate additional features such as backup and restore, automation processes, and automation software for backup and restore processes. I mention that some additional features may be provided by VMware or Dell as support for the hardware they are selling, but ExaGrid EX is more of a budget-friendly solution for customers who are in charge on a daily basis of the solution itself, dealing with manual tasks rather than automated tasks. I am not in a situation to provide an exact answer for what I would specifically improve in this regard.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is a perfect solution and is completely perfect for enterprise-class customers when the data size is huge and needs to be stored in terabyte or petabyte form."
"EMC is under the Dell technologies portfolio, and you've got one of the best technical support teams looking out for you."
"Data Domain is an excellent repository that's compatible with a lot of different solutions. Even Veeam Backup recommends sending backup to Data Domain. Space optimization is great. Currently, it guarantees 50-to-1 compression of the application in the same device. In all these years, I never had a client who was unsatisfied with Data Domain. It is a solid appliance with VMware integration, instant access to restore and search, and analytics."
"We haven't had any difficulties with the solution while testing it."
"The DD Boost protocol is very fast in backup and while data is being transferred to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, and I am using the immutability features built in so that the backup copies are immutable and no one can edit or delete them anymore unless the retention period is over."
"It is very fast as compared to the other competitors; its simplicity and bit rate are also valuable, and it takes less time if we compare it with the old solution that we have."
"We have found the product to be scalable."
"This solution has a feature called Domain Boost, which allows for source deduplication and compression."
"I find ExaGrid EX to be a useful solution for customers looking for a budget-friendly product."
"Backup and restore processes are much shorter now, and we don't need forklift upgrades every three to four years."
"The most valuable features of ExaGrid EX are the Veeam features and Landing Zone."
"Both the pricing and the performance are excellent."
 

Cons

"The software from Dell that can be used to operate Data Domain needs to have enhancements made to the user interface. It is too complex."
"Data Domain lacks compatibility with fiber channels and tapes. We can't use it with a tape library."
"Dell PowerProtect DD should come out with its own system so we do not have to use Data Domain. For example, something similar to what Symantec has done."
"The aspect we do not enjoy the most about Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is the staging configuration."
"First-time integrations are difficult in NetWorker. NetWorker software needs to be simplified. It's very complex."
"The cost is high now due to things such as SSD and memory prices being high in the current time."
"I need them to add the air-gapped technology to Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, as some other vendors have."
"Maybe the price is an area for improvement in Dell PowerProtect Data Domain."
"I would like to see free disk space."
"ExaGrid EX is more of a budget-friendly solution for customers who are in charge on a daily basis of the solution itself, dealing with manual tasks rather than automated tasks."
"The solution’s web access should be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product is expensive."
"In Naira it was twenty-five or twenty-seven million (approximately $75,000 USD) for the implementation and maintenance cost for three years."
"The price of the solution and support for Dell PowerProtect DD is expensive. We have customers that cannot upgrade to a newer version of the solution because the support is too expensive."
"Becoming more expensive."
"The pricing is cost-effective for the solution"
"The price is on the high side."
"I can't remember what the license costs are. They might be paid monthly or every two months."
"Dell PowerProtect DD's pricing is expensive, and there is no option for perpetual licensing."
"The renewal fee is approximately $3,500 to $3.750 for a 60 terabyte device."
"I rate ExaGrid EX ten out of ten for pricing."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise25
Large Enterprise44
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What is your primary use case for Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
My main use case for Dell PowerProtect Data Domain is as a data backup target.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
Pricing, setup cost, and licensing are not my areas of expertise, as I mainly focus on implementation engineering.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain)?
To improve Dell PowerProtect Data Domain, I would suggest making it cheaper. I would like to see the ability to use more back end data ports as a new feature.
What needs improvement with ExaGrid EX?
For ExaGrid EX, I would appreciate additional features such as backup and restore, automation processes, and automation software for backup and restore processes. I mention that some additional fea...
What is your primary use case for ExaGrid EX?
My role in relation to ExaGrid EX is partner and reseller.
What advice do you have for others considering ExaGrid EX?
I would prefer another way to provide support; sending all the questions in an Excel sheet or a Word file would allow me to answer them in a couple of hours and send them back. I have no problem re...
 

Also Known As

DataDomain, Dell EMC Data Domain, PowerProtect Data Domain
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

The US Army, City of Houston, Lloyds TSB, TiVo, Teck, Ingram Entertainment, The New York Mets
7-Eleven, ABC, ACNB Bank, Admiration Foods, Aeroflex, AGH, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, Alberta Motor Association, Allegro MicroSystems, American Standard, Ameris Bank, Arch Reinsurance Ltd., Arthritis Foundation
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerProtect Data Domain vs. ExaGrid EX and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.