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Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs IBM Storage Protect comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 16, 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
1.0
Dell PowerProtect DP offers cost savings, improved data protection, faster backups, reduced downtime, simplified management, and higher productivity.
Sentiment score
1.0
IBM Storage Protect enhances data recovery, reduces downtime, and aids compliance, making it a valuable investment for organizations.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.5
Dell PowerProtect DP support is mixed, with slow frontline help but improved resolution upon escalation and partner level intervention.
Sentiment score
7.6
IBM Storage Protect's support shows mixed experiences, with praise for expertise but concerns over response times and service consistency.
Challenges exist in certain Linux-based cases.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
On the one or two occasions where we needed to engage with Dell support, they've been most helpful.
Senior Systems Engineer at NTT DATA
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) support from Dell EMC is consistent.
Lead Architect (HCI, Cloud, VMware, Storage, Security, Finops) at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Support from IBM is very good, and they always have knowledgeable people.
Interim Head of Infrastructure at a real estate/law firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Some support staff are highly skilled, others are not, leading to longer times to resolve issues.
CEO at Fischerei Leipold
Support is good from IBM, although it mainly comes from my local partner.
Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
3.5
Dell PowerProtect DP is scalable and adaptable, supporting varied data needs with easy upgrades and expansion options.
Sentiment score
7.7
IBM Storage Protect is praised for scalability and adaptability, though some users cite challenges in features and large-scale integration.
The product offers flexibility for scalability, making it user-friendly and adaptable to different performance requirements.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
It is one of the most scalable platforms, and that is its strong point.
Interim Head of Infrastructure at a real estate/law firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
TSM is a generic and robust product, which is why I continue using it for my core banking.
Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd
Scalability is great in IBM Spectrum Protect; there are several options available to scale.
Solution architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
Dell PowerProtect DP is praised for stability and reliability, with minor network issues but effective patching and consistent operation.
Sentiment score
8.0
IBM Storage Protect is highly stable and reliable, with consistent enhancements despite occasional minor issues with new features.
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is a stable solution because it's a mature product.
Senior Systems Engineer at NTT DATA
 

Room For Improvement

Dell PowerProtect DP has authentication, space management, setup complexities, and lacks third-party integration, continuous backup, and AI innovations.
IBM Storage Protect needs an improved interface, intuitive features, better cloud integration, and enhanced reporting and virtualization support.
You cannot integrate with any other third-party solution or your Data Domain since it is very tightly coupled and has limited licenses with respect to capacity that are integrated directly with Avamar.
Lead Architect (HCI, Cloud, VMware, Storage, Security, Finops) at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) requires more updates and innovations in AI-powered cyber resilience.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
One area of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) that can be improved is probably more integrations with third-party software, particularly third-party backup software.
Senior Systems Engineer at NTT DATA
The new software, such as Rubrik, is very easy to use and more relatable to younger engineers because its interface design is more similar to Office 365 and the newer controls and labels that we are accustomed to.
Interim Head of Infrastructure at a real estate/law firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
It is not compatible with other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd
There is a need for additional layers of security to fill the gaps, which is why we are using Cobalt Iron.
Solution architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

Dell PowerProtect DP offers flexible licensing and good value with bundled features, despite higher costs than some competitors.
IBM Storage Protect offers varied and complex licensing, often seen as expensive but potentially cost-effective with tailored agreements.
Pricing is competitive with other software vendors.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
The pricing of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is competitive compared to its peers in the market.
Senior Systems Engineer at NTT DATA
We do not see the cost of the licensing.
Interim Head of Infrastructure at a real estate/law firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
It's expensive.
Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd
New customers can expect very high prices.
CEO at Fischerei Leipold
 

Valuable Features

Dell PowerProtect DP offers high deduplication, easy deployment, AI security, scalability, fast recovery, and multi-cloud integration.
IBM Storage Protect excels in efficient backups, cost-effective storage, scalability, reliability, user-friendliness, adaptability, and robust disaster recovery.
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) has a scalable architecture, offering flexibility, so you can always scale the capacity to meet any increased demands.
Senior Systems Engineer at NTT DATA
AI integration enhances backup operations by analyzing data and ensuring malware protection.
Consultant at Key Information Technology L.L.C.
It is easy for rebooting and upgrading since everything is managed from a single pane through DPA, where you can upgrade everything including your backup solution and backup storage in a one-touch interface.
Lead Architect (HCI, Cloud, VMware, Storage, Security, Finops) at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
IBM Spectrum Protect has excellent integration capability.
Solution architect at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
The product works efficiently with very large tape libraries, unlike most other products in the market that have problems handling large tape libraries or more than one tape library.
CEO at Fischerei Leipold
Incremental and differential backup features are built-in, which I frequently utilize on a weekly and daily basis.
Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd
 

Categories and Ranking

Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
40th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.4
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Storage Protect
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
14th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is 0.7%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Storage Protect is 1.9%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM Storage Protect1.9%
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)0.7%
Other97.4%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

Pranav Telang - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Architect (HCI, Cloud, VMware, Storage, Security, Finops) at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Integrated backup platform has simplified upgrades and centralized management for enterprise sites
You cannot integrate with any other third-party solution or your Data Domain since it is very tightly coupled and has limited licenses with respect to capacity that are integrated directly with Avamar. Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) solutions are usually costly. When it is virtualized or comes with additional licenses and additional hardware, the cost increases. The pricing is defined by what kind of performance you are looking for, so based on that, you have to decide what type of disk you need. Scalability is based on how much capacity you have or what slots are available. After that, you have to include the DAEs and capacities. Again, you have to purchase an additional license for Data Domain if you are increasing the capacity.
reviewer2787573 - PeerSpot reviewer
Interim Head of Infrastructure at a real estate/law firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Backup coverage has supported immutable protection and now needs a more modern, intuitive interface
IBM Storage Protect is from a previous generation of backup software. In those days, backup software was complex in setting up and complex to manage. The new software, such as Rubrik, is very easy to use and more relatable to younger engineers because its interface design is more similar to Office 365 and the newer controls and labels that we are accustomed to. The difficulty that we now have with IBM Storage Protect is that for this day and age, compared to other products that are out there, it seems complex. If we look back 15 years ago, all enterprise class backup software was complex, so IBM was not any different. However, many of these older systems, such as Commvault, still have the same complaint that they are very complex because they have tried to keep that same interface and the same way it works. This suits them, but it probably needed a complete overhaul to bring it into the ease of use that we have with modern software. However, that upgrade has not been done. IBM Storage Protect has not been upgraded into a modern platform. It still looks a legacy platform.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Construction Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise6
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business53
Midsize Enterprise25
Large Enterprise95
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
What I find valuable about Dell PowerProtect IDPA is its stability and strong performance.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
The pricing of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is competitive compared to its peers in the market, and while it can always come down, I still think it's a fair price.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
One area of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) that can be improved is probably more integrations with third-party software, particularly third-party backup software.
What do you like most about IBM Storage Protect?
The best point about IBM Storage Protect is that it can use IBM tape environments, which we still use and will continue to use in the future.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Storage Protect?
IBM Storage Protect is generally an expensive tool. However, with good contracts with IBM or its partners, the cost might not be so high. New customers can expect very high prices.
What needs improvement with IBM Storage Protect?
One point for improvement for IBM Spectrum Protect is security, as IBM has not been investing as much as in the past. There is a need for additional layers of security to fill the gaps, which is wh...
 

Also Known As

Dell EMC IDPA, Dell IDPA, EMC IDPA
IBM Spectrum Discover
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Under Armour, Christian Brothers University, Presidio
CEMEX
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs. IBM Storage Protect and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,310 professionals have used our research since 2012.