Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs IBM Storage Protect comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 12, 2025

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 DP (IDPA)
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
20th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Storage Protect
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
13th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is 0.7%, down from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Storage Protect is 2.2%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
IBM Storage Protect2.2%
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)0.7%
Other97.1%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

SamuelThomas - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures data safety and effective cloud integration with AI-powered protection
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) offers a backup, recovery, and management tool that is very easy to use. It provides a flexible protection suite that accommodates scalability and performance needs. Integration with VMware and multi-cloud protection is effective. AI integration enhances backup operations by analyzing data and ensuring malware protection. Customers also benefit from hybrid cloud options and tiers of backup.
Syed Habib - PeerSpot reviewer
Manageable and comprehensive and integrates robust backup features for core banking
It's adequate for my core banking, however, I am looking for another solution for all systems. It is not compatible with other operating systems like Windows or Linux, and lacks a consolidated dashboard from Browser Spectrum. This is why I am searching for another solution. The product also lacks any centralized graphical user interface (GUI), such as Jarek Pod, and I am limited to using a console-based text user interface, which my local partner handles completely.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution's most valuable features are networker and continuous data protection."
"What I find valuable about Dell PowerProtect IDPA is its stability and strong performance."
"We use it for complete backup and recovery. We have multiple clients and have created multiple large virtual capabilities and zoning backlogs."
"Instead of four or five tools, consisting of backup software, storage where the backup resides, and a separate system for reporting and central monitoring, they all now come in the virtual edition for IDP."
"It is very simple to perform an upgrade of the system and the environment."
"We don't need to manage different devices."
"The product is easy to troubleshoot and store data."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) offers a backup, recovery, and management tool that is very easy to use."
"by backing up only the changed data, we average around 75TB per night. If we had to do full backups, even occasionally, we would not be able to complete the backup within 12 hours, or we would have to make a large investment to fit a full backup within the 12 hour window."
"The product helps us do data protection and restoration for disaster recovery (DR)."
"The ability to use S3 Data Store as a repository."
"The licensing isn't very clear. They should work to simply or clarify the cost structure."
"The software-defined ability to do data reduction through deduplication and compression, as well as being able to replicate data to a cloud container."
"It scales well. We have grown here in the last year or two, and it has been relatively easy."
"I've had no problems with the stability of this solution."
"In the past, one of the most valuable features, and the biggest advantage, was the incremental forever feature. Not many other backup vendors provided that. In the pre-virtualization environment, it was very robust and simple technology, especially writing to tape."
 

Cons

"The solution's implementation was very complicated and could be improved."
"The two-factor authentication is missing from Dell products."
"We would like to see the pricing drop a bit."
"Dell PowerProtect DP needs to include more features and improve backup for a continual base."
"I would like to see integration with Dell EMC's Cloud Tier."
"The solution should be easier to use."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) requires more updates and innovations in AI-powered cyber resilience."
"The only thing that could be improved would be the complexity of the initial setup."
"I need to have more than two instances working together. I need a worldwide grid able to have replication between three, four, or five instances."
"I want a better user interface, support, and integrations."
"Ease of use."
"IBM Spectrum Protect does have a lot of the features that we need, but I think they need to improve their backup virtualization and backup for container."
"I need two separate solutions for virtual and physical systems. I need IBM Spectrum Protect Plus for virtual systems and Spectrum Protect for physical systems and that's a pain. It would be an improvement if they were combined."
"High availability (HA) is a scalability challenge."
"Scalability is poor. As you get to bigger environments, this is where our gaps have been introduced. As we have grown over the past couple of years, the gaps have become more apparent."
"I think Spectrum Protect's interface is not so user-friendly, but the interface is not so friendly. Some of the functions are too complicated. I prefer a simpler solution."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) has a yearly subscription fee."
"The licensing is billed on a monthly basis. Dell is bundled so that when you order IDPA, you get everything together with the license."
"It is a cost-effective solution."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"We have a perpetual license. It is a capacity-based license."
"The product is low cost. It is very cool when we design it to using licensing based on post capacity."
"Licensing can be either complicated or simple depending on what type of licensing you wish to use and what works best for your environment."
"The product is not cheap."
"We are paying for support and maintenance on a monthly basis."
"It's very complicated. Licensing is a pain."
"Use capacity licensing. It's easier and cheaper."
"One can go with either a PVU licensing model or a capacity based licensing model. Either solution does not block the usage, if over used."
"The licensing fees are between $8,000 and $10,000 per year."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Backup and Recovery solutions are best for your needs.
866,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
20%
Government
11%
Computer Software Company
8%
Construction Company
6%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business4
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise4
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business53
Midsize Enterprise25
Large Enterprise94
 

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)?
Pricing is competitive with other software vendors. The product's features, network, and VMware integration contribute to its value. There are different licensing options available, such as applian...
What needs improvement with Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA)?
Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) requires more updates and innovations in AI-powered cyber resilience. While technical support is generally not poor, there are challenges with expertise in Linux-based c...
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: September 2025.
866,778 professionals have used our research since 2012.