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Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs Microsoft DPM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 13, 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
22nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Microsoft DPM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
28th
Average Rating
7.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
21
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) is 0.6%, down from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Microsoft DPM is 1.0%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
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.
Nirukshitha Gamage - PeerSpot reviewer
User finds setup straightforward but seeks wider platform support and advanced features
Microsoft DPM could implement backup capabilities for third-party systems such as Linux. They also need to consider other features such as replication to DR sites, similar to what Veeam and other products offer. Microsoft DPM didn't have that capability at that time. If they want to remain competitive in the market, they need to observe the competition and implement improvements. The backup should have compression, deduplication, and DR replication. They should also improve monitoring of the environment. Microsoft DPM didn't have these basics at that time. If they had continued development on the products, they could have reached a higher level, especially given Microsoft's significant presence and majority of servers. Microsoft DPM didn't have any support structure in the backend. If they had a support structure, we could have escalated issues. I never received any support from Microsoft DPM.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"IDPA's best feature is Turbo Boost Technology. The compression and duplication features are excellent, too."
"Dell PowerProtect is stable and scalable."
"The product is integrated with Huawei software and its backup and recovery time is very fast."
"What I find valuable about Dell PowerProtect IDPA is its stability and strong performance."
"The product is easy to troubleshoot and store data."
"We use it for complete backup and recovery. We have multiple clients and have created multiple large virtual capabilities and zoning backlogs."
"The most valuable feature is the deduplication rate."
"It is very simple to perform an upgrade of the system and the environment."
"Microsoft DPM provides enhanced security and streamlines processes through automation, which results in better security for users."
"I could back up all the stuff we had, even the VMs we have for Hyper V."
"One of the most effective features of Microsoft DPM is its integration with the entire Microsoft ecosystem."
"One of the most effective features of Microsoft DPM is its integration with the entire Microsoft ecosystem."
"The initial setup is quite straightforward."
"This solution helps us to manage all of the operations across servers and different workstations."
"The solution backs up Microsoft workloads as well as anything on the market."
"I like the core backup feature. I also like the file server backup feature. I find Microsoft DPM interesting because it has fantastic integration with Microsoft products. For example, in Exchange and SharePoint, DPM is excellent when it comes to backing up data. It also does a decent job with open-source products."
 

Cons

"We would like to see the pricing drop a bit."
"After resizing and compression, the system continuously runs out of space. Dell EMC doesn't do automatic cleanup or other things, so we constantly have to manually go in there or work with Dell support on this. The solution has not been working as advertised."
"The price could be lowered slightly, to make it more competitive."
"The solution's implementation was very complicated and could be improved."
"The only thing that could be improved would be the complexity of the initial setup."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) requires more updates and innovations in AI-powered cyber resilience."
"There is room for improvement in terms of network connectivity."
"We cannot add IDPA to DPC, and each IP has a DP Central, which cannot monitor other IDPAs."
"The data tagging feature needs improvement. The solution could be a bit more intuitive in certain aspects."
"It needs portability for other vendors. It is good for backing up Microsoft servers, but it doesn't support third-party solutions such as Oracle Database. It depends on Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy, especially for Hyper-V, which has a lot of problems. They should enhance the Volume Shadow Copy functionality. Its reporting should also be better. Reporting is too weak in DPM."
"The problem lies with the 2019 version, it's the file system they’re using."
"The user friendliness could be improved."
"There is a very poor online user community in terms of people blogging about their experiences with DPM."
"Compatibility and integration with other products needs improvement."
"Microsoft DPM could improve by adding S3 backup to S3 storage capabilities."
"You have only a few settings and if you change them for some special configurations, it's very difficult."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have a perpetual license. It is a capacity-based license."
"It is a cost-effective solution."
"The licensing is billed on a monthly basis. Dell is bundled so that when you order IDPA, you get everything together with the license."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."
"Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) has a yearly subscription fee."
"Microsoft DPM can be considered as an expensive solution for smaller or medium enterprises, but we have been satisfied with the price structure as it is fixed and it offers a variety of useful features"
"I think Microsoft DPM pricing is reasonable. The additional costs are related to storage and technical support."
"Microsoft DPM is a free solution. However, we pay approximately $3,000 annually for support."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
University
19%
Government
12%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
16%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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 Microsoft DPM?
This solution helps us to manage all of the operations across servers and different workstations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft DPM?
Microsoft DPM was more affordable for customers compared to other products such as Veritas, which were somewhat expensive. This was one of the main reasons customers chose to purchase Microsoft DPM...
What needs improvement with Microsoft DPM?
Microsoft DPM could implement backup capabilities for third-party systems such as Linux. They also need to consider other features such as replication to DR sites, similar to what Veeam and other p...
 

Also Known As

Dell EMC IDPA, Dell IDPA, EMC IDPA
DPM, Data Protection Manager, MS DPM
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Under Armour, Christian Brothers University, Presidio
Medical Park, Centropol Energy, a.s., NCFE, D & H Distributing, Metalor, Colosseum, a.s., Sanitas S.A., Icebreaker
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerProtect DP (IDPA) vs. Microsoft DPM and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.
865,384 professionals have used our research since 2012.