IBM Spectrum Protect vs Synology DSM comparison

IBM and Synology are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. IBM is ranked #17 with an average rating of 7.2, while Synology is ranked #18 with an average rating of 9.0. IBM holds a 2.2% mindshare in BRS, compared to Synology’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Synology users who would recommend it.

IBM Spectrum Protect

Read 149 IBM Spectrum Protect reviews

4,073 Views
3,133 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Synology DSM

Read 10 Synology DSM reviews

1,810 Views
1,510 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

IBM Spectrum Protect

Synology DSM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

IBM Spectrum Protect and Synology DSM are key players in the data protection and storage solutions market. Synology DSM appears to have an edge due to its user-centric design and affordability, making it more attractive to small to medium-sized businesses.

Features: IBM Spectrum Protect offers extensive data protection capabilities, scalability for large enterprises, and robust support. Synology DSM provides ease of use, seamless integration with other systems, and flexible backup options.

Room for Improvement: IBM Spectrum Protect could simplify complex configurations, improve performance speed, and enhance its user interface. Synology DSM can improve its enterprise-level capabilities, increase technical support availability, and enhance security features.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Spectrum Protect deployment is complex and time-consuming, but customer service is highly rated. Synology DSM offers a straightforward deployment process that requires minimal technical expertise, though its customer service is satisfactory but less highly rated.

Pricing and ROI: IBM Spectrum Protect has higher setup costs but delivers significant returns due to its advanced features. Synology DSM has a more economical setup, providing excellent ROI, particularly for smaller environments.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Spectrum Protect vs. Synology DSM Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect vs. Synology DSM

April 2025

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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

IBM Spectrum Protect

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

17th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Synology DSM

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

18th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of IBM Spectrum Protect is 2.2%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.9%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

Syed Habib

Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd

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.

Read full review

Michael Adejoh

Solutions Manager at Excel Connect Ventures

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The archiving feature is the most valuable aspect of the solution."

"Every time we go and try to get a file, we can get it. Restores are quick and the data is always there."

"The scalability of IBM Spectrum Protect is good."

"Their GUI has improved quite a bit. It's made the solution a lot simpler and less complex."

"We work very closely together with IBM using their Support Center, but we have a strong contact in their development teams, and we have dedicated people from IBM working with us."

"It is a very stable product. The cost is similar to that of other enterprise solutions."

"This solution has improved our organization through better file and database recovery."

"It is more efficient than most traditional backup solutions."

More IBM Spectrum Protect pros

"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 most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."

"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 most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."

"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."

"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."

"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."

More Synology DSM pros

Cons

"The main admin console from the UI cannot do anything in the product. It just allows us to maintain, maybe, 30% to 40%. For the rest, we have to use the command line."

"IBM Spectrum Protect is not a very user-friendly tool."

"We need everything cloud. Strong support for cloud services. S3 connectivity, which is mandatory for us in the future along with this integration of Spectrum Copy Data Management or Spectrum Protect services together with these Spectrum Protect Plus functionalities, e.g., hardware, snapshots, and Copy Data Management. They should come together in one solution."

"Most customers still struggle with the reporting piece, especially generating reports. I think it needs some improvements in this area."

"We are not so happy with the technical support because dealing with them is not easy. We have a very complicated environment, therefore I understand for a support person that it is not easy to troubleshoot it."

"There needs to be a bit more automation."

"Generally, the implementation of virtualization could be improved. The workflow service and so on are not working properly."

"They do not have a unified GUI, they only work on CLI and operations center, which is really complicated for the installation and configuration."

More IBM Spectrum Protect cons

"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."

"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."

"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."

"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."

"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."

"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 product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."

"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."

More Synology DSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You need to put it in a PoC and test it out if you can."

"Regarding retro-compatibility of the product between versions, your data is always available and the ROI is unquestionable."

"The pricing of the solution is high in comparison to other products on the market. For example, IBM and Symantec have less costly options."

"It can be perceived as expensive since it is designed for enterprise use."

"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."

"For my company, the tool is affordable and reasonable...I don't think most people know that when a company has large systems in place, the TCO is a lot lower."

"Technical support is pretty good. It is doing fine, but you pay for it."

"It is fairly reasonable as compared to other solutions in the market."

More IBM Spectrum Protect pricing and cost advice

"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."

"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

"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."

"Synology DSM is a free tool."

"It is quite an affordable solution."

"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."

"The price of the solution is very good."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

University

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Spectrum Protect?

IBM Spectrum Protect is stable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Spectrum Protect?

It's expensive. I acknowledge the cost associated with it.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Spectrum Protect?

See all answers

What do you like most about Synology DSM?

The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?

The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Synology DSM?

Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.

See all answers

Comparisons

Veeam Data Platform vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 18% of the time

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 18% of the time

Commvault Cloud vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 10% of the time

Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 10% of the time

Rubrik vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 7% of the time

More IBM Spectrum Protect Competitors

Veeam Data Platform vs Synology DSM

Compared 18% of the time

NetApp SnapCenter vs Synology DSM

Compared 9% of the time

UrBackup vs Synology DSM

Compared 8% of the time

ExaGrid Tiered Backup Storage vs Synology DSM

Compared 6% of the time

SyncBack Pro vs Synology DSM

Compared 5% of the time

More Synology DSM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect

April 2025

Download IBM Spectrum Protect product report

Buyer's Guide

Synology DSM

April 2025

Download Synology DSM product report

Also Known As

IBM TSM, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager

Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)

Overview

IBM Spectrum Protect (Tivoli Storage Manager) is a data protection platform that gives enterprises a single point of control and administration for backup and recovery. It is the flagship product in the IBM Spectrum Protect (Tivoli Storage Manager) family. It enables reliable, cost effective backups and fast recovery for virtual, physical and cloud environments of all sizes.

IBM

Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) is a comprehensive software platform designed for Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices. It serves as the operating system for these devices, providing a wide range of features and functionalities.

The primary use case of Synology DSM is to centralize and manage data storage for organizations. It allows businesses to store, access, and share files securely across multiple devices and platforms. With its intuitive user interface, DSM simplifies the management of data, making it easy to create shared folders, set access permissions, and monitor storage usage.

One of the most valuable functionalities of Synology DSM is its robust data protection capabilities. It offers various RAID configurations, including SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), which ensures data redundancy and safeguards against drive failures. DSM also supports advanced backup and disaster recovery solutions, such as Snapshot Replication and Hyper Backup, enabling organizations to protect their critical data effectively.

Furthermore, Synology DSM provides a wide range of productivity and collaboration tools. It offers applications like Synology Drive, which allows seamless file synchronization across devices, and Synology Office, a web-based suite for document editing and collaboration. DSM also supports various third-party applications, including popular cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, enabling organizations to integrate their existing workflows seamlessly.

Synology

Sample Customers

CERN, Einstein Healthcare, Nyherji, Allianz Australia, TZM, ABT Online, NCT, Kindred Healthcare Inc., Cobalt Iron, TransGrid, Baptist Health of Northeast Florida, Cash America, Piedmont Healthcare, RWGV, Arkansas Tech University, British Columbia Institute of Technology

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect vs. Synology DSM

April 2025

Free Report: IBM Spectrum Protect vs. Synology DSM

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Spectrum Protect vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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