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NetApp AltaVault vs Synology DSM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

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

NetApp AltaVault
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
55th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
19
Ranking in other categories
Deduplication Software (12th), Disk Based Backup Systems (7th), Cloud Backup (44th), Cloud Storage Gateways (6th)
Synology DSM
Ranking in Backup and Recovery
22nd
Average Rating
9.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of NetApp AltaVault is 0.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.7%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Backup and Recovery Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Synology DSM1.7%
NetApp AltaVault0.4%
Other97.9%
Backup and Recovery
 

Featured Reviews

Naveen Radhwani - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable, fulfils compliance requirements, and enables to manage data backups easily
I use the solution for backup and recovery Our systems have become more stable and scalable after using NetApp AltaVault. The dashboard is useful for managing data backups. The deduplication technology helps me take offline backups efficiently. The workload on the end team has been reduced. It…
Michael Adejoh - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It's pretty simple. Once you set it, it goes; and then the idea of being able to get it to the cloud very quickly. It's kind of a set-it-forget-it."
"You can store backups for a while."
"Its initial setup is easy."
"Being able to move data seamlessly from one-premise to the cloud (Azure). It works great. The backup solution is perfect for us."
"The flexibility. Being able to virtualize it, port it wherever I like, test my backups, test my DR capabilities whenever I like without impacting anybody."
"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is easy to use and integrate with whichever operating systems you use, providing you with a complete view, especially when you plan to migrate to some other operating system."
"Most importantly is having that island into that datacenter, and being able to address things in the same console. Thus, it is irrelevant where it's stored."
"The deduplication engine. Right now, we're at about 10.5 to 11 times deduplication of our backup data."
"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."
"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."
"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."
"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."
"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."
"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."
"The solution's most valuable feature stems from its ease of use, making it the tool's most interesting part."
 

Cons

"It would be nice if the solution was more complete. Many customers are looking for a single solution or silo that they can manage everything from. It would be nice, instead of having different products, if everything a client needed was in one solution."
"The solution needs faster indexing."
"More capacity with the basic model of the AltaVault would probably help out."
"I really want to partner it with the SnapCenter. We haven't implemented that yet. We're upgrading all of our stuff to the ONTAP 9, which you had to have."
"What could be helpful is different user base authentication so then maybe we could allow different customers to point to a single appliance and they only see the backups and things that they have."
"It's a good product, but it's becoming outdated and moving to their other primary architecture."
"There are some bits it could do better. With tighter integration maybe with Veeam, or something like that, it'd be really good."
"More than a 500 volume limit. At the moment, it only supports up to 500 volumes for SnapMirror and that's a problem. We've got 750, so a larger limit for volume replicas for SnapMirror."
"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."
"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."
"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."
"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."
"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 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."
"The only bothersome aspect is that the device is aging."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price is a bit high."
"In one use case, and we have several, to run for a particular customer, the price is about $375,000 a year."
"You could compare it to a Dell EMC or ECS, and I think it's probably a little less costly than that. Within the marketplace, it's a medium cost."
"It is a rather expensive program."
"There is a need to make yearly payments towards the licensing costs attached to the solution, which comes to around 3,000 USD."
"It's quite cost-effective."
"The pricing is not too bad, but could be a little better."
"It is quite an affordable solution."
"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 cheap solution."
"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."
"The price of the solution is very good."
"Synology DSM is a free tool."
"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
9%
Performing Arts
8%
Retailer
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise10
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

Is NetApp AltaVault compatible with AWS?
Hello. Yes, it is compatible with AWS but the great thing about it is that it's actually working with so many cloud providers, it may be just for everyone. Besides the Amazon cloud services, NetApp...
Can AltaVault be used for data reduction?
Hello, you can definitely use NetApp AltaVault for reducing your data and giving yourself some more storage. This product offers you deduplication and compression, helping you achieve that. I'm su...
What kind of security does NetApp AltaVault give you?
My organization is very happy with the security that NetApp AltaVault gives us for our data on the cloud. First, it gives us the option for data recovery, which is very good, especially if someone...
What do you like most about Synology DSM?
The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?
The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.
What needs improvement with Synology DSM?
Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.
 

Also Known As

AltaVault
Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Blach Construction, NASA, Riggs, Counselman, Michaels & Downes, Seminole County Public Schools and Spot Trading
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about NetApp AltaVault vs. Synology DSM and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.