Dell NetWorker Reviews

In our company, we rely on Dell NetWorker for many important tasks. It is our go-to for keeping documents safe and making sure our virtual environment, especially VMware, stays secure with reliable backup and recovery. We also use it for protecting user data and meeting file recording needs. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in keeping our email system, Microsoft Exchange, backed up.

The standout feature of Dell NetWorker is its expertise in handling our VMware environment. It makes the whole backup process for virtual servers, especially in large VMware setups like ours, a breeze. The proxy setup in the VMware part is super handy. Another great feature is Client Direct, which lets our clients send backup data directly to Data Domain or backup storage. This is a big win as it skips the network traffic, making backups smoother and more efficient.

In terms of improvements for the next release of Dell NetWorker, a key area would be enhancing the user interface, especially the NetWorker Management Console. The stability of the NMC could use some attention, as it tends to be a bit shaky during jobs and other operations. While the browser functions well for general tasks, the NMC encounters various problems, impacting its overall reliability. Addressing these issues would greatly improve the user experience and streamline day-to-day operations. In addition to addressing the UI and stability issues, another aspect that could be improved in Dell NetWorker is the optimization of job management. It would be beneficial to enhance the efficiency and reliability of job execution processes.

I have been using Dell NetWorker for two years.

Dell NetWorker is not extremely stable. I would give it a six out of ten for stability.

I would rate the scalability of the solution as a seven out of ten. We have two administrators using it at our company.

I would rate Dell NetWorker's support as a five out of ten. The experience varies; the support in the US and Egypt is okay, but the support from India is not great. The first-line support isn't always super technical, so they often ask for unnecessary stuff. It takes a while to get someone with the right know-how to help, making problem-solving a bit of a waiting game. There is room for improvement overall.

Neutral

Before choosing Dell NetWorker we worked with IBM Spectrum Protect. We picked Dell NetWorker because of Dell's global presence, but we found that it is an older product with fewer features compared to others. So, we decided to switch to a newer software that better met our needs.

The deployment process for NetWorker is relatively straightforward and doesn't take an extensive amount of time. Downloading the package, uploading it to the server, and installing it are typically the basic steps in the deployment process.

Dell NetWorker is not overly expensive. I would rate it as a four out of ten in terms of costliness.

My advice to new users is that if most of your setup is virtualized, around 80-90% in VMware, Dell NetWorker is a good choice. It excels in virtual environments. But if you are mostly dealing with physical servers, you might want to consider other options like Backup Exec or Veeam, which could be a better fit. Overall, I would rate the product as a seven out of ten.

On-premises

We have around 700 VMs and maybe 200 terabytes in standalone servers. So we are successfully backing up both VMs and the file systems of standalone servers. Altogether, we are backing up maybe 500 terabytes. 

In Dell NetWorker, it is very simple to back up VMs. Finally, the backup of VMC is working reliably and is simple. We are also backing up to data domains, which are well integrated with NetWorker. 

Additionally, we are backing up to tape. Everything works fine. There is mutual compatibility so that we can move backups and clone backups from data domains to tape. It's great. Also, we are using a cloud tier to offload backups on Data Domain 6800s.

There is a significant weakness. It's the advertising of the product by Dell. They are doing everything to discourage people from using NetWorker. So that's a weakness, but it's not a weakness of the product itself. It's a weakness of Dell as an organization. We would be pretty happy to use NetWorker because we don't have any functional problems with it. 

The main issue is the lack of a clear vision for the future of NetWorker. Generally, the preferred backup solution is PowerProtect, and it probably has some benefits. But from our point of view, the disadvantage it has is the lack of support for a tape library. We made an investment into a tape library because it's still a pretty good option, especially for off-site backups. So, that's the only weakness of NetWorker.

Moreover, I would like to see additional features in future releases, especially with the growing importance of cloud integration and ransomware protection. The current offering of Cyber Vault for analyzing backups feels a bit clumsy. Real-time protection and more active ransomware detection features would be beneficial. 

Additionally, NetWorker is not integrated with contemporary storage solutions like Pure Storage. While solutions like Commvault and Veeam are integrated with Pure Storage, NetWorker lacks awareness of Pure Storage. Pure Storage provides snapshots that could be used for backup purposes, but NetWorker and Pure Storage are not compatible or communicating with each other.

I have been using Dell NetWorker for ages. So in the past, we were using Legato. Later on, we switched to backing up from Sun Microsystems. And eventually, it ended up with Dell becoming NetWorker. Altogether, we have been using it for 28 years, I believe. We currently use version 19.7.

It's been very stable.

It is scalable. We have around 3000 to 4000 staff and maybe 50,000 students using this solution. Just one person is required for administration and backup tasks.

The backup responsibilities are handled by two people, but there isn't even a dedicated person for it. We also have other responsibilities, so we are two part-time administrators.

Since the product is not on the front banner of Dell, the support may not be the best. We encountered some issues, and despite escalating the matter, the Dell team couldn't assist us. But the problem was more related to VMware than Dell. We were using an old version of VMware, and that caused problems with scheduling tags. We tried to seek help from Dell's support because we couldn't back up the so-called dynamic groups. These groups should automatically classify sources for backup based on tags, but it didn't work as expected. So, we had to manually allocate the VMs to groups. It wasn't a significant issue for us, though. However, I understand that Dell's attention is currently focused on its PowerProtect products.

We are generally satisfied with Dell's support. All our servers are from Dell, including all ESXs. Support for other products is excellent, without a doubt. However, Dell NetWorker can be a bit complicated, and when it's functioning properly, we have no issues. But when we face specific problems, it becomes extremely difficult to debug and provide feedback on the issue. Even with the assistance of Dell support, we couldn't make much progress. There were numerous rounds of joint sessions, but unfortunately, it didn't resolve the problem.

Neutral

The initial setup is very easy. It's incredibly fast. We once attempted to install Commvault, but it took us several days, and we couldn't get it to work. 

While deploying NetWorker was a breeze and could be done in just a few minutes. I even demonstrated this to the Commvault team, and they were bewildered. They couldn't believe that I could set up a new NetWorker installation within 20 to 23 minutes. So, for me, it is simple and intuitive. I personally don't face any issues.

We are in the educational sector, and I believe we receive significant discounts.

I don't know the exact RRP (Recommended Retail Price) for this product. We have some sort of a deal between the local Dell for Asia Pacific and our university. Our pricing is very good.

Firstly, I would suggest finding out the future prospects of NetWorker within Dell. I don't know how many more years Dell will support NetWorker. Dell seems to be pushing its new product, PowerProtect, which is a discouraging fact for me. 

If Dell intends to maintain both products, it should make it clear that the future of backup solutions lies in both PowerProtect and NetWorker. However, this is not clear at the moment.

Overall, I would say it's an easy nine.

The main benefits of Dell NetWorker include its efficient incremental backup windows and the comprehensive training available for protecting various environments using NetWorker and Data Domain.

It offers seamless integration and can handle many VMs without adding workload or requiring additional backup time.

It provides a more convenient solution because it can integrate with multiple applications.

To integrate with the library and Oracle, we must make multiple changes to the OS and the database. However, with another solution, we only need to install the backup software, configure it, and run the backup without any changes to the OS. 

I encountered an issue with Insight, but by using the VR backup, I rebuilt the indexes and successfully brought the server up on the VR side.

It is stable.

It is scalable. 2000 servers are using this solution.

I've handled around 2,200 backups, and the high compression rates are impressive, achieving up to 99% deduplication and compression. This greatly increases capacity, reduces costs, and improves efficiency. From my experience, using the Avakapindi tool is the best approach. However, when it comes to Dell NetWorker, some challenges exist, particularly with integrating applications like SaaS and EVR. While integration with more straightforward databases like MySQL is manageable, advanced databases and applications like MongoDB, SAP, DB2, and Postgres are challenging to install and understand, especially from a DBA perspective.

Another issue is that with NetWorker, everything must be managed directly on the server. You can't install the agent or manage backups and restores from the front end; you must log in to the server. This is inconvenient for cloud providers, where accessing the server directly isn't always an option. Ideally, all backup and restore activities should be possible without server access, but with NetWorker, server-side limitations require logging in for updates, agent installation, and other tasks.

Most of the customers who are using NetWorker have a data domain.

Ultimate verification software is very useful for installing the networker in our environment. Deploying this solution takes two to three hours and three people.

It was easy to bring up and monitor the server, making it feasible in our environment. For example, it can be done despite encountering a couple of issues.

Pricing is considerable. We often need to purchase Data Domain to obtain the necessary licenses for NetWorker. Typically, they purchase Data Domain and then get the licenses for NetWorker and Avamar as part of the package.

Data Domain is a powerful solution, especially when integrated with Zenfone. It delivers the best backup performance and superior data aggregation and compression ratios unmatched by other backup solutions. One more thing to add is that achieving high performance during the backup window and optimizing deduplication and compression can greatly enhance the overall process. However, this can also impact the speed and efficiency of data restores.

I recommend the solution.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

On-premises

We have a centralized data domain system with a 100% virtualized environment. The product helps us with VM Backup, NAS system backup, and file system backup.

The product is a good backup solution and has helped our organization in most data storage scenarios.

Dell NetWorker's valuable feature is its ability to configure the network for immutability, specifically for backups. It is the most essential feature nowadays. We can take immediate backups. It has a good compression ratio as well.

The NDMP backups, especially NAS, could be optimal. We receive complaints from various vendors related to its slow performance. Additionally, it required full backups and configuration every week or two. There could be a possibility of constructing full backups from incremental data intelligently, similar to TSM. Further, they could adopt a progressive backup methodology.

We have been using Dell NetWorker for six years.

I rate the product's stability a seven out of ten.

I rate the platform's stability a seven out of ten.

The technical support services are good, especially when we have connected with the right individuals or specialists.

The decision to move from TSM to Dell NetWorker was primarily driven by Dell/EMC infrastructure use. We wanted to maintain a unified vendor approach across the entire converged infrastructure.

The initial setup is straightforward. However, PPDM is a lot easier to deploy than NetWorker.

We never encountered any challenges for data backup and restore. It is a big advantage considering the return on investment.

It is inexpensive compared to new products like Rubrik or Cohesity. They offer discounts to government organizations.

We have to keep Dell NetWorker updated as many security fixes need to be done. With everything shifting to the cloud, the organization beginning with the transition should consider hybrid solutions. This approach will help them back up both the cloud and on-premise versions in a hybrid environment.

I rate it a seven out of ten.

On-premises

We use Dell NetWorker to back up data from several databases and virtual machines.

The software’s best feature is data backup for any system. Using it, we can back up virtual machines, servers, different applications, and modules.

While upgrading to a new version, we encounter challenges related to specific algorithms or code regulations. It causes problems if the new version is incompatible with the old authentication method or existing modules. Thus, we have to conduct non-integration tests.

It requires a specific server or a specific NRA and GNLP download to configure the application. This setup is time-consuming, especially when compared to modern web-based tools. It could be better.

Additionally, its support services need improvement. When we log a case, it takes a long time to resolve it. There could be more experienced engineers in their team.

We have been using Dell NetWorker for ten years.

The product could be more stable. Sometimes, we need to restart the server every week. That is the reason we are looking for other tools.

We have less than ten users for Dell NetWorker.

Dell NetWorkers’ technical support services need improvement.

The initial setup process is easy. The time taken for deployment depends on the kind of tool we want to integrate. Some configurations, including integration with data domain, on-premise, and on-cloud, are complicated. It took us a few weeks to complete the process. The software is simple to set up and has an OVA system allowing employees to configure IP addresses. Although, it is challenging to backup the device or library.

It is a relatively inexpensive product compared to NetBackup.

It is a good product. It has interconnection with different vendors. I recommend it to others. It offers a lot of documentation for a better understanding of configurations and modules.

I rate it a seven out of ten. There are many areas of improvement, including functionality and support.

On-premises

Dell NetWorker is primarily used on customers' off-site premises to take backups from core servers. Although we are a solution provider and not the direct user, Dell NetWorker is effective in taking backups and is used in customer environments. It helps our clients by providing reliable backup solutions.

NetWorker is easy to install on clients and servers, and making backups from server to storage and backup devices is straightforward.

The challenge with Dell NetWorker lies in its deployment over virtualized environments. Ports are not visible to the network, which requires a dedicated physical server. Improving this feature could greatly enhance usability.

We have been using Dell NetWorker since 2022 or 2021, for the last three years.

NetWorker is stable and provides a means for seamless backups from various devices.

Initial setup can be completed in approximately three working days, depending on the server and backup devices involved.

We have a dedicated team for the implementation which is well-versed in virtualization, servers, and storage connectivity. The team includes more than sixty engineers in various specialized domains.

They should improve the visibility of network ports when Dell NetWorker is deployed over virtualized environments.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

On-premises

Our primary use cases for the product include taking regular backups of critical systems and utilizing its archiving solution. We back up our enterprise systems to a disk-based backup system and subsequently transfer these backups to an archiving system. When necessary, we recover these backups for our users, such as application and database users.

The product's most valuable features are robust integration options with databases and email systems. It allows seamless integration with native tools like Oracle's, significantly accelerating the backup process by eliminating the need for manual configuration.

We encountered challenges during the solution's deployment, particularly integrating our database system and Microsoft Exchange. This area needs improvement. 

They could improve their licensing policy, particularly in terms of measuring customer systems for backups. For example, they could refine distinguishing between capacity-based backups and the number of system-based backups. 

I have been working with Dell NetWorker for about five years.

I rate the product stability an eight out of ten. 

I rate the product scalability a nine out of ten. 

Dell could improve its technical support by enhancing the response time, especially for the initial ticket raised. The first ticket could be addressed promptly and within the agreed-upon service level agreement (SLA).

Positive

The setup is straightforward for smaller deployments, but it becomes more complicated for larger deployments.

Excluding the integration with other systems, it typically takes one to two days. However, the process can take about one week if system integrations are included.

The solution's automation capabilities are efficient. Once the scheduler is configured, backups proceed without any interruption. This includes automatic transfers from disk-based to archiving systems, making the process highly effective.

I rate it an eight out of ten. 

On-premises

Dell NetWorker is used as a backup and recovery solution.

Feature-wise, the most valuable ones stem from the fact that it is the most flexible and easiest backup for your virtual machines, along with being the backup of a wide range of databases using modules.

The API side of the solution has certain shortcomings. However, I don't think much improvement because we already have APIs in place, but I think there is a scope to improve the API side.

I have been using Dell NetWorker for seven to eight years. Also, I am using the solution's latest version.

In my experience, I haven't seen many issues with the network, though there are some incidents that come up here and there. I don't see any regular issues until you have good resources. I mean, resources like CPU, RAM, and all.

It is scalable software. All you need to increase is its RAM and CPU. It's pretty easy. Apart from that, if it's the backend, where the data is stored on the data domain, it is again a scalable product.

Most large enterprises use the solution. With the storage and with the databases, Dell NetWorker has a wide range of modules to cover these databases and backups.

I contacted technical support. It's always there in any product. Usually, for backup failures, we contact support. The support you get depends on the support level that the customer takes. You have dedicated support and normal line support. Customers can always ask to escalate.

The initial setup is easy. As you go on to configure the databases, multiple teams are involved, like the database team, the Unix team, and the backup team. Even then, it's pretty easy and straightforward unless you run into some infrastructure issues.

The solution is deployed on the cloud and on-premises.

The time for deployment depends on the size of the environment. If it's a small environment, and everything is in place and works, it takes just two or three hours. If the customer has a larger enterprise, then, obviously, it will increase because you need to install extra storage nodes.

The issues are not straightforward. For example, with the issues in the documentation, there are other products where if you get an error, it's completely code-based, or error codes, so it's pretty easy. Going through the document of Dell NetWorker, I see it's a bit different. You need to dig into the issues.

I rate the overall solution a nine point seven or nine point eight out of ten.