Ahmed Essa - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Consultant at Share Technologies
Real User
Top 5
Depended on for backup but the integration with the environment requires improvements
Pros and Cons
  • "The software implementation takes about 30 minutes."
  • "The team does not have enough knowledge to support you."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell NetWorker for backup on tape libraries and for integration with old systems. 

What needs improvement?

The solution requires better technical support. There also needs to be improvements made to the integration with the environment. This includes an improvement made to the restored models for a lot of applications.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell NetWorker for 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Dell NetWorker is not the best solution, but it is decent. Many customers depend on it for backup.

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April 2024
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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Dell NetWorker is a software, it is not scalable. This is not required.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support for Dell NetWorker is not good. The technicians are in the USA. When you open a ticket, they send the concern to India. There, the team does not have enough knowledge to support you.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of Dell NetWorker uses a software package that you can implement on the server, operating system, or on a virtual machine. The software implementation takes about 30 minutes. The integration with the whole environment depends on the size of the environment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Dell NetWorker has two types of licensing models. One is a capacity license and the other is a circuit license for virtual machines.

What other advice do I have?

I do not recommend Dell NetWorker as a solution. I rate the product a five out of ten overall.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Implementer
PeerSpot user
ValereFEUGWANG - PeerSpot reviewer
Information System Consultant at CFAO Technologies
Real User
Top 10
Good scalability and virtual environment protection but the interface is not user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "Good scalability and virtual environment protection."
  • "The UI is not user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

We provide this solution to our customers and we are partners with Dell. I'm an information consultant. 

What is most valuable?

The valuable features are scalability, virtual environment protection, and the migration to OneCloud feature. All the features are excellent. 

What needs improvement?

This is an expensive solution, in addition to which, the interface is not user-friendly. We're sometimes looking for a feature on one interface and it's on another. It would be helpful if they would centralize everything on one interface.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

Dell support is the best in the world. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very complex but once that's done, the rest is easy. We've deployed this solution to 10 customers. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

NetWorker is a very expensive solution. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I usually compare NetWorker with NetBackup which comes with IBM Spectrum Connect. I think NetBackup is a better solution. In our country, it's only the communication operators who use this solution because they have more data to manage every day.

What other advice do I have?

This solution is suitable for enterprise-size organizations. I usually only provide NetWorker as an option if the customer asks for it. If it were my choice, I would recommend Veeam or IBM Spectrum Protect.

I rate the product six out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Dell NetWorker
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Dell NetWorker. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
768,740 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Lead Offering Solution Architect Cloud and Workload with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A straightforward setup, but the solution needs better automation
Pros and Cons
  • "The backup software has been much faster since we've deployed the solution."
  • "I haven't had a good experience with technical support. It takes them a very long time to resolve issues."

How has it helped my organization?

The backup software has been much faster since we've deployed the solution.

What needs improvement?

The system needs better integration with other toolsets.

Support could be improved. EMC also needs to offer more information for users online.

The solution needs more automation and more reporting, so we don't need to check everything manually.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for six months.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We use the solution every day, for all of our backups. We don't plan to increase usage, but we do use it extensively right now.

How are customer service and technical support?

I haven't had a good experience with technical support. It takes them a very long time to resolve issues.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used to use HP DataProtector. It took too much effort to manage it, which is why we switched.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We did the implementation ourselves.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's approximate, but I believe we pay around $20-30,000 a month in licensing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other option before choosing this solution.

What other advice do I have?

We use the private cloud deployment model of the solution.

Networker is a fine solution, but there are other more modern automated solutions on the market. We are considering changing to one of those. They take up fewer resources, which is why we are considering switching. I believe this solution is better than Data Protector, but there's another one, Rubrik, that saves a lot of time and effort.

We should have involved EMC with the implementation because it was difficult. I would recommend others consider this lesson that we learned from our attempt.

I would rate the solution seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Mirza Rahim - PeerSpot reviewer
Team Leader : IT Infrastructure and Service Delivery at United Energy Pakistan Ltd
Real User
A good and stable solution with a straightforward setup
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is scalable."
  • "The management of Dell Networker is quite cumbersome."

What needs improvement?

The management of Dell Networker is quite cumbersome because we have to operate on a separate interface for reporting backup jobs. In addition, we have different interfaces, so we recommend it be consolidated into a single interface for all its operations. For example, my team and I have to hop on other interfaces and different applications to manage Dell Networker. Hence, it becomes pretty cumbersome for operations.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for six years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, and approximately 1,000 users utilize the solution in our organization.

How are customer service and support?

We have had a good experience with customer service and support. I rate them an eight out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

A partner did the initial setup, and we shared the venue. The setup was not difficult because we outsourced it to a consultant. So that consultant came in and deployed the solution for us.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing could be more economical for organizations, so organizations like ours can adopt and utilize it to its full potential. However, at the moment, we have challenges with the pricing as it is quite costly.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution an eight out of ten. The solution is good, but it can be improved by consolidating multiple interfaces into one.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Trainer, storage consultant at Oxon
Real User
Good data recovery, has broad coverage, and works seamlessly
Pros and Cons
  • "The possibility of recovering up-to-the-moment data is very useful."
  • "The interface could have a different appearance."

What is our primary use case?

Usually, you can use this product to do the backups for almost everything. For first-party products, like SAP, it works well. It's good for security and protection and offers a repository for backups. 

What is most valuable?

The possibility of recovering up-to-the-moment data is very useful. You can have any backup registry onsite. There's a special database, which will contain all index orders. The only thing you have to do is set up the backup medium with the proper backup. It's very easy to use.

There is really broad coverage as to what can be protected. That's the thing from the point of view of the usage and from the point of view of the technology itself. It's very important how it can operate easily and how it can be integrated with Data Domain.

Once it's set up properly, it works very smoothly. It's a pretty straightforward setup.

The solution is stable. 

It has lots of great features, and we don't find anything lacking. 

It is very scalable. 

What needs improvement?

The interface could have a different appearance. It could be green or blue instead, for example. 

Users need to have specific knowledge of the product before they jump in and use it. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for 21 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is stable and reliable. The performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable. You can scale on one single computer up to hundreds of them on computers, or thousands of virtual machines with the same Networker products.

How are customer service and support?

Typically, issues are escalated to me, and I deal with problems on my own. However, I have been in touch with support. They are helpful and responsive. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I've also worked with Avamar. 

For the DevOps environment, I would prefer to go with Avamar. However, if I needed to set up something at the enterprise level, I'd prefer Networker.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward and simple. It's not difficult to set up at all. 

Backup systems are one of the most tricky to maintain as there are so many factors that can influence the backup process. Not only the backup - also the computers themselves, the operating systems, can play a role. It takes a moderate level of maintenance.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I can't speak to the actual pricing of the product. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm working with the latest version of the product.

I'd advise new users to know the product before you start to implement it. Very often, people start to deploy the system without product knowledge. Sometimes the product implementation is really bad. If the implementation is bad, so it won't work for you smoothly. So know the product implementation and features, and you should know which ones will be the design architecture of the system.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Senior Account Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
User-friendly, easy to use, and reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very user-friendly. After setting up five machines for our customers we teach them how to set up the agent and start doing their backups. It is very easy for them once they see how to do it, they like to do it on their own."

    What is our primary use case?

    I use Dell EMC NetWorker for system backups.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is very user-friendly. After setting up five machines for our customers we teach them how to set up the agent and start doing their backups. It is very easy for them once they see how to do it, they like to do it on their own.

    Dell EMC NetWorker is a complete solution, providing end-to-end, disk to disk to tape backup features, which makes it more suitable for customers here in Oman.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have used Dell EMC NetWorker within the last 12 months.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable.

    How are customer service and support?

    The customer support is very good.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I have used Avamar.

    The major differentiator between Dell EMC NetWorker Avamar is the Tape Out function, we recommend mostly NetWorker because customers here in Oman have compliance policies to keep the tapes out. Most of my installations are NetWorker and we only have a few on Avamar.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The price of the license could be cheaper and it would be a benefit if they came up with a new pricing model. The competitors here in Oman sell universal licensing where a number of virtual machines are hosted at the customer place which can be licensed, or you can license the CPU sockets in those servers. However, NetWorker offers only CPU sockets or overall storage capacity to backup, but there is no universal licensing where you can provide a number of VMs. They should offer more options to stay competitive with other solutions, such as Veeam.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    I have evaluated Veeam solutions.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend Dell EMC NetWorker to any large enterprise. For entry and mid-size customers, I would recommend it only if it falls within their budget requirements. If they do not have the budget, they can purchase a solution that works with normal storage while purchasing NetWorker or Avamar requires a storage solution also, such as  Dell Data Domain. It works in combination and delivers the best solution, but it is a little expensive. This is why it is best suited for enterprise customers who can afford it.

    I rate Dell EMC NetWorker a nine out of ten.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
    PeerSpot user
    Sr. Area Technical Manager at Tata Elxsi
    Reseller
    Very user-friendly with a good interface
    Pros and Cons
    • "Very user-friendly with a good interface."
    • "Could have a better recovery system."

    What is our primary use case?

    The primary use case is for system and data backup. I'm the area technical manager and we are resellers. 

    What is most valuable?

    This is a good solution and our clients are happy with it. There are no issues and it meets expectations. It's very user-friendly with a good interface. 

    What needs improvement?

    I'd like to see a faster recovery window. Having a better recovery system would make a big difference. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We've been using this product for 20 years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is great. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability is good, we currently have over 100 users. 

    How are customer service and support?

    Customer support is very good and I rate it highly. 

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is very straightforward and usually takes a couple of hours. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Licensing costs are a little high. Dell has different kinds of licenses including a traditional license and a capacity-based license.

    What other advice do I have?

    I recommend this solution and rate it nine out of 10. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
    PeerSpot user
    Manager at Securetech
    Real User
    Top 20
    Has good configure management and server and enterprise data but requires a skill set to set up
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is simple to understand."
    • "The implementation process could be improved."

    What is most valuable?

    This solution had multiple options like configure management, user data, and server and enterprise data. The solution is simple to understand. Some products only use storage media, but Dell NetWorker has multiple options.

    What needs improvement?

    The implementation process could be improved. It requires a skill set to set up. In addition, the product line should support all brands and solutions.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using this solution for about a year, and it is deployed on-premises.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is a stable solution. It has worked for a couple of years without any troubles or significant issues.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is scalable after a specific limit. It is suitable for medium-sized enterprises. We have about 1,000 users.

    How are customer service and support?

    We have used Dell technical support. I rate the technical support team a six out of ten.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Neutral

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    I rate the pricing a six out of ten, where ten is a good price, and one is a high price. The price could be lower.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate the solution a seven out of ten. Veeam Backup is a competitor in the market because it has a lot of utilization. It is easy for people to get a license with them, and they benefit from one solution. Regarding potential future improvements, they should look at IT and compare it to other products because things are becoming streamlined for all the product lines, new storage is readily available, and things are moving to the cloud.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner/Integrator
    PeerSpot user
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    Updated: April 2024
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