Dell PowerProtect Data Domain Reviews

The cost is quite good if you look at the product. 

It should provide everything that an enterprise needs. 

It can back up all the workloads on-prem, off-prem, and mainly the VM infrastructure. You should be able to replicate to another site. 

The reporting and monitoring features that it provides are great. 

It offers security with the software.

The stability is excellent.

The solution scales well.

The new niche players are currently very good, but some things that they lack. As an example, NetApp Filer. There is no real partnership between different vendor platforms such as EMC or NetApp. They don't really talk that much. There needs to be better ease of use with like APIs and automation and things of that nature. Some vendors are more API friendly, some vendors are not. Being API friendly will help.

EMC is just coming out with their global deduplication future with virtual addition and things like that. Which is still in the works.

They need to make migration easier. 

The solution is very stable. there are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. There is not any other storage, deduplication storage appliance, that will match Data Domain. That is pretty much as stable a product as we have seen.

The solution can scale well.

Overall, technical support has been pretty good. However, the support recently, the support that is coming in from India, is not as good as what we used to get before. In the past year, we have seen a significant drop in call response.

When we installed the solution, pretty much the software all was new. It was Legato earlier and then it was using Networker version eight everywhere else. When we started deploying it, we started with version nine. We pretty much started with the latest versions of the software. There were some growing pains, however, we were able to step up the enrollment and it was good in the end. Beyond a few issues right at the outset, it was a good experience. 

The cost is quite reasonable. 

Earlier, when we started deploying, we had to use a single DDBoost user for each EMP. I don't know our storage unit, however, now, with the latest release, we can use multiple users. That is one good reason why people should start using this solution, as there is one DDBoost user per entry. That way, it is easier to migrate or move across, for example, during your tech refresh. When they offer some kind of a load balancing feature in front of Data Domain it will be a good thing. We know that they always have it in the roadmap, however, we have never seen that come through.

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

We use model number 6800. The operating system is 7.4.

I find the data to be most valuable. 

The price is on the high side.

I would like to see integration with public cloud.

We have been using Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for almost ten years. 

The solution is, thus far, stable. 

The solution is scalable. 

The technical support is okay. It's not bad.

I did not work with other solutions prior to using Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain).

The initial setup was handled solely by the Dell EMC, so it was okay and not that complex. 

The price is a bit steep. 

We pay for the support every three years. 

I am an end user.

I feel the solution works fine for us. 

There are around four or five people working with this solution in our company.

My advice to others looking into implementing this solution is that they acquire the requisite knowledge. It is important to be properly trained in how to use it. 

I rate Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) as an eight out of ten. 

We primarily use the solution for storage.

The solution integrates well with our VM.

I like the hardware and the software together.

Based on what we have achieved in our environments on the bank's telecom, it's the best product. We have it installed with Dell EMC protection suite, NetWorker, but also with VM. There are many cases where we integrated with IBM TSM as a VTL. 

The best point is the duplication encryption and disaster recovery replication. The network replication's software has network verification where the product can not offer it. We use nothing for Data Domain replication. And when we use NetWorker, we use prone console application. With VM, also we use replication under the Data Domain application instead of copying the data from the VM.

The solution is very scalable.

The product offers excellent security.

The price could be improved. 

Technically speaking, the solution is okay. It's not perfect. We have to remember that it's a backup appliance. A storage appliance is not primary service. Let's say in a standard configuration you have only one controller, you don't have high visibility. We have installations on higher-visibility on one environment when one bank says, "We want a controller, doesn't matter how much it costs." We explain that something that is not the main storage is not production. " It's not primary storage, however, it can be used for different environments. Let's say to use it as the NFS or VMware deployment. 

Dell is improving the product all of the time, actually. There were a lot of improvements from version 7.3 to 7.4 for example. 

I've worked with the solution on and off since 2009 and I've watched it evolved from a small backup appliance to what it is now. They've done very well with it. 

I've been working with the solution since at least 2009.

In terms of stability, it depends on who is using it. When our customers use it via IP, now, almost everybody has 10G. When they use the application, they have at least one gigabit for the application. Data Domain is capable of using smaller bandwidth and therefore I haven't had any complaints regarding how it's working. The main problem is not the backup, its costs vary. 

The data has to get duplicated in blocks and sent across the network. It's optimized in such a way where when you bring back the data there is a process that will take place in the memory or the system in order together that data and compose the file. Then it will take it back to the network to where it will need to be stored. We have a fiber cable, so we are okay. We don't have a problem with this. However, smaller bandwidths may face issues.

The scalability of the solution is excellent.

We can start from many minimal configurations for SMB customers and we can scale it out for big a environment, for example, for different bank clients. It's suitable for all environments. It works well with other solutions as well, such as VM or TSM. 

Any company can work with it and any company can expand it to fit their needs.

Dell works with partners in order to provide technical support, and as partners, we often troubleshoot for our clients. We are sent alerts the moment a ticket is opened and so we are able to see if there are problems happening right away. When it comes to hardware, we'll be able to see what parts get dispatched and we can follow everything. From a hardware perspective, support works very well and is very transparent. 

From a software perspective, that's handled by a different team. If we have problems we can't fix we can apply for help to the software team. They can release patches and can inform us if an upgrade is mandatory in order to fix an issue. They are also very helpful and responsive.

Overall, I would say we are quite pleased with the level of service we receive from Dell. 

The initial setup is not complex. It's very straightforward. If you have a serial port opened up, and you configure the management port fees, first on the licensing, then it's really straightforward. However, if you have a different configuration, it may be a bit more challenging. Even so, it's not that complicated. It's 90% straightforward. If somebody is not comfortable with the console, they can use a web interface and it's fine. 

Dell Avamar is a very good product. We've used it in the past when it was, let's say, one of the first solutions. I believe they offer duplication. Whenever Avamar came on the market, it was a revolutionary application. Right now, however, due to other software solutions not only for Dell EMC but for Avamar, it makes everything very good and also very bad from the sales point of view. 

With aggressive marketing of products, clients may request the wrong product. Avamar isn't well-positioned in Romania right now. Data Domain is better. When clients ask for certain other products, we try to steer them to Data Domain. 

Depending on the customer's needs, Dell can fit into all environments. If you want to have a very good backup appliance, then choose Data Domain because it will fit in almost everywhere. I don't think I know of another solution in which somebody can have a backup project or data protection where this product will not fit. 

Technically speaking, I cannot make a comparison with other products, as this solution can fit almost everywhere.

I recommend better sizing to the client. That's important. Customers need to take into consideration their needs very, very well so they don't end up with too small of a product. It's better to go a bit bigger if it will fit the budget. Of course, the technical requirements need to be addressed. Data Domain integrates well with other products. It's something to consider.

Overall, I would rate the solution nine out of ten.

We primarily use the solution for backup purposes.

The deduplication on the solution is great. It's elaborate but the companies already understand it. 

The hardware can operate in high temperatures, in case of any disaster. 

The scalability of the equipment and components of Data Domain are outstanding. We never go without Data Domain if we are talking about backup solutions. We always go with Data Domain.

It's a very reliable and consistent product. 

There's no match with any other product. It's outstanding. The performance of the hardware is improving day by day and new models are coming with more scalability.

In terms of backup software, NetWorker is a very, very good. However, it is very complex. If you want to export on a NetWorker deployment, usually you need to add more plug-ins. If you install Titanium, through the vCenter, you can directly backup all virtualized data. Using Titanium, you can backup Oracle data through the main directly or on the data lake.

First-time integrations are difficult in NetWorker. NetWorker software needs to be simplified. It's very complex. 

The technical support has gotten worse as of late. They could work to make it much better.

One feature which IBM has, and which I am unable to see in Data Domain (or on their optimum roadmap) is the utility-based backup solutions. There are no utility-based Data Domain models. 

We've been using the solution for more than five years now.

The solution is extremely stable. You just need to install it and then you can basically forget it. Our users have never complained about the performance and never complained about the consistency or reliability. There aren't any bugs or glitches at all. It's a very solid product.

The scalability is excellent and continues to improve with each new release. That said, a company needs to buy assuming a future scale, as it is physical hardware. If you only buy four terabytes, it's hard to just jump to 16.

In terms of support, Dell EMC support was outstanding. Right now, we've observed some changes in support. It's not as good. Whenever a log is up, we do not get immediate support. This has happened a number of times now. If I don't have a senior system engineer available at my company, and I have a server issue, or a backup suddenly stops due to some application restriction, I have problems. I've had a few incidents just this year, the year.

While the support is excellent, the experience of some delays is off-putting. From 2015 until now, we didn't really experience any type of support issues. The delays are kind-of new. Support is perhaps limited in our region. However, beyond the delays we experience, the service we get, and the advice, is excellent.

Banks will often have Lenovo or IBM. I always prefer, and my company always prefers, Data Domain. It's scalable and robust and far superior.

We've used Avamar as a backup software. However, we find Networker has more features.

The price point is high. That said, they're competing with other products like Veritas, so in that sense, the price is good, or, maybe typical. And yet, whenever we are competing with some legacy type of product, the price difference is huge.

It's a premium product and so the pricing is somewhat expected.

In terms of scaling, the price is difficult to pin down. IF you buy 4 terabytes, it's not so easy to upgrade to 16. YOu cannot add shells. So users should scale up, to avoid hitting limits down the road. The standard of Data Domain is typically 32 terabytes in terms of sizing.

We are doing multiple POCs right now. We have already installed it in the banks of Pakistan. We are providing solution architects, support, deployment, and residential services. 

In early deployments you need to size the backup solution properly and then design it, create it, and export it. Early on, we are sure to always have a delivery of that statement. After delivery, my engineers will be aligned with the Dell EMC CPU, who makes the PDQ chain. That way, we can always patch the required IPs and do those backups as well.

We always deploy the bank's backup software, and we'll do the patches for every requirement. Sometimes we use NetWorker and Avamar. We've deployed Data Domain using Veeam as well. 

We always do on-premises deployments, which are mandatory in our country. In Pakistan, you can't have any cloud-based deployments. Compliance and government rules are slowly changing. In a few years, we may also do cloud deployments as well.

That said, wherever we deploy Data Domain virtualization, it is a step towards cloud-based deployment as it's a virtual machine. You can always send the data from a virtual machine to any cloud, including Microsoft Azure, IBM, and ECS.

If a company is looking for an implementation partner, it's best to go with a tier-one partner - someone who is Gold, Silver, or Titanium. They will understand the product fully.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten. There's no comparison between Data Domain and any other partner. It's solid and consistent. We'll continue to use them. They are excellent.

The Data Domain serves as our primary backup device used with Veeam. It is used for all service backups and restores.

This allows our organization to send more data to this device compared to others. It also allows us a fast recovery of files or Virtual Machines if needed being on-premise.

I would rate it at 5/5 as the deduplication and compression of the device for backups are outstanding. We have about 55TB of total space in the Data Domain which we send Veeam backups to, and we have sent over 200TB to the array.

The Deduplication and Compression are the most valuable as they allow us to back up a lot more data to the device knowing it will compress it well.

The processing capabilities I believe could be improved, however, we have an older unit DD670 and newer units may have already improved upon this.

I have been using the solution for more than five years.

We had no issues with stability.

No issues were encountered as we added a second shelf of disks without bringing the head unit down.

Customer Service:

Customer service for this unit is top notch and they are fast to get back to you with a Support issue.

Technical Support:

Technical Support is also top notch and are quick to respond to queries or tickets.

Positive

I was not involved in the initial setup of the array.

It was implemented through a vendor as well as in-house personnel.

It has been very good especially with the expansion shelf added.

Review the newer versions of the device and evaluate them if possible. You will get great benefits for backups.

We use the solution for documented backup.

We use it to back up the whole database through the EMC network.

We are unsatisfied with the EMC network because Data Domain only works for backups. The system is connected through backup software, which operates over the Internet. This setup limits Data Domain's functionality in terms of backups.

It is designed primarily for archiving and backup purposes. You can utilize it, but it depends on the EMC network. The software configured with Data Domain system may concern you. Data Domain is configured with the EMC network, but the EMC network is not easy to use and is not a very good product.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD for over five years. We are using DD890 of the solution.

Our management is not very happy with the EMC network. It is not easy to take or edit backups, and even small errors can cause the entire backup process to stop. Only one senior system administrator is using the solution.

Support is good.

Neutral

We are switching to Veritas Backup.

Lenovo is cheaper than Dell.

They will offer Lenovo products and servers as well as storage and archiving solutions. They plan to begin this initiative immediately, but the paperwork is still ongoing. Once we receive the RFP, we will start proceeding.

The advantage of the Dell PowerProtect DD is that we only use it for our archiving servers.

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

Most cases are related to databases, such as Oracle and MySQL.

Dell PowerProtect DD does not have integration with the cloud and virtualization software.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) for 10 years. We are using DD6300 of the solution.

I do not remember any outage or software bug. I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

The solution is scalable. About five to ten people are using this solution. 

We are already transitioning to the cloud, and this solution is almost exclusively used for primaries. We do not intend to renew, purchase additional units, or increase capacity.

Customer support is pretty good.

Positive

The initial setup is very simple. I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

We have the installation physically. In our data center, our team and Dell personnel came to us to make the first configuration. Since we already know the solution and have been using it for many years, so it's not very hard or difficult to setup.

Dell PowerProtect is a very efficient and very stable solution. It could have more integration.

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

We use this solution for various workloads for our customers. It is a backup solution for our banking customers' applications, farmer customers' farm assist applications, and manufacturing customers.

The most valuable features are that it is secure, reliable, and has officer support.

We have worked with this solution for about six years and deployed on-premises.

It is a stable solution with no issues.

It is a scalable solution, and we have more than 50 customers using this solution.

We have support within our company but leverage the technical support for backup support when required.

The initial setup was easy and not complex. It took about two to three houses to deploy.

The licensing is not cost-effective, and the pricing could be better. It is a costly solution compared to Veritas, but it has good performance, scalability and assurances.

I rate this solution a nine out of ten. I would recommend this solution to other companies.

We use Dell PowerProtect DD for different scenarios like database storage and backups.

I like the different features. We work closely with Dell on different products and features, which is why we use them all. 

It could be more secure.

I have been working with Dell PowerProtect DD for almost four years.

Dell PowerProtect DD is a stable solution.

Dell PowerProtect DD is a scalable solution. We have about seven customers using this solution.

It's ok because we have our own support and our own distributors for the vendor's part.

The initial setup doesn't take too long—just one or two days. You need two people to deploy and maintain this solution.

We are integrators, and we implement this solution ourselves.

We usually buy products at the end year, and the license is included.

I will recommend this solution to potential customers because it's one of the top brands and it's good.

On a scale from one to ten, I would give Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) a nine.

It's useful in the enterprise and commercial segments, like the banking and hospital sectors. We aim to get Fortune 500 quotes to afford debt solutions.

It's very competitive in terms of price and technology.

Also, the development team continuously makes updates.

The data reduction feature is very useful.

The price could be a little cheaper than it is now.

We have been working with Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) since 2004.

It's a cloud infrastructure safety and data protection solution.

The solution is stable.

If you know how to do it, the initial setup is straightforward. It takes one day to install and configure all the components.

The yearly subscription is very affordable for our customers, but the price could be a little cheaper overall.

I recommend this solution for every environment and rate it a ten on a scale from one to ten.