Dell NetWorker Reviews

Name: Dell NetWorker
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 3.9 (80 reviews)

3.9 out of 5

80 reviews
90% willing to recommend

2,307 followers

What is Dell NetWorker?

Built on a reputation of efficiency and reliability, thousands of customers trust Dell NetWorker to protect their data and applications across multiple environments, from core to edge to cloud.

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Dell NetWorker is the #13 ranked solution in best Backup and Recovery Software. PeerSpot users give Dell NetWorker an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 80 most recent Dell NetWorker reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 6.8. Dell NetWorker is most commonly compared to Veeam Data Platform: Dell NetWorker vs Veeam Data Platform. Dell NetWorker is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 16% of all views.

Helped 816,406 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Derrick Brockel

Senior Manager of Operations at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

We had a security event back in February. We lost all our servers. We probably had 1500 servers. We used NetWorker to recover and restore VMs. It took us almost 30 days to get back up. It was not quick. However, we wouldn't have been able to recover without the product’s help. We first had to restore the NetWorker infrastructure. We used data domains. We imported the catalog. We identified the tier-one VMs we needed and got those restored. We installed security products on them to ensure they were clean. Then, we booted them up. The solution allowed us to recover our infrastructure.

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Aftab Azam

Storage and Backup Consultant at Hydro One

There are a couple of time-tested products, like Dell NetWorker and Veritas NetBackup. Both are among the oldest backup solutions or software products and work properly. Dell NetWorker's features revolve around its many shell utilities that help gather reports. It is like any other backup software since you can schedule a backup, and it works.

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MostafaSoudy

Backup Team Head at Commercial International Bank

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.

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Dell NetWorker mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Dell NetWorker in the Backup and Recovery category stands at 3.1%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 21, 2024

Valuable Features

Dell NetWorker's most valuable features include robust compatibility with various operating systems and databases, excellent deduplication with Data Domain, user-friendly GUI, and scalability. It supports backup automation, provides comprehensive recovery capabilities, and integrates seamlessly with VMware. Users appreciate its flexibility and handling of large databases, along with efficient time management and compression ratio. The software's data integrity and encryption ensure security, making it reliable for virtual and physical environments.

"Taking backups is faster."
"NetWorker is easy to install on clients and servers, and making backups from server to storage and backup devices is straightforward."
"The compression ratio is very flexible for designing all the required policies for backup."

Room for Improvement

Dell NetWorker requires enhancements in user interface, stability, cloud compatibility, and support services. The software's complexity and lack of intuitive design are barriers for new users. Integration with third-party tools and better job management processes are needed. Performance issues with VMware backups and challenges in deployment and troubleshooting are noted. Improvements in reporting, deduplication, and encryption features are desired, along with more frequent development updates and documentation improvements.

"Management of the software is a little bit hazy and not easy."
"Ports are not visible to the network, which requires a dedicated physical server."
"In some cases, solutions are not found in one method of call and it escalates to many levels until an experienced person can join to resolve the issue."

ROI

Several users emphasize the value of Dell NetWorker, noting financial and time savings, with one reporting a 60% return on investment. They mention a significant advantage in data backup and restoration, avoiding prolonged downtime. While some express a lack of ROI information, others describe the investment as worthwhile compared to not using the software. Proper knowledge and deployment of its features are deemed essential for maximizing benefits.

Pricing

Dell NetWorker offers a flexible pricing structure with capacity-based and traditional licensing models. Users appreciate its mid-range pricing, often noting discounts when bundled with products like Dell Data Protection Suite or Avamar. While some find it cost-effective, others mention its complexity and higher costs compared to competitors like Commvault and Veeam. Licensing fees are considered moderately expensive, with many organizations negotiating tailored agreements or benefiting from sector-specific discounts, making it a competitive option in specific scenarios.

"Dell NetWorker is an expensive solution. None of the backup products are cheap. The licensing model offered is usually a five-year one."
"The pricing for the telecom, government, and banking sectors is relatively affordable."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

Popular Use Cases

Dell NetWorker is used across various industries for backup and recovery of critical systems, integrating well with environments like Hyper-V, VMware, SAP, and Oracle. It supports both physical and virtual workloads, offering data protection, file system backup, and disaster recovery. Organizations utilize it to safeguard files, databases, and email systems, while benefitting from its compatibility with Dell Data Domain systems, ensuring efficient and reliable data storage and restoration.

Service and Support

Dell NetWorker's customer service and support receive mixed feedback. Many users appreciate the quick response time, friendly support staff, and effective problem-solving. However, some experienced slow response times and found initial support lacking in expertise, requiring escalation to higher levels. Regional differences impact satisfaction levels, with some regions reported as less effective. Despite these variations, users note helpful, responsive support for immediate needs, while complex issues may require additional time and expertise.

Deployment

Initial setup of Dell NetWorker varies significantly by user experience. Some found it straightforward with proper documentation and a basic IT background, while others encountered complexities due to environment size or integration requirements. Technical expertise and thorough planning are often necessary, especially in larger setups. Deployment time ranges from a few minutes to several weeks, depending on infrastructure and integration. Many appreciate the improved ease of use over time, particularly with smaller or well-prepared environments.

Scalability

Many reviewers mention that Dell NetWorker is highly scalable, supporting extensive user bases and various enterprises. Some reviewers highlight specific configurations, such as vProxy and capacity licenses, that enhance scalability. A few users note challenges at a larger scale or with certain environments, particularly regarding updates or limitations in data zones. While generally positive, a minority indicates difficulties scaling past specific limits or comparing unfavorably against more agile competitors.

Stability

Some versions of Dell NetWorker had stability issues, notably 7.x.x and 9.0, requiring updates for improvements. Many users report high stability, especially with proper configuration. They suggest avoiding x.0 releases due to initial bugs but note significant enhancements in later versions. Most rate stability positively, typically eight out of ten, citing reliable performance and few bugs. It's found stable with adequate resources and best practices, although occasional updates and reboots are mentioned.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell NetWorker Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

University

Educational Organization

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Media Company

Construction Company

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Outsourcing Company

Legal Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Logistics Company

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Learn more about Dell NetWorker

Inherently flexible, NetWorker helps you deploy and leverage the data protection that fits your needs. NetWorker protects both physical and virtual environments, including VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V, as well as cloud workloads on AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

NetWorker is available as part of Dell Data Protection Suite, which offers comprehensive data protection software applications and tools. NetWorker is delivered as software and as a virtual edition.

Dell NetWorker was previously known as NetWorker.