ExaGrid EX Series vs NetApp FAS Series comparison

ExaGrid and NetApp are both solutions in the Deduplication Software category. ExaGrid is ranked #8 with an average rating of 9.0, while NetApp is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.2. ExaGrid holds a 5.7% mindshare in DS, compared to NetApp’s 4.8% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of ExaGrid users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of NetApp users who would recommend it.

ExaGrid EX Series

Read 7 ExaGrid EX Series reviews

1,957 Views
1,918 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

NetApp FAS Series

Read 110 NetApp FAS Series reviews

9,150 Views
1,190 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

ExaGrid EX Series

NetApp FAS Series

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

ExaGrid EX Series and NetApp FAS Series are competing in the storage solutions market. ExaGrid stands out with its deployment flexibility and support services, while NetApp excels in feature-rich offerings providing greater value albeit at a higher cost.

Features: ExaGrid EX Series includes a unique landing zone for rapid backups and restores, a scale-out architecture for consistent backup windows regardless of data growth, and efficient deduplication technologies. NetApp FAS Series offers robust data management features, cloud service integrations, and extensive protocol support including SAN, NAS, and hybrid cloud configurations.

Room for Improvement: ExaGrid EX Series could enhance its feature set by improving integration capabilities, enhancing long-term data retention speeds, and offering more customization options. NetApp FAS Series may benefit from simplifying complex deployment processes, reducing upfront costs, and improving user interfaces for easier management.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: ExaGrid provides a straightforward deployment process with excellent support services, making it easier and faster to set up. NetApp FAS Series offers more complex deployment with extensive customization, requiring technical expertise but offering significant configuration flexibility.

Pricing and ROI: ExaGrid EX Series is generally more budget-friendly, focusing on reducing total cost of ownership and quick ROI through efficient deduplication. NetApp FAS Series incurs a higher initial cost, justified by comprehensive enterprise-level features, offering substantial ROI for organizations needing advanced data management capabilities.

To learn more, read our detailed ExaGrid EX Series vs. NetApp FAS Series Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

ExaGrid EX Series vs. NetApp FAS Series

April 2026

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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

ExaGrid EX Series

Ranking in Deduplication Software

8th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NetApp FAS Series

Ranking in Deduplication Software

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

110

Ranking in other categories

NAS (3rd), Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Deduplication Software category, the mindshare of ExaGrid EX Series is 5.7%, down from 9.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetApp FAS Series is 4.8%, up from 3.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Deduplication Software Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
NetApp FAS Series	4.8%
ExaGrid EX Series	5.7%
Other	89.5%

Deduplication Software

Featured Reviews

Daniel Gillber

Information Technology advisor at Lotus Consulting

Improvements in data storage efficiency and customer support experience

ExaGrid EX Series and Veeam was easy to set up, and it worked seamlessly. It was very simple to use. We rarely needed to touch the ExaGrid boxes, except for upgrades. With the systems engineer from ExaGrid, and with our common knowledge of backup software, it was very easy to use. The performance was good, the interface was good, and the GUI was good. When ExaGrid introduced the air gapped feature, it was almost complete. Almost every hardware vendor has an air gapped feature, but they were significantly ahead of other vendors. The air gapped and immutable storage are very nice features. The price compared to other competitors was good with better features. It is not a cheap product, but compared to the features, it is a good competitor.

Read full review

Srikanth Purushothaman

DIRECTOR at Vellore Online Systems

Has supported long-term data protection and backup while requiring better part availability and pricing options

For monitoring purposes, we normally use flash access storage exclusively. We utilize a hybrid system because we need performance, combining NL-SAS for the volume and SAS flash to use as a fast cache system that provides more IOPS. We normally implement RAID 10, which we prefer over RAID 6's n plus 2 combinations. We utilize it for data redundancy, even with write intensity on. Regarding the unified storage architecture for NetApp FAS Series, we normally opt for exclusivity unless budget constraints exist. Our IOPS are very high, reaching somewhere about 50k to 150k or 1.150k. The high performance ensures minimal latency. An advantage we've seen with NetApp FAS Series is that snapshots provide very rapid backup and fast recovery. We basically use snapshots for data protection as first-level protection, with deduplication between the two storages serving as second-level protection.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"ExaGrid EX Series and Veeam was easy to set up, and it worked seamlessly."

"The most valuable features of the solution are deduplication and landing zone."

"ExaGrid has improved my organization in the way that we get reliable backups with very little administration."

"One of the main features is the landing zone, it is a particular space where the information is not duplicated."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of use and data deduplication. It's extremely easy to use and does a very good job of data deduplication and compression."

"One of the most valuable aspects of the ExaGrid EX Series is the support."

"It is a solid and a quite simple solution, which is a good combination. The customers like the simplicity and its scale-out capacity. They like the support pricing, and even the extension capacity pricing, a fixed price, which the executive is offering in Czech market."

"The tool has improved backup and recovery times. One of the key features contributing to this improvement is the landing zone and deduplication retention zone. When data is in the landing zone, the process is fast, ensuring smooth backup and recovery operations at high speeds. However, the process becomes slower for long-term backups moved to the retention zone due to fragmentation. So, if the data is older than a few days, the speed may be limited, especially for non-deduplicated data in the landing zone."

More ExaGrid EX Series pros

"I like that the NetApp FAS Series can use both SAN and NAS at the same time, and that's what most customers are looking for."

"The new FAS series is a good fit for some customers. We have good performance and capacity, even though it is full flash."

"Good bang for the buck."

"Flash cache is a great product."

"The most valuable feature is that this acts as unified storage, both SAN and NAS, for all types of workloads."

"It gives us the performance we need and the reliability we need to make sure that our systems have the uptime that our internal customers demand."

"By using the NetApp FAS series solution organizations are able to reduce the power, cooling, and space required which reduces the overall cost of operations."

"We got everything we wanted with all the bells and whistles and all the features and functionalities."

More NetApp FAS Series pros

Cons

"The solution could improve by switching to a flash-type solution rather than the spinning drives that they currently use."

"The one place where we are sometimes losing the opportunity with ExaGrid is that a few customers still require a fiber channel connectivity, which is not always possible."

"I would like for them to develop direct cloud integration with a third-party cloud. Direct integration with AWS and other cloud providers."

"The solution could improve by switching to a flash-type solution rather than the spinning drives that they currently use. However, we have not had any failure with the spinning drives. The flash-type drives are more up-to-date and are something that is in their roadmap."

"The support is not that fast to deal with our concerns. It is next day support, they could improve on the speed."

"When speaking about a scale-out, you want to have better equipment. You cannot just add a disc to the foreign equipment. You have to buy another one and put it together, like parallel."

"The tool reduces storage footprint. However, clients are now storing data for longer durations with increasing requirements to retain backups for longer periods, particularly as a defense against ransomware attacks. As a result, the retention zone with duplicated data is experiencing more demand, leading to space constraints. This necessitates using higher-end, more expensive models to address the issue."

More ExaGrid EX Series cons

"The WAFL is slow."

"The solution can improve on the replication features."

"Needs more SAN support."

"The solution can improve on the replication features."

"Its licensing cost can be improved."

"There should be a separate admin web management for each SVM. We are currently managing all SVMs from a single admin interface, it is a problem."

"Cost is always a factor. Some people choose EMC or Dell because they perceive NetApp as being more expensive."

"The high cost of the product is an area of concern, so from an improvement perspective, the tool needs to be made cheaper."

More NetApp FAS Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In comparison to other solutions, it's affordable. They're all too expensive."

"The previous solutions I have used both included the Backup Software and the Appliance making it hard to compare to this solution. However, overall the solution is reasonably priced for the features you receive. ExaGrid EX Series is priced better than HP, Dell, and possibly Commvault which I have compared in the past."

"The current agreement has 21 terabytes of free space and it cost approximately $35,000."

"I rate ExaGrid EX Series' pricing eight to nine out of ten."

"My company had to pay 1,60,000 EUR for the system we use, and the payment was made just once for the system and five years of full support."

"We have considered upgrading to an All-Flash solution but when we evaluated the cost-benefit we discovered that we don't have enough money to invest in it. To maintain the same technology with All-Flash would be too expensive for us."

"The process for going to cluster mode is expensive."

"NetApp FAS Series is a reasonably high-priced solution, partially because we select the configuration that duplicates the entire system."

"It is a moderately low-priced platform."

"We purchased it for four years, and it wasn't expensive. It was reasonable. Every company has a different agreement with NetApp. We got everything we wanted with all the bells and whistles and all the features and functionalities."

"The solution is more expensive than other vendors."

"The only area that could be improved is to lower prices for their All Flash FAS."

"We are on a perpetual license."

More NetApp FAS Series pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	38
Large Enterprise	58

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with ExaGrid EX Series?

Everything can always be better, so I would give it a nine.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for ExaGrid EX Series?

We used ExaGrid EX Series as a landing zone for Veeam software. Initially they did not have immutable storage, but when they released that feature, we implemented it. We used it with Veeam software...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering ExaGrid EX Series?

I was a customer. My overall rating for ExaGrid EX Series is 9 out of 10.

See all answers

Which SAN product would you choose: IBM FlashSystem (FS9500) vs PureFlash Array/X NVMe vs PureFlash Array/XL NVMe?

Have you considered a NetApp FAS Storage for your NAS needs? I am sure it fits very well.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NetApp FAS Series?

I do not handle the pricing part of NetApp FAS Series since it is managed by the sales team.

See all answers

What needs improvement with NetApp FAS Series?

There is room for improvement when it comes to response time and first-level support quality. If a new feature needs to be added, it takes some time because it is altogether a new development; othe...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 22% of the time

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Compared 21% of the time

Quantum DXi Series vs ExaGrid EX Series

Compared 12% of the time

Veritas NetBackup Appliance vs ExaGrid EX Series

Compared 7% of the time

BridgeSTOR Microsoft DPM Appliance vs ExaGrid EX Series

Compared 6% of the time

More ExaGrid EX Series Competitors

Dell PowerScale vs NetApp FAS Series

Compared 26% of the time

Qumulo vs NetApp FAS Series

Compared 5% of the time

HPE MSA vs NetApp FAS Series

Compared 4% of the time

HPE StoreOnce vs NetApp FAS Series

Compared 4% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series vs NetApp FAS Series

Compared 3% of the time

More NetApp FAS Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

ExaGrid EX Series

May 2026

Download ExaGrid EX Series product report

Buyer's Guide

NetApp FAS Series

May 2026

Download NetApp FAS Series product report

Also Known As

EX Series

No data available

Overview

ExaGrid EX Series provides ease of use, strong data deduplication and compression, and a fast recovery landing zone. It integrates seamlessly with backup environments and is known for competitive pricing, particularly in the Czech market, despite requiring higher investment.

ExaGrid EX Series is highly valued for onsite backup and recovery, often paired with Veeam software, specifically for virtual machine backups. It offers improved backup and recovery speeds, excellent scale-out capacity, and an innovative air-gapped feature that enhances data protection. The system's integration with Veeam, Oracle Storage, and VMware allows efficient data management. Feedback highlights the need for direct cloud integration and better next-day support parts. There's a call for fiber channel connectivity and enhanced documentation. Transitioning to flash drives is a consideration for more modern infrastructure, although the current technology remains effective.

What are the Key Features of ExaGrid EX Series?

Data Deduplication and Compression: Minimizes storage needs and reduces costs.
Fast Recovery Landing Zone: Ensures quick and reliable data retrieval.
Scale-Out Architecture: Facilitates expansion by adding appliances, optimizing capacity.
Seamless Backup Integration: Works effectively with Veeam, Oracle Storage, VMware.
Air-Gapped Feature: Adds an extra layer of protection against data breaches.

What Benefits Should Users Consider in Reviews?

Improved Backup and Recovery Times: Enhances operational efficiency.
Cost-Effectiveness: Offers competitive pricing, especially in certain markets.
Reliable Performance: Delivers high-quality data management and protection.
Simplicity of Use: Reduces complexity in data operations.

ExaGrid EX Series excels in sectors requiring robust data protection, such as finance and healthcare. Its compatibility with Veeam and VMware suits organizations with extensive virtual environments. Industries with stringent data integrity requirements benefit from its air-gapped feature and high deduplication efficiency, ensuring secure operations.

ExaGrid

NetApp FAS Series offers high availability and seamless protocol integration. Known for its robust features such as data replication and efficient storage architecture, it finds use in challenging enterprise environments and virtualization.

NetApp FAS Series delivers valuable enterprise storage capabilities with an emphasis on unified storage architectures supporting SAN and NAS functionalities. Features like high availability, robust snapshot technology, and seamless protocol integration cater to diverse workloads. Data replication through SnapMirror and reliable performance under heavy loads are appreciated. Deduplication and compression enhance storage efficiency while scalability, resilience, and strong customer support further its appeal. Improvements are desired in flexibility, documentation, speed, and affordability. Additionally, its monitoring capabilities and cloud integration need attention. Organizations employ FAS Series for enterprise storage, SQL Server LUNs, Exchange LUNs, VMware, and corporate file sharing.

What are the most notable features of NetApp FAS Series?

High Availability: Ensures continuous access and reduces downtime.
Snapshot Technology: Offers point-in-time copies for data recovery.
SnapMirror: Provides efficient data replication for disaster recovery.
Storage Efficiency: Deduplication and compression optimize storage use.
Cloud Integration: Enhances flexibility with cloud environments.

What benefits should be examined in reviews?

Scalability: Supports expanding storage needs without performance loss.
Reliability: Maintains robust performance under heavy workloads.
Strong Support: Access to helpful customer service resources.
Cost Efficiency: Consider value in context of feature set and performance.

In industries such as finance and healthcare, NetApp FAS Series is implemented for centralized data management, supporting complex protocols like NFS, CIFS, and iSCSI. This enables efficient handling of virtualization, databases, unified storage tasks, and backup solutions crucial for maintaining unstructured data and redundancy.

NetApp

Sample Customers

NCI Group, North Attleborough Public School, North Kingstown School Department, NPS Pharmaceuticals, Prudential Douglas Elliman, Rathbone Brothers PLC, Rio Hondo College, Ruder Finn, Sarah Lawrence College

Children's Hospital Central California, Plex Systems, PDF PNI Digital Media, Denver Broncos, PDF KSM Legal, Clayton Companies, Virginia Community College

Buyer's Guide

ExaGrid EX Series vs. NetApp FAS Series

April 2026

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