IBM Spectrum Protect vs IBM Spectrum Protect Plus comparison

IBM Spectrum Protect and IBM Spectrum Protect Plus are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. IBM Spectrum Protect is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.2, while IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is ranked #23 with an average rating of 7.8. IBM Spectrum Protect holds a 2.2% mindshare in BRS, compared to IBM Spectrum Protect Plus’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 86% of IBM Spectrum Protect users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of IBM Spectrum Protect Plus users who would recommend it.

IBM Spectrum Protect

Read 149 IBM Spectrum Protect reviews

4,584 Views
3,530 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Read 30 IBM Spectrum Protect Plus reviews

2,115 Views
1,522 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

IBM Spectrum Protect

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

IBM Spectrum Protect and IBM Spectrum Protect Plus compete in the enterprise backup and recovery solutions category, with IBM Spectrum Protect Plus having the upper hand due to its ease of use and simplified management.

Features: IBM Spectrum Protect offers comprehensive coverage, scalability, and robust enterprise-grade backup capabilities with broad platform support, valuable for extensive data protection needs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is known for its modern backup solutions, simplified management, and comprehensive reporting tools, particularly suitable for virtual environments. Both products have their strengths, but IBM Spectrum Protect Plus’s advanced features and user-friendly interface give it an edge.

Room for Improvement: Users suggest IBM Spectrum Protect needs a more intuitive configuration process, faster performance during large-scale backups, and improved user interface design. For IBM Spectrum Protect Plus, users recommend expanded integration options, enhanced deduplication efficiency, and better error reporting mechanisms. Even with these areas noted, IBM Spectrum Protect Plus remains favored for its streamlined interface and quicker deployment.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM Spectrum Protect is noted for its complexity during initial setup, often requiring specialized knowledge, with responsive but occasionally slow customer service. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is commended for its straightforward deployment, reducing time and effort, with generally perceived efficient and supportive customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Users perceive IBM Spectrum Protect’s pricing as higher compared to IBM Spectrum Protect Plus. However, the extensive feature set often justifies the cost. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is seen as more cost-effective, with a quicker return on investment due to lower setup costs and simplified management, making it an attractive choice for those balancing budget with comprehensive backup needs.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Spectrum Protect vs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect vs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

January 2025

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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

IBM Spectrum Protect

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

16th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

149

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

23rd

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of IBM Spectrum Protect is 2.2%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

Syed Habib

Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd

Manageable and comprehensive and integrates robust backup features for core banking

It's adequate for my core banking, however, I am looking for another solution for all systems. It is not compatible with other operating systems like Windows or Linux, and lacks a consolidated dashboard from Browser Spectrum. This is why I am searching for another solution. The product also lacks any centralized graphical user interface (GUI), such as Jarek Pod, and I am limited to using a console-based text user interface, which my local partner handles completely.

Read full review

Atif Najam

Chief Information Officer and Program Lead at Gatron Industries Ltd

Has very good integration features and can quickly backup data and optimize storage

I would like to see continuous data protection (CDP). If there is machine failure, you don't have to go to the backup copy that you took 12 hours ago. You can actually go back to the backup copy made half an hour ago. That is, it would be good to have certain-point-in-time recovery. I would like them to add global deduplication. With deduplicate backups, deduplication will work only with the data of a certain machine or a certain backup set. Usually, the data is repeated across the data of the backup sets. However, if IBM Spectrum Protect Plus provides a global deduplication option it will ultimately result in better storage savings.

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

"It scales from very small to very large. It is easily the most scalable product out there."

"You can do restores very quickly. You can mount a drive and restore it right from the drive."

"The interface is easy to use."

"It is also a product that has been maturing for a long time. This is good because customers need reliability in their enterprise initiatives."

"It covers all the different operating systems. If you need backup, it can pretty much do everything."

"It is pretty easy to use and maintain."

"I love the TDP for VMware because of the web interface and the possibilities provided by this tool. It's amazing."

"The feature that I have found the most valuable is that IBM Spectrum Protect is highly integrated with IBM ESS. In addition, it allows us to back up our virtual servers directly to take VM snapshots. It runs on Linux as well."

More IBM Spectrum Protect pros

"The solution's stability is high because it is derived from Spectrum Protect."

"The most valuable feature is how we can easily power speed up the VM even though the VM resides in remote storage."

"This is a multi-platform backup solution where you can take a backup from AIX, Windows, or Linux servers and restore from CD, disk, or tape."

"The initial setup of IBM Protect Plus is simple and not complex."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that the product works and helps with restoration areas whenever there is a need to restore something."

"The support from IBM is very good."

"The API is very good."

"The most valuable features of IBM Spectrum Protect Plus are you have many possibilities on how to use it. We use it for backups and to create secondary and third copies. It is possible to pick up Kubernetes containers and use a different cloud provider if you need to start backups on the cloud."

More IBM Spectrum Protect Plus pros

Cons

"Better integration with other tools and databases is needed."

"Any feature that is compliant with virtualizing the application should be improved."

"They need to reduce the complexity and make the learning curve easier."

"I should be able to backup Linux. I would like SUSE for Linux on POWER. Right now, we have to use Storex, which is a pain to use."

"I find the Level 1 and Level 2 support spend 80% of the time communicating the same information that I have already provided."

"I would like to see the operations center be a lot more functional. It was nowhere near as functional as the admin center, and I'm doing a lot of command line with it."

"Although I am not a technical user, I would say the cloud integration features could be improved."

"The product should be improved to save more space."

More IBM Spectrum Protect cons

"The software's technical support could improve its response time for different time zones."

"You end up needing to do a lot of troubleshooting to get things to work effectively."

"IBM Spectrum Protect Plus could improve the IBM Spectrum Protect environment. It can be difficult to administer. The initial configuration can be difficult for entry-level teams or deployment teams, and it might be difficult to integrate. There's just too much content involved in the solution. The documentation is way too large."

"An area that needs improvement is data validation. We currently use another product that gives us immediate validation, information about when the last backup was, and no risk of corruption happening. TSM in IBM Spectrum is not mature so that you can validate on the spot."

"I think the graphical reports are a shortcoming of the tool since it fails to provide my company with what we want in terms of reporting. Due to the product's inability to take care of its reporting part, we have to use third-party software."

"There's significant room for improvement. They are not yet where I want them to be."

"I would like more integration with security. We need to show the value of the product in regards to handling security. For example, how it handles current malware or viruses. IBM should be more proactive in this direction."

"The Gui interface and usability are not so friendly and easy."

More IBM Spectrum Protect Plus cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Licensing IBM Spectrum Protect can be somewhat confusing for new users due to the options available, such as licensing on a capacity or per server basis."

"IBM provides an open license policy, which is more like a gentlemen's agreement."

"You need to put it in a PoC and test it out if you can."

"Spectrum Protect is not a cheap option."

"It is really expensive. Its price is not good for Latin America. Its price is good for the United States or Europe."

"At scale, the consumption license (per TB) is very expensive."

"IBM Spectrum Protect can be considered an averagely-priced product."

"Use capacity licensing. It's easier and cheaper."

More IBM Spectrum Protect pricing and cost advice

"Unlike some other solutions, such as Veritas NetBackup where you have to pay for different licenses to use different features, there is a single license that allows you to use all of the features."

"There are a few options available for purchasing the solutions. Overall, the price of the is high."

"If you need to extend it, it can be extended acting like a normal Spectrum Protect with a long archive."

"There is an annual license required to use IBM Spectrum Protect Plus. The cost of the license could improve, it is expensive."

"We have a perpetual license for the tool since it is deployed on-premise."

"The licensing model of Spectrum Protect Plus is more efficient and cheaper compared to the original."

"The solution is too expensive."

"The initial cost of the product is perpetual but the support fees are billed annually."

More IBM Spectrum Protect Plus pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

14%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Spectrum Protect?

IBM Spectrum Protect is stable.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Spectrum Protect?

It's expensive. I acknowledge the cost associated with it.

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What needs improvement with IBM Spectrum Protect?

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What do you like most about IBM Spectrum Protect Plus?

The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that the product works and helps with restoration areas whenever there is a need to restore something.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM Spectrum Protect Plus?

It is probably based on the number of CPUs. They are fairly expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Spectrum Protect Plus?

With ransomware protection and cyber protection, more improvement is possible. IBM provides these through a third party, so enhancement is needed. There's significant room for improvement. They are...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Rubrik vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 7% of the time

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager vs IBM Spectrum Protect

Compared 5% of the time

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Nutanix Mine Integrated Backup vs IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Compared 7% of the time

Rubrik vs IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Storage Protect vs IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Compared 6% of the time

Cohesity DataProtect vs IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect

February 2025

Download IBM Spectrum Protect product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

February 2025

Download IBM Spectrum Protect Plus product report

Also Known As

IBM TSM, IBM Tivoli Storage Manager

No data available

Overview

IBM Spectrum Protect (Tivoli Storage Manager) is a data protection platform that gives enterprises a single point of control and administration for backup and recovery. It is the flagship product in the IBM Spectrum Protect (Tivoli Storage Manager) family. It enables reliable, cost effective backups and fast recovery for virtual, physical and cloud environments of all sizes.

IBM

IBM Spectrum Protect Plus is a data protection and availability solution for virtual environments that can be deployed in minutes and protect your environment within an hour. It simplifies data protection, whether data is hosted in physical, virtual, software-defined or cloud environments. It can be implemented as a stand-alone solution or integrate with your IBM Spectrum Protect environment to off-load copies for long term storage and data governance with scale and efficiency.

IBM

Sample Customers

CERN, Einstein Healthcare, Nyherji, Allianz Australia, TZM, ABT Online, NCT, Kindred Healthcare Inc., Cobalt Iron, TransGrid, Baptist Health of Northeast Florida, Cash America, Piedmont Healthcare, RWGV, Arkansas Tech University, British Columbia Institute of Technology

PT Wings Surya, Tectrade, State of Ohio

Buyer's Guide

IBM Spectrum Protect vs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

January 2025

Free Report: IBM Spectrum Protect vs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Spectrum Protect vs. IBM Spectrum Protect Plus and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.

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