N-able Cove Data Protection vs Synology DSM comparison

N-able and Synology are both solutions in the Backup and Recovery category. N-able is ranked #30 with an average rating of 8.3, while Synology is ranked #18 with an average rating of 9.0. N-able holds a 1.2% mindshare in BRS, compared to Synology’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of N-able users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Synology users who would recommend it.

N-able Cove Data Protection

Read 22 N-able Cove Data Protection reviews

2,651 Views
1,693 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Synology DSM

Read 10 Synology DSM reviews

1,810 Views
1,510 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

N-able Cove Data Protection

Synology DSM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 11, 2024

N-able Cove Data Protection and Synology DSM are two competing products in the data protection and management market. Synology DSM seems to have the upper hand due to its advanced features, despite N-able Cove Data Protection's strengths in customer support and pricing.

Features: N-able Cove Data Protection is praised for its scalability, simplicity in managing multiple sites, and efficient deployment process. Synology DSM offers comprehensive backup solutions, extensive third-party integrations, and a wide range of functionalities, giving it an edge in features.

Room for Improvement: N-able Cove Data Protection users suggest enhancements in reporting capabilities, interface intuitiveness, and cloud integration. Synology DSM users call for better cloud integration, more intuitive network setups, and refinements in user interface and experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: N-able Cove Data Protection users highlight the easy and quick deployment process and commendable customer service. Synology DSM also enjoys positive feedback for straightforward deployment and efficient support, though with a slight learning curve. N-able Cove Data Protection edges out in ease of initial setup.

Pricing and ROI: N-able Cove Data Protection is noted for its competitive pricing and strong ROI, making it attractive for budget-conscious users. Synology DSM, while considered pricier, is seen as a worthwhile investment due to its comprehensive feature set and long-term value. Despite higher costs, users believe Synology DSM delivers better ROI through advanced functionalities.

To learn more, read our detailed N-able Cove Data Protection vs. Synology DSM Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

N-able Cove Data Protection vs. Synology DSM

April 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

N-able Cove Data Protection

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

30th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Cloud Backup (17th), SaaS Backup (9th), MSP Backup (2nd)

Synology DSM

Ranking in Backup and Recovery

18th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Backup and Recovery category, the mindshare of N-able Cove Data Protection is 1.2%, up from 1.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Synology DSM is 1.8%, up from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery

Featured Reviews

Jack Henson

Owner at Henson Business Products

Allows us to back up workstations and servers, and saved us time when checking endpoints and the viability of backups

I have some issues with the agent failing on workstations. I've had to completely uninstall several of them, delete everything, and start over to get them to work. That's been the biggest source of my problems recently. The problem is that when we delete one, we lose the backup. Consequently, it means we're without a backup unless we have a local copy. When we delete the agent, there's the problem of how to go back and restore it. I haven't had to deal with it yet, because I haven't had a failure that occurred while I was doing that. I had a workstation that started failing, and we couldn't get the services to run. I don't know what caused it. I had to reinstall the agent, which didn't work. I had to go into the machine and delete everything and load another agent onto it. Once I did that, I was able to make it work, but 90% of the time I never have an issue. During the other 10% of the time when I have a problem, it's a mess. The ability to recover to a different workstation or a different data point is a little bit clumsy. It could use some work.

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Michael Adejoh

Solutions Manager at Excel Connect Ventures

Reliable and cost-effective

One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication. Currently, it lacks the capability to automatically stop backups if it detects a virus or suspicious network activity, as some third-party solutions can. Having AI-driven analytics to identify anomalies and halt backups during potential attacks, along with notifications to administrators, would be valuable. Additionally, providing a dashboard for monitoring the backup environment's security would be a beneficial feature. These improvements would help address security concerns and make Synology more competitive in this aspect.

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

"We use a neat feature called VDR status, Virtual Disaster Recovery status. It only works on servers... It's automated. Once or twice a month it will virtually mount the backup and provide a screenshot and advise whether or not there have been any errors."

"It's extremely important that Cove provides cloud-based data protection with backup, disaster recovery, and archiving. That is a necessity for my insurance. As an IT company, my insurance would cost more if my backups were not offsite and off-network."

"The initial setup of N-able Cove Data Protection was very easy."

"It's their cloud, it's their storage. I don't have to buy a space on Amazon or Google's cloud and then use their software to push it. That works well for me. This way, I don't have to worry about another option or the opportunity that there might be a credential leak."

"Because the package includes cloud storage, we don't need to worry about hosting it inside. That was very important to us. And because the vendor has data centers worldwide, our reps in Europe and other places can get to what they need quickly and easily."

"The solution has reduced backup times by an immeasurable amount. Its backups are incremental, so you are only backing up data changes based on the last 24 hours or so. If you are also maintaining the stored images, the restores are also only incremental, happening in minutes. Whereas, with a lot of the other solutions that we have looked at, each time it goes to refresh the restore, then it has to build a completely new image. That takes forever. This solution also improves recovery time."

"The ease of use and the console are great."

"One of the bigger features and advantages of the solution is that it is easy to integrate with my RMM which is also N-able."

More N-able Cove Data Protection pros

"The most valuable aspect is its ability to handle multiple disks."

"The most valuable features are the basic storage, file management, Btrfs file system, and built-in backups that come with the solution."

"The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity."

"The product performs well. It is easy to use and implement."

"Because of its simplicity and the wide array of features it offers, I would recommend DSM for both tech-savvy individuals and those who prefer a straightforward file-serving solution."

"It offers a variety of software options through its package center, allowing users to customize their NAS device to serve multiple purposes."

"Synology DSM is very easy to work and operate."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it serves as a backup for our company's virtual machine."

More Synology DSM pros

Cons

"The recovery side, the restore side, could be a little more optimized."

"There could be a possibility to create a local NAS backup for infrastructure."

"N-able Cove Data Protection does not provide a lot of SaaS backup products, which is an area they can improve. Additionally, there are some limitations on the storage side, where I cannot have a lot of employees backing up their data."

"The one thing they don't are Linux servers, it's Windows only. I understand that directive. I have another product that I use for our Linux servers and stuff, but it would be nice if they had that flexibility on the Linux side. I understand the development and the world is geared towards Windows in 365, I know that's where the clienteles are and the business and the money is."

"We don't use the solution’s automated recovery testing because SolarWinds made me cross. When they released it, I went, "Oh, well, that's quite good." Because if you use the system, then it supposedly spins up, and on the portal, it gives you a screenshot of the booted device. So, I phoned up, and I said, "Oh, that's really quite cool. How much is that?" They said, "No, no, no. It's all included in your license." I went, "Okay then," and went and deployed it on about half the fleet. One of the options that our customers have is they can pay us a small amount every month for us to test the recovery just to prove that it's viable, and I thought, "Well, this will do that for us. Nice." Then, in the next invoice, we got a charge for it. While It was not a huge amount, I took offense at the fact that we were told that it would be a no extra cost option that was part of our license, but it turns out that it's chargeable. Therefore, we haven't used it since."

"Having the licensing available for partners to be able to take advantage of testing without paying would make a big difference."

"One area I don't like has to do with the agent that goes on the system... if a system stays offline for some length of time, say for a week or so, I may have to go back in and reinstall the agent to get it back in business. I don't know what's causing that."

"For the MSP side, they could have more of a "security user" that can go in and only see certain clients. If you give somebody access as a technician, they can see all the clients."

More N-able Cove Data Protection cons

"Even though Synology provides a backup solution, it does not recognize the VM movement across cluster hosts."

"One area where Synology DSM could improve is in enhancing its ability to detect and respond to security threats during backups and replication."

"Synology DSM is a good enough solution for small and medium companies, but I have not seen a big configuration of the solution for a big organization."

"Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly."

"The product's only shortcoming is pricing, as it is an expensive solution."

"Synology DSM's user interface is not quite intuitive."

"The platform could be much more cost-effective and flexible for integrating third-party products."

"There's a surveillance application that allows you to connect IP cameras and stream footage to Synology and it is a great feature, but it's not always clear that adding more cameras may require purchasing additional licenses."

More Synology DSM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost is around ten dollars per workstation a month and that includes a certain amount of data."

"Cove only takes the data you have on the physical server. I can back that up for long periods of time, and I don't accrue high charges to have the data in the cloud. It stays at one rate. This allows me to forecast payment for the next one or two years and show clients their estimated growth."

"N-able Cove Data Protection is an averagely-priced product."

"There is no per node cost, at least not the way I am doing it. I am on bulk. New customers can be set up on a trial, where they can get things all squared away, then they can switch over to being a billed customer."

"When you have a device/appliance on the site quite a lot of the other enterprise class backup people insist that you have their appliance, which is frankly offensively expensive. Because when you pry the top off, it's just a standard 19-inch tin box with a standard Intel I5 in it, some RAM, and a hard drive. Then, you go, "Why have they just charged me 5,500 quid for a box, which I could have probably build for under 500." Whereas, with the SolarWinds product, they don't have that. The backup appliances that we have onsite are just plain cooking PCs. We can build our own machines, which is reflected in the price that we can offer a customer."

"The price isn't extreme, but I'd love to pay less."

"The pricing, for now, is good. The package that they gave us recently is pretty good. It depends on how many clients you have, and you pay for certain terabytes per license. These terabytes, if not used, are pooled together."

"The pricing of SolarWinds seems to be fair compared to the rest of the industry."

More N-able Cove Data Protection pricing and cost advice

"It is quite an affordable solution."

"The pricing varies widely, catering to a broad range of needs."

"Synology DSM is a free tool."

"The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

"The licensing part of the solution is free. The hardware is more expensive than the other solutions in the market, but it's okay in the long run."

"The price of the solution is very good."

"Synology DSM is a cheap solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Real Estate/Law Firm

Computer Software Company

13%

Government

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about N-able Backup?

The initial setup of N-able Cove Data Protection was very easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for N-able Backup?

In terms of pricing, N-able Cove Data Protection is neither cheap nor expensive compared to other competitors.

See all answers

What needs improvement with N-able Backup?

N-able Cove Data Protection does not provide a lot of SaaS backup products, which is an area they can improve. Additionally, there are some limitations on the storage side, where I cannot have a lo...

See all answers

What do you like most about Synology DSM?

The most valuable features of Synology DSM are its security and connectivity.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Synology DSM?

The solution’s pricing is neither cheap nor expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Synology DSM?

Users may lose their data if they don't configure the solution properly.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Azure Backup vs N-able Cove Data Protection

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Compared 5% of the time

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Compared 20% of the time

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Compared 9% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

ExaGrid Tiered Backup Storage vs Synology DSM

Compared 6% of the time

LiteSpeed for SQL Server vs Synology DSM

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

N-able Cove Data Protection

March 2025

Download N-able Cove Data Protection product report

Buyer's Guide

Synology DSM

March 2025

Download Synology DSM product report

Also Known As

N-able Backup, SolarWinds Backup, SolarWinds MSP Backup & Recovery, SolarWinds MSP Backup

Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM)

Overview

Cove Data Protection, from N-able, is a comprehensive solution designed to safeguard critical business data. It offers a range of features including backup and recovery, disaster recovery, and endpoint protection. With automated backups and flexible scheduling options, it ensures data is protected and easily recoverable.

The solution also includes advanced security measures such as encryption and ransomware detection to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches. Cove Data Protection provides seamless integration with various platforms and offers centralized management for efficient monitoring and control.

With its user-friendly interface and robust capabilities, Cove Data Protection is an ideal choice for businesses seeking reliable data protection.

N-able

Synology DSM (DiskStation Manager) is a comprehensive software platform designed for Synology NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices. It serves as the operating system for these devices, providing a wide range of features and functionalities.

The primary use case of Synology DSM is to centralize and manage data storage for organizations. It allows businesses to store, access, and share files securely across multiple devices and platforms. With its intuitive user interface, DSM simplifies the management of data, making it easy to create shared folders, set access permissions, and monitor storage usage.

One of the most valuable functionalities of Synology DSM is its robust data protection capabilities. It offers various RAID configurations, including SHR (Synology Hybrid RAID), which ensures data redundancy and safeguards against drive failures. DSM also supports advanced backup and disaster recovery solutions, such as Snapshot Replication and Hyper Backup, enabling organizations to protect their critical data effectively.

Furthermore, Synology DSM provides a wide range of productivity and collaboration tools. It offers applications like Synology Drive, which allows seamless file synchronization across devices, and Synology Office, a web-based suite for document editing and collaboration. DSM also supports various third-party applications, including popular cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, enabling organizations to integrate their existing workflows seamlessly.

Synology

Sample Customers

Computer Depot, Leading Edge Computers, IT Logic Australia

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

N-able Cove Data Protection vs. Synology DSM

April 2025

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