DD Boost Reviews

I am a solution engineer, and I help customers design and implement their solutions and architectures. I propose technologies, such as Dell EMC. I also assist the sales consultants with technical questions from customers.

This solution, Data Domain Boost, works with Data Domain to improve the backup speed. For example, we propose this solution for customers who need to back up their VR LAN quickly.

The best use case for this solution is a client that has a LAN architecture backup with a lot of data. It may include databases like Oracle and MSSQL. 

Recently, we integrated a Data Domain 9300 for a financial institution in Morocco that can back up both VTL and VMware virtual workloads. There is replication between two sites and it is integrated with NetBackup and TSM. So, in this project we used DD Boost to backup all VMware workload and the resuslt is the client is satisfied.

Dell EMC Data Domain Boost is a software that provides an advanced integration with enterprise applications and Data Domain Systems. It gives the customer more advantages in terms of backup speed and performance.

The most valuable feature of this solution is, for me, that it enables client-side deduplication so only the unique data segments are sent to Data Domain System, which provides more backup speed and preformance.

During my experience with Data Domain selling and basing on customers feedback, there is really no limitations regarding Data Domain Boost (DD Boost).

In my opinion, this solution is stable. None of our clients have a problem in this regard.

We scale this product by adding licenses, which are related to capacity.

We have clients of all sizes including small, medium, and enterprise businesses.

Technical support for this solution is good, and we haven't had any problems with them. They have a good support team who will discuss any problem. If we have a support ticket then the work is done, without a problem.

Before my selling of DataDomain to my Customers, they have other solutions at the backup infrastructure. Besides, among all DataDomain Advantages, Deduplication and DD Boost were the most which encouraged the customers to change/upgrade their backup existant solutions.

The initial setup of this solution varies on a case-by-case basis. For example, we had the same client but with a different architecture or another workload, and there were a lot of  problems on the side of client existant infrastructure. However, in general, there is no difficulty when installing this solution.

There are a lot of products in the market for backup solutions. Data Domain has a lot of advantages, which is why my clients choose this solution.

This is a product that I recommend without any doubt.

One of my clients had trouble with sizing and architecture because initially, he had little data and a small budget. When the size of his business increased he wanted to keep the same model, but it was not possible because each model has limitations.

All of the features are really good and respond well to business and client needs. All of my clients are satisfied and have not asked for any additional features.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

We use this solution primarily for backup. We use it to duplicate backup images when we have governance requirements with multiple copies in different locations. We will also be deploying a gate fault solution where data domain duplication is the only way of ingesting data into CyberArk.

We like the product because it is simple and works for most environments. It cuts down network traffic, and only the relevant parts move around because it is deduced and encrypted. So the less traffic that needs to flow, the better.

The solution could be faster. However, they already have acceptable speeds. The DD Boost is only a transport layer of the product. For example, we went on RFP, and the two main candidates were Veritas NetBackup and Dell DPS. We chose Dell DPS because of DD Boost. Veritas NetBackup also uses DD Boost, but Dell DPS is defaulted and integrated into the client. There are things other than DD Boost that can be improved. In the future, we will see more things that the product exhibits. I feel DD Boost will only improve in relation to Dell because it is integrated into the client and the software.

In the next release, it will be good to have a real-time view of the volume and for it to be shown as a metic. In addition, we are backing up many terabytes and sending gigabytes of unique data, so it will be good to have physical and logical data in DD Boost. Not having this makes it difficult to quantify the savings.

We have been using this solution for 15 years. We usually use one version behind the latest release to ensure there are no issues. DD Boost is currently deployed on-premises, and we do not use it in the cloud space. We try to enable users to do everything in the cloud setup so they can choose the right tools rather than deploying a consolidation solution. There are hundreds of users, and we don't want to limit them. We are monitoring them to ensure there are no gaps rather than prescribing or suggesting specific tools.

I rate the stability an eight out of ten.

It is scalable because as the number of clients grows, our target storage will also have to grow to store all the data. We have to have more front-end ports to spread parallelly, have file groups, and load balancing all configured as part of the DD Boost. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.

We have about 6000 clients backed up, so about 600 servers that talk via DD Boost to the data domains.

I've never had a specific issue with DD Boost, but we've worked with them in other areas. All our storage is Dell storage, so we have a significant estate. Due to our size they may treat us well because of our size. There is a difference between Dell support and any other vendor we have worked with, and we are pleased with their support. I rate the technical support a nine.

Before we used DD Boost, we used NetBackup and TSM. We migrated from the tech libraries to desk-based storage in TSM. We used fibre transport for a while for NetBackup, but we weren't happy because we needed a separate license. So we currently use TCP IP client connectivity, and there are no other mechanisms for it. So we're not copying on the NetBackup side, but we are allowing the array at the bottom to replicate.

If you install the backup client, the DPS client on the host is already installed; you give it the connection credentials, and it is installed. It is straightforward.

Regarding maintenance, we have one residency contract with Dell that has about five people. We have more than 14 gigabytes of unique storage, and they look after all the Dell products. They are all Dell-certified and Dell-employed staff, so they are our outsourced storage management.

I do not know details about the financials, but they give us very good deals and are open to negotiation regarding their products and our company size. They can work our ELAs for our environment and bundles, which gives us a better overall deal than if we bought only one or two products. I rate the pricing a four out of ten, with one being not expensive and ten being very expensive.

In our experience, we are working on the duplex ratio of five to one in the data domain. The data domain capacity is the cheapest compared to Veritas appliances or IBM specs. I rate this solution an eight out of ten.

I primarily use the solution for the backup capabilities. I'm using about 100 terabytes daily.

The solution has very good dashboards.

The solution offers very good daily and weekly updated on the deduplication and the compression ratio.

The solution is very fast.

The initial setup is very straightforward.

The deduplication is very bad on this solution. After 85% the utilization gets very bad.

The solution doesn't scale. If you hit your capacity, you need to buy a new device.

Technical support has fallen in quality. It used to be much better.

I've been using Data Domain for about 12 years and Data Boost for about six years.

The stability has been very good. It doesn't crash or freeze. We haven't had bugs or glitches. It's been good.

The solution doesn't scale. If you need to expand anything, you will need to buy a new model. You can't just scale up an existing model. If, after a year or two, you need to scale up, then you need to look at new boxes.

We have about 2,500 people in the company, however, just one special team actually uses the solution.

We've had some issues with technical support. I've found that they used to be quite good, however, they've gone downhill in terms of the service they provide. We aren't 100% satisfied with the level of support on offer.

The initial setup isn't complex at all. We have a pretty standard setup and it was relatively straightforward. Setting up the solution shouldn't come with any issues for most companies.

We have licenses that last five years. After that, we may get new devices.

We tend to get a big discount with our licensing once we choose to upgrade. The pricing is not bad.

We're just a customer. We don't have a business relationship with Dell.

I would recommend the solution to other organizations.

I'd advise companies to take care to think about capacity, as you can't really resize anything. If you decide to upgrade, it may be smart to ask them about discounts. It can save you money and give you a good deal.

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. We've been mostly happy with the product.

We use the solution mostly on-premises.

The functionality is very good. DD Boost and DD entry replication are used in almost all backup concepts. Those are the most used features.

The management interfaces are quite good at the moment. The multi-tier functionality can be improved, but it is quite good. They could improve replication and perhaps support additional sharing network protocols. I would also like to see a better implementation of NFS Version 3, but it is already implemented and quite usable as it is.

It is stable to use.

The scalability depends on the licensing model, but it is quite good.

Usually, my direct customer is an enterprise, but we also have customers in the small and mid-range sectors. The hardware platform is cost intense, so for small and mid-range, this product is not the best choice.

The support for the DDB is about eight out of ten.

The initial setup was straightforward. You need to have experience in handling storage platforms, but from that point of view it's quite straightforward.

I would recommend this product. I would rate it as nine of ten, overall.

DD Boost's best features are deduplication and compression.

An area for improvement is DD Boost's technical support.

I've been using DD Boost for more than five years.

DD Boost's technical support could be better.

I would rate DD Boost ten out of ten.

We primarily use the solution as an SQL backup. We also use the DD Boost protocol.

The extreme stability of the solution, as well as the deduplication compression ratio, are the most valuable aspects for our organization.

There is nothing that's very difficult about this product right now. However, the GUI can use some improvement. When I compare Cohesity and Data Domain, I think Cohesity is more user friendly. In terms of Data Domain, the restored items should be converted from the Rockwell SQL end. That is the one thing which puts me off being a Data Domain administrator. I should have the authority to restore whatever comes to my end. I should get that capability as an admin. Being an admin, I need to be able to restore the things from my end rather than waiting.

We have been using this solution at our company for three and a half years so far. However, I personally have had experience working with the product for the last 15 or 16 years.

We find the solution to be extremely stable.

The solution is quite scalable. An organization shouldn't have any problem expanding if they use this solution.

Our company extensively uses this solution. We did have issues with upgrading and we had to call back the Dell EMC team to assist.

For now, we have plans on expanding depending on the amount of storage we receive from our Cohesity box. We're still a very small team of three.

We are planning to have it on data center locations as well, but it is still in the planning stage so there are plenty of products that will be brought on later in the data center rooms so we can implement that in my own department.

Technical support is okay but could be improved. I've sent a lot of complaints their way and I feel like they might be able to respond a bit better.

Everything around DSM, an IDM tool, was pretty complex in terms of handling the Rockwell SQL backup. When we migrated over to Data Domain, it's much easier for us to switch and work on that.

It took around six to eight months to make it into the production and do the deployment.

We needed a consultant. They had an SQL background as well. It was kind of 60/40 split in labor. 60% was work from our side. Then we got back to them and they gave us a calling order to assist.

We're always evaluating other options. Right now we're comparing this solution to Cohesity. We've learned, however, that Data Domain is much more scalable than Cohesity, so we are not likely to switch to them.

We don't have a business relationship with EMC. We're just customers.

Data Domain, on a scale out of ten, I would give an eight due to the amount of compression and data retention it offers. It's very stable as an infrastructure for backup, and we can use it as a storage as well.

I'd advise other organizations to do some comparisons with other solutions, however, and especially look into scalability and how that might affect their decisions. They should also do their homework to find out things like how soon it's possible to restore an item.

We primarily use this product for cost savings and saving server capacity.

Because of how it functions we do not have to make additional investment in hardware and services.

Data Domain Boost has a unique protocol. I don't think other vendors have a similar protocol and controls from the products I have had experience with. There are alternative solutions, but Data Domain Boost is really efficient. Compared to these other products, I found the efficiency of Data Domain Boost to be superior.

Like any product, it would be good to improve performance and the ease of dealing with operating the system. It needs a more familiar interface to make it easier to use for everyone. Other than that, I don't think so that there are more features that will be necessary and important for every user. To me, all the features are suitable and convenient. If I was looking for something for Dell to add to the product, it would be notifications.

As far as improvement, the stability of the connection could be improved. The tool itself is okay, but not the gateway between the on-prem Data Domain and the cloud. We have to find a workaround or use third party products. So in the next release, I'd like to see a better connection gateway between cloud and on-prem.

Improvement of the pricing would be a welcome change.

I strongly recommend companies or any organization to go with this product if they expect full features and stability.

For now, I am very happy with the scalability. We have around 500 people using the solution and scaling has not been a problem. I once work system admin, now I'm a solution architect. Mainly system admins and architects directly use the platform.

The technical support is very special, really. I like it and overall I am very satisfied with the services.

We are actually using both Veritas and Data Domain simultaneously. Between these two, Data Domain is more efficient for me and very scalable. There is a limitation to the scalability at some point, but there is a different architecture so it does not really become a problem.

I think the initial setup was straightforward. I cannot say it was very complex but that may depend on your experience and complexity of your network.

I'm doing all parts of the implementation. We are a gold partner with Dell EMC now. Prior to that, we were a reseller.

I think it is important that Dell reconsider the pricing. I don't know what we pay off-hand, but I do know that the pricing is high compared with other competing products.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate Dell EMC Data Domain Boost as a ten. I strongly recommend this product for all its capabilities.

I do self-study and read articles about this product to learn about capabilities and solutions even though I am familiar with it. It is good for users to do self-study to get the most out of the product.

We primarily use it as a solution for saving costs and capacity.

Data Domain Boost has a unique protocol. I don't think with other vendors you get the same efficiency. I work with some the other products but this solution has amazing efficiency in comparison.

The solution needs better performance and a more user-friendly operating system.

The solution needs a better gateway between the on-premises and cloud deployment models. We have to work around it or find a third party to assist. 

The pricing is high, compared to the competition.

The solution is very stable.

The solution is scalable for us right now. There is a limitation number on it, but for different architecture.

We have about 500 users.

Technical support is very, very good. I'm satisfied with the level of service we receive form them.

I'm currently using two solutions: Veritas and Data Domain. Data Domain is more efficient for me and it's really scalable.

The initial setup was straightforward. It was very easy.

We implemented the solution ourselves.

We use the on-premises deployment model.

I strongly recommend any organization to use it. I'm doing self study once a week or on a monthly basis to learn more about the product, so I'm quite familiar with it.

I would rate the solution ten out of ten.