We're using it in our company. We primarily use the solution as a backup.
Pre-Sales Manager at ACS
Easy to install with good performance and good backup functionality
Pros and Cons
- "It's stable and offers good performance."
- "Avamar cannot back up Nutanix as a virtual solution."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The backup functionality with Data Domain is good.
Overall, it works quite well.
It's very easy to install the solution.
The product is scalable.
It's stable and offers good performance.
What needs improvement?
It cannot replicate the backup, it can only do the backup. If you want to replicate you need RecoveryPoint.
Avamar cannot back up Nutanix as a virtual solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for one year.
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Dell Avamar
December 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. The performance is good. It's good for vSAN. We haven't dealt with bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have found the solution can scale well. If you need to expand it, it's not a problem.
All of our production is backed up with Avamar.
After we buy Nutanix and an Azure Stack, since we are a service provider and in the future, we will make our service catalog on the Azure Stack and Nutanix Cloud.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is pretty good. We are pleased with their level of support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also work with Veeam and NetBackup.
With Veeam, the advantage is you can back up and replicate with the same product, and it is compatible with all virtual solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple. We buy the service from Dell.
I was not a part of the deployment as I am a pre-sale manager. I do not handle the setup process directly and cannot speak to how long it takes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost is lower than Veeam, however, how much it actually costs depends on the customer and the use case.
I'm not sure of the exact licensing costs.
What other advice do I have?
We were a partner and resellers. In my last job, I was a preferred partner.
I'm not sure which version we're using. I'm not the backup administrator.
We will stay with Avamar for this platform, however, maybe we will look into Nutanix, and that's why we are searching for another solution. Avamar cannot back up Nutanix as a virtual solution.
I'd warn potential users that it's not the best solution if you have other products other than VMware in your production. If you are just using VMware, it's a very good option.
I'd rate the solution seven out of ten as it doesn't work well with every solution, only VMware.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
System and Cloud Deployment Engineer at IE Network solutions
Installed on appliances, and initialized using specific tools with excellent support
What is our primary use case?
In Avamar, we work within the IT environment, integrating state-of-the-art solutions. Avamar is installed on appliances, and we initialize it using specific tools. If you're starting with the basic setup, you can install the OVA file within Dell's management center. For this solution, we utilize E-Lab Navigator.
What is most valuable?
In our system, clients often request image-level backup capabilities. These are highly valued, and it's recommended to use data packages for image-level backups. At the GaN Summit, it was also suggested that GANFAST services recommend high-level backups because they have a MELT library for our storage systems. So, based on the client's needs.
What needs improvement?
Without the proper setup, we cannot perform immediate or virtual machine backups; only high-level backups are possible. If Avamar could be upgraded to support immediate backups, it would be a significant improvement. Compared to other solutions, like Teams, which enables virtual machine-level backups, Avamar handles these tasks with more limitations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell Avamar as a reseller.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If you've obtained the necessary authority, such as from the Ethiopian government, Avamar can be integrated with other solutions like Datadog and Deepgram. Deepgram has also purchased additional protection tools for its certificate service. In this solution, Avamar is utilized within its data center, including integration with other systems. Additionally, Avamar is integrated as part of a broader strategy for the Ministry of Agriculture and the African Union, working with other solutions for redundancy in the virtualized environment.
Avamar is a very good solution. It stands out compared to other options, especially when we expand storage with Data Domain or other accessible storage systems. Even with ML Creative Labels, we can enhance tagging and improve storage management. I have worked with Avamar on four or five implementations, and I can confidently say it performs well.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support provided is excellent. I'm currently dealing with some issues after finishing the network server integration. I'm also working on a network attack server. Additionally, I'm coordinating with the KBC team remotely.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are working on projects related to shipping and logistics, specifically on the backup end. We also use Networker, which is very fast. I work closely with the sales team because we have a premium-level partnership. When we submit projects, we are often deeply engaged with the product.
What other advice do I have?
We use the data domain most of the time. In that environment, it integrates well. Compared to other solutions, we work closely with the team to manage case-based solutions more effectively.
Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
Last updated: Aug 19, 2024
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Dell Avamar
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Dell Avamar. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Information Technology Division Director at Ethiopian Roads Administration
Reliable and expandable but uses up a lot of resources
Pros and Cons
- "The solution scales well."
- "The performance takes up a lot of resources, unfortunately."
What is most valuable?
The solution's performance is between satisfactory and good.
It's a stable product.
The solution scales well.
What needs improvement?
The performance takes up a lot of resources, unfortunately. We'd like it to be less heavy.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The performance has been okay. It's pretty stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales well. That's not an issue for us.
We have five to seven users on the solution currently.
We do not have plans to increase usage.
How are customer service and support?
We haven't contacted technical support recently. We want it decommissioned right now.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are using Microsoft Escort Server for the applications we try to develop. For the active directories and for SharePoint, for those solutions, we are using Microsoft Escort Server.
We are planning to bring on a new solution to replace Avamar.
Before, Dell Avamar, we did not use anything.
How was the initial setup?
Compared to the solution we are looking at now, it seems pretty straightforward to implement.
It doesn't take such a long time. Within an average amount of time, after you have the product, you can finalize everything within five working days.
What about the implementation team?
Since we are a government institution, commonly, the setup process is actually done by the supplier.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You can get a three-year license if you like. You can subscribe for three years, and if you want a 30-month subscription for the support and service, you can also do that.
It can be expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We are not using the latest version of the solution right now.
I would not advise people to use this product.
Maybe it depends on the case of the organization. The performance is a big issue for us and maybe the support service. If the supplier is enough to provide support to the end user, I might maybe recommend to others, however, it needs a capacity built internally and maybe in the market. That's the big issue with it. Otherwise, if any users have skills to manipulate using it, utilize the resource, I would recommend it.
I'd rate the solution five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Ops Specialist: System Engineer Backup at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees
A great, scalable solution that is easy to integrate with other solutions and VM stacks
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the integration with Data Domain and your VM stacks."
- "If you don't have DPA, the reporting features are not as user-friendly, so reporting is something that they can improve on."
What is our primary use case?
When Avamar started out, it used to be for a small to medium environment, but now it's done a lot of changes and it's a good backup solution, especially within your VMware environment.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the integration with Data Domain and your VM stacks. One of the good new features is that it integrates with Azure and AWS, and it has the potential to scale out into multiple cloud platforms.
What needs improvement?
If you don't have DPA, the reporting features are not as user-friendly, so reporting is something that they can improve on.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Avamar for close to ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
If you have Data Domain integrated, the solution is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the tech support for Avamar as a nine out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is a bit complex, especially if it's a new installation, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty smooth.
The length of the deployment depends on your plan, what you need to back up, and if you order Oracle and whatever else you need beforehand. Worst case scenario, it would probably take a week to set up, but if you have all your ducks in a row, it'll be maybe two days, max.
It is not difficult at all to maintain.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I have previously worked with Networker and Data Domain. I also worked with PPDM. When I logged calls with PPDM, there was always an issue and it would take a day or two for support to come. I don't know if it was a skill issue, but the guy would usually take the information and go and discuss it with guys at a higher level and then come back to me a day or two later.
What other advice do I have?
This is a great product and the integration is easy with other solutions, like the cloud or Data Domain, and it's scalable. I think to some extent Networker used to be the big brother, but now Avamar is taking over that space.
I would rate this solution as a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
SAN and UNIX Administrator at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Great integration with VMware and support for Data Domain
Pros and Cons
- "We have a lot of backups, and this tool helps us with the RMAN Backup."
- "There are limitations when trying to use this solution with Hyper-V."
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for tape backup and data domain. It is an on-premises deployment.
How has it helped my organization?
We have a lot of backups, and this tool helps us with the RMAN Backup.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is D2 and conversion with the Data Domain because other solutions are not able to use the Data Domain.
Integration with VMware is great.
What needs improvement?
There are limitations when trying to use this solution with Hyper-V. The limitations exist when trying to restore a backup from Hyper-V.
This solution needs to have full integration with Hyper-V, like the way Veeam has. In the hub, the DBA cannot restore the backup directory directly on the host. They have to restore the data disks and then deploy to the VM after this is done.
I would like to see an open-source learning platform for this solution.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for about three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution. We use this product on a daily basis.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I like the scalability this solution has. We have more than fifty severs and more than four hundred VMs. We do not plan to increase usage at this time.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support for this solution was great. They are very quick to respond.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to this solution, we worked with Commvault, Veritas, and Veeam. We still work with multiple vendors for our backup and recovery solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution is simple. The deployment took a couple of days for the components. There are some steps to perform on the network before everything can be installed.
There are three members that make up our administrative team.
What about the implementation team?
During the implementation, we worked with a partner and it was a good experience.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This solution is less expensive than Veeam for us, although it depends on the customer because we get a great discount.
What other advice do I have?
This is a solution that I recommend, although if you have Hyper-V then I would suggest you use Veeam. Veeam is fully integrated with Hyper-V, and there are more features in Veeam.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
Group Technology Services Senior Manager at a hospitality company with 5,001-10,000 employees
A hardware and software data backup product for virtual machines in virtualization environment and takes differential backups for users but needs improvement in reporting
Pros and Cons
- "The function I find most valuable in Dell Avamar is its ability to take differential backups for users. This feature is very effective for both backup and restore operations. We've had multiple cases where we needed to restore files directly from Avamar, and it worked perfectly. The Delta feature, which captures changes in user files, is particularly useful."
- "Reporting in Dell Avamar needs improvement. The current reporting tool is very basic, and you have to dig deep into each function to get the information you need. For example, getting the status of failed and succeeded backups is very difficult in Avamar compared to Veeam. As for additional functionality, I would suggest improving WAN optimization. It's very important for getting offline or off-site backups. It should also include a tool to check for ransomware which would be beneficial. If a backup is vulnerable to ransomware, there should be a way to detect it, like using ARR rules to ensure your backup is ransomware-free. I haven't had any experience integrating Dell Avamar with AI solutions. It’s also a good point that Avamar doesn't offer such integrations, which is an area where Dell could improve."
What is our primary use case?
There are two main use case for Dell Avamar in our organization. Firstly, it was used for virtual machines in our virtualization environment, but we replaced it with Veeam as it wasn't working well for us. Secondly, we use Dell Avamar as a backup solution for our clients and employees, and it performs very well in this role.
What is most valuable?
The function I find most valuable in Dell Avamar is its ability to take differential backups for users. This feature is very effective for both backup and restore operations. We've had multiple cases where we needed to restore files directly from Avamar, and it worked perfectly. The Delta feature, which captures changes in user files, is particularly useful.
What needs improvement?
Reporting in Dell Avamar needs improvement. The current reporting tool is very basic, and you have to dig deep into each function to get the information you need. For example, getting the status of failed and succeeded backups is very difficult in Avamar compared to Veeam.
As for additional functionality, I would suggest improving WAN optimization. It's very important for getting offline or off-site backups. It should also include a tool to check for ransomware which would be beneficial. If a backup is vulnerable to ransomware, there should be a way to detect it, like using ARR rules to ensure your backup is ransomware-free. I haven't had any experience integrating Dell Avamar with AI solutions. It’s also a good point that Avamar doesn't offer such integrations, which is an area where Dell could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Dell Avamar for the past three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding stability, I would rate Dell Avamar eight out of ten. It is very stable, depending on your infrastructure.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
For scalability, I would rate Dell Avamar seven out of ten. This is because we encountered some troubles with integration with Microsoft products. Scalability on a larger scale would be easier to achieve.
How are customer service and support?
I have had experience with technical support from Dell for Avamar. It's not very good, as it takes a very long time to get what you need. The main issues are with response time and quality. It seems there are no mature or scalable people working in this area. They need to build their own consultants or have better first-line support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use Veeam backup along with Avamar. Veeam is used for virtual machines and covers usability, reporting, deduplication, and notifications, which Avamar does not. However, Veeam is not working well for end users, which is why we use both environments. If we had all functionalities in one solution, it would be easier for us, as it currently requires two teams to manage both solutions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup for Dell Avamar is extremely simple. We didn't encounter any difficulties during installation. The latest release was very easy to install, and the server setup itself took almost one or two hours.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding pricing, I would say Avamar is slightly expensive compared to its functionalities. It's not high-priced or low-priced but somewhere in between.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Dell Avamar for small and medium enterprises. I don't think it would be suitable for large companies.
Overall, I would rate Dell Avamar a seven out of ten. It's not a bad product, but it needs some improvements in functionalities, support services, and overall maturity. If these improvements are made, it could be one of the best backup solutions in the world.
As a user, I would recommend Dell Avamar for backup solutions for end users, but not for VMs, SQL, Oracle, or any application running at the application level. For end users, I would recommend it 100%, but not for backend infrastructure at this time.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Last updated: Jul 30, 2024
Flag as inappropriateDGM Data Centre at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Scales according to budget, and is easy to use
Pros and Cons
- "More integration would be helpful, as well as the addition of more applications."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for our desktops and laptops end-users. We have a network in place for server backup and archive.
What is most valuable?
I have not yet explored this solution in its entirety. Maybe six months down the line, I will be able to tell you about this solution with more confidence.
I believe it is a good backup and recovery solution based on our limited experience in the short period we have been using it.
It is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
More integration would be helpful, as well as the addition of more applications.
The technical support should be improved. They could be more responsive in the future.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been working with Dell EMC Avamar for six months.
I assume we're using the most recent version because it was just installed by our implementation team.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In order to make an opinion, we must compare the performance to established benchmarks. We are still working on it, and we're still evolving.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is determined by the number of licenses purchased. Only a few have been accepted.
We have approximately, 100 users, but we have plans to expand very soon.
We may have some remote offices set up, in the near future.
How are customer service and support?
We experienced a problem with the network backup installation, so we called technical support. One of the backups failed continuously.
We were not exactly satisfied with the turnaround time. It was an issue that was unique for them to resolve, but we were not able to assistance instantly.
The support could be better.
How was the initial setup?
When you consider the hardware involved, the initial setup was not straightforward.
In the beginning, there were a lot of trials and errors to suit our exact requirements. Our installation was the standard that most normally have.
What about the implementation team?
This solution was not installed by us. We agreed that the implementation team would complete the installations.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Licensing fees are paid annually.
I am not sure if the fees are comparable; I would like to compare them to other solutions.
What other advice do I have?
We have Data Domain and network backup software.
I would recommend this solution to others who are interested in using it.
I would rate Dell EMC Avamar, an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
System Engineer for Business Solution Department at PT. Mastersystem Infotama
Scales well, stable, and very easy to implement
Pros and Cons
- "The product is very powerful and offers very good performance."
- "Compared with Cohesity or Rubrik, which have some continuous data protection for backup and replication, this solution tends to lack in this area."
What is most valuable?
The implementation is very easy. It's not difficult to set up at all.
The product is very powerful and offers very good performance.
What needs improvement?
Compared with Cohesity or Rubrik, which have some continuous data protection for backup and replication, this solution tends to lack in this area.
When we propose this solution to a customer, the customer always asks us "Okay, can I have backup plus replication as well?". The performance backup, I know it's good, however, some customers ask about the backup plus replication, continuous data protection, or something like that. That's where it falls short.
Avamar should help protect against ransomware or maybe offer some sort of monitoring. It would be great if they had monitoring protection from the ransomware added into the overall offering.
Some customers are asking about an appliance model. It would be nice if they offered that.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for the last two years. I have a bit of experience with the solution at this point.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable. There aren't bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. We've found the stability to be very good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales well. If a company needs to expand it, it should be able to do so quite easily. It's not a problem.
How are customer service and technical support?
We've used technical support quite a bit and have always been satisfied with the level of support that they've provided to us. They're very helpful and responsive.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use Dell NetWorker.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation is very simple. It's not complex. A company shouldn't have any problems setting up the solution.
What other advice do I have?
We're Dell partners. We have a business relationship with the company.
While we work with newer versions of the solution, we tend not to use the latest one. We try not to deploy the latest so we can avoid any issues. We're likely on version 19.1 which we've used since last year. We upgraded from 7.5.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. It's been a pretty good experience overall.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Buyer's Guide
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Updated: December 2024
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