Dell NetWorker Reviews

Name: Dell NetWorker
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 3.9 (80 reviews)

3.9 out of 5

80 reviews
90% willing to recommend

2,308 followers

What is Dell NetWorker?

Built on a reputation of efficiency and reliability, thousands of customers trust Dell NetWorker to protect their data and applications across multiple environments, from core to edge to cloud.

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Dell NetWorker is the #13 ranked solution in best Backup and Recovery Software. PeerSpot users give Dell NetWorker an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Based on the analysis of the 80 most recent Dell NetWorker reviews, the overall sentiment is positive, with a sentiment score of 6.9. Dell NetWorker is most commonly compared to Veeam Data Platform: Dell NetWorker vs Veeam Data Platform. Dell NetWorker is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 16% of all views.

Helped 816,660 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Derrick Brockel

Senior Manager of Operations at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

We had a security event back in February. We lost all our servers. We probably had 1500 servers. We used NetWorker to recover and restore VMs. It took us almost 30 days to get back up. It was not quick. However, we wouldn't have been able to recover without the product’s help. We first had to restore the NetWorker infrastructure. We used data domains. We imported the catalog. We identified the tier-one VMs we needed and got those restored. We installed security products on them to ensure they were clean. Then, we booted them up. The solution allowed us to recover our infrastructure.

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Aftab Azam

Storage and Backup Consultant at Hydro One

There are a couple of time-tested products, like Dell NetWorker and Veritas NetBackup. Both are among the oldest backup solutions or software products and work properly. Dell NetWorker's features revolve around its many shell utilities that help gather reports. It is like any other backup software since you can schedule a backup, and it works.

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MostafaSoudy

Backup Team Head at Commercial International Bank

The standout feature of Dell NetWorker is its expertise in handling our VMware environment. It makes the whole backup process for virtual servers, especially in large VMware setups like ours, a breeze. The proxy setup in the VMware part is super handy. Another great feature is Client Direct, which lets our clients send backup data directly to Data Domain or backup storage. This is a big win as it skips the network traffic, making backups smoother and more efficient.

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Dell NetWorker mindshare

As of November 2024, the mindshare of Dell NetWorker in the Backup and Recovery category stands at 3.1%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Backup and Recovery

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Nov 22, 2024

Valuable Features

Dell NetWorker offers valuable features such as wide OS compatibility, excellent deduplication, robust integration with Data Domain, and efficient backup automation. Users appreciate its scalability, user-friendly interface, and management capabilities. It supports various databases, operating systems, and virtual machines, ensuring seamless recovery and backup efficiency. The tool's integration with VMware and ability to handle large databases are highlighted, alongside strong encryption and data security measures. Users find it reliable and easy to configure.

"Taking backups is faster."
"NetWorker is easy to install on clients and servers, and making backups from server to storage and backup devices is straightforward."
"The compression ratio is very flexible for designing all the required policies for backup."

Room for Improvement

Dell NetWorker users experience several challenges, including slow restore speeds for VMware backups and complex configuration processes. There are complaints about bugs, inadequate support, and difficulty handling large-scale data as the system lacks cloud integration and comprehensive documentation. The interface is not user-friendly, and it's challenging for new users to navigate. Technical support and multi-language service need improvement. Users desire better platform compatibility, streamlined job management, and enhanced reporting features.

"Management of the software is a little bit hazy and not easy."
"Ports are not visible to the network, which requires a dedicated physical server."
"In some cases, solutions are not found in one method of call and it escalates to many levels until an experienced person can join to resolve the issue."

ROI

Many express the belief that Dell NetWorker contributes positively to their return on investment. While some users observe monetary and time savings with a 60% ROI, others highlight its value by preventing extensive downtime. Still, a few do not mention specific ROI details. Organizations emphasize the need for knowledgeable deployment and feature utilization. There is a consensus among several users about the utility of Dell NetWorker in terms of backup and restoration benefits.

Pricing

Dell NetWorker offers both capacity-based and traditional licensing models. Capacity licensing enables all features, whereas traditional requires individual activation. The solution's pricing is mid-range, with options ranging approximately from $5,000 to $50,000, and discounts available through package deals like Dell's Data Protection Suite. Licensing can be complex due to variable structures based on data or workstation type. Although not the cheapest, it provides competitive options when bundled with other Dell EMC products.

"Dell NetWorker is an expensive solution. None of the backup products are cheap. The licensing model offered is usually a five-year one."
"The pricing for the telecom, government, and banking sectors is relatively affordable."
"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

Popular Use Cases

Dell NetWorker is primarily used for backup and recovery of critical servers, including file systems, databases, and virtual machines across Unix, Linux, and Windows environments. Users employ it for tasks such as disaster recovery, data protection, and archiving. It integrates well with systems like SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft Exchange, providing stable and secure backups. Many organizations utilize it for scheduled and manual backups, leveraging integration with VMware and Data Domain.

Service and Support

Dell NetWorker's customer service receives mixed feedback. Many find EMC technical support knowledgeable and responsive, though some experience delays and escalating issues can be tedious. Users report friendly engineers eager to assist, but lack of deep expertise for complex problems leads to dissatisfaction, especially with initial contacts. Support varies by region, with better experiences noted in the USA and Europe compared to India. Language barriers and response times also present challenges. Improvements in response times and expertise are desired.

Deployment

Experiences with Dell NetWorker's initial setup vary. Some users find it straightforward and quick, while others encounter complexity due to integration needs, especially with larger environments or specific technologies like Hyper-V. Prior knowledge significantly impacts ease of setup, with technical expertise often required. Documentation and external assistance can aid the process. Deployment time ranges from minutes to weeks, depending on environment size and integration requirements. Multiple team involvement can be necessary for successful configuration.

Scalability

Dell NetWorker is generally seen as scalable, though some report challenges at larger scales. Users appreciate its flexibility with virtual machines and capacity-based licensing. There are mentions of limitations, especially with VMware integration and specific modules. While some have faced issues expanding beyond certain limits, others rate its scalability positively. It meets the needs of medium to large enterprises, although a few express a preference for alternative options due to ease and compatibility concerns.

Stability

Dell NetWorker has varying stability experiences. Many users find it reliable, with few issues or disruptions. Some reported stability challenges mainly in early versions or due to environmental factors. Regular updates and following best practices are recommended. While some experienced consistent performance, others mentioned sporadic issues that required intervention. Ratings for stability often range between six to ten out of ten, with some finding it highly dependable, especially in well-configured environments.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell NetWorker Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

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Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

16%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Retailer

University

Educational Organization

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Media Company

Construction Company

Transportation Company

Hospitality Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Outsourcing Company

Legal Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Performing Arts

Logistics Company

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Learn more about Dell NetWorker

Inherently flexible, NetWorker helps you deploy and leverage the data protection that fits your needs. NetWorker protects both physical and virtual environments, including VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V, as well as cloud workloads on AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

NetWorker is available as part of Dell Data Protection Suite, which offers comprehensive data protection software applications and tools. NetWorker is delivered as software and as a virtual edition.

Dell NetWorker was previously known as NetWorker.