Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) Reviews

We primarily use the solution for storage.

The solution integrates well with our VM.

I like the hardware and the software together.

Based on what we have achieved in our environments on the bank's telecom, it's the best product. We have it installed with Dell EMC protection suite, NetWorker, but also with VM. There are many cases where we integrated with IBM TSM as a VTL. 

The best point is the duplication encryption and disaster recovery replication. The network replication's software has network verification where the product can not offer it. We use nothing for Data Domain replication. And when we use NetWorker, we use prone console application. With VM, also we use replication under the Data Domain application instead of copying the data from the VM.

The solution is very scalable.

The product offers excellent security.

The price could be improved. 

Technically speaking, the solution is okay. It's not perfect. We have to remember that it's a backup appliance. A storage appliance is not primary service. Let's say in a standard configuration you have only one controller, you don't have high visibility. We have installations on higher-visibility on one environment when one bank says, "We want a controller, doesn't matter how much it costs." We explain that something that is not the main storage is not production. " It's not primary storage, however, it can be used for different environments. Let's say to use it as the NFS or VMware deployment. 

Dell is improving the product all of the time, actually. There were a lot of improvements from version 7.3 to 7.4 for example. 

I've worked with the solution on and off since 2009 and I've watched it evolved from a small backup appliance to what it is now. They've done very well with it. 

I've been working with the solution since at least 2009.

In terms of stability, it depends on who is using it. When our customers use it via IP, now, almost everybody has 10G. When they use the application, they have at least one gigabit for the application. Data Domain is capable of using smaller bandwidth and therefore I haven't had any complaints regarding how it's working. The main problem is not the backup, its costs vary. 

The data has to get duplicated in blocks and sent across the network. It's optimized in such a way where when you bring back the data there is a process that will take place in the memory or the system in order together that data and compose the file. Then it will take it back to the network to where it will need to be stored. We have a fiber cable, so we are okay. We don't have a problem with this. However, smaller bandwidths may face issues.

The scalability of the solution is excellent.

We can start from many minimal configurations for SMB customers and we can scale it out for big a environment, for example, for different bank clients. It's suitable for all environments. It works well with other solutions as well, such as VM or TSM. 

Any company can work with it and any company can expand it to fit their needs.

Dell works with partners in order to provide technical support, and as partners, we often troubleshoot for our clients. We are sent alerts the moment a ticket is opened and so we are able to see if there are problems happening right away. When it comes to hardware, we'll be able to see what parts get dispatched and we can follow everything. From a hardware perspective, support works very well and is very transparent. 

From a software perspective, that's handled by a different team. If we have problems we can't fix we can apply for help to the software team. They can release patches and can inform us if an upgrade is mandatory in order to fix an issue. They are also very helpful and responsive.

Overall, I would say we are quite pleased with the level of service we receive from Dell. 

The initial setup is not complex. It's very straightforward. If you have a serial port opened up, and you configure the management port fees, first on the licensing, then it's really straightforward. However, if you have a different configuration, it may be a bit more challenging. Even so, it's not that complicated. It's 90% straightforward. If somebody is not comfortable with the console, they can use a web interface and it's fine. 

Dell Avamar is a very good product. We've used it in the past when it was, let's say, one of the first solutions. I believe they offer duplication. Whenever Avamar came on the market, it was a revolutionary application. Right now, however, due to other software solutions not only for Dell EMC but for Avamar, it makes everything very good and also very bad from the sales point of view. 

With aggressive marketing of products, clients may request the wrong product. Avamar isn't well-positioned in Romania right now. Data Domain is better. When clients ask for certain other products, we try to steer them to Data Domain. 

Depending on the customer's needs, Dell can fit into all environments. If you want to have a very good backup appliance, then choose Data Domain because it will fit in almost everywhere. I don't think I know of another solution in which somebody can have a backup project or data protection where this product will not fit. 

Technically speaking, I cannot make a comparison with other products, as this solution can fit almost everywhere.

I recommend better sizing to the client. That's important. Customers need to take into consideration their needs very, very well so they don't end up with too small of a product. It's better to go a bit bigger if it will fit the budget. Of course, the technical requirements need to be addressed. Data Domain integrates well with other products. It's something to consider.

Overall, I would rate the solution nine out of ten.

Our primary use for this product is for backup purposes and compression.

There are a number of ways that it improved our organization with the processing of backups and saving disk space, but the costs are somewhat prohibitive.

The most valuable feature, beyond simply backing up our servers, is the data compression capability.

There are several things that can be improved with this product even though it is not bad. 

The biggest concern for us is the licensing model. In terms of feature capability, there are too many separate modular features that require licensing. I would like to see a Data Domain license for one cost that contains what we need to utilize the product to its full capability. I don't like the idea of having to worry about buying another license to do something else and add functionality. So I am suggesting that it would be good if they made the product more integrated and adaptable.

If I choose not to use only EMC products, it should allow me to make whatever integration I choose to do with ease. It is not so easy to do this.

The technical support after the initial deployment and having the service account manager on site was not so good. They should have better means of support while you are using the product to encourage success with the product and that you remain a customer. 

During the period where you have resident, live support to take care of issues the product remains stable because they help with any issues. Without a service account manager after the initial deployment, the support is poor. Because of this, stability starts to become a problem.

The solution is centralized to the company or business process, so I don't really have users using it as an application. I've got one division — a team — that takes care of data protection which makes use of Data Domain services.

The initial, on-premises EMC technical support is pretty good. I have no complaints about them. Although we did have some initial support issues with Data Domain during the implementation, we always had that EMC account manager available. He dealt with most of the support issues when they arose and he was resident on-site. He was there only for as long as he was required to be there. He was very good. So we didn't really have support issues with EMC product initially as they addressed problems fully. However, when we did not have the service account manager resident on-premises anymore, the level of service changed. The regular channels for support are poor and not so responsive or they don't come back with good with solutions.

EMC is a solution we are starting to move away from because of the cost more than anything. We are evaluating it along-side a Veritas product currently.

The installation and initial setup of the program was a straightforward process.

We did use EMC services for that initial implementation and had a service account manager on site.

I can't say I am very happy with the cost of the EMC product because we also have got a Veritas product. The comparison is that the EMC Data Domain solution is more expensive than the Veritas and they have similar capabilities.

We were satisfied at the time we made the purchase of the EMC product, but subsequently, we went in a different direction. We added another product because we decided the price was too high for the original solution and to continue to add licenses. We are running both environments now.

Anyone who is considering this as a solution should study the availability of the features and caveats surrounding the licensing. You will want to make sure that you are covered for all the capabilities that you require. Then, if you choose to go with the product, I suggest adding a service account manager as part of the initial scope of the project and implementation as that was very helpful to us. That sort of guarantees you will definitely have a more controlled approach to implementation and better continuity from your experience with EMC.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate the product about seven or eight. For us now it is a little closer to a seven.

A lesson that we learned in using the product is that its CPU capability does not match its storage capacity. These two things should be more in synch to enhance performance.

We use this solution to store and replicate data for back-up purposes.

Our clients like the wide range of features that are available within this single solution.

We would like to see the price of this solution brought down to be comparable with similar products currently on the market.

We have found this to be a stable solution in our experience.

This is an easily scalable solution.

The initial setup for this solution is very easy.

Our in-house team carry out all of the installations, deployments and implementations of this solution for our clients.

The licensing for this solution has a higher price point than comparable products on the market, and the licenses are payable monthly.

We would rate this solution a 10 out of 10.

What I like about Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is that it is a performance technology.

One of the features I find very interesting in this product is deduplication.

I also find it valuable that it's very easy to communicate with just one vendor if you're using this product. Normally, with other security systems, CAP systems, etc., you have to use the server, some hardware, and some software. The server could be from one vendor, while the software could be from another vendor. When a problem arises, this means you have to communicate with more than one vendor, but with Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), this is not the case. The only competitor I know that manufactures a similar product with this feature of one vendor communication is Symantec.

Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is not a product that's easy to install by customers. There are a lot of products, e.g. entry-level storages that can be easily installed by customers themselves, but this product and other IDPA solutions need to be installed by professionals.

Customers who buy Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) should not worry about its installation and deployment. It should be installed directly by Dell, or by a Dell partner for free, but the price of this product must include installation, so installation will no longer be a problem.

Installation and deployment for this product need to be improved. These processes need to become easier. The user interface could also be improved, but I did see that Dell now provides a number of products with very nice interface. We used to have Dell PowerEdge VRTX, but it reached its end-of-life (EOL). It was a small blade server with a small storage that's working, but it was equipped with a friendly interface for customer installation. Dell EMC and some other vendors should also sell entry-level to mid-range products that are more user-friendly, and make them out of the box products.

It's been a few years since we started selling Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain). Normally, we sell Dell EMC backup systems, but we started to sell IDPA products last year, but the Data Domains we've started selling years ago. We're still working with this solution.

I find this solution stable.

Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is a scalable product.

The installation of this product is not easy, though it's easier to install than IDP and DP units. If you have knowledge on this product, then installing it will be easy.

We deployed this solution in-house. We have two certified staff for data protection products. We have also have two certified staff for data storages, and more people certified for other products, e.g. desktops, servers, etc.

Buying Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), our clients don't have to pay for extra licenses. They can just buy any backup solution. For example, they can buy Dell EMC Avamar, or they can buy Symantec, Convault, etc.

When buying IDPA products, you don't have to buy anything, because you'll have an integrated solution: a data domain appliance plus software, the software being Dell EMC software which is a big package of software that allows you to do everything.

When buying Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), you can just buy a very cool backup software with deduplication, and that's all. It's very perfect, very nice. You can buy the backup software, e.g. Dell EMC, Convault, Symantec, etc.

Pricing for this product could still be improved, though several years ago, its price was very high. When there are more competitors, though, the price becomes more attractive both for the customer and partner. Now we can get more discounts for projects. The price for this product will decrease, because more and more companies now produce integrated devices, e.g. deduplication is not a very new technology, but it was a feature that was limited to several market leaders.

My company MiroMIX United is a Ukranian company, and we are the platinum partner of Dell EMC. The majority of our solutions are based on Dell EMC products. We sell HP servers, but not too many, just 5%. We sell Cisco equipment, but we prefer selling Dell EMC networking products. We're partners of Cisco Systems, but we try to sell more Dell EMC products, because we know Dell EMC products best.

We sell Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) which is an integrated data protection appliance (IDPA). We have not sold many, e.g. just 10 or 15.

Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is a promising product. It's very competitive. Last year, this product was sold and utilized into the most powerful banks here in Ukraine, but not by my company. My company sold these products to departments and segments in the government, though we were able to sell several Data Domains to a bank, but it was not a project worth millions of dollars. Our competitors were able to sell this product for millions of dollars. It's a very interesting, promising, and competitive product.

This solution is very promising and competitive, and we would like to sell more, but it's difficult. We can't predict how it will fare against the competition, for example: HP. At the moment, we have a POC in one bank here in Ukraine. It is a Hungarian bank, an OTP Bank, but it has a branch here in Ukraine. In the near future, there will be an official tender procedure announcement, but at the moment, they are testing Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain), while also testing the backup solution from HP. It would be very interesting to hear their conclusions, but at the moment, we don't have the results.

We have 15 clients who are using this solution. It would be great to expand our presence in this market. We have a service center certified by Dell, with 10 people working in it, and all of them are certified in various products, e.g. desktops, laptops, servers, data storages, and Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain).

We've been working with Dell for many years. Our company was founded 22 years ago, and during this period, we've been working with service and warranty, and the independent service in Ukraine is based on four service centers for private companies, with one of the service center being ours. In previous years, e.g. in the early 2000s, we had to keep spare parts at our stock room. We used to do this, but 10 years ago, Dell changed the strategy of service in Ukraine and they arranged the spare parts hubs located in all the regional centers.

I recommend Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) to other users who want to start using it because it's a very interesting product.

My rating for Dell EMC PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) is a ten out of ten, when compared to its competitors which are utilized in large accounts.

We use the solution for documented backup.

We use it to back up the whole database through the EMC network.

We are unsatisfied with the EMC network because Data Domain only works for backups. The system is connected through backup software, which operates over the Internet. This setup limits Data Domain's functionality in terms of backups.

It is designed primarily for archiving and backup purposes. You can utilize it, but it depends on the EMC network. The software configured with Data Domain system may concern you. Data Domain is configured with the EMC network, but the EMC network is not easy to use and is not a very good product.

I have been using Dell PowerProtect DD for over five years. We are using DD890 of the solution.

Our management is not very happy with the EMC network. It is not easy to take or edit backups, and even small errors can cause the entire backup process to stop. Only one senior system administrator is using the solution.

Support is good.

Neutral

We are switching to Veritas Backup.

Lenovo is cheaper than Dell.

They will offer Lenovo products and servers as well as storage and archiving solutions. They plan to begin this initiative immediately, but the paperwork is still ongoing. Once we receive the RFP, we will start proceeding.

The advantage of the Dell PowerProtect DD is that we only use it for our archiving servers.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

I have an IT company and have tested it in order to see if I could resell it to clients.

They have a very nice, clearly laid out dashboard.

The functionality has been excellent.

So far, the solution is stable. 

Its pricing is not overly expensive. 

I still need to try all the features and functions. As a reseller, it's important I understand it and I have only used it for a few weeks. It helps if you have in-depth knowledge in order to use it correctly.

Scaling can be better.

I've worked with the solution for 15 days so far. I was testing it.

I'm not sure about the stability. I haven't yet tried it with big companies. I just tested the solution for a little bit. So far, for that purpose, it was stable. I didn't come across bg or glitches, and I haven't seen it crash or freeze. 

The scalability could be better. I'm not sure how it would scale for bigger organizations. 

We have just two people using the solution right now. It's myself and an administrator.

I haven't needed any help yet and therefore have not used technical support.

I'm not sure if we used a different solution previously.

The solution is moderately straightforward to set up It's not easy or difficult. 

The deployment took about one to two hours. It didn't take long. 

I handled the implementation myself. I did not need help from integrators or consultants. 

The price of the product is pretty reasonable. 

We are dealing with the latest version of the solution.

We haven't had any difficulties with the solution while testing it. Maybe once we try to deploy to a sizeable company, we will find challenges. However, so far, it is good. 

I'd recommend the solution. It's worked well, and it has good Google reviews. 

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. 

The data application compression is great. I also like Cyber Sense, Cyber Lock, fast parallelizing insights, and Sure Backup.

The initial setup is easy.

It is a stable solution. 

You can scale the product well. 

The interface is good. We are very familiar with it and are comfortable using it. 

The documentation is good. They are very accessible. 

The compatibility is very good. 

We would like faster instant recovery.

I've used the solution for around 20 years. 

It's very stable. I can replicate the Data Domain, virtual addition, to my local physical version. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

The product is scalable. If you want to expand it, you can. 

In my client's company they have about 1,000 people on the product.

We likely will continue to expand the solution. 

In my company, we handle the technical support on our side. We are an insured company for Dell also. We have about 100 technical people that can assist.

The product is very simple to set up. It's not overly complex or difficult. 

It takes about half an hour to compare all the data and for Data Domain to be set up in Azure. Also, I can see the source image and open Data Domain, and just share the source to my DPS solution, the networker. It works better.

You only need one person to maintain the solution. 

The price is reasonable. However, it varies from project to project. While we've tried cheaper options, the features just weren't as good. 

We just want to learn the difference between the DPS solution in Azure and Azure's own backup solution. I'm trying to measure for my customer if the DPS solution has different features for a better backup from an Azure site's backup.

I can compare the instructions in the also Azure site as well. I have a lot of mechanical Data Domain on my site. Also, I have got Data Domains on the Azure site.

I've been a consultant for 20 years. I'm a distributor. 

I would advise others to try it out. 

Our customers work with a solution partner, and we offer training. It's good to have some help and insights at first.

It's a market leader. I'd rate it an eight out of ten. 

The cost is quite good if you look at the product. 

It should provide everything that an enterprise needs. 

It can back up all the workloads on-prem, off-prem, and mainly the VM infrastructure. You should be able to replicate to another site. 

The reporting and monitoring features that it provides are great. 

It offers security with the software.

The stability is excellent.

The solution scales well.

The new niche players are currently very good, but some things that they lack. As an example, NetApp Filer. There is no real partnership between different vendor platforms such as EMC or NetApp. They don't really talk that much. There needs to be better ease of use with like APIs and automation and things of that nature. Some vendors are more API friendly, some vendors are not. Being API friendly will help.

EMC is just coming out with their global deduplication future with virtual addition and things like that. Which is still in the works.

They need to make migration easier. 

The solution is very stable. there are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. There is not any other storage, deduplication storage appliance, that will match Data Domain. That is pretty much as stable a product as we have seen.

The solution can scale well.

Overall, technical support has been pretty good. However, the support recently, the support that is coming in from India, is not as good as what we used to get before. In the past year, we have seen a significant drop in call response.

When we installed the solution, pretty much the software all was new. It was Legato earlier and then it was using Networker version eight everywhere else. When we started deploying it, we started with version nine. We pretty much started with the latest versions of the software. There were some growing pains, however, we were able to step up the enrollment and it was good in the end. Beyond a few issues right at the outset, it was a good experience. 

The cost is quite reasonable. 

Earlier, when we started deploying, we had to use a single DDBoost user for each EMP. I don't know our storage unit, however, now, with the latest release, we can use multiple users. That is one good reason why people should start using this solution, as there is one DDBoost user per entry. That way, it is easier to migrate or move across, for example, during your tech refresh. When they offer some kind of a load balancing feature in front of Data Domain it will be a good thing. We know that they always have it in the roadmap, however, we have never seen that come through.

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.