Pre-Sales Manager at ACS
Real User
Top 10
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?

We're using it in our company. We primarily use the solution as a backup.

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. 

Buyer's Guide
Dell Avamar
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Dell Avamar. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 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
PeerSpot user
Vivek Jaiswal - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager at Shriram Pistons
Real User
Top 10
Offers good backups without much of a failure ratio and is very scalable
Pros and Cons
  • "The product has a proven track record of good backups without much of a failure ratio. It also has a good backup in terms of the compression ratio."
  • "The user interface still needs to have some level of improvement. It could be more user-friendly and intuitive."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using the solution for our entire daily data backup for laptops and desktops. We also use it for some of our virtual machines and some of our databases systems.

What is most valuable?

The product has a proven track record of good backups without much of a failure ratio. It also has a good backup in terms of the compression ratio. 

Overall, my experience with Avamar is very good.

Technical support has been helpful.

The performance of the solution is excellent.

The product scales easily.

What needs improvement?

The user interface still needs to have some level of improvement. It could be more user-friendly and intuitive. 

The reporting aspect of the product could be better. For example, I'd like to have reports on the daily failure of systems. If I have more than 1000 systems, if I want to know that how many systems failed yesterday, I'd like to be able to pull that information in a single click.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for the past ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I'm very happy with this product and the performance of this product is good. For the purposes of backups and restoring, it is very smooth and proven for the last 10 years. The failure rate is low. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

While, on the admin side, we have two to three people as administrators for Avamar. However, in the case of how many systems are to be backed up through Avamar, it's around 1,000 or more.

Right now, the current product is Dell DP4400 and it's a very scalable product. I have purchased the license for 8 TB only, however, the box itself already comes with a 64 TB hard disk. At any point, we can increase it. We just have to put in a license and we can increase it very easily.

We use the solution on a daily basis. 

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is good. I get support in a timely manner. Since our last installation, which was in March, we have just logged two calls and both were closed in a very timely manner. We are quite satisfied with the support.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In the past, we've used Arcserve and Commvault.

In terms of differences, Arcserve and Commvault, are both Windows-based systems. They do not have their own hardware, which means that they are only software-based backups. It's your own decision in terms of which type of hardware you want.

There is nothing like a complete product with these two options. You are buying software from the vendors, and then you have to buy the hardware from another vendor. The issue is, when you need support, sometimes the software vendors tell you that problem is with hardware and the hardware vendors tell you that problem is with software. That can become an issue.

Also, due to the fact that both are Windows-based systems, there are some performance-based issues. I found that the Avamar system is better than Arcserve and Commvault for these reasons.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is somewhere in between straightforward and difficult. 

The deployment takes between four and six hours. 

The maintenance required is quite minimal. It's based on a Linux setup, which makes it pretty easy.

What about the implementation team?

I have set up the solution with an expert from Dell. With the help of an expert from Dell, the setup is straightforward.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing of the solution is okay.

What other advice do I have?

We're just a customer and an end-user.

I'm using the latest version of the solution. It's an iteration of version 17.

I'm very happy with this product. I recommend it to everyone who is searching for any complete backup for an entire infrastructure, for example, for a virtual server, a database server, or a laptop or desktop. This is a single product that can handle a complete infrastructure backup. 

I'd rate the solution at 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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Dell Avamar
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Dell Avamar. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,386 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Steve McClendon - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at a mining and metals company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Quick incremental backups, good replication and stability, but it is expensive and the mechanism to pull data to tapes is messy
Pros and Cons
  • "Quick incremental backups and product replication are the two highlights of the product. Once you capture a full backup, incrementals are pretty quick. It is fairly efficient from that perspective."
  • "If you need to pull data out of it to offload to tapes, that's messy. You have a mechanism for it, but it is painful."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is for remote office or branch office type protection.

We don't have a current instance. It is pretty old. We have tried desperately to decommission Avamar.

What is most valuable?

Quick incremental backups and product replication are the two highlights of the product. Once you capture a full backup, incrementals are pretty quick. It is fairly efficient from that perspective.

What needs improvement?

It is expensive. It is more about cost than it is about anything else. 

If you need to pull data out of it to offload to tapes, that's messy. You have a mechanism for it, but it is painful.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for a couple of years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Once you're in the product, and the product is running, it does a really good job.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is node-based, so you can add nodes as you need. It is pretty scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

The people who supported it did a very good job. If it gets messed up, it is not easy to fix, but on a day-to-day basis, it just runs like a tank of gas.

How was the initial setup?

They were all set up when I got here.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is expensive. Its cost is the main thing.

What other advice do I have?

My advice would be to compare costs to other solutions and also look at the virtual appliance version of it.

I would rate Dell EMC Avamar a six out of 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
SAN and UNIX Administrator at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
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.
PeerSpot user
DGM Data Centre at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
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.
    PeerSpot user
    System Engineer for Business Solution Department at PT. Mastersystem Infotama
    Real User
    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
    PeerSpot user
    it_user762030 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Backup Systems Engineer at Nordstrom, Inc.
    Real User
    Access to logs for each backup enables easy troubleshooting

    What is our primary use case?

    This product is very easy to use. The interface is easier to use than other backup solutions. The product is mature and can handle all of our data protection.

    How has it helped my organization?

    The simplicity of use and the ease of updating physical client software is one of the best features.

    What is most valuable?

    • Image level backups
    • Replication for DR
    • Almost instant access restores
    • The access to the logs for each backup allows for easy troubleshooting.

    What needs improvement?

    It would be nice to have a truly native SQL backup solution. All of our DBAs are looking for a truly native solution. They are satisfied with the current solution but would really like a truly native solution like the Oracle RMAN solution. What we mean by true Native solution, is that no Data Protection product has a true MS Native solution to protecting data. What we have been doing for years is have the DBA script in the Native MS to do a dump of the DB to a file. Then the backup solution would come behind and pick up those dumps. Then the DBA would have to request a restore of the dump files, and then use a script to pull that information. Where with RMAN, the DBA can write a script to backup and restore directly to the Avamar. It is a much cleaner and less costly solution. With the SQL dump and scape, we need so much MORE storage space to help them keep all of their data protected.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    More than five years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    This product is very stable. We have never had any outages and the support for this product is very good.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    This product can grow with your company. We selected this solution as it allows us to keep the existing data domains that we used for our previous solution. We have the ability to add more storage to the existing DDs or to add another as needed.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Like any other company, many of the support calls go to places on the other side of the world. It is sometimes difficult to understand them. I found that the support that was given was very good. I usually choose to receive support via Webex and email due to the communication challenges you get with offshore support.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We used to have Veeam and NetBackup. We moved to Avamar as it had more features; it helped reduce the number of environments we had to support. It also reduced the amount of time we spend on upgrades. It simplified our total data protection and reduced the number of clients that were required to be installed.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial set up was very straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    We used a combination as we have some people who are new to the Avamar product.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The set up is really easy. They have a virtual edition for smaller environments, and the documentation for doing the install is really good. For larger environments, the PS group works directly with you on the install and setup for new customers. The cost was actually cheaper than any of the other solutions we looked at.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We looked at a variety of other products. One of the main reasons we selected Avamar was the fact that they have support for physical servers running Solaris, Linux, HP-UX, and AIX. We have a large enough physical environment that we needed the ability to protect them.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    System Analyst II at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    A user-friendly solution helpful in backing up various systems but the initial setup was complex
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution is very user-friendly."
    • "The product could be improved by simplifying the components available."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our use case for this solution is robust and involves backing up various systems.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution is very user-friendly.

    What needs improvement?

    The product could be improved by simplifying the components available. Currently, there are many endpoints and GUIs to run.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using this solution for approximately three years.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is scalable. Currently, only three employees utilize the solution in our organization, and thousands of clients use it.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was complex. It took about a week to complete the deployment, and we required an engineer to assist.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The solution costs approximately 20,000 annually.

    What other advice do I have?

    I rate the solution a seven out of ten. 

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Dell Avamar Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: March 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Dell Avamar Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.