In this study, Prowess Consulting set out to evaluate the storage efficiency and performance of five competing storage solutions for modern data protection. We conducted rigorous testing to evaluate effective capacity, the impact of deduplication and compression on storage efficiency, and the resulting implications for data center footprint and cost.
We found that the Dell PowerProtect Data Domain All-Flash appliance delivers substantially higher average data reduction compared to the competing solutions we examined; competitors used up to 3.8x more space for the same workload. It also delivered 75:1 data reduction for tested workloads and restored at speeds of up to 51 TB/hour per 500 TB system, for lightning-fast recovery.
These results position the Data Domain All-Flash appliance as the #1 solution in data reduction among those tested, with its substantial storage savings for backup and restore offering significantly lower costs related to data center space, power, cooling, and long-term storage.
TL;DR
The Dell™ PowerProtect™ Data Domain™ All-Flash appliance delivers higher backup storage efficiency and faster recovery than competitors, reducing infrastructure cost while strengthening cyber resilience. Independent testing by Prowess Consulting shows that competitors required up to 3.8× more space for the same workload, while Data Domain achieved substantially higher data reduction. The platform also restored at speeds of up to 51 TB/hour per 500 TB system, supporting aggressive recovery time objectives for modern enterprises. These efficiency gains translate into lower data center footprint, reduced power and cooling needs, and improved total cost of ownership. Built-in immutability, encryption, and hardware root of trust reinforce protection against ransomware and operational errors, while tight integration with Dell PowerProtect Data Manager and third‑party backup software simplifies deployment. For IT and financial services leaders balancing cyber risk, cost control, and operational scale, the results reveal Data Domain All‑Flash appliance as a high‑efficiency, performance‑validated foundation for enterprise backup and recovery.
Evidence: See Executive Summary, Figures 1 and 3, Figure 4, and the “Restore Performance Validation” section in the source.
FAQ
Q: How much storage efficiency advantage does the Data Domain All-Flash appliance deliver?
A: It delivers a clear advantage. In Prowess Consulting’s testing, competing backup appliances consumed up to 3.8× more storage capacity than the Dell platform for the same workload.
Evidence: See Figure 3.
Q: What data reduction ratios were validated in the study?
A: Testing confirmed very high data reduction over time. The Data Domain All‑Flash appliance reached a 78:1 deduplication rate after seven days and increased to 126:1 after 14 days as backup data accumulated, exceeding typical expectations for virtualized backup environments.
Evidence: See Figure 4.
Q: How fast can restores run, and why does that matter?
A: Restore performance reached up to 51 TB/hour per 500 TB system in testing. Faster restores directly support tighter recovery time objectives, helping organizations minimize downtime and operational risk during cyber incidents or system failures.
Evidence: See the “Restore Performance Validation” section.
Q: How does higher data reduction affect cost and data center operations?
A: Higher data reduction increases usable capacity on the same physical hardware, which can reduce required rack space, power, and cooling. The study links these efficiencies to lower capital and operating expenditures and improved total cost of ownership, especially for long‑term backup retention.
Evidence: See the “Key Takeaways” section.
Q: What security and cyber‑resilience features are included?
A: The platform incorporates data immutability, encryption, and a hardware root of trust to protect backup data against ransomware, tampering, and human error. These capabilities, combined with fast recovery, strengthen overall cyber resilience.
Evidence: See the “Data Domain Advantage” section.
Q: How practical is integration in existing enterprise environments?
A: Testing used agentless VMware backups and Dell PowerProtect Data Manager, with support for third‑party backup software. The appliance integrates with Dell PowerStore™ and Dell PowerMax™, enabling adoption without redesigning existing backup workflows.
Evidence: See the “Research Approach Summary” section.