Organizations of all sizes recognize that the total amount of data they manage, store, and protect continues to grow year-over-year. However, they also recognize they must protect this data from increasingly sophisticated and more frequent cyberattacks. Originating from both inside and outside their IT environment, organizations must proactively take steps to protect their data.

These threats demand that organizations implement robust, cyber-resilient solutions throughout their IT environment. To help organizations consider these threats, DCIG just released a competitive intelligence report that compares how well HPE StoreOnce Systems and Dell PowerProtect Data Domain deliver on these modern requirements. This report, currently available at no charge on HPE’s website, helps organizations evaluate each solution’s respective:

• Product architecture.
• Data protection optimized protocols.
• Software features.
• Integration with enterprise data protection software and production storage system snapshots.
• Ability to expand its storage capacity using object storage.

Product Architecture

Evaluating HPE StoreOnce Systems’ and Dell PowerProtect Data Domain’s respective product architectures represents a logical starting point for evaluating them. Any purpose-built backup appliances (PBBAs) being considered must first satisfy an organization’s backup capacity and performance requirements. Once met, organizations can evaluate the product’s other features.

Dell Data Domain

Dell currently offers five hardware models in the PowerProtect Data Domain portfolio with formal plans to introduce a sixth model in the first quarter of 2026. These models include:

1. The Dell PowerProtect DD3410 was announced in September 2025 with plans to make it available in Q12026. The DD3410 will fill the existing gap in Dell’s product portfolio, positioning it for use in entry-level and remote offices.
2. The Dell PowerProtect DD6410 best meets the needs of mid-sized workloads. DD6410 distinguishes itself from the other Data Domain appliances in one notable way. It represents the only Data Domain model to support both internal and external storage configura­tions for storing user data. However, DD6410 in each of its storage configurations supports the Dell Data Domain Cloud Tier.
3. The Dell PowerProtect DD9410 meets mid-tier enterprise workloads that have moderate capac­ity and performance needs. The DD9410 utilizes Dell PowerProtect’s Data-Less Head (DLH) architecture, which does not store any user data on the head unit’s internal drives. Rather, it stores all user data on external Dell DS600 shelves. It also supports Dell Data Domain Cloud Tier and gives organizations a High Availability (HA) option using external shelves with SSDs.
4. The Dell PowerProtect DD9910 handles the highest capacity enterprise workloads. Like the DD9410, it utilizes the DLH architecture, supports the Dell Data Domain Cloud Tier, and offers an HA option.
5. The Dell PowerProtect DD9910F comes optimized for backup and recovery workloads that require higher performance with lower capacity requirements. However, unlike the DD9910, the DD9910F supports neither an HA configuration nor Dell Data Domain Cloud Tier.
6. The Dell PowerProtect All-Flash Ready Node gets deployed to address the most performance-intensive backup and recovery enterprise workloads. This model differs in that it does not ship as a preconfigured hardware appliance. Rather, it gets built using a bill of materials and instructions provided by Dell.

HPE StoreOnce

HPE currently offers four StoreOnce Gen5 hardware models. The StoreOnce Gen4 Plus models (not covered in the report) remain available for organizations that have standardized on them and want to continue deploying these models. The HPE StoreOnce models distinguish themselves in that all support external object stor­age using HPE StoreOnce Cloud Bank Storage.

1. HPE specifically positions the HPE StoreOnce 3720 for use with workloads typically found in remote, branch, and small offices.
2. The HPE StoreOnce 3760 best meets the requirements of midsize deployments. StoreOnce 3760’s ability to better meet the requirements for midsize deployments shows up in its support for more CPUs and increased storage capacity.
3. The HPE StoreOnce 5720 represents one of two new additions to the HPE StoreOnce portfolio. This 4U single controller model specifically meets the requirements of capacity-oriented midrange and enterprise backup workloads.
4. The HPE StoreOnce 7700 represents the other new addition to the HPE StoreOnce portfo­lio. HPE specifically designed the all-flash StoreOnce 7700 to handle today’s performance-oriented enterprise backup workloads. These performance-oriented workloads include scanning backup data to detect the presence of malware.
5. The HPE Storage Alletra MP X10000 with one or more data protection accelerator nodes offers more performance and greater scale than the four HPE StoreOnce models. It offers the highest levels of capacity and performance, with multiple configuration options and the flexibility to independently scale out or up.

For each of these Dell and HPE models, this report takes an in-depth look at the following topic areas:

Hardware Upgrade Options

The options available to upgrade a PBBA may factor into a buying decision. Upgrade options range from adding more processing and capacity to an existing PBBA to upgrading to a new generation PBBA. Both Dell and HPE offer multiple options for upgrading their respective PBBAs, which the report examines in more detail.

Software/Virtual Storage Appliances

More organizations look to software appliances to address specific backup requirements. Organizations deploy them when they have concerns about cost or when they cannot deploy physical PBBAs. Software appliances also give organizations the option to deploy them on private and public cloud infrastructures.

Dell offers its Data Domain Virtual Edition (DDVE), and HPE offers its HPE StoreOnce VSA to address these requirements. Organizations will primarily deploy these software appliances in cloud and entry-level envi­ronments, as well as in remote and branch offices. Organizations can deploy both of these as stand-alone appliances with no dependencies on the provider’s respective hardware appliances.

Both providers also offer full-featured 90-day evaluations for their respective software appli­ances, subject to certain conditions. The report itself goes into much more detail about how these two virtual appliances differ from one another.

Product Warranty and Guarantee

Organizations vary in how much they emphasize the value of a product’s warranty and guar­antee when making buying decisions. However, these come into play when organizations go to evaluate the PBBA’s total cost of ownership (TCO). Both Dell and HPE provide specific warranties and/or guarantees that the report examines in more detail.

Data Protection Optimized Protocols

The use of data protection-optimized protocols to improve backup throughput has become almost a prerequisite for managing backup windows and increasing control over data protection workflows. Using this feature, data deduplication occurs on the client before sending it to the backup appliance. This process enables backup data to be transmitted more quickly and efficiently.

Enterprise data protection software already integrates with HPE’s and Dell’s data-optimized protocols. They can use client libraries that enterprise data protection software uses to perform client-side deduplication and to control restore point duration and location. These reasons prompt many organizations to use Dell PowerProtect Boost and HPE StoreOnce Catalyst data protection-optimized protocols in conjunction with their chosen enterprise data protection software.

However, Dell and HPE differ in how they deliver their respective data protection-optimized protocols, which the report covers in greater detail.

Cyber Resilience

Insider threats and ransomware can target  backup appliances and attempt to compromise the user data stored on them. These attacks can cripple an organization’s ability to recover should its production systems come under attack. To address these threats, both Dell and HPE offer multiple cyber resilience features within their respective systems.

These cybersecurity features include Identity and Access Management (IAM), data preservation, and data integrity. The report provides more detail on how both Dell and HPE deliver on these specific cyber resilience features.

Enterprise Data Protection Software and Storage System Integrations

Dell PowerProtect DD and HPE StoreOnce backup appliances both integrate with storage systems and enterprise data protection software to optimize backup management.

Support for storage systems occurs by integrating with the storage system’s replication feature, typically its snapshot functionality. This integration serves to move copies of data from the storage system to the PBBA. The snapshot integration may also facilitate recoveries of the snapshot from the PBBA.

Integrations with third-party enterprise data protection software help better manage backups residing on the backup appliances. This management helps manage data retention on the PBBA, data placement (local or in the cloud), and can facilitate faster restores. The report provides the types of enterprise data protection software and storage system integrations offered, along with specific details on which data protection software and storage systems they support.

The Justifications for When to Choose HPE StoreOnce

Both HPE and Dell can help organizations build a cyber-resilient storage infrastructure. However, they implemented different architectural approaches to do so.

HPE StoreOnce Systems simplify deployments and management with the HPE Alletra MP X10000 with data accelerator nodes well-positioned to handle the most demanding workloads. In contrast, most Dell PowerProtect Data Domain PBBAs rely more heavily upon external shelves for scaling capacity with some flexibility to introduce HA.

These architectural trade-offs dictate that organizations only choose a provider after first analyzing their data protection requirements. Those that already have a Dell or HPE envi­ronment will find it compelling to stay with their current provider. However, this report provides details and scenarios to provide organization the justifications as to when to choose HPE over Dell.

KEEP UP-TO-DATE WITH DCIG

To be notified of new DCIG articles, reports, and webinars, sign up for DCIG’s free weekly Newsletter.

To learn about DCIG’s future research and publications, see the DCIG Editorial Calendar.

Technology providers interested in licensing DCIG TOP 5 reports or having DCIG produce custom reports on their behalf, please contact DCIG for more information.

Note: HPE is a client of DCIG.

Entry updated at 4:00 pm CST on 12/19/2025.