We performed a comparison between Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series and NetApp FAS Series based on real PeerSpot user reviews.
Find out in this report how the two All-Flash Storage solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI."It's helped us because we've changed fundamentally what we talk about. We don't talk about storage and different tiers of storage anymore nor do we talk about servers. We talk now about applications and how applications impact the business and end users."
"It's incredibly easy to use and greatly simplified our ability to both deploy and manage our storage subsystems."
"The initial setup was extremely simple and straightforward."
"Offers excellent features like efficient data reduction, a reliable SafeMode, and a great support model for continuous assistance and updates."
"FlashArray has some fresh efficiency features. I've never seen a storage solution with a compression rating this high before. It's at least 4-to-1 on Oracle databases. It's the best flash storage for Oracle."
"We're able to get higher-density workloads on the same infrastructure, and we have a smaller physical footprint. The performance is excellent – during our test the bottlenecks are never on the X array, it just keeps picking up the pace to match what you need. The real-time visibility is a differentiator in my opinion."
"The solution is scalable."
"Pure FlashArray X NVMe has low latency and high Ops. It is an evergreen model."
"Ability to cluster two storages together with HA availability."
"The product’s quality of service guarantees the performance of each workload."
"Last year, I did a DM Series installation with my colleague, and this installation was effortless because we had Lenovo support on the phone, so it was easy to get help if we had any problems."
"Scalable and stable storage array."
"The most valuable feature of Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series is its capability to tier to the cloud, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS. Additionally, the integration is good and they are user-friendly."
"The FlexClone feature is the solution's most valuable aspect."
"The price of this solution is good."
"The solution offers very good reliable systems and storage for our clients."
"It offers data compression and people management."
"The most valuable features are compression and dedupe."
"I like the unified management feature because sometimes you end up running a single protocol on the entire system."
"It's a stable product. No issues there."
"At the moment, we use NetApp SnapMirror to replicate data to another filer at an offsite location for backup. So, I like this feature."
"Other products lose performance over time, but NetApp OS is speed-optimized."
"Using the built-in Snapshots and SnapMirror technology, we were able to have better working data protection locally and off-site."
"End-users like that they can rely on the Snapshot technology so they can do their restores themselves."
"There is room for improvement in the pricing of the product."
"In the future, I would like to see integration with enterprise backup systems."
"In the next release, I would like to see real-time analytics for further insight into consumption models."
"It is on the expensive side."
"We've seen that when we create a POD in synchronous mode, it increases the latency."
"I would like to see replication and DR features in the next release of this solution."
"Every time I think of something that needs to improve, they're one step ahead, which I love. The only area I wish to see improve, I believe is coming, is in the FlashBlade product. Blade implementation fell short on a few of the services."
"We have run into a couple of instances recently where we are running out of space. So we have had to buy some more packs for it and they have deployed fine and it has increased smoothly."
"The solution needs a simpler licensing theme around the DM series. The problem is if you only need one of the features, you still have to buy the whole thing. The licensing needs to be more granular or flexible so you have the option to only license FlexCone or Inline Compression features."
"It takes a very long time to enter the management console, as well as to restart the system, and these are things that should be improved."
"I would like Lenovo to add a feature like IBM Easy Tier to DM Series. This is a crucial feature for the customers."
"This is an expensive solution."
"The tool's pricing is high."
"Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series could improve by having a snapshot feature. Additionally, there can be other features added to help restore the data faster."
"The licensing model needs to be revisited. It needs to be simplified."
"The solution should change the licensing model and allow customers to choose features based on their requirements."
"It's not a cheap system. It is very expensive. The pricing has been ridiculous every time that we had to renew the support."
"The solution's configuration is not flexible."
"There are some technical limitations, but it would be great to have in-line deduplication and in-line compression for the FAS series as well."
"The solution could do more than just data."
"We no longer have OEM support in South Africa which is not helpful, it can be difficult. They should add an office back to the country because it was better."
"Cost is always a factor. Some people choose EMC or Dell because they perceive NetApp as being more expensive."
"If our customer needs a high-performance storage solution then we don't recommend this product."
"When getting new hardware, always tell the account manager that you are also considering other brands. They will be forced to adjust the price lower."
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series is ranked 20th in All-Flash Storage with 11 reviews while NetApp FAS Series is ranked 5th in Deduplication Software with 98 reviews. Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series is rated 7.6, while NetApp FAS Series is rated 8.8. The top reviewer of Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series writes "Simple deployment, stores data well, but missing features". On the other hand, the top reviewer of NetApp FAS Series writes "Offers good performance and ". Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series is most compared with NetApp AFF, Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series, Dell Unity XT, Dell PowerStore and Huawei OceanStor, whereas NetApp FAS Series is most compared with Dell PowerScale (Isilon), NetApp AFF, HPE StorageWorks MSA, Dell PowerProtect DD (Data Domain) and IBM FlashSystem. See our Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series vs. NetApp FAS Series report.
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