Dell SC Series vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series comparison

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Dell SC Series and Lenovo ThinkSystem DE 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.

To learn more, read our detailed Dell SC Series vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series Report (Updated: June 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Dell SC Series vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

June 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Market share comparison

As of June 2024, in the All-Flash Storage category, the market share of Pure FlashArray X NVMe is 1.0% and it decreased by 2.2% compared to the previous year. The market share of Dell SC Series is 1.2% and it decreased by 12.4% compared to the previous year. The market share of Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series is 2.7% and it decreased by 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

All-Flash Storage

Unique Categories:

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays

8.0%

Frame-Based Disk Arrays

28.6%

No other categories found

Featured Reviews

Daniel Aramayo

Implementation and Support Engineer at PRACSO S.R.L.

May 21, 2021

Reasonably priced, scales well, and offers good stability

We primarily use the solution for cluster applications and databases. We use the solution on the DBA and those that use double machines Being able to have broken files on-site on the same appliance is quite useful. The newer version of NVME has a really noticeable difference in quality versus the…

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Whitney Gray

Storage Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Nov 24, 2020

Automated architecture that proactively optimizes your database

There's always room for improvement in the operating code; minor improvements here and there. We haven't had any real requests for them lately. I can't really think of anything. Support for Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVME). Most of the newer storage systems support it, but this one doesn't because of its age. Support for that was something we had looked at, but they said, "No, we're not offering that with this. It's going to be in the next product, not in this product because the architecture is just too old." I'd look for that — support for NVME. That's really the only supportable or new feature that I'd really be looking for.

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Gastone Canali

IT Consultant at Effegibi

Jun 15, 2023

Provides good stability and is reliable in terms of performance

The solution is reliable in terms of performance They should include a snapshot feature for the solution. We have been using the solution for two to three years. The solution is stable. We have 60 solution users in our organization. The solution's initial setup process is easy. It takes three…

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Pure FlashArray X NVMe will quickly overcome all the hurdles you face, including network and latency issues."

"The latency is good."

"It's incredibly easy to use and greatly simplified our ability to both deploy and manage our storage subsystems."

"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 is very easy to install and configure. It has got excellent diagnostics. If you really need to see how the box is performing, the console gives you a lot of information. You can set thresholds as well as alerts based on the thresholds, which is a very powerful functionality. They are very proactive. They know how to monitor and manage the systems. They see a problem, and they are all over it before us. They see the problem before we see it, which is very good."

"One of the best features is the support, which is excellent."

"What I really like about this program, is that it is easy to use and easy to configurate."

"Pure FlashArray X NVMe helps to improve our processing speed. It is user-friendly and easy to use."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pros

"It's very scalable, especially with federation. If you outgrow the number of spindles that a unit can support, depending on the model, you can go into federation."

"The solution is stable; we've had no problems at all."

"The Dell support is helpful and the response is quick. The agents' knowledge is very good."

"The most valuable feature is the speed for the end-user."

"Performance-wise it's high speed. It's also more stable and scalable."

"The setup and installation is much simpler now, because Dell has standardized the configure process."

"With federation, you can have multiple systems across sites. You can treat them as one, and with a live migration, volumes don't go down. You can move them from site to site, doing maintenance, and keep your environment up."

"One time, we had a drive fail and we were notified before we even saw it on the device."

More Dell SC Series pros

"Fewer features is not necessarily a negative as it leads to simpler operation and lower price."

"This solution is good for virtualization and meets the need for CPU and RAM requirements."

"The solution's initial setup process is easy."

"The solution is very easy to troubleshoot. It's one of the most valuable features. It also doesn't take long to deploy and normally it comes with a three-year warranty."

"The most valuable features of the Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series are the dual controllers, available installation documentation, and the option of multiple host bus adapter interfaces."

"Its initial setup process is easy."

"The solution is very easy to set up."

"ThinkSystem's storage performs well, and the price per gigabyte is good, especially on SSD solutions. It's also easy to use."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series pros

Cons

"We would like to see more visibility into garbage collection and CPU performance in the GUI."

"Right now, the box itself is just strictly working as a backend storage system. It would be fantastic if we could access it directly like a NAS device through network access or SIS drives. I think they have an interface, but I am not sure how good it is. If we could address a box directly on the network without having to go through a server, it would be great. The replication schemas could be improved. We are not using replication on the storage level right now. We use a different type of replication. If their replication would be as good as the one that we have, I would probably run the replication schema because it might be faster, but I don't know that for a fact. So, I cannot say that they have good replication. All I can say is that they need to inform us better."

"Our use cases require more multi-tenant capabilities and additional VLAN interfaces for separating different customers. We currently use it to provide storage, sometimes shared storage, to different customers, but it is less flexible in comparison to a dedicated solution."

"We need better data deduplication."

"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."

"I want to see Pure Storage not only be for fast storage, but I want to see it be for the entire data center."

"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 tool's portfolio is minimal. It is expensive."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe cons

"I would like to see higher compression, dedupe, faster I/O, and bigger drives."

"Snapshots in VMware. You can’t do snapshots since the storage itself does that. Therefore, some apps (Veeam, for example) don’t work well with this kind of tiering storage."

"Dell could improve the upgrading process."

"While the price is competitive, in the next release it would be better if they could reduce the fees."

"From a performance point of view, it's getting a bit old."

"While the scalability is good, there are certain limitations."

"I would like to improve the processing ability."

"The lack of reporting would be the main issue."

More Dell SC Series cons

"The difficult part comes when dealing with the host. You have to enable multi-pathing and other aspects that are needed for proper configuration. I don't know if there is room for a more hyper-conversion structure to work with, but this would be easier."

"ThinkSystem could be better integrated with backup software like Commvault, Veritas, or Symantec."

"Improvements can be made to the product's performance."

"The solution could be more scalable, although it suits our present needs."

"In the next release, I would like to see more functionality. But, again, it is an entry-level product."

"In the next release, I would like to see support for Hyper-converged infrastructure."

"The features are limited."

"Usually, when a part fails, we have to replace it and it takes a while. It would be better if the part could be available locally here in Kenya so we don't have to wait so long to repair the solution."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its price could be better. It is not too expensive, but it is the high-end cost. It is kind of a Rolls-Royce. You pay a lot, but you get a lot out of it. So, the price pressure on the way down would be great, but at the end of the day, if you need to do the work, you just pay for it."

"With Pure Storage, we would like to continue seeing price reductions with flash storage. I don't think we're any different than anybody else when we continue to look to the industry for price reductions of both NVMe and traditional SSD storage. We would like to see these prices continue to decline and erode, even displacing large spinning disks."

"The support cost per array is about $20,000 a year for 24/7 support."

"The licensing is on a yearly basis."

"We pay approximately $50,000 USD per year in licensing fees."

"Pretty much everything that you need is licensed when you buy the product. Licensing to me is different than the maintenance cost, but they can bleed into one another. We buy the product, and we expect three years of support bundled into what we negotiate on our storage arrays. I would start to see maintenance costs going into the fourth year, but we're not there yet."

"With VMware, we pay $300,000 annually."

"The tool is an investment that we've budgeted for. While the prices may be higher than those of other vendors, we see it as a market leader with benefits. We don't regret purchasing it."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pricing and cost advice

"It's absolutely affordable. Again, not having to do a forklift upgrade like some of the others have had to do in the past, it's very affordable for our customers and they continue to buy."

"The maintenance is usually pretty good. It's not like some of the others where they increase it in the fourth, fifth, or sixth years."

"This solution could be better priced in comparison with other vendors."

"There are costs involving the solution, vendor fees and product safety which are additional."

"It's a very affordable solution."

"The scalability seems a bit more expensive than even buying a brand new one so far. That has been kind of a drawback."

"We have the basic license for the use of this solution and it is a permanent license. The overall cost could be less, it is expensive."

"It is one of the most cost effective systems for us. We have been able to run it longer than most, getting the most benefit and money out of it."

More Dell SC Series pricing and cost advice

"The best thing about this solution is its price, which reduces our costs."

"The pricing is fair and low compared to other products in this category."

"It is an expensive solution."

"The solution's price could be better."

"The price of the Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series is a one-time purchase. There is a global price list available to find the price of the solution."

"We have a five-year contract for providing support."

"All of the features are bundled together, and you can renew the bundle with all of the features included."

"The pricing for this solution is good compared to HP or Dell EMC."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Computer Software Company

21%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

Pure FlashArray X NVMe helps to improve our processing speed. It is user-friendly and easy to use.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

The tool is an investment that we've budgeted for. While the prices may be higher than those of other vendors, we see...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

The tool's pricing is higher than competitors.

See all answers

What do you like most about Dell SC Series?

I find this version to be more budget-friendly compared to products from other vendors. This aspect greatly benefits ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell SC Series?

There are costs involving the solution, vendor fees and product safety which are additional.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell SC Series?

I would like to improve the processing ability.

See all answers

What do you like most about Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series?

The solution's initial setup process is easy.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series?

The solution's price could be better.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series?

They should include a snapshot feature for the solution.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerStore vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 20% of the time

Dell Unity XT vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 17% of the time

Pure Storage FlashArray vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 11% of the time

Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 9% of the time

Pure Storage FlashBlade vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 9% of the time

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe Competitors

Dell PowerStore vs Dell SC Series

Compared 58% of the time

Dell Unity XT vs Dell SC Series

Compared 14% of the time

IBM FlashSystem vs Dell SC Series

Compared 8% of the time

Huawei OceanStor vs Dell SC Series

Compared 5% of the time

NetApp AFF vs Dell SC Series

Compared 4% of the time

More Dell SC Series Competitors

Dell PowerStore vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Compared 27% of the time

NetApp AFF vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Compared 14% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Compared 13% of the time

IBM FlashSystem vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Compared 9% of the time

Dell Unity XT vs Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Compared 9% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

May 2024

Download Pure FlashArray X NVMe product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell SC Series

June 2024

Download Dell SC Series product report

Buyer's Guide

All-Flash Storage

May 2024

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series product report

Also Known As

Pure FlashArray//X NVMe, Pure FlashArray//X, FlashArray//X

SC Series Storage, Compellent

ThinkSystem DE Series

Learn More

Pure Storage

Dell Technologies

Lenovo

Overview

Pure Storage FlashArray//X is the world’s first enterprise-class, all-NVMe flash storage array. It represents a new class of storage – shared accelerated storage, which is a term coined by Gartner – that delivers major breakthroughs in performance, simplicity, and consolidation.

Dell EMC SC Series arrays provide a unified platform for the ultimate in performance, adaptability and machine-driven efficiency. SC Series software delivers modern features that help you meet aggressive workload demands using the fewest drives necessary. With an open, future-ready design, SC Series storage integrates seamlessly with applications and infrastructure, enabling you to scale on a single platform and add capabilities without forklift upgrades.

The DE All-Flash Series delivers the performance of more than 2,000 15k rpm HDDs, yet requires only 2% of the rack space, power, and cooling. Because it consumes 98% less space and power, DE Series can significantly improve the overall efficiency of your IT operations while continuing to meet your performance requirements.

Sample Customers

Fremont Bank, Judson ISD, The Nielsen Company

TGen, Frost Science, Gerrie Electric

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Dell SC Series vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

June 2024

Free Report: Dell SC Series vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell SC Series vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem DE Series and other solutions. Updated: June 2024.

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