HPE StorageWorks MSA vs IBM FlashSystem comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between HPE StorageWorks MSA and IBM FlashSystem based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed HPE StorageWorks MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem Report (Updated: March 2024).
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Saleem Ullah-Khan
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"HPE StorageWorks MSA is an entry-level, cost-effective solution for SMB customers.""The most valuable feature of HPE StorageWorks MSA is its flexibility.""The most valuable features were the dual controllers and being able to expand it.""The product is very easy to deploy.""The simple configuration feature is great. It is very simple, allowing you to set up MSA very easily.""Monitoring is a very big thing. Other great features include block storage; volume creation and the data reliability scalability, which makes the solution really good.""I like StorageWorks' snapshots for our backup system. We had a pool of SSD and traditional drives. StorageWorks has a feature that transfers the hot data to high-performing drives.""The solution is very easy to use, it is not really complex for any user, such as non-technical individuals."

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"We've found the solution to be very stable so far.""IBM FlashSystem has been stable in our operations.""The most valuable feature of the solution is SCM (Storage Class Memory), which has the lowest latency value in the storage industry.""The compression and deduplication features are the most valuable.""High availability and enhanced security; Proven dependability; Data compression with hardware acceleration; Advanced copy services features are all in this product.""The performance is very good and we use this product to enhance our core system.""The storage system is one of the best in the world.""At the FlashSystem level, customers are especially fond of multi-tier and distributed rate systems, particularly the dynamic rate six arrays."

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Cons
"I rate HPE support four out of 10. I'm not happy with them. We purchased mission-critical support, and we're supposed to get a response in four hours. Instead, I'm waiting days for them to replace the drive. They asked me to send back the failed one, and I don't know the address. After I sent it back, they told me they haven't received it. It's a nightmare.""Synchronized replication is very important for MSA; however, HPE StorageWorks MSA doesn't provide synchronized replication.""The solution could improve by adding configuration tools.""Some clients have suggested room for improvement in expanding storage capacity beyond the base traces.""The support contract is expensive, although they are very responsive.""The solution's license should be integrated and not separate.""HPE StorageWorks MSA could maybe include a pay-top of texture feature or something like job replication.""The solution requires hardware."

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"IBM could do more marketing and improve brand awareness. I had never heard of this product until a colleague told me about it. FlashSystem could add a few features, but it would probably increase the price. For example, Pure Storage offers instant snapshotting and partitioning. That would be nice to have, but I think the cost would go up.""Additional licenses might be added for the fundamental licenses, such as those for copying and flash copies.""I think the only thing the developers can look at, is that it is limited to 25 gigabytes currently. In the next release they might want to increase that.""The solution's pricing is a bit high so there is room for improvement.""The solution is not easy to use and could improve.""The solution has a low number of NVME host attachments at 16 per IO group over the fiber channel.""They can include Amazon file system S3 protocol in the upcoming releases. It is a cloud file system. IBM FlashSystem doesn't have this feature in the box for high-end or mid-range. We have got requests for this from customers because we need to use S3 for EDI application storage. At the beginning of every year, IBM releases firmware. When I find any bugs in the firmware during the year, I am unable to find any information from IBM regarding the bug. I need to open a ticket, and the IBM engineering team makes a patch only for me. This patch is not public. By creating a customized patch for a client, they don't really solve the issue for everyone. If multiple users have the same bug, IBM should upload the patch on the official website so that we can download it. IBM FlashSystem has a monitoring tool in the box, but it is not advanced. I need a more advanced tool for more advanced equations and monitoring. All top three storage vendors, that is, EMC, IBM, and Pure Storage, don't have a powerful monitoring tool. To monitor our box to show the statistics for I/Os and latency, I need to pay for extra software. The built-in monitoring storage is not mature enough to handle all requests and generate all reports that I need. They can include the functionality to stretch a cluster natively without using any additional boxes. In addition, there are some features that EMC has integrated with the box. These features are not available in IBM FlashSystem.""This solution could be improved by offering greater amounts of storage."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "When we bought this solution it was very reasonably priced and they were willing to deal."
  • "This solution is quite expensive; they should lower the cost."
  • "This solution involves a one-time CapEx payment, followed by warranty extensions."
  • "The price of the solution is a little high and they should provide more competitive pricing. If you want to increases the storage size there are additional fees."
  • "The solution can be a bit expensive."
  • "HPE StorageWorks MSA's licensing is perpetual and not integrated."
  • "I would rate the pricing as nine out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
  • More HPE StorageWorks MSA Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Pricing can be considered as per market competition."
  • "The total storage capacity vs price is still quite high for the IBM Flash Array."
  • "It pays to go back and get the best price you can from your supplier. The first offer is not always at the best discount."
  • "Regarding licensing make sure you add at least three years software maintenance from IBM at the beginning, because you will not be able to download firmware updates or any fixes/patches without this."
  • "IBM V7000 has a new license and price structure which provides intuitive licensing based on the functions customers wish to enable and use the most."
  • "The pricing has been very competitive for the last few years. IBM got to the point where they changed the pricing model and we feel very comfortable with the pricing. It's very competitive. Over the last two years, IBM has been coming up with all kinds of interesting promos, especially for the SMB systems. That makes it very competitive price-wise and in terms of performance..."
  • "For a yearly license, it is about $100,000. There are no additional costs. The entire system is included."
  • "The integration is already included in the license cost of IBM FlashSystem. The integration is very easy. You get the IBM storage core with all software, firmware, and upgrades. EMC provides the features in the box, but they are not free for customers. There is a licensing cost for features. We have yearly licensing, but IBM has also provided a new option where you pay as you go. They provide a big box, and I pay, for example, for 10 terabytes. If I exceed 10 terabytes, IBM will charge for the new storage after 10 terabytes. It is a good opportunity in the market for using the storage as a cloud and paying as you go."
  • More IBM FlashSystem Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of HPE StorageWorks MSA is its flexibility.
    Top Answer:HPE StorageWorks MSA is a bit expensive, starting at over 10,000 euros. This might be a hurdle for small businesses. Lowering the price could make it more accessible, especially when considering… more »
    Top Answer:While HPE StorageWorks MSA meets my needs well, some clients have suggested room for improvement in expanding storage capacity beyond the base traces. There has been occasional feedback about minor… more »
    Top Answer:The most valuable feature of the solution is SCM (Storage Class Memory), which has the lowest latency value in the storage industry.
    Top Answer:The solution's infrastructure technology level could be PCI Express 5 instead of PCI Express 4 for the next version. In addition to SaaS-based enclosures, the solution's expansion options must include… more »
    Ranking
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    2,167
    Comparisons
    1,719
    Reviews
    4
    Average Words per Review
    356
    Rating
    7.5
    Views
    2,284
    Comparisons
    1,763
    Reviews
    14
    Average Words per Review
    360
    Rating
    8.7
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    HP StorageWorks MSA
    IBM Storwize
    Learn More
    Overview
    Whether you need best-in-class performance or are looking to get the most capacity for your investment, MSA has a fast, affordable solution for you. And every MSA comes with an intuitive setup and management interface anyone can master.

    IBM FlashSystem products are enterprise computer data storage systems that store data on flash memory chips. Unlike storage systems that use standard solid-state drives, IBM FlashSystem products incorporate custom hardware based on technology from the 2012 acquisition of Texas Memory Systems. This hardware provides performance, reliability, and efficiency benefits versus competitive offerings.

    Offer
    Learn more about HPE StorageWorks MSA
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    IBM FlashSystem products are enterprise computer data storage systems that store data on flash memory chips. Unlike storage systems that use standard solid-state drives, IBM FlashSystem products incorporate custom hardware based on technology from the 2012 acquisition of Texas Memory Systems. This hardware provides performance, reliability, and efficiency benefits versus competitive offerings.

    Sample Customers
    Femsa CSC, TTX, Rabobank
    Celero, Friedhelm Loh Group, Clarks, Mingkang Natregro Health Food Group, Sofia, Etisalat Fights Fraud, UF Health Shands Hospital, Generali, Elecon Engineering Company Limited, Ventiv , Technology, CPFL Energia, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., SciQuest, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Paddy Power, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Interconnect Services, Severstal IP-Only AB, PVU Group GmbH
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company38%
    Consumer Goods Company13%
    Aerospace/Defense Firm13%
    Educational Organization13%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Manufacturing Company11%
    Government9%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm28%
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government8%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business38%
    Midsize Enterprise33%
    Large Enterprise29%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business32%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise49%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business37%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise48%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise55%
    Buyer's Guide
    HPE StorageWorks MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about HPE StorageWorks MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    HPE StorageWorks MSA is ranked 5th in Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) with 18 reviews while IBM FlashSystem is ranked 2nd in Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) with 105 reviews. HPE StorageWorks MSA is rated 8.4, while IBM FlashSystem is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of HPE StorageWorks MSA writes "An affordable solution for data storage but lacks cloud backup". On the other hand, the top reviewer of IBM FlashSystem writes "An easy GUI and simple provisioning but our model does not support compression". HPE StorageWorks MSA is most compared with NetApp FAS Series, HPE 3PAR StoreServ, Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform, Fujitsu Eternus DX400 series and HPE EVA, whereas IBM FlashSystem is most compared with Dell PowerStore, Pure Storage FlashArray, NetApp AFF, Dell Unity XT and Lenovo ThinkSystem DM Series. See our HPE StorageWorks MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem report.

    See our list of best Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) vendors.

    We monitor all Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.