Brian Moreno - PeerSpot reviewer
Computer Services Manager at Child Parent Centers
Real User
Reliable with great support and good analytics
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable aspects include hot swapping and the elasticity as far as being able to scale."
  • "It's more from the pandemic, however, the logistics part of it could be better."

What is our primary use case?

The setup is hybrid right now. It was formerly strictly on-premise and we used it for our file storage and for our virtual machines.

Originally, it was purchased for strict file storage and access on-prem. However, when COVID hit, we ended up purchasing laptops for every single employee that we had. Having to use our new file storage device, which is no longer on-premises as they're now at home, was easy. That's why we went with a hybrid environment. We put a lot of the data into the cloud and backed it up in the on-premises file storage.

How has it helped my organization?

It allowed us to move some file storage that we had around. It allowed us to really look into what we had and what we were using. Looking at Apex, it is setting us up for when it will need a refresh or when it is at its end of life.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable aspects include hot swapping and the elasticity as far as being able to scale. We had a bunch of stuff on an old, existing EMC. The company was unaware that they had to keep the files that they had for so long. We realized that once we were meeting the seven-year mark and we could start purging some of those files, we had to scale down a little bit.

The initial purchase that we had was a little big, however, as we started adding more users that were working from home and had their own drive, OneDrive, we had to expand it a little bit. Dell was able to ship me bigger hard drives.

When it comes to running the latest high-demand applications, PowerEdge is good. The VMware that we had was almost end-of-life, so we had to upgrade it and Dell helped out with that quite a bit, putting it on our PowerEdge and assisting us with a lot of stuff that VMware didn’t. VMware just said, "Here. Here's your product. Good luck.” Dell was a lot more helpful. They had a lot of engineers that knew about that service that we were trying to tap into a little better.

The BIOS recovery was something we used because we had a huge power outage and a power strike when one of our air conditioners had a bad power surge run through it at our facility. Dell helped us rebuild our actual BIOS system in it, as one of the mirror arrays that we were using just wasn't being seen. We were afraid it was a hardware issue, however, it was really a BIOS issue that we couldn't see right off the jump. We’re glad Dell was there to help.

The solution's analytics helped to decrease production downtime by at least 30%. I'm in Arizona and down in Tucson we don't get that much downtime. We have a lot of battery backups, we have a generator system, and more. However, when it does happen, the analytics of it, as far as the trends on what months the monsoon season hits, it kept all in the logs.

The system management capabilities of PowerEdge helped increase stack productivity. We've had a little bit of turnover in our system admin department, however, having the ability to go back and look through the logs and see how users ended up using their home drive, their shared files, and their encrypted files really helped out my new guys coming on board.

The solution's accelerated GPUs help support demanding workloads in our organization. We had a couple of changing workloads due to the fact that when people shifted from home, they were hitting the server from a different angle. They were coming in off a virtual private network instead of being on-premises and the system didn't blink.

I’m not sure if PowerEdge helped to reduce data processing time in our organization as we don't crunch a lot. We do have a lot of videos coming in and a lot of video editing going on, so in that way, it does help.

The PowerEdge system management frameworks enable us to progress towards full automation. We knew what we were looking for when we refreshed this last model and we purchased a new server just from the analytics we got off the first one.

It helps me forecast better. We don't grow exponentially. Teachers are hard to come by, however, some will leave and some will stay. The business models are the same, yet they expect more. Now they want to do a video. They want to capture and record the videos and the Zoom meetings that they're doing, therefore, it's a little different.

What needs improvement?

It's more from the pandemic, however, the logistics part of it could be better. Getting an actual bare-bones server was a little difficult when we ordered it in beginning. I'm still waiting on the printers that I ordered last year as well. That's the only thing I would really say and I'm sure it has to do with the pandemic.

The latency of it is what we're running into, as our teachers do a lot of video captures, video teaching, Zoom, and Teams video conferencing, and their latency is getting worse with the public domain.

Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers
April 2024
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For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution since I've been with the company, probably for the last three years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good. There were different options that we could have gone to. We could either have gotten smaller hard drives and/or downsized if we needed to. They knew our business model was going to change when the pandemic hit.

We have about 650 end users on this particular solution and 80% of them are teachers. The rest are administrative professionals.

Currently, we are planning to put a new server that we have in the mix online and up and running with the PowerEdge server that we have. Now, with Apex and more coming out, we're looking to possibly pivot.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. We had to call Dell technical support when our BIOS got corrupted and they were on the spot. They escalated us to tier two within 20 minutes. It was really quick.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did previously use a different solution, however, I cannot remember what our large area network's device was.

Dell came in with a very competitive offer with the first model of storage that we got, so that's what my predecessor went to, and we kept it around.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was very straightforward. We knew exactly where we wanted to put it in our array and how we wanted to set it up, what the power requirements would be, where it would fit on my battery backup system, and the plan for system recovery in case it had to be gracefully shut down. It was super easy.

When deploying PowerEdge, we didn't get a chance to use the automated server and OS deployment features.

The deployment was scheduled for six hours and it took three. 

We actually had to migrate users off of an older version that we had onto the new box that we had. The implementation strategy was all about really getting our users off the box and making sure nobody was trying to access it. After that, it was just migrating users over, setting up the new box, putting it online, and running tests.

For maintenance, normally we use a server admin, myself, and maybe one other developer that helps us with the syslogs on it. There are probably three of us altogether.

What about the implementation team?

We used an integrated reseller for the deployment. They were amazing.

We had an issue with a brownout or a power strike and our BIOS got a bit corrupted, however, it was nothing that couldn't be recovered on the fly.

What was our ROI?

We've seen an ROI. I don't have any details offhand. I know when we first purchased it, we got a pretty good deal on it and we didn't know if it would actually meet end-of-life due to the usage that we had on it. However, it outperformed our metrics.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I'd advise others to use the pro services that come along with it, that are available for purchase with it. It helped us immensely. If you were to extend the service contract and get the pro level, it costs a bit more.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did evaluate other options. When it's over a certain dollar amount, we have to go out and get at least four bids.

What other advice do I have?

I can't remember the exact version we have. We just purchased a new Dell SAN.

We do not use PowerEdge for artificial intelligence applications yet. We're looking into it. Right now, a lot of the video data capture that we do is with children, school-aged children, and children in a preschool environment. We were thinking the AI might be able to help us where the teacher might not be looking. If they had a camera in the room to capture the relevant stuff that was going on as far as what the lesson plan was about that day, it might be helpful.

I have not had a chance to use the solution's iDRAC telemetry for monitoring PowerEdge system data and providing analytics, however, we're really looking into that right now. We got the new SAN going in and we'd like to monitor a little better.

We do not use the solution's CloudIQ for predictive analytic capabilities yet.

It is a very stable product. It's something that we use reliably for backups. It's something we use reliably for our main server for a long time and we'd definitely buy another.

My biggest takeaway is it's not as easy going straight to the cloud when you were an on-premises provider. If you are an on-premises provider and you have all your services on-premises, going to the cloud takes a couple of steps. It's not just one big jump.

I'd rate the product nine out of ten. If I could get the same amount of storage that I got three years ago now, I'd rate it ten out of ten. I'd order it as quickly as I did when we ordered it the first time.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Mohammed Farooqui - PeerSpot reviewer
Platform and Backup Support Senior Manager at Alinma Bank
Real User
Top 20
A centralized data processing solution that offered immediate ROI
Pros and Cons
  • "The complete hyper-converged infrastructure of this solution has been most useful. PowerEdge has helped to reduce data processing time by 20%."
  • "Since the start of COVID, there is a shortage of support resources and it is challenging to get queries resolved quickly."

What is our primary use case?

We used PowerEdge Rack Servers to transfer all of our physical servers and legacy systems into a virtualized environment on VMware. 

How has it helped my organization?

When we moved to PowerEdge Rack Servers, we converted all the physical legacy servers to the virtualized server. This reduced the operational cost, maintenance, and availability of the environment by 30 to 40%.

This solution's analytics have helped to decrease downtime. We were previously maintaining functionality by 92 to 93%, and this has increased to 98 to 99%.

What is most valuable?

The security features that PowerEdge provides have been very useful for our environment. We have integrated iDRAC Telemetry with our internal centralized monitoring tool, HPSM.

The complete hyper-converged infrastructure of this solution has been most useful. PowerEdge helped to reduce the data processing time by 20%. The system's management frameworks enabled us to progress towards full automation. 

For how long have I used the solution?


What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a very stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable solution. We have almost 800 servers hosted on PowerEdge as well as almost all major banking applications. 

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the technical support for this solution a seven out of ten. Since the start of COVID, there is a shortage of support resources and it is challenging to get queries resolved quickly. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used HPE servers, but found that Dell offered enhanced features in comparison and was the best option in Saudi Arabia. Dell offered stability and scalability. 

How was the initial setup?

Deployment took approximately a week. Initially, we required three people to do the deployment. After the deployment, we have three people dedicated to doing operations and maintenance.

What about the implementation team?

The initial setup was completed by Dell.

What was our ROI?

Within 24 months, we saw return on investment by using this solution. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is good compared to other products. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend PowerEdge Rack Servers because it is very stable and easy to deploy, manage, and maintain. It also offers reliable performance. 

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers
April 2024
Learn what your peers think about Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2024.
769,334 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Manager, Information Technology at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Reliable servers with efficient deployment, robust performance, and comprehensive management tools
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the key reasons we integrate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, particularly the ID Rack model, is for its remote monitoring and administration capabilities."
  • "Its customer support should be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We employ Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers within our vSphere cluster to support our business applications.

How has it helped my organization?

Virtual storage, bandwidth optimization with caching, SSD integration, and similar features contribute significantly to the overall performance and efficiency of the servers. These advancements provide a notable improvement in operations.

The PowerEdge servers have poor energy consumption performance.

For the sustainability of our company, we plan to purchase new PowerEdge servers. Our current servers have been in use for five years and are nearing the end of their life cycle. Therefore, we intend to replace them with new PowerEdge servers to ensure continued efficiency and satisfaction.

It contributed to reducing production downtime by approximately 20%.

What is most valuable?

One of the key reasons we integrate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, particularly the ID Rack model, is for its remote monitoring and administration capabilities. This feature is essential for managing the servers efficiently, allowing remote access and administration without the need for physical monitors or on-site presence.

What needs improvement?

Using SD cards for installing the hypervisor is not particularly reliable. Its customer support should be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the servers for fifteen years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It offers excellent stability.

How are customer service and support?

Tech support can be slow to respond at times, and there are occasions when they seem hesitant to trust our assessments. This can lead to prolonged troubleshooting processes, often requiring us to provide extensive logs for investigation. I would rate it seven out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We utilize various types of servers, with a predominant focus on HPE models.
In my view, there isn't a significant distinction between them; they essentially perform the same tasks but in slightly different ways. There are variations in management tools, however. Customers seem to prefer Dell, possibly due to their positive experiences with the products and alignment with specific guidelines or regulations.

What about the implementation team?

Deployment was straightforward, and to be honest, not much different from other solutions.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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IT-Systems Administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Reliable servers with easy management and good service
Pros and Cons
  • "Reliability is important for us. They are reliable, and the service is very good."
  • "The server itself is good, but sometimes, the salesperson forgets to sell us the right controller. It is related to sales. It is not related to the technical part."

What is our primary use case?

We have virtualization running on Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. We have VMware. We have some physical workloads. We also have Oracle databases.

How has it helped my organization?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are reliable and do not require a lot of maintenance. We put them in the rack and forget them. 

In terms of the overall flexibility of our operations, we have a lot of servers, and because of virtualization, it is very flexible, but it has nothing to do with the hardware.

What is most valuable?

Reliability is important for us. They are reliable, and the service is very good. iDRAC is a good feature that we use very often. We are rarely in the data center.

What needs improvement?

The server itself is good, but sometimes, the salesperson forgets to sell us the right controller. It is related to sales. It is not related to the technical part. There is nothing that can be improved in these servers technically.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working in this organization for nine years, and they were already using Dell servers when I joined. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

These servers are very stable.

How are customer service and support?

Most times, we take care of things on our own. Usually, when there is something that needs to be fixed or replaced, we take Dell's help. I would rate their support an eight out of ten. It is very good, but it can always be better.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We only use Dell servers.

How was the initial setup?

They are easy to deploy. There are no problems with that.

What was our ROI?

We have seen an ROI. We rarely have any problems with these servers. Overall, it is a good deal.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We have not compared them with others. The price is okay, but they can always be a little bit cheaper.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Gateri Hafid Bonfoh - PeerSpot reviewer
Chef de project IT at Messer France
Real User
A strong and reliable solution that is easy to use and provides excellent technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very strong and reliable."
  • "The vendor must provide cheaper versions of the tool for smaller use cases."

What is our primary use case?

The product is used for virtualization. I work for a gas company. We have a lot of locations in France. We use some applications to pilot the process of making gases. In each location, we use Dell PowerEdge to implement and supervise the process of gas production and processing.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very strong and reliable. The capacity is very good. Whenever I want to add an application server in a production location, I choose Dell PowerEdge. The solution is simple to manage. The maintenance and support are really good. It is easy to use. We did not face any big problems that we couldn’t resolve.

What needs improvement?

The solution’s sales policies must be changed. Sometimes, we need the tool for a small use case. The vendor must provide cheaper versions of the tool for smaller use cases.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution since 2015.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable compared to other products.

How are customer service and support?

The support is really good. The support team is reliable. Compared to HPE, Dell's support is better. The support contracts of Dell are very clear. The communication we have with the salespeople is also very clear. The support team is quick. When we have a problem, we can find a solution quickly. We do not have to wait or send multiple emails to explain our problems.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using other servers before. However, there were long delays in deliveries. We use Microsoft’s operating system. I choose Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers because its compatibility with Microsoft is really good. We can use it with other operating systems, too. We also use HPE's servers.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is expensive. We buy it for three years but use it for five years by extending the guarantee. We have been using it for ten years. It makes it past the depreciation value for a long time. We have to buy new servers every five years. If we need two servers, we buy one, use it for five years, and replace it with a new one. We are using it economically.

What other advice do I have?

We provide products to beverage companies. We also provide medical gases to hospitals. In my company, we are not managing energy. We have a special team with many people who manage energy. We are buying energy. We need to do all the things that are needed to keep the production safe. Energy is not our focus. I have never thought about energy conservation in three years.

We use MPLS and SD-WAN. We have a private network for all our locations. The PowerEdge connects our VLAN and the users’ VLAN. When we want control of our servers, we can take the control directly. If we want to see whether the equipment is working well, we can take control of the switch that communicates to the server.

We have a special VLAN. It’s an administrative VLAN. Only IT persons like me have access to the VLAN. The access is quick and easy because of Dell PowerEdge. The implementation is simple. We use it every time and do not have a problem with it.

We don't use many other servers. We do not have problems with switching Dell PowerEdge on and off. It is really simple for our technicians. The tool has helped us reduce unplanned production downtime. In all our racks, we have an inverter. We have a program to notify the server to back up and shut down cleanly.

When there is a downtime, we only check whether the processing is fine. We have not had any problem with it for many years. It works well. We can do everything we want to do with the tool. When we chose other servers, we faced problems within a year. Dell PowerEdge is a good solution. We have been using it for a long time. The vendor must provide servers for smaller use cases.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

Foreign Language:(French)

Une Solution Robuste Et Fiable Qui Est Facile À Utiliser Et Qui Offre Un Excellent Support Technique

Quel est notre cas d’utilisation principal?

Nous nous servons de ces produits pour de la virtualisation. Je travaille pour une compagnie de gaz. Nous avons beaucoup de sites en France. Nous utilisons certaines des applications pour tester le processus de fabrication de gaz. Sur chaque site, nous utilisons des Dell PowerEdge pour implémenter et surveiller le processus de production et de transformation des gaz.

Qu’est-ce qui est le plus utile?

Cette solution est très robuste et fiable. La capacité est très bonne. Chaque fois que je veux ajouter un serveur d’application sur un site de production, je choisis Dell PowerEdge. Cette solution est simple à gérer. La maintenance et le support sont vraiment très bons. C’est facile à utiliser. Nous n’avons pas rencontré de gros problèmes que nous ne pouvons pas résoudre.

Qu’est-ce qui peut être amélioré?

La politique de vente de cette solution devrait être changée. Nous avons parfois besoin de cet outil pour un cas d’utilisation à petite échelle. Le fournisseur devrait pouvoir proposer des versions de cet outil moins chères pour des cas d’utilisation à petite échelle.

Depuis combien de temps j’utilise cette solution?

J’utilise cette solution depuis 2015.

Quelles sont mes impressions sur la stabilité de cette solution?

Cet outil est stable par rapport à d'autres produits.

Comment sont le service clients et le support?

Le support est vraiment très bon. L'équipe de support est fiable. Par rapport à HPE, le support de Dell est meilleur. Les contrats de support de Dell sont très clairs. La communication qu’on a avec les commerciaux est également très claire. L'équipe support est rapide. Quand nous avons un problème, nous pouvons trouver une solution rapidement. Nous ne devons pas attendre, ni envoyer plusieurs courriels, pour expliquer nos problèmes.

Comment évalueriez-vous le service client et le support?

Positivement.

Quelle solution ai-je utilisé auparavant et pourquoi ai-je changé?

On utilisait d’autres serveurs avant. Par contre, on avait de gros délais de livraison. On utilise le logiciel d’exploitation de Microsoft. Je choisis les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack parce que leur compatibilité avec Microsoft est vraiment bonne. On peut s’en servir avec d’autres systèmes d’exploitation. On utilise également des serveurs HPE.

Quelle est mon expérience avec les tarifs, les coûts d’installation et du licensing?

Cette solution est chère. Nous l'achetons pour trois ans mais nous l'utilisons pendant cinq ans en allongeant la garantie. Nous l'utilisons depuis dix ans. Cela dépasse sa valeur d’amortissement de beaucoup de temps. Nous devons acheter des serveurs tous les cinq ans. Si nous avons besoin de deux serveurs, nous en achetons un et on s’en sert pendant cinq ans et puis, nous le remplissons avec un nouveau. Nous nous en servons de manière économique.

Quels autres conseils avez-vous?

Nous fournissons des produits à des compagnies de boissons. Nous fournissons également des gaz à usage médical aux hôpitaux. Dans ma société, nous ne gérons pas l'énergie. Nous avons une équipe spécialisée composée de plusieurs personnes et qui gère l'énergie. Nous achetons de l'énergie. Nous devons faire toutes les choses nécessaires à la sécurité de la production. L'énergie n’est pas notre priorité. Je n’ai accordé aucune pensée à l'économie d'énergie en trois ans.

Nous utilisons des MPLS et des SD-WAN. Nous avons un réseau privé pour tous nos sites. Les PowerEdge sont connectés sur notre VLAN et le VLAN des utilisateurs. Lorsque nous avons besoin de contrôler nos serveurs, nous pouvons directement prendre le contrôle. Si nous voulons vérifier que l'équipement fonctionne bien, nous pouvons prendre le contrôle de la commande qui communique avec le serveur.

Nous avons un VLAN spécial. C’est un VLAN administratif. Seul le personnel informatique, comme moi, ont accès à ce VLAN. L'accès est rapide et facile grâce au Dell PowerEdge. L'implémentation est simple. On l’utilise à chaque fois et nous n’avons aucun souci avec.

Nous n'utilisons pas beaucoup d’autres serveurs. Nous n’avons aucun problème à allumer ou éteindre les Dell PowerEdge. C’est vraiment simple pour nos techniciens. Cet outil nous a aidés à réduire les temps d'arrêts de production imprévus. Nous avons un inverseur dans tous nos racks. Nous avons un programme qui alerte le serveur pour tout sauvegarder et s'éteindre proprement.

Lorsqu’il y a un temps d'arrêt, nous vérifions seulement si le traitement fonctionne bien. Nous n’avons pas eu de problème avec ça depuis plusieurs années. Cela fonctionne bien. On peut faire tout ce que l’on veut avec cet outil. Lorsque nous choisissons d’autres serveurs, nous avons des problèmes la même année. Dell PowerEdge est une bonne solution. Nous nous en servons depuis très longtemps. Le fournisseur devrait fournir des serveurs pour des cas d’utilisation à petite échelle.

Globalement, je donne une note de huit sur dix pour cette solution.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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DSI at Mediactive SAS
Real User
Efficient, easy to use, and helpful for speed and resilience
Pros and Cons
  • "We use remote access a lot. They are fairly simple to use."
  • "We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers in the data center. We put the racks in bays. They can improve the compactness so that we can put more of them."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack servers for virtualization. We have these servers for the computing side, and then we have Dell Storage for the storage side.

How has it helped my organization?

By implementing this solution, we wanted speed and resilience. Everything is working well.

Resilience is not only linked to the servers. It is also linked to the software applications that we put on them, so we need to look at the services on PowerEdge. We have virtualization, and we install different products, such as firewalls, and implement access control. We use software for that, and it is working well with Dell PowerEdge.

In terms of energy consumption, we use them without energy limitations. We always use them at full capacity. They are always working at full capacity, so we use the machines at their maximum. The consumption is quite substantial, but we are not in the saving mode in our data centers. If the servers use less energy, that would be great, but they must provide a lot of power.

For handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, we have Full Flash, and as far as the processors are concerned, they work fine.

These servers are efficient. We do have some old ones. We just got rid of the old range, but we still have some from the 10th, 11th, and 12th Generation.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have not helped to reduce unplanned production downtime because that is not really linked to the servers. We do have quite a lot of them, so they are redundant. We have some load balancing, and we are using software solutions. For us, the PowerEdge servers or any other type of servers either help with computing or are used for storage. The rest is managed through software.

The OpenManage console has affected our IT staff’s productivity. We do use it, but mainly for setting up alerts.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have impacted the overall flexibility of our operations or business. Scalability is easy.

What is most valuable?

We use remote access a lot. They are fairly simple to use.

What needs improvement?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers in the data center. We put the racks in bays. They can improve the compactness so that we can put more of them.

We do not have much of a problem with the noise, but they are still as noisy as before, even after they have improved them.

The customer service on certain parts can be better, but nowadays, we do not get many issues. As far as we are concerned, it is a clean environment. It is a data center environment, so it has air conditioning. The servers do not face many restrictions. They do not have any dust.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for approximately 20 years. I work in the data center, so it has been a long time.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is fine. They are stable if they have been updated with the updates. As far as we are concerned, there is no downtime on the platform. Of course, we have to restart some servers, but because they are load-balanced, it does not at all impact our production. We just put them in maintenance mode, and we use the VMware solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With our method, it is simple for us. We can increase the computing and we can increase the storage because there are two different platforms. The hard disks are not in the computing servers. They are separated. If I want to add some computing, I buy more servers. If I want to add to the storage, I add to the storage bays with ESXi (in our case).

How are customer service and support?

We have known them for a long time. It is just a matter of knowing what to do for things to happen quickly, such as providing the serial numbers and rack data. We are used to it. It is going well. It is just about knowing the method, that is it.

I would rate their support an eight out of ten. There can be some kind of notice for when there is a change in disk capacity. It might not mean much to change a disk, but for us, it can sometimes be an issue because of our environment. We would prefer to have the exact same product on the same servers. That is it.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use the HPE range and the Dell range. We use both types of servers.

We used Supermicro a little bit in the beginning, but that was a long time ago. Nowadays, we use only two manufacturers: Dell and HPE.

How was the initial setup?

We were well prepared, and we have the same type of servers in the bays. The wiring is marked, and we know that environment very well.

What about the implementation team?

We buy from a reseller, and then we roll them out internally ourselves.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other solutions. There is not a lot of choice.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a nine out of ten because they are very good. The last generations are very good. 

Foreign Language:(French)

Compétents, faciles à utiliser et pratiques pour la vitesse et la résilience

Depuis combien de temps utilisez-vous les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack?

J’utilise les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack depuis environ 20 ans. Je travaille dans le centre de données et cela fait donc longtemps.


Quel est votre cas d’utilisation primaire pour cette solution? (Décrivez votre environnement en détail).

Nous utilisons les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack pour la virtualisation. Nous avons ces serveurs pour la partie informatique et les serveurs Dell Storage pour la partie stockage.

Comment les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack ont-ils amelioré votre organisation? Si ce n’est pas le cas, veuillez expliquer pourquoi.

En implémentant cette solution, on voulait la rapidité, la résilience et que tout fonctionne bien.

La résilience n’est pas liée qu’aux serveurs. Elle est également liée aux applications logicielles que l’on met dessus et il faut donc regarder les services sur les PowerEdge. Nous faisons de la virtualisation et nous installons donc des produits différents, comme les firewalls et nous implémentons un contrôle d'accès. Nous utilisons des logiciels pour cela et tout s’exécute bien avec le Dell PowerEdge.

En ce qui concerne la consommation d'énergie, nous on les utilise sans la limitation d'énergie. On les utilise toujours à plein régime. Ils fonctionnent toujours à pleine puissance et nous consommons donc, le maximum de la machine. La consommation est assez importante mais nous ne sommes pas en mode économie d'énergie dans notre centre de données. Si les serveurs consomment mieux, tant mieux, mais ils doivent fournir beaucoup de puissance.

Pour gérer les besoins évolutifs des charges de travail à haute performance, nous avons Full Flash et en ce qui concerne les processeurs, ils fonctionnent bien.

Les serveurs sont performants. On a des vieux modèles. On vient juste de se débarrasser de l’ancienne gamme mais on a encore des Générations 10, 11 et 12.

Les Serveurs Rack Dell PowerEdge n’ont pas aidé à réduire les temps d’arrêt de production imprévus car ce n’est pas vraiment lié aux serveurs. On en a beaucoup et donc, ils sont redondants. On a une répartition des charges et on utilise des solutions de logiciels. Pour nous, les serveurs PowerEdge ou n’importe quel type de serveurs nous aident soit à faire les calculs, soit à faire du stockage. Tout le reste est géré par des logiciels.

La console OpenManage a affecté la productivité du personnel informatique. On l’utilise mais surtout pour remonter les alertes.

Les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack ont impacté la flexibilité globale de nos opérations et de notre business. La scalabilité est facile.

Quelles fonctionnalités avez-vous trouvé les plus utiles et pourquoi?

On utilise beaucoup l'accès à distance. C’est plutôt facile à utiliser.

Dans quels domaines les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack pourraient-ils être améliorés?

On utilise les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack dans nos centres de données. Nous installons les racks dans les baies. Leur compacticité pourrait être améliorée afin que nous puissions en mettre plus.

Nous n’avons pas vraiment de problèmes avec le bruit bien qu’ils soient aussi bruyants qu’auparavant et malgré le fait qu’ils aient été améliorés.

Le service client pourrait être amélioré sur certains points mais nous n’avons plus beaucoup de problèmes à présent. En ce qui nous concerne, c’est un environnement propre. C’est un environnement de centre de données et donc, c’est climatisé. Les serveurs n’ont pas beaucoup de contraintes. Ils n’ont pas de poussière.

Avez-vous utilisé une solution différente auparavant et si oui, pourquoi avez-vous changé?

On utilise la gamme HPE et la gamme Dell. On utilise deux types de serveurs.

On avait utilisé un peu de Supermicro au début mais il y a très longtemps de cela. Maintenant, on utilise seulement deux constructeurs: Dell et HPE.

Avant de choisir, avez-vous évalué d’autres options? Dans ce cas, lesquelles?

Nous n’avons pas évalué d’autres solutions. Il n’y a pas beaucoup de choix.

Quelles sont vos impressions sur la scalabilité de cette solution?

Avec notre méthode, c’est simple pour nous. On peut augmenter le computing comme on peut augmenter le stockage parce que ce sont deux plateformes différentes. Les disques durs ne sont pas dans les serveurs de calcul. Ils sont separés. Si je veux rajouter du computing, je rachète des serveurs. Si je veux ajouter du stockage, je complète les baies de stockage en ESXi (pour notre cas à nous).

Quelles sont vos impressions sur la stabilité de cette solution?

La stabilité est bonne. Les serveurs sont stables s’ils ont été mis à jour. En ce qui nous concerne, il n’y a pas de temps d’arrêt sur la plateforme. Bien sûr, on redémarre des serveurs mais parce qu’ils sont en mode load-balance et donc ça n'a pas du tout d’impact sur notre production. On les met seulement en mode maintenance et on utilise la solution de VMware.

La configuration initiale était-elle simple ou complexe et de quelle manière?

On était bien préparés et ce sont les mêmes modèles de serveurs dans les baies. Le câblage est banalisé et on connaît très bien cet environnement.

Lors de l’implémentation, avez-vous utilisé l'équipe d’un fournisseur ou une équipe interne? Si vous avez utilisé l'équipe d’un fournisseur, comment évalueriez-vous leur niveau d’expertise?

On achète chez les grossistes et après, c’est nous qui déployons en interne.

Décrivez votre expérience avec le service client et le support.

On les connait depuis très longtemps. Il suffit de savoir comment faire pour que ça aille vite, comme les numéros de série et les extractions de données. On a l’habitude. Ça se passe bien. Il faut juste connaitre la méthode, c’est tout.

J’évalue le support avec un huit sur dix. Il serait bien de prévenir lorsqu’il y a un changement de capacité de disque. Cela ne parait pas grand-chose de changer un disque mais cela nous gêne quelquefois à cause de notre environnement. On préférerait avoir exactement le même produit dans les mêmes serveurs. Voilà.

Comment est-ce que vous évalueriez cette solution sur une échelle de 1 à 10 pour le service et le support?

8

Sur une échelle de 1 à 10 (1=le pire, 10=le meilleur), comment est-ce que vous évaluerez les serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack? Donnez vos raisons..

Je donne aux serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack un neuf sur dix parce qu’ils sont très bons. Les dernières générations sont très bien.


Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Administrateur system at Ministère
Real User
Top 20
Fast support, easy to use, and no heating or breakdown issues
Pros and Cons
  • "We used to have HPE. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are much easier to use and manage."
  • "There can be more visibility on the equipment remotely."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for data systems and databases for the Ministry of Home Affairs.

By implementing Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we essentially wanted speed. We wanted fairly fast response times.

How has it helped my organization?

We already had some rack servers, and we changed to Dell because of the market. With regard to the ministries in France, we are forced to follow the markets that are offered to us, but in this case, we did have a choice. We carried on and bought a dozen rack servers that we would be receiving soon. We have also ordered about 50 more on top of that.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have the PowerEdge Cyber Resilient Architecture approach to security, but we have our own system for protection from cyberattacks. We do not handle that kind of thing. The Ministry of Home Affairs does that, and they have their own defense system for that.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers do not heat up too much. We have had some big heatwaves this summer, and they came out perfect considering the heat. We have not had any problems. As far as their energy consumption is concerned, they are not very noisy, which means that they are ventilating well enough. We hardly hear them. They are very quiet. In this regard, there are no issues at all.

We are planning to keep them for an average of five or six years, but we know that we can keep them much longer because the new equipment is very tough. There are no breakdowns.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers never break down. As a result, we double save on everything such as the hard drives, power supplies, etc. Our services never stop because they work 24 hours a day. We never have any downtime. The servers are constantly running.

The OpenManage console has not affected our IT staff’s productivity.

What is most valuable?

We can set up the systems where we have disks as RAID, and then on other systems, we set up SSD M.2, which is only set up for the OS. This is great. It separates two systems very well, which is a very good thing.

We used to have HPE. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are much easier to use and manage.

What needs improvement?

There can be more visibility on the equipment remotely. It will help us to provide a better response in case of a breakdown because we are not always monitoring them. It will enable us to be more reactive when there is a breakdown at the level of the ventilation disk or the temperature. We are currently using another software that connects us to the server. It is called Grafana. It allows us to be connected to the servers and gather information, but it is not always that straightforward to get these two connected.

It would be great to have one general console to manage all of the servers. I do not know if Dell has one, but there should be one general console to obtain the temperature or detect if a disk is malfunctioning. We should be able to get information about disks, extractor fans, and other things related to the equipment because we do not enter the bays all the time. A centralized system would mean greater visibility into the equipment and maybe the capability to manage several servers, just like a console.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for approximately one year.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate their support a ten out of ten. We used to be with Dell before, and the maintenance response for any breakdown was very fast. It was within 24 hours. We often used to receive the part the next day. If we had a breakdown one day, we had a new part to replace it the next day.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using HPE. We moved to Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers because of the speed. Apart from the operating speed, we get safeguarding on disks or magnetic tapes. Thanks to the Dell servers, we have gained 24 hours of backups.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

As compared to two years ago, the prices have increased at least by 2,500 euros per server. 

We do not take any other licenses offered by Dell. We take what comes in the pack, but for the same configuration servers, we were at 5,500 euros before, and nowadays, it is about 9,000 euros or almost 10,000 euros per item. I know that everything has gotten more expensive, but it still is a very high price increase.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a ten out of ten. They are very good as far as I am concerned. Personally, I have no negative feedback. They function really well, and they get the job done. We just need one console to be able to manage all of the different aspects of the equipment in case there is a breakdown. Apart from that, we have no issues. We started dealing with Dell again two years ago, and we have had no problems so far.

Foreign Language:(French)

Un support rapide, une utilisation facile et aucun problème de chauffage ou de panne.

Depuis combien de temps utilisez-vous les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack?

J’utilise les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack depuis un an environ.

Quel est votre principal cas d’utilisation pour cette solution? (Décrivez également votre environnement).

Nous utilisons des Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack pour des systèmes de données et des bases de données pour le Ministère de l'Intérieur.

Avec l'implémentation des Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack, on recherchait essentiellement de la vitesse. Nous voulions des délais de réponses assez rapides..

Comment est-ce que les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack ont amélioré votre infrastructure informatique? Si ce n’est pas le cas, expliquez pourquoi.

Nous avions déjà des serveurs en rack et nous avons changé pour du Dell à cause du marché. En ce qui concerne les ministères en France, nous sommes obligés de suivre les marchés qui nous sont proposés mais là, nous avons eu le choix. Nous avons continué et acheté une douzaine de serveurs en rack que nous allons bientôt recevoir. Nous avons également fait la commande de 50 autres en plus.

Les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack offrent leur propre approche pour la cybersécurité grâce à leur Architecture Résiliente mais nous avons notre propre système de protection contre les cyberattaques. On ne gère pas ce genre de choses. C’est le Ministère de l'Intérieur qui gère cela et ils ont leur propre système de défense à ce niveau-là.

Les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack ne chauffent pas trop. On a eu de grosses chaleurs cet été et ils étaient parfaits malgré la chaleur. On n’a pas eu de problèmes. Au niveau énergivore, ils ne sont pas très bruyants et cela veut dire qu’ils ventilent correctement. On ne les entend pratiquement pas. Ils sont très silencieux. Il n’y a aucun problème à ce sujet.

On prévoit de les garder 5 ou 6 ans en moyenne mais on sait qu’on peut les garder beaucoup plus longtemps car le nouveau matériel est très costaud. Il n’y a pas de pannes.

Les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack ne tombent jamais en panne. Du coup, on sauvegarde tout en double, les disques durs, les alimentations, etc. Nos services ne s'arrêtent jamais car ils fonctionnent 24h/24h. On n’a jamais d'arrêts. Les serveurs tournent continuellement.

La console OpenManage n’a pas affecté la productivité du personnel informatique.

Quelles fonctionnalités avez-vous trouvé les plus utiles et pourquoi?

On peut installer les systèmes où on peut monter des disques en RAID et puis d’autres systèmes avec les SSD M.2, qui sont mis justes pour l’OS. Je trouve cela très bien. Ça sépare bien les deux systèmes et c’est une très bonne chose.

Avant, on avait HPE. Les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack sont beaucoup plus facile à utiliser et à gérer.

Dans quels domaines les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack pourraient être améliorés?

Il pourrait y avoir une visibilité encore plus grande sur le matériel à distance. Cela nous permettrait d’avoir une plus grande réactivité au niveau d’une panne parce qu’on n’est pas toujours dessus. Cela nous permettrait d’avoir une réponse plus rapide au niveau d’une panne concernant des disques de la ventilation ou de la température. Pour le moment, on utilise un autre logiciel qui nous met en relation avec le serveur. Il s’appelle Grafana. Il nous permet de faire la liaison avec les serveurs et d’avoir l’information mais ce n’est pas toujours évident de pouvoir faire la liaison entre les deux.

Ce serait génial d’avoir une console générale pour gérer tous les serveurs. Je ne sais pas si Dell en a une mais il devrait y avoir une console générale qui permettrait d’avoir les températures ou de détecter si un disque est en panne. On devrait pouvoir obtenir des informations sur les disques, les ventilateurs et autres choses concernant le matériel car nous n’allons pas souvent dans les baies. Un système centralisé permettrait une meilleure visibilité au niveau du matériel et peut-être la capacité de pouvoir gérer plusieurs serveurs tout comme une console.

Avez-vous utilisé différentes solutions auparavant et si c’est le cas, pourquoi avez-vous changé?

On utilisait des HPE avant. On est passé à des Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack pour leur vitesse. A part leur vitesse d’exécution, on peut aussi sauvegarder sur des disques ou des bandes magnétiques. Grâce aux serveurs Dell, on a gagné 24 heures de sauvegarde.

Quels conseils auriez-vous à donner concernant les coûts d’installation, les tarifs et/ou les licences?

Par rapport à il y a deux ans, les prix ont augmenté d’au moins 2,500 euros par serveur. 

On prend ce qui est proposé dans le pack mais par rapport à la même configuration des serveurs, auparavant on était à 5,500 euros et maintenant on est dans les 9,000 euros ou presque 10,000 euros par pièce. Je sais que tout a augmenté mais c’est quand même une grosse augmentation de prix.

Est-ce que vous pouvez décrire votre expérience avec le service support de Dell.

Je mettrai un dix sur dix pour leur support. Avant, on était chez Dell et au niveau de la maintenance des pannes, c’était très rapide. C’était dans les 24 heures. On recevait souvent la pièce le lendemain. Si on avait une panne le jour-même, le lendemain on avait la pièce pour le remplacer.

Sur une échelle de 1 à 10, comment évalueriez-vous le service et le support pour cette solution?

10

Sur une échelle de 1 à 10 (1=pire, 10=meilleur), comment évalueriez-vous les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack? Veuillez expliquer vos raisons.

Je mettrai une note de dix sur dix pour les Serveurs Dell PowerEdge Rack. Ils sont très bien en ce qui me concerne. Personnellement, je n’ai pas de retours négatifs. Ils fonctionnent vraiment bien et ils font leur travail. On a juste besoin d’une console pour pouvoir gérer tous les différents aspects du matériel dans le cas où il y a une panne. Sinon, on n’a pas de soucis. On a repris le marché avec Dell il y a juste deux ans et on n’a aucun problème pour l’instant.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Brian Mijnals - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at Elde College
Real User
Top 10
An affordable and easy-to-deploy product that is simple to use and provides a lot of features
Pros and Cons
  • "There are fewer complications than what we had before with other brands."
  • "The terabytes are never enough."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for servers and backup.

How has it helped my organization?

The product has improved our business. There are fewer complications than what we had before with other brands.

What is most valuable?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is simpler to use when compared with HPE. The product provides more features than what we expected six years ago.

What needs improvement?

The solution must increase the space provided. It is still an issue. The terabytes are never enough.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for six years.

How are customer service and support?

The support is getting better. Before, we had to call and explain what was going on. Now, the support has a website. I rate the support a seven or eight out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using HPE before. Many schools were already doing business with Dell. So, we tried it. We also have Dell's laptops and desktops.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment is not difficult at all.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The tool's pricing is very good.

What other advice do I have?

The server does consume energy. The energy consumption is less than what it was three years ago. We still have the same capacity. We don't have many high-performance workloads. We have AutoCAD and SolidWorks. These are two programs that need a lot of CPU. The rest is file surfing and document printing. We are planning to use the OpenManage console.

Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: April 2024
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Rack Servers
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.