Infrastructure and Operations Manager at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Its reliability has made a big impact on our business, and it is very easy to install and manage
Pros and Cons
  • "The ease of installation is valuable. The physical side of installation is quite intuitive and has got better by leaps and bounds. The hardware has always been fantastic, and it has always been reliable."
  • "Its pricing could be better."

What is our primary use case?

It's a standard server that we've got. It's a site server, so it'll hold up to a manufacturing server and a normal Active Directory server.

We have Dell PowerEdge servers with pre-installed Microsoft Windows Server OS. For security, we mainly have antivirus. We've got web security monitoring tools. In addition, we've got firewalls. So, we've got a number of technologies that will hopefully protect us from ransomware.

How has it helped my organization?

Reliability is its main benefit. It works. I have not had many servers go down with hardware failure.

Email and ERP systems are critical to our business. We've also got manufacturing applications running on it as well. Those are one of the biggest key areas for our business. For the manufacturing and everything else, it's highly integrated. We need a server that's always on.

It has been good in terms of the impact on our IT infrastructure and the ability to handle the demand. It does what it says on the tin. We haven't had any issues with it. It's a server. It's one of those things that once it's in, it's in. We don't want it to do anything special because it's there for our infrastructure. It looks after our infrastructure, and it has been doing its job, and it has been working. Because we've not had any issues, its reliability has made a big impact on our business.

What is most valuable?

The ease of installation is valuable. The physical side of installation is quite intuitive and has got better by leaps and bounds. The hardware has always been fantastic, and it has always been reliable.

The iDRAC is one of my favorite features of this solution. From an IT or management perspective, we are able to easily control the servers with it. It has been the biggest help.

What needs improvement?

Its pricing could be better. In terms of features, I've got nothing to improve.

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.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have about 25 years of experience with the product.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability is very good. Its performance has always gone up in leaps and bounds. They've always been ahead of the curve, and we've always got the best technology from Dell.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Its scalability is very good.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is good. I would rate them a 10 out of 10.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

I previously used an HP solution. I switched because of my experience with peer reviews for Dell products. Ever since we made the change to Dell servers, we've not gone back. There is the ease of use of racking and the ease of use of remote management. There is reliability and simplification of the server as well. They've not overcomplicated it. Those are the main selling points for Dell servers in comparison to HP.

How was the initial setup?

Its initial setup was very straightforward. It took a day. We have a certain process that we follow. We've had a server setup from a couple of years ago, and we follow that process. It's just making sure that all the relevant information is in.

What was our ROI?

It's very difficult to measure, but it should be good. We've made an initial investment in the capital costs for the server purchase, and if we get good five years of use out of it, then we've got good returns for it.

We could realize its benefits straightaway after the deployment.

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

They seem to have become more expensive. I've not done a comparison with other vendors recently. If the price increases more, we would need to do a comparison next year just to make sure that we are benchmarking our server purchases correctly.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did consider public cloud servers before choosing PowerEdge Rack Servers, but it wasn't a choice. We are in a hybrid environment. We do have a number of servers internally, but then we have public cloud servers as well. Overall, the public cloud is cheaper because I don't require internal expertise and internal maintenance for the physical environment, which is cost-saving. The only reason for getting PowerEdge internally was to meet the demand for great speed for our manufacturing services. Therefore, we have to have something internal.

What other advice do I have?

I would definitely recommend it. You just have to install it, and that's it. It works.

I would rate it a 10 out of 10.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Senior Manager of IT at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
We utilize them heavily, 24/7, and they never stop; very reliable
Pros and Cons
  • "The management portal is essential because it gives you a lot of flexibility. You don't have to be at the location to manage the server. You can power it on and off remotely or start an installation remotely. All you need to do is connect it to the network and you can do things from thousands of miles away."
  • "While I wouldn't call it a problem, physically mounting the servers into the rails that come with the servers can be a challenge. They could be engineered to be a little bit easier to use. It's not that significant, we can manage it, but you need at least two people to do it together because they're a bit heavy."

What is our primary use case?

We mostly use them for managing our testing environment. They manage a different brand of blade servers, not Dell, but the Rack Servers powered by Intel are monitoring and managing the queues that run the tests. Developers are submitting tests to the system 24 hours a day, and nodes on the blade servers run the tests. Our PowerEdge servers manage the test queues.

What is most valuable?

The management portal is essential because it gives you a lot of flexibility. You don't have to be at the location to manage the server. You can power it on and off remotely or start an installation remotely. All you need to do is connect it to the network and you can do things from thousands of miles away. That is essential when working with data centers. You don't want to be there but you want to have full control remotely.

Another valuable feature is that it's a Dell and that means it's a reliable product.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel for the last 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has performed the way that we expected it to with no technical problems. I don't recall any problems with the server itself that required us to call support or get replacement parts. It does what we expect it to do.

It's stable. It's working 24/7, 365. We don't ever stop it. We have two offices in Israel, and each has two PowerEdge Rack Servers. They're monitoring our testing environment and that environment is running 24 hours a day, so the servers are very heavily utilized.

We usually keep them for four years or stretch them to five years with a warranty extension. We wreck them and have never had to deal with any problems. The PowerEdge servers we have are the third generation that we purchased for this specific role. I'm assuming the integration team that requested these models specifically is satisfied with the outcome.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We got them in a configuration that hasn't required us to make any changes in terms of scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Dell's support works. Here in Israel, Dell works with a third party that handles the contact with the customer. I don't recall if that third party handles servers, but in general, a lot of improvement is required there.

We are a corporate environment. When I call Dell support and give them my credentials or customer number, I expect the guy on the other side to understand who he is talking with. He should immediately see that I have at least 500 laptops, desktops, and more than 1,000 Dell monitors. I'm not just a private customer calling from home. I expect the service to work accordingly. 

Don't ask me, "Did you reboot the machine?" or "Did you update?" We only call Dell support when we cannot solve the problems ourselves. By the time we call, we have done all the testing and all the updating. We have done everything on our side and that's when we need professional, technical support. But when we call them here in Israel, we get what seems like very consumer-oriented customer support. There is a lot of room for improvement in this area.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

We had HP ProLiant in the past, but we haven't used them for quite a while. Our entire organization is using Dell for end-user machines, laptops, workstations, and desktops. The PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel deliver what we need. It's easier to work with the same vendor and have a unified environment.

How was the initial setup?

While I wouldn't call it a problem, physically mounting the servers into the rails that come with the servers can be a challenge. They could be engineered to be a little bit easier to use. It's not that significant, we can manage it, but you need at least two people to do it together because they're a bit heavy. You have to slide them exactly into the rails. It's a little bit challenging, but not serious.

From unboxing it to preparing the rack and sliding the server into it, connecting everything, and powering it up, it takes about 30 minutes or so.

Integrating it into a particular environment is very simple. We set up an IP, connect it, and install a server operating system. It's a very rapid process. Within about an hour, it is up and running in the environment.

What was our ROI?

In terms of handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, you get your money's worth. When you buy something, you need it to perform and deliver and these servers do that. It's a very good product.

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

PowerEdge pricing is equivalent to that of all the others in the market. We always try to get a better price, but I don't see any problem with the pricing and licensing of Dell's servers. It's not the case, when I compare them to other vendors, that they are extremely more expensive or that the licensing is much more complex.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at HP and Supermicro. We went with Dell, in part, because we are a Dell shop, but price was one of the most critical aspects. We also looked at what we needed to gain from the server. When we connected all these factors, we decided that Dell was the best solution for us.

What other advice do I have?

Before you approach procurement, you should know exactly what you are looking to get out of the product. If you're looking for a reliable vendor and performance, have all your information ready first. Then check the pricing and make sure that you have the budget. It's not like buying a PC for your home. It's a professional server and it costs. You'd better have all the information beforehand, and then you can evaluate whether the purchase of a PowerEdge is suitable for your requirements.

We don't use Dell's OpenManage console. When we need to make changes that don't directly apply to the operating system but to the server itself, we only go into the iDRAC management interface and do it from there on.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
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.
IT Director at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
Is stable and includes security features such as firmware, drift protection, and systems management
Pros and Cons
  • "PowerEdge is one of the top solutions when it comes to the security features that it provides including firmware, drift protection, and systems management."
  • "One of the things that I've noticed is that over time, the system degrades, meaning that little things don't work. For example, the hard drive would need to be replaced or iDRAC would not be functioning properly. We may have to flash the firmware. It is not like some other hardware where it just runs without issues for four or five years. With Dell, generally, there are little hiccups here and there."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for our on-premises infrastructure to mainly provide office support and data storage.

How has it helped my organization?

We use it for data storage and it allows for easy access to the data on-premises. It has helped increase staff productivity.

What is most valuable?

PowerEdge is one of the top solutions when it comes to the security features that it provides including firmware, drift protection, and systems management.

It's a pretty nice system. You can log in to iDRAC, you can look at the logs, the temperature, etc. Essentially, all of the metrics of the server are there, so you can get a complete view and immediately know what's going on.

What needs improvement?

One of the things that I've noticed is that over time, the system degrades, meaning that little things don't work. For example, the hard drive would need to be replaced or iDRAC would not be functioning properly. We may have to flash the firmware. It is not like some other hardware where it just runs without issues for four or five years. With Dell, generally, there are little hiccups here and there.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used PowerEdge Rack Servers on and off for about 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's very stable. I would give it a ten out of ten. The system is pretty redundant, so we never really have any downtime.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have about 250 users. It's used 90% in the company, in terms of our infrastructure. We do not plan to increase usage because we're moving more things to the cloud. We're trying to reduce our server footprint on-premises.

How are customer service and support?

Dell's technical support is pretty good. I'd give them a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We've always switched between Dell and HP, depending on the current state and the cost. The reason for switching is primarily the cost involved.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not intuitive. The first one took a while, but after that, we were done within an hour.

When deploying the PowerEdge solution, we were able to use the automated server and OS deployment features, but I had to talk to Dell support. They had to walk me through it. However, once you do it once, it becomes very easy.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it ourselves with help from Dell's technical support.

For deployment and maintenance, we need one person.

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

When you compare public cloud solutions to PowerEdge in terms of cost, initially the cost of Dell servers or Dell technology was really high. However, right now it's on par and maybe even cheaper when we use Dell hardware. If we don't swap it out in three years and stretch it to four or five years, then we can get even more of an ROI versus cloud cost.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We've always chosen HP or Dell depending on the year, the product, and any promotions offered by the respective companies. We generally use Dell laptops, so by default we often go with Dell servers as part of the ecosystem.

What other advice do I have?

I highly recommend Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers; they are solid. If you do your due diligence and do your homework or your janitorial work, they'll never break.

I would give this solution a ten on a scale from one to ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
PeerSpot user
IT-administrator at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Highly reliable and scalable servers with excellent customer service
Pros and Cons
  • "We like their quality. I have also dealt with HPE and other manufacturers. In terms of service, Dell is optimal."
  • "They can consider making them smaller in physical size but retain the same quality and the same security."

What is our primary use case?

We have a lot of use cases. We have many virtual machines on them that we use for development. We have a development department with us. They work on the machines that we have installed via HPE.

How has it helped my organization?

By implementing Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we wanted everything to be in-house so that we could manage it ourselves. We essentially wanted to have it all in our hands. We did not want to outsource it.

So far, these servers have been satisfactory and very reliable. Of course, we maintain updates; that is a part of it, and we plan accordingly to restart the entire machine, etc. A lot of it is automated in-house.

They have definitely improved our organization. We have centralized everything, which is the advantage. With Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we essentially operate hardware and have various applications and solutions on one platform. They have had a significant impact on security, and there is also reliability. When you have peak loads, you can adjust accordingly. That is a definite advantage with such a machine.

In terms of energy consumption, I do not know what the consumption is, but the trend is towards machines consuming less. Dell probably needs to keep up with other manufacturers and reduce consumption. It is also likely a reason why many companies are trying to move away from traditional servers, or in our case, towards Azure Cloud, because they also want to save energy.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have definitely helped a lot in terms of the sustainability goals. I am new to the company, but from what I have gathered, we used to have a separate machine for each application area. In other companies where I have been, we had, in some cases, up to 80 machines. With Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we could streamline the entire server landscape we had. They are designed for that purpose.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have affected the overall flexibility of our operations. In the past, we had a separate machine for each application, but now, everything is centralized. One hardware has everything on it. We have reliability, and the VMs can be moved back and forth depending on the load.

What is most valuable?

We like their quality. I have also dealt with HPE and other manufacturers. In terms of service, Dell is optimal. I have been very satisfied with it, at this company or elsewhere. That was the reason why we stuck with Dell. Good service is one of the reasons.

There are other aspects of quality. These servers are very reliable. We hardly had any failures. A hard drive replacement is routine, depending on what is built in, but otherwise, the quality has been excellent.

What needs improvement?

In general, our long-term goal is to have everything in Azure. We also work with Office 365, and we want to have everything essentially in one place. Above all, the hardware we have on-site does not need to be maintained anymore because it takes time and money. We want to simply move away from this aspect. I am not a decision-maker, but if it were up to me, I would probably prefer to have these servers rather than somewhere in the cloud.

They can consider making them smaller in physical size but retain the same quality and the same security. That can be an option. They do not necessarily need such a large cabinet. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for five to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

These servers are stable. Their reliability is just right.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate them a ten out of ten in terms of scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I am super satisfied with their support. I am impressed. It is great. Assistance is quick, and technicians are there right away. It, of course, depends on the contract you have. We get immediate support. It is top-notch. They should keep it up.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

In my current company, I have not used any other servers. I am new here, but we have always used Dell. In my previous company, we used HPE extensively, but we moved away from it due to issues with quality and service. Unfortunately, HPE was not as good in terms of service. So, we switched to Dell. The service was a factor for the change.

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

Licensing is according to the machines you have. It is a part of the process. I am not familiar with the prices, but from a company's perspective, the more cost-effective, the better, especially when managing a large infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a ten out of ten. In all the companies where we used Dell, I was always satisfied. That is why the decision was made back then to move away from other manufacturers and switch to Dell. I am not a decision-maker, but if I could decide, I would still stick with the physical aspect because I prefer having the device physically with me, being able to take care of it, and seeing it, rather than it being somewhere in the cloud. I am not a decision-maker, but I would choose Dell.

Foreign Language:(German)

Höchst zuverlässige und skalierbare Server mit exzellentem Kundenservice

Wie lange nutzen Sie schon Dell PowerEdge Rack Server?

Ich nutze Dell PowerEdge Rack Server seit fünf bis sechs Jahren.

Was ist Ihr Hauptanwendungsfall für diese Lösung? (Bitte geben Sie Details zu Ihrer Umgebung an.)

Wir haben viele Anwendungsfälle. Wir haben viele virtuelle Maschinen, die wir für die Entwicklung nutzen. Wir haben eine Entwicklungsabteilung bei uns. Sie arbeiten auf den Maschinen, die wir über HPE installiert haben.

Bitte teilen Sie uns mit, wie Dell PowerEdge Rack Server Ihr Unternehmen verbessert haben. Wenn nicht, erklären Sie bitte, warum nicht.

Mit der Implementierung von Dell PowerEdge Rack-Servern wollten wir alles im Haus haben, damit wir es selbst verwalten können. Wir wollten im Grunde alles in unseren Händen halten. Wir wollten es nicht auslagern.

Bislang waren diese Server zufriedenstellend und sehr zuverlässig. Natürlich kümmern wir uns um Updates, das gehört dazu, und wir planen entsprechend, die gesamte Maschine neu zu starten usw. Vieles davon wird intern automatisiert.

Sie haben unsere Organisation definitiv verbessert. Wir haben alles zentralisiert, das ist der Vorteil. Mit den Dell PowerEdge Rack-Servern betreiben wir also im Wesentlichen Hardware und haben verschiedene Anwendungen und Lösungen auf einer Plattform. Sie haben sich erheblich auf die Sicherheit ausgewirkt, und auch die Zuverlässigkeit hat sich verbessert. Wenn Sie Spitzenlasten haben, können Sie sich entsprechend anpassen. Das ist ein klarer Vorteil bei einer solchen Maschine.

Was den Energieverbrauch angeht, so weiß ich nicht, wie hoch der Verbrauch ist, aber es geht in Richtung weniger verbrauchender Maschinen. Dell muss wahrscheinlich mit den anderen Herstellern mithalten und den Verbrauch senken. Das ist wahrscheinlich auch ein Grund, warum viele Unternehmen versuchen, von traditionellen Servern wegzukommen, oder in unserem Fall zur Azure Cloud, weil sie auch Energie sparen wollen.

Die PowerEdge Rack Server von Dell haben uns bei der Erreichung der Nachhaltigkeitsziele definitiv sehr geholfen. Ich bin neu in dem Unternehmen, aber soweit ich weiß, hatten wir früher für jeden Anwendungsbereich eine eigene Maschine. In anderen Unternehmen, in denen ich tätig war, hatten wir in einigen Fällen bis zu 80 Maschinen. Mit den PowerEdge-Rack-Servern von Dell konnten wir die gesamte Serverlandschaft rationalisieren, die wir hatten. Sie sind genau für diesen Zweck konzipiert.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Server haben sich auf die Gesamtflexibilität unseres Betriebs ausgewirkt. Früher hatten wir für jede Anwendung einen eigenen Rechner, aber jetzt ist alles zentralisiert. Alles ist auf einer Hardware untergebracht. Wir haben Zuverlässigkeit, und die VMs können je nach Auslastung hin- und hergeschoben werden.

Welche Funktionen waren für Sie am wertvollsten, und warum?

Wir schätzen die Qualität dieser Produkte. Ich habe auch mit HPE und anderen Herstellern zu tun gehabt. Was den Service angeht, ist Dell sehr optimal. Ich bin damit sehr zufrieden, ob bei diesem Unternehmen oder anderswo. Das war der Grund, warum wir bei Dell geblieben sind. Der gute Service ist ein Grund dafür.

Es gibt noch andere Aspekte der Qualität. Diese Server sind sehr zuverlässig. Wir hatten kaum Ausfälle. Ein Festplattenwechsel ist Routine, je nachdem, was eingebaut ist, aber ansonsten war die Qualität hervorragend.

In welchen Bereichen könnten die Dell PowerEdge Rack Server verbessert werden?

Im Allgemeinen ist es unser langfristiges Ziel, alles in Azure zu haben. Wir arbeiten auch mit Office 365, und wir wollen im Prinzip alles an einem Ort haben. Vor allem muss die Hardware, die wir vor Ort haben, nicht mehr gewartet werden, weil das Zeit und Geld kostet. Wir wollen uns von diesem Aspekt einfach verabschieden. Ich bin kein Entscheidungsträger, aber wenn es nach mir ginge, würde ich diese Server wahrscheinlich lieber haben als irgendwo in der Cloud.

Sie können in Betracht ziehen, sie in ihrer physischen Größe zu verkleinern, aber die gleiche Qualität und die gleiche Sicherheit beizubehalten. Das kann eine Option sein. Sie brauchen nicht unbedingt einen so großen Schrank. Das wäre eine interessante Option.

Haben Sie zuvor eine andere Lösung genutzt und wenn ja, warum haben Sie gewechselt?

In meinem derzeitigen Unternehmen habe ich keine anderen Server verwendet. Ich bin neu hier, aber wir haben immer Dell verwendet. In meinem vorherigen Unternehmen haben wir viel mit HPE gearbeitet, aber aufgrund von Problemen mit der Qualität und dem Service haben wir diese Firma verlassen. Leider war HPE in Bezug auf den Service nicht so gut. Also sind wir zu Dell gewechselt. Der Service war ein wichtiger Grund für diesen Wechsel.

Haben Sie vor Ihrer Entscheidung andere Lösungen bewertet? Wenn ja, welche?

Wir haben keine anderen Lösungen bewertet.

Was würden Sie hinsichtlich der Einrichtungskosten, der Preise und/oder der Lizenzierung empfehlen?

Die Lizenzierung richtet sich nach den Maschinen, die Sie haben. Sie ist ein Teil des Prozesses. Ich bin mit den Preisen nicht vertraut, aber aus der Sicht eines Unternehmens ist es besser, je kosteneffizienter es ist, insbesondere bei der Verwaltung einer großen Infrastruktur.

Was halten Sie von der Skalierbarkeit dieser Lösung?

Was die Skalierbarkeit angeht, würde ich sie mit zehn von zehn Punkten bewerten.

Was halten Sie von der Stabilität dieser Lösung?

Diese Server sind stabil. Ihre Zuverlässigkeit ist genau richtig.

Wie war die Ersteinrichtung, einfach oder komplex und in welcher Hinsicht?

Ich war an der Ersteinrichtung nicht beteiligt.

Wie sind Ihre Erfahrungen mit dem Kundendienst und dem Support?

Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit dem Support. Ich bin beeindruckt. Er ist großartig. Die Hilfe ist schnell, und die Techniker sind sofort erreichbar. Das hängt natürlich von dem Vertrag ab, den Sie haben. Wir erhalten sofortige Unterstützung. Das ist erstklassig. Das soll so bleiben.

Wie würden Sie diese Lösung auf einer Skala von 1-10 für Service und Support bewerten?

10

Wie bewerten Sie die Dell PowerEdge Rack Server auf einer Skala von 1-10 (1=schlechteste, 10=beste)? Bitte geben Sie Details an.

Ich würde Dell PowerEdge Rack Server mit zehn von zehn Punkten bewerten. In allen Unternehmen, in denen wir Dell im Einsatz hatten, war ich immer zufrieden. Deshalb wurde damals die Entscheidung getroffen, die anderen Hersteller zu verlassen und zu Dell zu wechseln. Ich bin kein Entscheidungsträger, aber wenn ich mich entscheiden könnte, würde ich immer noch bei dem physischen Aspekt bleiben, weil ich es vorziehe, das Gerät physisch bei mir zu haben, mich darum kümmern zu können und es zu sehen, anstatt es irgendwo in der Cloud zu haben. Ich bin kein Entscheidungsträger, aber ich würde mich für Dell entscheiden.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Data Center Manager at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Designed to fit our specific requirements, allowing us to build and configure them according to our needs
Pros and Cons
  • "Managing it is straightforward, and the scalability aligns well with the needs of our organization."
  • "One area where PowerEdge could improve is the challenge of keeping technology consistent over the years."

What is our primary use case?

We rely on Dell PowerEdge servers for our data centers, transitioning from VMware to Hyper-V Azure Stack. These servers support various functions, including backup, database management, and handling highly virtualized workloads.  

How has it helped my organization?

A significant benefit we have experienced with Dell PowerEdge is the flexibility it offers in customizing our services. The servers are designed to fit our specific requirements, allowing us to build and configure them according to our needs. 

This flexibility has been valuable, as we have been able to achieve everything we have asked from the PowerEdge line to support our organization's IT infrastructure. 

For our organization, energy efficiency is crucial, and Dell PowerEdge servers align well with our commitment to green IT. Dell works with customers to prioritize power-efficient hardware, and we have noticed savings when renewing parts of our infrastructure. 

The virtualization layer, coupled with Dell's efforts, has contributed significantly to improved energy efficiency, allowing us to achieve more performance for the same energy consumption. Additionally, PowerEdge servers significantly contribute to our sustainability goals by delivering high performance and efficiency.

What is most valuable?

I find the stability of PowerEdge to be its most valuable feature. Managing it is straightforward, and the scalability aligns well with the needs of our organization.

What needs improvement?

One area where PowerEdge could improve, and it might not be unique to Dell, is the challenge of keeping technology consistent over the years. Due to the natural growth of IT, there are differences in processors, memory, and technology advancements each year. When expanding our environment, it becomes a challenge to match the technology of the same line. A more seamless bridge between old and new hardware could simplify administration and enhance the overall user experience.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for almost over ten years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

PowerEdge handles the evolving needs of high-performance workloads quite well. Its flexibility allows us to attain the required performance and integrate new technologies seamlessly. The scalability within our current environment ensures that we don't hit the limits of the platform easily, eliminating the need to transition to another platform for now.

How are customer service and support?

Dell's tech support has been good overall. While we rarely need assistance, finding the right entry point into their support system can be a bit challenging. However, when required, our account manager and available resources help navigate the process effectively.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a substantial return on investment with Dell PowerEdge. The servers' stability, ease of management, and standardized operations have reduced staffing needs and operational costs. Considering factors like energy efficiency and pricing, it has been a valuable investment for our organization.

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

I find the pricing for Dell PowerEdge reasonable for our company. However, licensing, in general, can be challenging to manage effectively. It would be beneficial for companies like Dell to reconsider their approach to licensing certain aspects of their equipment.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers as a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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Kiran Rasukachula - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Manager IT - APAC at Genesys
Real User
Easy to upgrade with great security and lots of features
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is very good."
  • "The solution should give us an option to add on the new hardware features."

What is our primary use case?

We mostly use Power Servers for our R&D lab where we deploy the labs for developers and other testers to do their high-end testing and more.

How has it helped my organization?

The burden on the IT team has been reduced thanks to this solution, the monitoring, and other features. The deployment and giving access to the end-users have been easy. Overall, the amount of work that the IT team has to invest in came down drastically.

What is most valuable?

There are a lot of features. To be specific, the amount of virtual memory that we can use and the scalability are something that I like much. If you ask me what is the best feature, I would say the scalability. I don't have to invest in the new servers when I can scale this one. That is something which helped us a lot.

PowerEdge is great for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads. I'd rate it an eight out of ten.

I would rate PowerEdge’s approach to security with its signed Firmware, drift detection, and BIOS at a ten out of ten. Everything is easy to upgrade. It's easy to maintain and easy to work with.

In terms of energy consumption, it's consuming less than the previous servers.

We use PowerEdge for artificial intelligence applications. Our developers and QA use it and our developers develop the AI feature products.

Using artificial intelligence does solve problems for us in terms of using the servers for our developers.

The PowerEdge Eye Track telemetry for monitoring system data and providing analytics helps us get the job done and makes it easier in terms of monitoring.

PowerEdge has accelerated us in order to help support our demanding workloads.

What needs improvement?

The solution should give us an option to add on new hardware features. For example, the new hardware, specifically the SoCs that come in, and the NB RAMs that are coming, should have that feature as well. The existing ones are okay, however, the older version that we currently use, which is two years old, doesn't have that feature. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been in the company for the last six years, and we were using the product even before that.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is very stable and serves its purpose.

How are customer service and support?

Technical support is very good. We had issues with the hardware replacement that was to be done on PowerEdge. They made sure that they stood by their four spare replacements.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I was involved in the initial setup of this solution. It was easy.

I was using the Power Servers for the last 14 years and it was transferred from the day I started working on the servers. It was always easy to set up for me and easy to train my employees. However, I don't do that anymore, my staff does it for me. However, it remains easy to set up.

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

I can't comment much on the licensing as it is not directly from Dell. It's our partner's pricing that we have to depend on. Pricing is competitive compared to others in the market.

What other advice do I have?

I'm not sure which model we use, it's been three years.

We do not use the cloud and new predictive analytics.

I'd advise other potential users to go for it and evaluate it with the other vendors. However, in my experience, PowerEdge stands out.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Philip Mac Kay - PeerSpot reviewer
Gerente general at Infostore Ltda
Real User
Helps increase productivity and reduces data processing times
Pros and Cons
  • "I've found the reliability, support, the capability to grow, and the ability to add other Dell solutions to be very valuable features."
  • "The Industrial and healthcare areas both need improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for SAP and for other critical information that our customers need.

How has it helped my organization?

Our customers are really happy when we use PowerEdge because it improves the performance of their company. They also end up having more internal users or internal customers satisfied with solutions that they use in their company, such as SAP.

The system management capabilities of PowerEdge helped increase staff productivity by 50% for our latest client.

What is most valuable?

I've found the reliability, support, the capability to grow, and the ability to add other Dell solutions to be very valuable features.

As for security features, it's a good quality solution for the price. You can add different software or patches to have a better security solution.

It has helped reduce the data processing time by 30%.

The PowerEdge system management frameworks have enabled us to progress toward full automation when it comes to managing more.

What needs improvement?

The Industrial and healthcare areas both need improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for about three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is really good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. You can start small and then add more products that allow you to increase the productivity of your company.

We have about 300 users and plan to upgrade the solution with more components.

How are customer service and support?

We have not had a good experience with support. Technical support staff take too much time to resolve tickets. We have a super plus level of agreement, which means that the time of response is supposed to be four hours. The resulting time is supposed to be 48 hours. We sometimes see 72 hours go by with no solution provided to resolve the problem. So I would rate technical support and customer service at six on a scale from one to ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

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

We replaced Dell technology because PowerEdge is much better.

How was the initial setup?

The initial deployment was straightforward because we already had technical architects who knew how to deploy the solution.

The deployment took over a month.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it ourselves with a team of six to seven people including a technical architect, an SAP Basis engineer, technicians, and a security officer.

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

The price is good for the quality of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Lenovo.

What other advice do I have?

You should compare PowerEdge's time for response, the scalability of the solution, the licensing cost, and support to those of other brands.

Sometimes you try not to spend too much on technology, but there is a point at which it is necessary to invest in this solution because you will increase the productivity of your company. When you see the quote, remember that all that money can be recouped with the increase in production.

If you wait for too long, you may start having problems and lose productivity. You can really get hit hard with a loss of productivity. You have to determine the time to change the technology to a new one.

If I were to rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, I would rate them a nine on a scale from one to ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
PeerSpot user
Chief Executive Officer at a cloud solution provider with 1-10 employees
Real User
Enables exceptional stability, scalability, and ease of deployment, supported by reliable tech support and energy-efficient design
Pros and Cons
  • "The enduring stability and longevity offered by Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers stand out as their most invaluable features."
  • "The pricing structure could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use it in the media industry.

How has it helped my organization?

Our customers have numerous benefits, including an array of features such as RAM quantity, CPU power, and storage capacity.

Our energy consumption was quite high five years ago when we were a service provider. Today, over the last two generations, our power consumption has decreased significantly. This reduction is highly beneficial for our operations.

The flexibility is commendable. Whenever we need to perform any task on our records or servers, the process is smooth and swift. In the twenty years of using Dell, we haven't encountered any troubles, problems, or issues, which speaks volumes about the reliability of their products.

What is most valuable?

The enduring stability and longevity offered by Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers stand out as their most invaluable feature. These qualities enable organizations to deploy and utilize the same server model for extended periods, bolstered by Dell's steadfast guarantee.

What needs improvement?

The pricing structure could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using it for over ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is excellent overall. We've encountered only one issue, which pertained to a SAN rather than a server. This occurred due to a peak in energy, affecting the controller within the rack. Nonetheless, stability remains consistent for our servers.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is truly excellent, as we can start with a certain number of memory units, and when a customer requests additional memory or space, we can easily upgrade. This process is fast and straightforward, making it highly beneficial.

How are customer service and support?

We've relied on tech support for at least twenty years, and every time we've reached out, we've received swift and effective solutions. I would rate it nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

The advantage of Dell over other vendors lies in the fact that over the course of twenty years, we've consistently opted for solutions that include mission-critical assistance. However, we've only needed to utilize this assistance twice in two decades. This demonstrates the exceptional quality of Dell's hardware, which has been thoroughly tested and proven reliable—an essential feature and service for us.

What about the implementation team?

Deploying was simple. We were assigned directly to the data center. As consultants, we began by working directly in the rack. We initiated the installation process, starting with the hypervisor, and everything proceeded smoothly.

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

Twenty years ago, we used to purchase directly from Dell. However, they later decided to sell only through partners in Italy. Consequently, when we transitioned to buying from partners, we also became partners ourselves. At present, the pricing seems a bit high for us. While we manage to procure products through competitive bidding, the list pricing remains challenging for us. This difficulty primarily arises when selling to customers, especially medium-sized ones requiring only two or three servers.

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: Partner
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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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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.