FlexPod XCS Implementation Team
I have actually done end-to-end deployments with my customers along with guiding them. I find it very straightforward. After I go through a few sessions with my customers, they are on board, get up to speed very fast and become very knowledgeable.
Normally, we use the documentation. We follow that guide, except for the FlexPod integration guide, and follow it from end to end for our system as well. So, it means that we do it manually.
Deployment is not exactly easy, but a different team handles it, and the technical team seems experienced. So they can get the job done.
At least they have some clear visuals in the system. That makes design easier, and FlexPod documents are better. It's good, not great.
Sometimes, they miss clinical terms, which isn't ideal for long-term system stability.
View full review »We are an integrator. We can do the deployment on our own.
During the pre-sale phase, I was involved. The engineering was done by my partners.
View full review »Buyer's Guide
FlexPod XCS
May 2024
Learn what your peers think about FlexPod XCS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2024.
769,976 professionals have used our research since 2012.
CF
Carlos Fafetine
Director of Product and Customer Management Services at CEDSIF - Ministry of Finance
The consultant helped us with the deployment. They first delivered the equipment and a specialist did the connections and equipment assembly.
View full review »MJ
Michael-Jensen
Infrastructure Engineer at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center
On the Vblock side, they use VCE, but I don't know who they use on the FlexPod side.
View full review »SL
reviewer2304780
Infrastructure Lead at a non-profit with 51-200 employees
Regarding maintenance, our fabric interconnects have been running smoothly, with minimal issues. Occasionally, we face challenges during firmware upgrades for the B200-M5 blades due to the older hardware, but overall, the deployment has been stable and effective.
View full review »ZS
Zbyszek Sitarek
IT Manager at Capgemini
We are using one of our partners, with whom we have been working with for many years. It's a German company, and we are getting really good support from them. Not only when it comes to integration and deployment, but also consulting and design.
View full review »SP
reviewer1223463
Senior IT Analyst at a construction company with 10,001+ employees
We did the deployment, but we did use our WWT. With WWT, we have them set up the basic configurations on everything. For the storage solution, they set up by the IPs and made sure everything is connected correctly. They don't get into the deep dive into the software or deployment. That is something we do.
They get it so when it's at the site, it gets plugged in. The network guy gets the ports plugged in and gets support set up. Then, we can get onto the storage and UCS, provision VMs, etc. Once that's setup, we can start working.
View full review »We had consultants from EBT assist us with this solution, and our experience with them was good.
View full review »KK
SeniorSy113c
Senior Systems Engineer at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We used a vendor and had a very good experience with them.
View full review »HS
HammadSikander
Engineer at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I highly recommend if you're deploying this, do not deploy this on your own. Definitely work with partners. That is my number one recommendation.
View full review »DS
Dan Scullen
Senior Systems Engineer at Booz Allen Hamilton
When it was bought, it was through a reseller (CDW). We go through them for a lot of stuff, and they are great. They are in touch with all of the vendors. We can go to them, then they can reach out and put us in touch with the vendors. They're a fantastic middleman.
View full review »SM
StorageA5733
Storage Administrator at HDR
We use a NetApp reseller, who has great technical experts if we have any issues.
View full review »VK
reviewer1223511
Senior Storage Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
We did involve a reseller. I can't mention them by name but they are a very well-known company. The process was great. They set up everything, and they are still helping us with the architecture and the new features, and so on so forth. As a matter of fact, they would be helping us updating firmware on the fabric interconnects in the next few months.
KK
KyleKnox
Systems Engineer at First Ontario Credit Union
We did it ourselves.
View full review »DM
Darrell Monroe
Infrastructure Engineer at TechnipFMC
We have deployed two different systems. The first one was by CDW, which went perfectly well. The second one was by Precidia, which also went perfectly well. Both of these resellers knew what they were doing and everything went smoothly.
View full review »JB
Jason Batt
Senior Data Storage Administrator at Denver Health
Initially, for our Epic environment, we used OST. Our VAR, PEAK Resources, also specializes in converged infrastructure. It went fairly well. It was a little bit rocky at the start, but that's why we picked our VAR. Their experience and the level of investment that they make in NetApp are fantastic. They helped us a lot.
View full review »RM
reviewer926175
Senior Systems Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
We used an integrator and the process was seamless. They took all of our requirements and from there it was straightforward. 90% of the process was done at the factory. We only had 10% to do and it was done within hours.
View full review »EK
EricKutyla
Senior System Administrator at Bell Canada
We leveraged NetApp services to come and install the solution in this case. It went very well.
View full review »TL
Thomas Lynch
Network Engineer at DHS USCIS
Initially, we had somebody to provide us assistance with this solution.
View full review »BG
SrPlatfo3333
Sr Platform Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We used a reseller to assist with our implementation. They made it easy.
View full review »AK
Aaron Kimball
Solutions Architect at GDT - General Datatech
We are the integrator and do the deployments of the solution.
View full review »SA
reviewer1900290
Sysadmin at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees
We used NTS in Austria.
View full review »BK
reviewer1768281
Senior Infrastructure Analyst at a legal firm with 201-500 employees
We have some skills to do some of the tasks, but for implementations, we usually go for integrators. The experience with the integrator was great, and the time was basically within an acceptable timeline. The project timeline did not extend, and from that perspective, the implementation was straightforward. You can have some expectations for start and finish.
View full review »CK
ChrisKnott
Data Center Engineer at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
We integrated through Sigma Solutions as a reseller and consultant. They were excellent. We enjoy working with them. They worked with us on the first installation and then again when we redeployed our data centers and helped us get the FlexPod solution. They actually took us and brought us to California and we actually went to the EMC shop and we went to the NetApp shop there in California. We toured the main offices and looked at the solutions there and where we ultimately went for the next NetApp FlexPod instead of the EMC FlexPod version.
View full review »PK
PeteKujath
Senior Storage Engineer at U.S. Bancorp
We used a VAR for some of it and then just for the purchasing. After the first couple of rollouts, we just use them for the purchasing piece and we started doing all our own integration.
They were a bit slow. They were taking two to three weeks to roll out a pod and we were doing it in a couple of days.
View full review »AA
reviewer1223502
Sr Storage Engineer at a wholesaler/distributor with 10,001+ employees
We did the setup ourselves. It was piece by piece and it was built by us and then validated.
View full review »AJ
Ahmed Jehanzeb
Infrastructure Engineer at Suntrust Bank
We had a reseller for the setup. I'm fairly new at the company. I wasn't there for the setup. From what I have heard, the experience was very good. They have dedicated account managers that work with us directly. It was a good experience.
View full review »LM
Architec69f5
Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
We use a qualified reseller for all our Cisco procurements.
View full review »TT
Business938f
Works at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We do the implementations.
View full review »JH
SrStorEng65465
Senior Storage Engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
We used ACS, who was good and knowledgeable.
View full review »RP
SeniorIn5f65
Senior Infrastructure Engineer at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
NetApp helped us with the setup.
View full review »DB
Drew Breece
System Analyst at ONEOK, Inc.
Relax, as it will not be that hard to implement.
View full review »AC
Alan-Crouch
Senior IT Manager at Vocera
We used InterVision, who is a VAR, for the deployment. They were excellent.
View full review »AH
Aaron Hibbard
Senior Systems Engineer at a transportation company with 501-1,000 employees
Occasionally, we utilize support for upgrades. They do the prechecks, make sure the firmware is up-to-date, and run our baselines through to ensure everything is good.
One of the NetApp consultants, Patrick Rodrigue, has always come out and helped us.
View full review »RM
reviewer926175
Senior Systems Engineer at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
We used a consultant for the deployment. They walked us through it very nicely.
View full review »NN
reviewer2304702
System Consultant at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees
Regarding the architecture, the connectivity involving switches, servers, and other components is quite straightforward
View full review »RM
Rodrigo Moncao
Storage Engineer Manager at Servix
We used NetApp and our team for the deployment.
The validate designs are great because they made it easier to the deploy solution. Instead of about one week to install everything, with the validate\ solutions, it took us about two to three days.
View full review »OV
Obi Vellore
Senior Project Consultant at DynTek
We do the deployment for our customers. We also do the implementation for other resellers.
View full review »TD
Operatio235c
Operations Engineer at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
We used a consultant, but did the deployment ourselves.
View full review »DB
reviewer1223619
Senior Systems Engineer at a government with 201-500 employees
We had a reseller assist us with the deployment, eight years ago. Because this was new for us, NetApp was involved to make sure that it was successful.
View full review »JM
JustinMoses
Director of Data Center Operations at Barry University
We use Insight, formerly Datalink, to assist us with the maintenance of this solution. They are excellent. They helped with our implementation and they help us to deploy all of the solutions. If we have any questions about designs, where we are going in terms of the roadmap, etc, then between Insight and NetApp they are invaluable when helping us to make decisions.
View full review »AA
NetworkA5035
Network Administrator at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
We had assistance with our deployment from WWT, and our experience was good.
View full review »RB
reviewer1223598
Cloud Engineer at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We brought in a company called MCPc to help us deploy initially. Interestingly, the technician from MCPc who helped us with the deployment ended up becoming our NetApp sales engineer, so I still work with him to this day. I knew nothing about NetApp at the time, so he got me up to speed initially. Then I went to a couple of NetApp Insights and took a couple of certification courses, and I am very comfortable with it now.
View full review »MA
MarioArlia
Senior Systems Engineer at First Ontario Credit Union
We used a reseller to assist us with our original implementation.
Since that time, we have done half of the work ourselves.
View full review »TB
Taylor Brown
Cloud Infrastructure Engineer at CANADIAN PAYMENTS ASSOCIATION
We implemented through Paramount.
View full review »FS
reviewer1123029
Corp Solutions Engineer - Network at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I've seen all three examples; resellers, consultants, and integrators.
View full review »CR
Casey Riffel
Lead of the Server and Storage Team at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
We had Professional Services from one of our partners. Our experience with them was great. They had Cisco Certified Engineers to assist with everything.
View full review »WB
Will Bashlor
Manager of IT Services at a comms service provider
We had a company come in and help us set everything up. After they turned it over to us, it was very straightforward and easy to use, as much as you can expect from a system that large.
View full review »IM
Ilias Mintidis
IT Engineer at CenturyLink, Inc.
We used an integrator. That experience was not as good as it could have been. There is room for improvement the second or the third time around.
View full review »BF
Brian Foulks
System Engineer at Missile Defense Agency
We used a reseller, World Wide Technology. I love them.
View full review »VT
reviewer1223559
Solution Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
We used some of the professional services that were tied to the bundled packages. We also obtain our hardware and resources through a third-party called WWT, and everything is great with them.
View full review »KS
NetworkE8816
Network Engineering Manager at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We do our own installations as we are the ones who install for clients.
View full review »JC
Jegan Chinnu
Storage Engineer at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
NetApp does some of our installations on some products, like SolidFire. However, they pass the data on to us, and we have to do the configuration.
View full review »JG
Julie Gutierrez
Systems Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
We use an integrator for deployments. Our experience with them has been solid. They deliver what they say they will deliver. They get the northbound network connectivity correct.
A lot of times with converged or hyperconverged platforms, one of the hardest parts is the networking. When you hire a consultant or an integrator, you expect them to know the unwritten rules of implementing. Sometimes, those are battle-tested; things you learn in the field. That's what I'd expect from a consultant or an integrator.
View full review »NF
ManagerO2057
Manager of Network Services at a legal firm with 501-1,000 employees
We used Plan B Technologies out of Maryland, and we also used NetApp. We had a good experience with the install. It was all-new moving parts for us, since FlexPod was brand new at the time. We spent a fair amount of time whiteboarding the solution with them. We visited Raleigh-Durham to go on campus to see some of the hardware to get a better understanding of what we were going to be buying.
View full review »AT
AlexTsoi
Senior IT Infrastructure Specialist at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
For the deployment of UCS, we uses an integrator and fellow reseller. Our experience with them was very good. Everything works.
View full review »SC
reviewer1223427
Cloud Service Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
We work with Cisco and NetApp for the deployment. The guides are absolutely intuitive. You go from start to finish, deploying it all in one. In terms of time, we have used them to reference different aspects of how we should set it up if there are custom requirements, because not all deployments are put it in and deploy it as we go. We have had some custom requirements over time, but the initial one was just straight in and cable. It was quite intuitive for us, which was good. We didn't need for anyone to come out and install it.
View full review »HB
NetworkE560c
Network Engineer at a legal firm with 501-1,000 employees
We purchased our system through a reseller, CDW. However, there wasn't any special value added. They created a bill of materials.
View full review »For installation, we used CDW's professional services. It was a learning experience for all of us. We actually helped them install it, so it was actually our first iteration FlexPod and it helped us actually get up to speed on it.
View full review »JP
reviewer1223484
Systems Administrator at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
For deployment, we used NetApp personnel and a reseller. The experiences with them were good.
View full review »CF
reviewer1123194
Network Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We are a system integrator, so we use our in-house team.
View full review »JF
SystemsA52a9
Systems Administrator at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
We used NetApp and Cisco for the deployment. Our experience with them was good. NetApp install all our storage center apps and Cisco handled the computer environment, which is stable.
View full review »MP
Capacity532c
Capacity Manager at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We work with NEC, who was good.
View full review »SB
reviewer1876119
Site Reliability Engineer 2 at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
It takes a maximum of two or three people to deploy the solution, e.g., someone to do the physical work and another person to configure everything.
Once the physical work is done, the configuration part comes in. That is when your switches and UCS integrate with each other. I have done the configuration on Nexus and UCS parts, where I definitely needed help.
View full review »OS
OliverSchnurer
Team Lead at Grenke Digital gmbh
We used an integrator who was great.
View full review »AS
reviewer1223541
Systems Engineer at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We have a partner through NetApp who does consulting for us. They came in and helped us configure it. The experience of working with them was good.
View full review »JW
Justin Wasden
Director of Datacenter at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
We handled the implementation in-house.
View full review »BP
SeniorSteee7
Senior Storage Engineer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
We used a consultant who was good. They helped us initially with all the FlexPod deployments.
View full review »VD
VitorDias
Sales Analyst at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We are the integrator. We have five or six people to implement it. In our company, we are segmented, like networking, server, storage, etc.
View full review »CG
ITEnginecacc
IT Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
We used an integrator for our implementation, and we found their service to be extremely good.
View full review »AS
AssocVpacfd
Associate VP at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
We deal directly with NetApp, and our experience has been good. They are productive because we normally discuss our blueprints with them as a partner. We discuss everything and it gets deployed smoothly.
View full review »BM
NetworkE9bca
Network Engineer III at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
At the time of installation, we used Varo. However, they no longer exist.
View full review »JC
Jose MarianoCampelo
IT at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
During the initial deployment, the head of the department worked with a partner and the support of the reseller that provides us with the solution. They are very good. The partner's name was SouthGate.
View full review »AR
reviewer1223490
IT Manager at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
I deployed through Cisco. We had a positive experience with them.
View full review »MB
Practice8f4d
Practice Lead at Bedroc
We used a consultant for the implementation. That was Bedrock and they are okay at what they do.
View full review »We bring in support to set up, so we used a vendor team to help deploy.
View full review »BD
Infrastr4edd
Infrastructure Manager at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
We had technical support help us with the implementation.
View full review »I am the vendor, so I do the delivery of the FlexPod and installation and configuration. My advice for implementation is to have a qualified, knowledgable vendor either do the installation, or assist. I am not saying this from a business standpoint, but from personal knowledge of the product. It is something that can be done by anyone, but it would take less time and be setup with best practices in mind if you get someone who knows what they are doing.
View full review »MD
reviewer1223397
Solutions Architect at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
We do the consultations, so I set it up myself.
View full review »SK
NetworkE1ffa
Network Engineer at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
We performed the implementation in-house.
View full review »RK
ManagerO6505
Manager Of Network Administrator at a educational organization with 201-500 employees
I set it up myself.
View full review »JB
SeniorSy9b41
Senior systems manager at a transportation company with 201-500 employees
We had a managed project team which did the installation.
View full review »MM
Mohit Mittal
AGM at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
We used a reseller for the integration.
View full review »RS
RajeshSrinivasan
Director at HCL Technologies
We used a consultancy company for the implementation.
View full review »TT
Virtuali7246
Virtualization Architect at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
In the United States, we use IRONBRICK. Internationally, EMEA and Asia PAC, we use Computacenter. Our experience with both of them so far has been good.
View full review »AT
Ali Tadir
Managing Partner at NEXTGEN PTY LTD
I was also in the installation phase, which was easy.
View full review »JQ
NetworkEcbe4
Network Engineer at a government with 10,001+ employees
We did not use a consultant. We do it all by ourselves.
View full review »MM
Enterpriaa97
Enterprise Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
I just did it myself.
View full review »We contracted through a third party to do the initial setup.
View full review »MC
reviewer1223577
Principal Infrastructure Engineer at a healthcare company with 501-1,000 employees
We hand built our FlexPod environment. It is composed of a Cisco UCS 6332-16UP FI, NetApp AFF A700, and an NDS.
It was easy to build. We had an old FlexPod built by someone else and I built the new one. We're in the process of migrating all the workloads over.
View full review »KR
Krishna Ramanath
Network Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
We do it ourselves when it is straightforward. When it is a complex installation, we bring their technical person onboard.
View full review »Our vendor did it for us.
View full review »FD
SeniorNeb1d5
Senior Network Engineer at a consultancy with 1,001-5,000 employees
We did the installation with a core internal team. We had some NetApp help for the storage guys, but for the network portion, it was more self-explanatory.
View full review »We worked with a vendor and had a successful implementation.
View full review »We're using a vendor team.
View full review »JS
SystemsA3715
Systems Administrator at a pharma/biotech company with 10,001+ employees
We used World Wide Technology and DataBank for the deployment.
View full review »For our setup and deployment we put together a solution using all three components, and then they came out with the reference architecture so we standardized the system.
View full review »Buyer's Guide
FlexPod XCS
May 2024
Learn what your peers think about FlexPod XCS. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2024.
769,976 professionals have used our research since 2012.