Dell PowerScale (Isilon) Reviews

Name: Dell PowerScale (Isilon)
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 4.4 (55 reviews)

Vendor: Dell Technologies

4.4 out of 5

55 reviews
96% willing to recommend

993 followers

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What is Dell PowerScale (Isilon)?

Dell EMC PowerScale (Isilon) storage solutions are designed to help manage data for enterprises of all types. Dell PowerScale systems are simple to install, manage, and scale to virtually any size and include a choice of all-flash, hybrid, or archive nodes. Dell PowerScale solutions stay flexible and reliable no matter how much storage capacity is added, how much performance is required, or how business needs change in the future.

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Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is the #1 ranked solution in top NAS solutions and #3 ranked solution in top File and Object Storage solutions. PeerSpot users give Dell PowerScale (Isilon) an average rating of 8.8 out of 10. Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is most commonly compared to Dell PowerStore: Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs Dell PowerStore. Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 53% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a educational organization, accounting for 25% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

March 2025

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Featured reviews

Eric Burgueño

High-Performance Computing Services Manager at The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited

When we selected Isilon as our preferred storage provider, many considerations came into play, but the deciding factor was how little administration it requires. We no longer need a dedicated storage administrator looking after it. Instead, our Systems Engineers can handle the day-to-day operations without requiring in-depth expertise in storage management. The simplicity of the solution was a strong selling point when we first started looking into it. For example, when you have replicated clusters, you must ensure that you can actually failover between them in the event of a disaster. PowerScale makes setting up and checking the status of replication schedules extremely simple. Over time, we started using more and more of its capabilities. I believe the most valuable feature we started using, beyond the initial scope for the solution, is the multi-protocol system that allows you to access the same set of files using different network protocols like NFS or SMB. PowerScale’s Unified Permission Model ensures that data security and access permissions are honoured regardless of whether the client is a Windows desktop or a Linux server. Our users can now access the data they need for their research, without having to deal with multiple credentials depending on the environment they are using, or having to rely on specific clients. The same file can be opened and edited from Windows Explorer or from the Linux command line, and we can guarantee that the ownership and permissions of that file will remain consistent. It reduces friction and cognitive overhead, which is what I value the most. Data security and availability are also included in solution, out-of-the-box. Of course you still need to be aware of how to configure the different features to your use case, but from a data security and availability perspective, you can leverage replication schedules, snapshotting, increased redundancy at rest, and all of those features which we now consider a must-have. With PowerScale, I can have piece of mind that if a specific directory needs to be protected, it will be protected.

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Yamandù Correa

Head of Infrastructure and Network Services at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Our customers have seen improvement in performance, space, and flexibility for growth and management of data protection through snapshots and other systems. The AI models are something we are looking forward to trying but are not there yet. The algorithms are specific to each company and their industry. One of the most important things is the data localization. Many scenarios require the project data traffic to be close to where it is generated and read. A lot of interaction is between users and systems. So data localization is one of the most important things in terms of using the data algorithm. We don't need to manage our PowerScale and run its storage from any location yet but it is something that is coming for sure because several customers have centralized data in main data centers. But in different locations across the globe. So this is going to be a topic. I think that through the different functionalities that the Dell platform can grant, it will be a great player. When it comes to the flexibility for supporting various data workloads while protecting them, the combination of PowerScale and PPDM and all the other components of the data protection solution right now is key. So the automatic integration between the products is one of the killer features of the solution itself. PowerScale helped us to reduce data silos. This has simplified the management of large data environments in terms of scalability and management instead of having a different solution for the right reports to see how the data evolves and how to better manage them. PowerScale can do that in combination with the other components of the ecosystem. In terms of risk reduction, We need to mention the data management and the recovery part, So of course, the integration with the data domain is key. The fact that we can rely on these functions, and the fact that we also manage different customers, and possess the recovery plans and tests that can prove the solution is working.

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Ryan Parker-Hill

System Team Leader at Deakin University

Their SmartQuotas feature is probably the thing that we use most heavily and consistently. Because it is a scaled-out NAS product, you end up with clusters of multiple petabytes. This allows you to have quotas for people and present smaller chunks of storage to different users and applications, managing oversubscription very easily. We use the policy-based file placement, so we have multiple pools of storage. We use the cold space file placement to place, e.g., less-frequently accessed or replicated data onto archive nodes and more high-performance research data onto our high-performance nodes. It is very easy to use and very straightforward. The node pools give us the ability to non-disruptively replace the whole cluster. With our most recent Gen6 upgrade, we moved from the Gen5 nodes to the Gen6 nodes. In January this year, we ended up doing a full replacement of every component in the system. That included storage nodes, switching, etc., which we were able to replace non-disruptively and without any outages to our end users or applications. We use the InsightIQ product, which they are now deprecating and moving into CloudIQ. The InsightIQ product has been very good. You can break down the cost performance right down to protocol latency by workstation. When we infrequently do have issues, we use it to track down those issues. It also has a very good file system reporting. For maximising storage utilisation, it is very good. As you add more nodes in a cluster, you typically get more effective utilisation. It is incredibly flexible in that you can select different protection levels for different files, not necessarily for file systems or blocks of storage, but actually on a per file basis. Occasionally, if we have some data that is not important, we might need to use a lower protection. For other data that is important, we can increase that. However, we have been very happy with the utilisation. Dell EMC keeps adding more features to the solution’s OneFS operating system. In terms of group work, we have used it for about 13 years. The core feature set rollup has largely stayed the same over that time. It has been greatly improved over that time as well. So, it has always been that storage NFS sandbox, and they've broadened their scope for NFS v4, SMB3 Multi-channel, etc. They are always bringing up newer protocols, such as S3. Typically, those new features, such as S3, don't require new licensing. They are just included, which is nice. Over the years, the improvements to existing protocols have been important to us. When we first started using it, they were running open source sandbox for their SMB implementation under the covers and they used a built-in NFS server in a free VSD. Whereas, with the new implementations that they introduced for OneFS 7 have had huge increases in performance and been very good, though there's not necessarily any new features. We even use HDFS on the Isilons as well at the moment. The continued improvement has been really beneficial. It is incredibly easy to use the solution for deploying and managing storage at the petabyte scale. With CIFS and IBM Spectrum Scale, there just isn't the horizontal concern. I couldn't think of an easier way to deploy Petabyte NAS storage than using Dell EMC PowerScale.

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Dell PowerScale (Isilon) mindshare

Product category:

As of March 2025, the mindshare of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) in the NAS category stands at 17.6%, up from 17.4% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

NAS

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	NAS	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs Dell PowerStore	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs NetApp FAS Series	Mar 1, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs IBM FlashSystem	Mar 1, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Dell PowerStore	4.3	12.1%	96%	80 interviews Add to research
IBM FlashSystem	4.1	13.6%	91%	110 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) stands out for its ease of management and impressive scalability. Users highlight the efficient single-pane management and powerful performance. Features like SmartQuotas, SmartPools, CloudIQ, and InsightIQ enhance flexibility and security. Snapshot functionality, data protection, and seamless integration with various protocols are highly valued. Scalability is lauded, with nodes that can be added effortlessly. The platform efficiently handles large data volumes, supports multiple hardware platforms, and offers robust cybersecurity and data consolidation capabilities.

"Dell PowerScale helps in saving costs related to power and rack space, reducing physical hardware from over one hundred to twenty-nine chassis."
"Customer service is absolutely satisfying, rating at least nine out of ten, as they have managed previous issues well."
"Eyeglass is used to monitor for malware, which is very useful for us."

Room for Improvement

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is deemed complex for smaller environments and pricing is considered high. Users highlight the absence of a cloud version and challenges with updates and interface. They express a desire for better redundancy, encryption, and NFS support. Clarity in reporting and management tools is requested. Improvements in multi-tenancy, object storage, and cybersecurity features would be beneficial. Users criticize the customer support and suggest reducing maintenance complexity.

"Dell's customer service needs improvement. Specifically, hardware failures under warranty should be addressed within the promised timeline."
"Improvements could be made to reduce the costs and the high level of knowledge needed to maintain and use them. We had old hard drives with moving parts in Dell PowerScale, and due to this, we must switch to a more efficient environment with all-flash."
"Improvements could be made to reduce the costs and the high level of knowledge needed to maintain and use them."

ROI

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) offers scalability starting with a few nodes, enhancing cost efficiency. Users find it simplifies management, reduces administrative tasks, and improves data handling, enabling businesses to achieve more without expanding staff. Its integration streamlines workflows, enhances storage capacity, and aids in budget management, allowing for significant performance improvements. While expensive, it conserves energy, offering long-term savings. Many users highlight increased data management capabilities, though return on investment varies across different deployments.

Pricing

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is viewed by users as an expensive storage solution, yet its overall value is acknowledged due to compelling features and ease of management. Costs can vary based on use case and additional features, with licensing being flexible but potentially costly. Some users see competitive offers from Dell, enabling negotiation. High initial setup costs may be a barrier for startups, yet the solution is considered justifiable given its performance and functionality.

"It's a high-cost offering amounting to three or four million Swedish kronor, or about $400,000 or euros, for approximately 480 terabytes of storage."
"Dell PowerScale is expensive on the start-up side but we can recoup those costs quickly by not having to reapply the savings to other equipment."
"We use the TNA approach which is a great opportunity for us to better manage the licenses based on how much consumption is available for the different customers so we can use that approach and scalability."

Popular Use Cases

Dell PowerScale is utilized for managing extensive unstructured data storage across diverse industries. Organizations employ it for archiving video and research data, supporting genomics and HPC environments, and providing scalable, reliable storage for media, health, and scientific applications. It enables efficient data consolidation and management across data centers, offering high concurrency connections and data capacity. The platform facilitates seamless sharing between different systems and ensures data security, accommodating various workloads with ease.

Service and Support

Technical support for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) varies with mixed feedback. Some users find it excellent and responsive, often rating it highly, while others cite delays and the need for escalation, especially for Level 1 support. Many appreciate their knowledgeable engineers and dedicated account managers. Recent service observations mention some decline, possibly due to external factors. Availability and accessibility are often praised, but certain improvements, particularly in initial support lines, are desired.

Deployment

Initial setup experiences with Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vary. Some found it straightforward, with quick deployment times, especially with support from Dell or prior knowledge. Others experienced complexity, mainly for less experienced users or with specific configurations. Deployment times ranged from a few hours to weeks, often dependent on existing infrastructure and user expertise. Maintenance and integration typically required minimal effort, and ease improved with familiarity and planning.

Scalability

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) displays exceptional scalability through seamless node integration and automatic capacity expansion. Users can efficiently manage large workloads with minimal impact on operations, supported by its future-proof and flexible design. Its scalability maintains management simplicity across various environments and workloads, accommodating enterprise-sized needs and significant volume growth. The platform allows easy addition of nodes without disruption, making it a preferred choice for businesses with substantial data storage and performance requirements.

Stability

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) displays remarkable stability, earning high praise from users who experience minimal disruptions. Many highlight its resilience, handling power issues without data loss. With uptime often around 99.999% and ease of management, users remain impressed by its reliability and performance. Some face challenges adding new nodes, typically due to support rather than inherent technology problems. Users frequently rate stability between eight and ten out of ten, affirming its dependable operation.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell PowerScale (Isilon) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

25%

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Healthcare Company

University

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Media Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Hospitality Company

Non Profit

Legal Firm

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Pharma/Biotech Company

Outsourcing Company

Transportation Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Performing Arts

Consumer Goods Company

Compare Dell PowerScale (Isilon) with alternative products

Learn more about Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

With Dell PowerScale, your data lake always stays simple to manage, simple to grow, simple to protect, and simple enough to handle the most demanding current and future workloads.

Ideal for companies of any size, from small enterprises to multi-national ones, Dell PowerScale storage provides secure collaboration, modular scalability, flexible consumption models, and easy cloud integrations, all with management tools spanning multiple platforms.

Key Benefits of Dell EMC PowerScale Storage

Centralized management: Manage your storage infrastructure from a single unified platform.
Data protection: Dell PowerScale offers security, data protection and replication tools. Back up and protect your data from cyber-attacks with an integrated ransomware defense system.
Artificial intelligence: PowerScale is the foundation for building an integrated and optimized IT infrastructure for AI projects, from concept to production.
Cloud support: Store and manage your data on the cloud and move data between your data center and the cloud. Dell PowerScale runs data-intensive cloud workloads with no outbound traffic costs.
Long-term storage: Dell PowerScale offers highly efficient and resilient active archive storage or long-term data retention for large-scale data archives. With the proven scalability architecture of PowerScale, you can meet your growing archiving demands. Dell PowerScale has a wide variety of enterprise-grade data protection and security options to keep your archived data safe.

Reviews from Real Users

Dell EMC PowerScale storage stands out among its competitors for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its scalability capabilities and its user-friendly centralized management system.

Rachel B., a chief operations officer & acting CFO at Like a Photon, writes, "PowerScale allows us to manage storage without managing RAID groups or migrating volumes between controllers. It has really simplified things. We're not having to worry about the underlying infrastructure. That takes care of itself. We just worry about the data. It's really easy for deploying and managing storage at the petabyte scale."

Keith B., the director of IT at NatureFresh Farms, writes, "The single pane of glass for both IT and for the end-user is a valuable feature. On the IT side, I can actually control where things are stored, whether something is stored on solid-state drives or spinning drives... The single pane of glass makes it very easy to use and very easy to understand. We started at 100 terabytes, and we moved to 250 and it still feels like the exact same system and we're able to move data as needed."

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) was previously known as PowerScale, Dell EMC Isilon.

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) customers

OMRF, University of Utah, Translational Genetics Research Institute, Arcis, Geofizyka Torumn, Cyprus E&P Corporation, Colburn School, Columbia Sportswear, Harvard Medical School, University of Michigan, National Library of France,