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HPE MSA Reviews

Vendor: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
4.1 out of 5
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What is HPE MSA?

HPE MSA is a reliable storage solution offering dual controllers and easy management, ideal for SMBs. Known for stability, scalability, and affordability, it is user-friendly with features like autonomic tiering and robust disaster recovery, serving virtualization environments and data centers.

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HPE MSA is the #4 ranked solution in top Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) solutions. PeerSpot users give HPE MSA an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. HPE MSA is most commonly compared to IBM FlashSystem: HPE MSA vs IBM FlashSystem. HPE MSA is popular among the small business segment, accounting for 43% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a manufacturing company, accounting for 13% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
HPE MSA
April 2026
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HPE MSA mindshare

As of April 2026, the mindshare of HPE MSA in the Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) category stands at 11.2%, down from 20.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
HPE MSA11.2%
NetApp FAS Series11.2%
IBM FlashSystem11.0%
Other66.6%
Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

PeerResearch reports based on HPE MSA reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryModular SAN (Storage Area Network)Apr 28, 2026Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersApr 28, 2026Download
ComparisonHPE MSA vs NetApp FAS SeriesApr 28, 2026Download
ComparisonHPE MSA vs HPE 3PAR StoreServApr 28, 2026Download
ComparisonHPE MSA vs IBM FlashSystemApr 28, 2026Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
IBM FlashSystem4.111.0%91%113 interviewsAdd to research
NetApp FAS Series4.411.2%96%110 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

HPE MSA is praised for its ease of management and deployment, stability, and scalability. Users value features like dual controllers, simple configuration, snapshot capabilities, and autonomic tiering. It offers flexibility in connections, supports both Microsoft and Linux OS, and performs well with power interruptions. The interface is user-friendly, management is straightforward, and the array is cost-effective for SMBs. Its capacity for data deduplication and replication enhances storage management.
  • "The solution is very easy to use, it is not really complex for any user, such as non-technical individuals."
  • "Generally, HPE MSA has improved my storage management and has notably provided scalability benefits."
  • "MSA is cheap and scalable compared to other solutions, making it a solid and cost-effective choice."

Room for Improvement

HPE MSA requires enhancements in block-based storage, feature expansion like snapshots, GUI, and firmware updates. Users face challenges with scalability, cloud integration, and hardware flexibility. There are needs for improved data security and direct cloud connectivity that are more affordable for small businesses. Some mention slow user interfaces and difficult firmware upgrades. HPE MSA's support is costly, and synchronized replication is absent. Enhanced monitoring tools and analytics features are also desired.
  • "The solution could improve by adding configuration tools."
  • "I am not satisfied with the licensing model and pricing."
  • "HPE should reintroduce customizable ports as they were in Gen 5, allowing customers to use both iSCSI or SC on a single controller."

ROI

HPE MSA offers a substantial cost-saving advantage being more affordable than alternatives. Users report a clear return on investment by utilizing a central storage system to efficiently manage multiple servers, leading to significant savings. Enhanced return metrics are attained through special pricing contracts for HP hardware.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers of HPE MSA generally find initial costs over $10,000 but consider them reasonable, appreciating occasional willingness to negotiate. Licensing is perpetual, without monthly or yearly fees, yet support can be costly. Some view pricing as competitive, while others deem it slightly expensive. Scaling storage incurs additional fees. Overall, users rate pricing from 4 to 9 out of 10, noting the solution's reliability despite higher entry costs compared to alternative brands.
  • "The solution’s pricing is reasonable."
  • "I would rate the pricing as nine out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
  • "HPE StorageWorks MSA's licensing is perpetual and not integrated."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations utilize HPE MSA for storage utilities in servers, virtualization environments, and data centers. It supports VMware clusters, SAN and NAS storage, and is ideal for small to medium businesses due to its ease of use. Users employ it for hosting workloads, CCTV systems, fiber-based storage, server resources, and high scalability requirements. It serves diverse sectors including hotels, hospitals, government projects, and supports centralized storage management across different office setups.

Service and Support

HPE MSA customer service and support receive mixed feedback. Many users find technical support effective and reliable, noting prompt assistance and knowledgeable staff. Some experience delayed responses, especially with mission-critical agreements. Several mention satisfactory support when issues arise, alongside praise for local and phone support. A few report problems with response times and long resolution periods. Overall satisfaction seems contingent on support agreements and specific cases, with some users desiring better proactivity and integration with tools like InfoSight.

Deployment

Users found HPE MSA's initial setup straightforward and easy to configure. Most noted quick deployment, often under an hour or a day, depending on the environment. Several teams rated the process highly in terms of ease and appreciated the user-friendly configuration with supportive technical assistance. A few encountered challenges due to custom configurations but resolved them with expert help. Overall, familiarity with SAN and server knowledge was beneficial for the setup.

Scalability

HPE MSA is praised for scalability, supporting multiple users and storage expansion. Many describe it as easy to adapt to organizational needs with strong performance and profitability. It's effective for small to medium-sized businesses, with users able to add storage and replicate data. While some find its flexibility slightly limited, there's a consensus on its scalable nature. Users report various configurations and ease of use in expanding storage capacities.

Stability

HPE MSA is considered very stable with users expressing satisfaction due to its reliability under challenging conditions. Despite previous firmware issues, current stability rates high with no crashes or glitches. RAID manages hard drive failures effectively, and many highlight it as fantastic due to its performance. It serves specific storage needs efficiently, supporting around 100 terabytes. Scores for stability range from eight to ten out of ten, indicating broad confidence in its performance.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our HPE MSA Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business99
Midsize Enterprise40
Large Enterprise92
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
13%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Construction Company
6%
Government
5%
Outsourcing Company
5%
Educational Organization
4%
Performing Arts
4%
Marketing Services Firm
3%
Insurance Company
3%
Retailer
3%
Transportation Company
3%
Wholesaler/Distributor
3%
Healthcare Company
2%
Energy/Utilities Company
2%
University
2%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
2%
Media Company
2%
Consumer Goods Company
1%
Hospitality Company
1%
Logistics Company
1%
Legal Firm
1%
Non Profit
1%
Pharma/Biotech Company
1%
Real Estate/Law Firm
1%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
1%
Wellness & Fitness Company
1%

Compare HPE MSA with alternative products

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Learn more about HPE MSA

With dual controllers and simplified setup, HPE MSA is tailored for ease of management and high reliability. Its design supports scalability and cost-effective operation, catering well to SMBs. Autonomic tiering, snapshots, and data deduplication enhance its performance, while strong integration and flexibility solidify its role in robust operations. Despite benefits, users note expensive support contracts and desires for improved features like synchronized replication and cloud connectivity. Improvements in data security and integration, along with better firmware updates and monitoring tools, are suggested. Its functionality spans NAS, SAN storage, managing VMware clusters, and hosting varied workloads, fitting well into infrastructures like hotels and hospitals.

What are the key features of HPE MSA?
  • Dual Controllers: Facilitates high availability by allowing seamless failover.
  • Simple Management: User-friendly interface for easy configuration and monitoring.
  • Autonomic Tiering: Automatically optimizes data placement for performance.
  • Snapshots and Data Deduplication: Enhance data protection and storage efficiency.
  • Transparent Operations: Ensures minimal disruption during operations.
  • Flexible Integration: Offers adaptability with power and network options.
  • Disaster Recovery: Reliable with global spare support.
What should users expect in terms of benefits and ROI?
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Affordable for SMBs, providing excellent ROI.
  • Scalability: Flexibility to grow with organizational needs.
  • Performance Stability: Consistent performance, even during power outages.
  • Easy Configuration: Simplifies setup and management to save time and resources.

HPE MSA finds applications in virtualization, data centers, and CCTV systems. Organizations leverage it for NAS and SAN storage, making it suitable for VMware clusters and workloads like file servers and databases. Its scalability makes it adaptable for hotels, hospitals, and government projects, integrating with server services for centralized management.

HPE MSA was previously known as HP StorageWorks MSA.

HPE MSA customers

Femsa CSC, TTX, Rabobank

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Product Categories

Product Categories
Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

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HPE MSA Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
Administrative Assistant at EUIPO - European Union Intellectual Property Office5.0I've used HPE MSA for years with VMware and found its VAAI and automatic tiering features reliable and transparent. It's easy to set up and scale, though firmware updates could be smoother. HP support has been excellent.
Systems Engineer at Thakral One (Pvt) Ltd4.0I use HPE MSA for file storage and running VMs. It offers dynamic capacity expansion, easy disaster recovery, and a user-friendly interface, making it cost-effective for SMBs. A hybrid of SSDs and hard disks would enhance its efficiency.
Manager, Information Technology at a construction company with 201-500 employees3.0I use HPE MSA for data storage due to its speed and scalability, despite a higher price. However, its data security features are lacking, leading me to consider Huawei for better performance and cost-effectiveness after experiencing hard disk failures.
Deputy Manager IT at La Gajjar4.5We use HPE MSA in our virtualization environment for its scalability and ease of management. Despite installation challenges due to communication issues, we've seen a positive ROI after switching from HPE P2000. We chose HPE MSA over pricier alternatives like Dell Storage.
Project Manager, Information Technology at Telelago4.0The HPE StorageWorks MSA performs well during power outages, restarting reliably, but its monitoring capabilities need better integration with tools like Zabbix. Although HPE is pricier than NetApp, its reliability and our familiarity justify the cost for clients.
Broadcast Technology Director at tv83.5I use HPE MSA for SAN, finding it improves storage and offers scalability and ROI. However, cloud integration and licensing need work. Customer service could be faster. I rate it 7/10, best for midrange businesses.
Manager - IT Business Solutions at Kuwait Automotive Imports Company3.5I use HPE StorageWorks MSA for data storage due to its flexible port connections. However, direct cloud connectivity for backups is needed. Despite these limitations, it offers a good return on investment as it's an optimized solution replacing our outdated one.
Sr. Sys. Server & Storage Egineer / Tech .Consultant at CANAR OFFICE SYSTEMS5.0We use HPE StorageWorks MSA for fiber-based storage with production servers and as an active directory for virtual machines. It's cost-effective for SMBs, but lacks advanced features like adaptive options and integrated storage replication, and uses separate licenses.