IBM Spectrum Computing Reviews

Vendor: IBM

4.1 out of 5

8 reviews
57% willing to recommend

1,146 followers

What is IBM Spectrum Computing?

IBM Spectrum Computing uses intelligent workload and policy-driven resource management to optimize resources across the data center, on premises and in the cloud. Now up to 150X faster and scalable to over 160,000 cores, IBM provides you with the latest advances in software-defined infrastructure to help you unleash the power of your distributed mission-critical high performance computing (HPC), analytics and big data applications as well as a new generation open source frameworks such as Hadoop and Spark.

Get the Hadoop Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about IBM Spectrum Computing, Apache Spark, Cloudera Distribution for Hadoop and more!

IBM Spectrum Computing is the #7 ranked solution in top Hadoop solutions and #22 ranked solution in top Cloud Management solutions. PeerSpot users give IBM Spectrum Computing an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. IBM Spectrum Computing is most commonly compared to Apache Spark: IBM Spectrum Computing vs Apache Spark. IBM Spectrum Computing is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 75% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 42% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Hadoop

January 2025

Get the category report

Helped 832,138 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Avra Jyoti Ghosh

Data QualityTechnical Architect at Mindtree

I mainly used Spectrum Computing for data management, governance, quality, and ETL activity Spectrum Computing's best features are its speed, robustness, and data processing and analysis. Spectrum Computing is lagging behind other products, most likely because it hasn't been shifted to the…

Read full review

reviewer2145051

Solutions Architect at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees

IBM's sales and support structure can be challenging. To work on an IBM deal, you often need to involve multiple specialists, each knowledgeable about only part of the product, rather than having a single point of contact. This fragmentation complicates the sales process, especially for software and server solutions with numerous SKUs. Customers are frequently overwhelmed by the complexity of quotes and the large number of SKUs, which can detract from the perceived value. IBM's hardware, particularly servers, tends to be complex and expensive. It often becomes unsupported within three to five years, leading to issues with obtaining replacement parts or compatible components. This lack of downward compatibility can frustrate customers, who may feel pressured to make additional purchases to stay current. As a result, some customers might consider switching to other options, especially if they encounter difficulties with support or compatibility. IBM also works on new initiatives like PowerBS for virtual systems and cloud integration. While this may address some of the existing challenges, IBM still has room for improvement in simplifying its offerings and support.

Read full review

Mohamed Youssef

Sr. Pre-Sales Engineer at Advanced Technology Company

Hyper-convergence can be improved. IBM Spectrum is not supported or compatible with Nutanix with hyper-convergence. SMB storage and HPC is not compatible and it should be supported by IBM Spectrum Computing. The GUI could be more user-friendly for the administrator. In the GUI you cannot do all of the administration tasks, you have to go to the Command-Line. In VM the GUI can handle everything, Spectrum should be like this. Also, I would like to have the Hyper-converged solution Nutanix with IBM Spectrum, it's a very good product.

Read full review

IBM Spectrum Computing mindshare

Product category:

As of February 2025, the mindshare of IBM Spectrum Computing in the Hadoop category stands at 2.4%, up from 2.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Hadoop

Key learnings from peers

Last updated Dec 18, 2024

Valuable Features

IBM Spectrum Computing is valued for its backup capabilities, policy-driven resource management, speed, robustness, and data processing. Users appreciate its scalability, reliability, and ease of use. It supports Oracle SQL database backups and has an impressive compute clustering ability, handling scenarios like VR effectively. IBM's analytics is rated highly and it addresses workload management efficiently. The system's complexity suits those needing high computing power, offering an alternative to solutions like OpenStack and Pure Storage.

"IBM's ability to cluster compute resources is impressive, with built-in support for scenarios like VR and active-active configurations,"
"The comparison was challenging, but the IBM Spectrum Scale offered a balanced solution. Our engineers rated itsanalytics capabilities equally high as Pure Storage. For workload management, Spectrum Computing provided effective solutions that met our needs. Workload management is part of a complete solution that uses different tools. There were the cloud and HPC parts; within HPC, there were parts like liquid cooling, simple computing, storage, and orchestration. The orchestration team handled the workload management."
"Easy to operate and use."

Room for Improvement

IBM Spectrum Computing faces challenges with tape management, hyper-convergence compatibility, and limited protocol support. Its graphical interface lacks complete administrative functionality, requiring command-line use. Users encounter reliability and documentation issues. The absence of direct OEM support and fragmented sales and support structures complicate processes. Equipment complexity, high costs, and poor backward compatibility deter users, while limited cloud integration hinders competitiveness. Improvements in AI training and Spanish documentation are desired.

"IBM's sales and support structure can be challenging."
"In Pakistan, IBM's disadvantage is the lack of OEM support and presence."
"Lack of sufficient documentation, particularly in Spanish."

Pricing

IBM Spectrum Computing is widely regarded as expensive. Many companies find it to be one of the costliest solutions available, noting that it often exceeds budget constraints and is viewed as too pricey for numerous customers.

"Spectrum Computing is one of the most expensive products on the market."
"This solution is expensive."

Popular Use Cases

IBM Spectrum Computing is primarily used for data backup and storage within on-premises deployment environments, including VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V, Unix, and Windows systems. Users engage in data management, governance, quality, and ETL activities. Additionally, its high-performance computing capabilities serve private and public cloud projects requiring resilience and security. Its robust and secure solutions, although more expensive than competitors, cater to a smaller market share in the server industry.

Deployment

IBM Spectrum Computing's initial setup varies in complexity. For some, deployment spans three to four days, taking longer in large virtual environments. Novices find setup a learning experience, manageable by a knowledgeable team. Others experience months-long deployment with manageable challenges through certified engineers and backend support. Installation can be challenging due to limited third-party vendors and reliance on costly and slow remote support. Distributor expertise is often preferred for addressing technical questions and compatibility requirements.

Scalability

IBM Spectrum Computing offers scalability with excellent integration capabilities. Users find it impressive and reliable, yet note its complexity and high cost. In non-US markets, cluster sizes remain relatively small but show potential for growth. Compared to competitors like Dell or HPE, IBM servers provide unmatched performance and capability, positioning them as high-end options. Although their complexity might challenge those unfamiliar, they stand distinct from mainstream servers, highlighting their advanced technological stature.

Stability

IBM Spectrum Computing is consistently reliable and stable. Users note its dependable performance and mention that it consistently functions as expected without significant issues. Many express satisfaction with its stability, highlighting minimal problems during usage. Users emphasize its strong performance, reinforcing confidence in its capabilities.

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

Download our Hadoop Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.