IBM Spectrum Virtualize Reviews

IBM Spectrum Virtualize users report that the bundled licensing is cost-effective and flexible, with potential discounts when negotiating with vendors and partners. The pricing is considered competitive against major competitors like EMC and Dell, offering excellent value for its features and support. Entry-level pricing is notably low, with high performance even outperforming older technologies. Various pricing models based on size, subscription, and usage are available, and significant discounts can often be secured on purchase.

• "I think it is a good value for the price."
• "This solution came as an additional cost for the TSM package we chose."
• "The entry point of pricing for this product is the most amazing price ever in the industry."

Organizations primarily use IBM Spectrum Virtualize to virtualize diverse storage units, manage multiple storage devices, and facilitate data migration and disaster recovery. Enterprises find it effective for creating a unified storage view, improving data mobility, and protecting data across on-premise and cloud environments. It supports high availability setups and is frequently applied in environments like banks, retail, and government, serving various needs from virtual machines to databases and block storage requirements.

IBM Spectrum Virtualize receives mixed feedback for customer service and support. Users praise the skilled technicians and effective troubleshooting at advanced levels, but some express frustration with initial support tiers and response times. There are concerns about decreasing support quality, particularly with live troubleshooting, and outsourcing to other countries. Overall, technical expertise is commendable, though challenges with immediate access to knowledgeable personnel persist. Transitioning through support layers can be labor-intensive for issues requiring escalation.

Many users found IBM Spectrum Virtualize's initial setup straightforward and easy. Some noted the process was made simpler with assistance from business partners or resellers, while a few found the setup complex due to unique environment needs. Advanced planning and understanding of customer requirements proved beneficial. Overall, the setup was seen as intuitive with wizard-driven assistance, even though certain configurations like cabling required more effort initially.

IBM Spectrum Virtualize is generally praised for its scalability, accommodating a range of needs from small to large enterprises. Users highlight its flexibility and ability to grow by adding nodes, while some express hope for further expansion. Though some face limitations with node count and volume count, many appreciate the ease of scaling across different technologies and environments, including cloud. A few note excellent adaptation to changing technologies and emerging needs.

Users find IBM Spectrum Virtualize to be generally stable with occasional issues. Some have faced challenges with double disk failures and environmental settings, yet others praise its high availability and improved stability over time. Many report zero downtime, appreciating its resilience during updates. Despite infrequent bugs, individuals express confidence in its reliability for critical workloads. Satisfaction with its stability has grown, although minor defects persist with specific configurations like Storwize ports.