Dell PowerEdge C-Series and Cisco UCS B-Series are both leading contenders in the high-performance server market. Dell PowerEdge C-Series has the upper hand with its superior remote management capabilities and cost-effective virtualization.
Features: Dell PowerEdge C-Series provides excellent remote management via iDRAC, high compute density, and advanced security including Secure Boot, making it ideal for high-performance tasks. Its flexible storage configurations enhance virtualization and cost efficiency. Cisco UCS B-Series is noted for its service profiles, ensuring easy server replacements and centralized management, along with robust hardware and scalability through a unified fabric that integrates LAN and SAN.
Room for Improvement: Dell PowerEdge C-Series needs enhancements in pricing, updates compatibility, and AI integration while suffering from technical support response time and configuration intuitiveness. Cisco UCS B-Series is costly and has a complex initial configuration with delayed storage technology integration, requiring competitive pricing and modern SSD options.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both products are primarily deployed on-premises with capabilities for private and hybrid cloud. Dell PowerEdge scores high on deployment ease due to straightforward management and good technical support. Cisco UCS B-Series benefits from centralized management via service profiles but users find its deployment complex. Support for both brands is rated highly, although response times could improve.
Pricing and ROI: Dell PowerEdge C-Series is mid-priced with good ROI due to its performance and reliability, balancing cost and capability for high compute demands. Cisco UCS B-Series is seen as expensive with significant licensing costs but offers robust features and scalability, delivering long-term ROI in large-scale deployments.
Additionally, we achieved server consolidation, running multiple services on fewer servers without purchasing new ones, resulting in significant financial benefits.
Over a three-year lifecycle, transitioning to the modern PowerEdge platform yields TCO savings of up to 40%, with long-term operational savings frequently reaching 30-40%.
Compared with other types of servers delivering what this server delivers, it was the best option.
Using Dell PowerEdge servers has helped reduce our total cost of ownership by typically delivering up to an approximately 20 to 40% reduction in total overall cost compared to the legacy hardware environments.
Cisco's technical support is highly helpful and responsive.
The prompt support with mission critical response and on-site visits are coming on priority and within a little span of time, the issues are getting resolved.
I would rate the technical support of Dell as 10 out of 10.
I think the technical support team is responding well regarding response time and overall competence.
We did reduce the amount of unplanned downtime by around 40 percent.
Dell PowerEdge C-Series servers offer great scalability.
Servers, even though we are using a virtual environment, handle many transactions, almost 10 to 15 lakh transactions in a day used by our clients.
The stability of Cisco UCS B-Series is impeccable, as it has been running smoothly without any need for maintenance.
Disks would stop working, and the motherboard sometimes had issues or incompatibilities, even with updates that were applied and forced me sometimes to downgrade versions.
We have never had any unplanned downtimes using PowerEdge servers.
I would say the production downtime has been reduced by two times, better than it was five years ago, with an 85% reduction in downtime.
Last year, we faced challenges with firmware upgrades, but they were quickly resolved with assistance from Cisco TAC.
Finally, the initial capital expenditure is heavy; acquiring a PowerEdge C chassis and its multiple sleds requires significant upfront commitment, making it less cost-efficient if you need one or two nodes now, as you generally need to commit to the ecosystem upfront.
This is one area where they can improve the performance of the server or implement some application improvements in the solution to make it easier for end users to implement properly.
Currently, we are using a few HP tools to monitor continuously the systems, system IOPS, systems network bandwidth, CPU, memory, and processing capabilities.
The management software, Cisco One, is priced a bit high but still considered reasonable.
The cost is a bit high, and I cannot ignore that the acquisition cost of these servers is somewhat high, but depending on the workload I will run and if I have the budget, I believe it is the best choice.
Using Dell PowerEdge C- Series has helped reduce my total cost of ownership because it is an off-the-shelf product, so I would say it has, because it is commoditized.
Dell has given a special discount for that purchase.
Its administration capabilities provide easy access to performance reports, logs, and utilization data, which are essential for effective server management.
That ease of customization helps a company at the end of the day because it helps us offer different solutions to different customers depending on their needs.
I appreciate the reliability, as they perform exceptionally well and we never experience any issues with them.
There is also advanced management with iDRAC, which is phenomenal. I can see if there is any issue on the server or any point that needs attention.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco UCS B-Series | 7.5% |
| Dell PowerEdge C- Series | 4.6% |
| Other | 87.9% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 21 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 15 |
| Large Enterprise | 41 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 25 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 6 |
| Large Enterprise | 14 |
Cisco UCS B-Series delivers centralized management, scalability, and integration suited for data centers. It excels in providing compute power for virtualization while ensuring minimal downtime with service profiles and consistent configurations.
The Cisco UCS B-Series platform is designed for high scalability, reliable centralized control, and efficient computing power, crucial for data centers. It integrates seamlessly with virtualization technologies like VMware ESXi, providing an intuitive interface for managing resources. However, enhancements are needed in areas such as storage integration, unified dashboard capabilities, and more responsive technical support. While appreciated for its resource management, cost-effective scalability, and reduced connectivity needs, it faces challenges with Java-based management and the validation process for storage. Organizations rely on UCS B-Series for running critical applications, database hosting, and supporting cloud workloads, despite its higher cost and needed interface improvements.
What are the key features of Cisco UCS B-Series?In industries requiring stable, scalable infrastructure, Cisco UCS B-Series is integral to managing virtualization and computing environments. It aids sectors such as finance and healthcare by supporting the virtual machines and infrastructures necessary for SAP HANA and other critical applications, contributing to effective cloud integration and server consolidation.
Dell PowerEdge C-Series is known for its high performance, scalability, and efficient power usage, making it suitable for demanding applications in data centers. Its compact design and affordability offer practicality and value for businesses seeking reliable hardware solutions.
PowerEdge C-Series offers robust virtualization capabilities and advanced reliability with Intel Xeon sockets and Intel's RAS. This series is valued for seamless expansion and strong technical support, enhancing its appeal for enterprise environments. While there is room for improvement in cost, compatibility, and additional memory slots, it remains a favored choice for database servers, VOIP systems, and application hosting due to its flexible configurations and ease of integration with VMware infrastructure. Enhancements desired by users include better AI integration, more iDRAC functionality, and improved stability and service procedures.
What are the key features of PowerEdge C-Series?In banking, telecommunications, and public sectors, Dell PowerEdge C-Series is implemented to support virtual machines, internal applications, and high-performance computing tasks. Its reliable integration with VMware infrastructure makes it an ideal choice for businesses seeking efficient workload management and critical hardware backup solutions. Its affordability and power efficiency allow organizations in these sectors to meet their computing demands without straining budgets.
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