Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers comparison

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Density Optimized Servers (3rd)

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Ranking in Rack Servers

1st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

165

Ranking in other categories

Converged Infrastructure (3rd), Data Center Networking (4th), Blade Servers (5th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 4.6%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is 27.9%, up from 27.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Ehsan Emad

Head of IT at Synnapex

The VIC card is the most important feature.

I rate Cisco USC C-Series Rack Servers 10 out 10. If you plan to buy a C-Series, you should be clear about why you want to use it because the uses vary. different. Whether you're using Cisco, HPE, Dell or any other brand, it's essential to define your use case. For example, are you using it for a simulation graphics, calculations, etc.? Depending on the use case, you might want to go with a small server with more CPU. Sometimes you need a light CPU with a powerful GPU. For example, if we have a C-Series with four CPUs at the same time, or we have a server that's handled two CPUs at the same time—the purpose is crucial. C-Series is good enough compared to other competitors like HPE and the other ones. The HPE C20 is one unit and has a lot of RAM support, but the C-series is number one, in my opinion.

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Javier Domingo

Responsable it at Fresenius Medical Care Holdings Inc

A robust server that integrates well and consumes less energy

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have helped us improve in terms of ecology. Energy expenditure is an important part of our company's philosophy. We have changed to a more clean mindset, so now, we have to be eco-friendly, and it was one of the best things we chose to do. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have the PowerEdge Cyber Resilient Architecture approach to security. I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a nine out of ten in terms of security. I never give a ten because there is always room for improvement, but Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have truly been very effective. They are very good in terms of energy consumption. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are agile for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads. They are perfectly aligned with our sustainability goals. We were looking for the company's line to be all eco-friendly, and therefore, they aligned with our decisions and needs. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have helped to reduce everything. We had to make a change when we suffered a cyber attack, and after we changed the solution, it became 100% effective. In other words, we have not had any service outages at any time, and the truth is that we are very happy. We use the OpenManage console. We are happy, and we do feel that our company has improved, but our productivity has always been at a very high level. In terms of the effect of using PowerEdge Rack Servers on the overall flexibility of our operations or business, the thing is that we implemented it while our company was dealing with a change of mentality. It has affected us for the best because it has accompanied us in that change of mentality.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The solution is stable."

"The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are agileness, ease of operation, and manageability."

"Excellent server solution with incredible network throughput."

"The solution is easily scalable."

"It is very stable and easy to use. It integrates easily with Cisco's cloud-based UC solutions. There are tools for management that make the management a bit easier, but we don't use them. We don't use what you would term as power users."

"The initial setup is straightforward and easy to do."

"It is very nice and stable with an easy administration GUI."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack is the use of databases, such as MySQL."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"The iDRAC for remote access is the most useful feature because it's built into the machine. I can reboot them without having to be there physically. We do a lot of what we do remotely, and it handles that fine."

"Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are pretty good at handling diverse applications."

"The reconstructive compatibility with VMware ESXi is the most valuable."

"The server itself is valuable. It does what we ask it to do."

"It's allowing us to scale out a lot faster than before."

"The defining characteristic of the Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers lies in their ability to function as the pivotal nexus of the server infrastructure."

"It is very easy and seamless to use the OpenManage console for lifecycle management or PowerEdge Rack Servers. It is one of the best solutions in the market today to manage the lifecycle of services."

"It is quite stable. We didn't have a single downtime of failure. Nor have we ever experienced any downtime in electrical components or the hardware. In this way, the server is reliable."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers pros

Cons

"The hard drive of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is not very good. I have already replaced three of them."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers could improve by adding a wider portfolio because they only have two main categories, the C-220 and 240. There is no wide range of options as other solutions have, such as Dell. Additionally, if it was more flexible with the configuration it would be good."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack could improve by selling storage. Cisco doesn't sell storage, which is a problem because some customers ask for storage. There are several brands in the market, such as HPE, and Dell EMC. However, Cisco doesn't have any storage. This is where the tension comes from buying this solution."

"I would like to see a little more integration with VMware."

"Its accessibility and manageability can be improved. Currently, we have to visit the office to manage it. It should be manageable outside our network. I would like it to be on the cloud."

"Some customers have complained about delivery time. So, the main weakness is the lead time."

"On the contact center and video conferencing, I would definitely like to see more AI features. The AI features are key for us. You will find a lot of them in the cloud-based solution, but in the on-premises solution, they're hardly there. I would like to see the same AI features that are there in the cloud-based Cisco UC."

"Definitely the support area needs improving. Especially the time response in case of hardware failure."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"The quality of support for this solution varies. Sometimes you get agents who are amazing and other times you get agents who take a long time to resolve your query."

"From the host, you cannot read the external hard drive data inside a VM. They have a security restriction on it."

"I want Dell to offer more virtualization platforms because the cost of VMware is getting too high."

"Until they get new technology and density, it would be nice to see four nodes in a one-year package instead of a three-year package."

"I would like for PowerEdge Rack Servers could be a bit more compact."

"The specs for the benchmarks are very good, but the firmware and software are lacking. There are some issues with the Linux kernel and the long-term support (LTS) for some of the firmware's dependencies. It is causing the kernel to dump. The support for the Linux brands isn't optimal. We would like them to optimize the kernel drivers for benchmarks."

"In terms of energy use, it takes up a lot."

"After the expiration of support, it is sometimes challenging to find parts like hard drives, especially for obsolete models."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is high."

"This product is slightly more expensive when compared to others."

"The pricing is expensive."

"The server itself isn't costly at all, but the CPU and the RAM can be pretty expensive. You can buy a UCS for $2,000, but the RAM and CPU can cost up to $80,000. The most expensive asset is the intel processor, but it depends on how many cores you want and the technology you want to use on your CPU, like Hyper-V, etc."

"My company has an agreement with Cisco to get discounted rates. It is one of the reasons why we chose the product."

"This solution is a little expensive."

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"The solution is expensive and I give the price a four out of ten."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"The main reason I choose Dell there is cost. Dell is cheaper than HPE. Why would I want to pay a premium for an HPE product when I'm getting the same amount of support, the same amount of data protection, and the same amount of performance from Dell?"

"I wouldn't say the solution's pricing is the best, but it's very competitive."

"The product is cheaper than HP servers, but the price could always be better."

"It is expensive. The price needs to be more competitive. Additional licenses are required to enable some of the features for scalability."

"The price of Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers is reasonable compared to other solutions."

"It is very competitive. I have not been too involved in the licensing, but from a hardware perspective, I always find them to be competitive."

"Regarding the pricing, it seems fair."

"Compared to other vendors, the prices are much lower."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

23%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

University

Computer Software Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The C-series is the most valuable.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The solution is moderately priced.

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The improvement should be done as per customer requirements.

When shopping for a rack server, would you go with Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether the Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem rack servers were the better fit for us. We ultimately decided to go with Dell EMC Poweredge....

What do you like most about Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers?

It has helped us reduce unplanned downtime by 20% to 30%.

What needs improvement with Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers?

PowerEdge could have more configuration options, such as the ability to combine different CPUs, memory volumes, data storage, and memory. The new Intel-based ones are a bit power-hungry. You want t...

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Comparisons

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Dell XR2 Rugged Server vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

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HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 39% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 34% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 6% of the time

Huawei FusionServer RH Series Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 5% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Download Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series

PowerEdge R

Overview

UCS C-Series Rack Servers deliver unified computing in an industry-standard form factor to reduce TCO and increase agility. Each server addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources.

Cisco

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are designed to optimize performance and efficiency in a data center environment, supporting various applications. Dell stands as the leading vendor in accelerated servers for AI, commanding a 33.8% revenue share. Based on user reviews, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers supporting tasks from basic web hosting to more demanding applications like data analytics and virtualization. They are engineered to offer high performance, reliability, and scalability. With a focus on automation and integrated security, these servers simplify operations and protect against threats, making them a smart choice for businesses of all sizes.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are a robust, secure, and scalable solution that can meet the diverse needs of businesses, backed by comprehensive support. Benefits to look for in reviews include performance, reliability, scalability, and customer support.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers key features include:

Scalability: These servers can easily scale to meet growing business needs, supporting more workloads and processing power.
Integrated Security: From hardware to firmware to the operating system, Dell PowerEdge servers are designed with security in mind, offering layers of protection.
Energy Efficiency: Advanced thermal design and energy-smart technology help reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
Automation: With Dell EMC OpenManage, the management of servers is streamlined, allowing for automated deployment, monitoring, and updates.

In terms of implementation, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are used across various industries, from small businesses to large enterprises. They serve as the foundation for IT infrastructure, powering critical applications in healthcare, finance, education, and more. The adaptability of these servers means they can be tailored to specific industry needs, from handling large datasets in research institutions to supporting high-transaction databases in financial services.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Artoni Transporti, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, City of Mississauga, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Kind en Gezin, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Nationwide, Quest, Talbots, University of St. Gallen

NxtGen Datacenter, Medien-Service Untermain (MSU), Exasol, IndigoVision, Dayco

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers