Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] vs FlexPod XCS comparison

Dell Technologies and NetApp are both solutions in the Converged Infrastructure category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of NetApp users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Read 20 Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

FlexPod XCS

Read 295 FlexPod XCS reviews

3,176 Views
1,493 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

FlexPod XCS

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 26, 2025

FlexPod XCS and Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] are part of the converged infrastructure market, offering solutions for data centers. FlexPod XCS has an advantage due to its extensive vendor collaboration, integration capabilities, and support system.

Features: FlexPod XCS delivers integration with NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, providing seamless support and compatibility across these technologies. It simplifies support issues with a single point of contact. Additionally, its architecture supports ease of deployment and scalability, well-suited for large environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] is noted for its compact design, integrating compute, storage, and networking in a single unit, which simplifies deployment for small to mid-sized setups. However, reliance on a single vendor limits support and flexibility.

Room for Improvement: FlexPod XCS users seek enhancements in unified management and automation to streamline operations. Cost reduction and consistency in support are also desired. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] could benefit from extended support, enhanced scalability, and improved storage options. Simplified licensing and additional compact unit offerings are also suggested for better alignment with business needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: FlexPod XCS is praised for efficient deployment with multi-vendor support from NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, eliminating separate vendor interventions. Its customer service stands out as proficient and cohesive, especially in mixed technology environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] simplifies deployment with its all-in-one design but lacks integrated cross-vendor support, resulting in slower service responses post-end-of-life.

Pricing and ROI: FlexPod XCS's higher initial cost is balanced by long-term ROI, operational efficiencies, and reduced downtime, appealing to enterprises. Meanwhile, Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] offers budget-friendly solutions for small setups with straightforward pricing, but it may fall short in long-term savings and flexibility in larger deployments.

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Converged Infrastructure

December 2025

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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

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

FlexPod XCS

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

295

Ranking in other categories

Converged Infrastructure (1st)

Featured Reviews

Kirihettige Anton Asiri Prasad

Systems Engineer at Thakral One (Pvt) Ltd

Enables continued support and efficient data management in IT infrastructure

Dell PowerEdge VRTX is mainly used for virtual environments and is beneficial for IT infrastructure. It offers scalability, allowing customers to scale up as needed, which is crucial for maintaining hardware without purchasing new products. Its integrated storage solutions improve data management by providing the flexibility and ease of scaling up.

Read full review

John Kevin

Deputy IT Manager at MBBank

Enforces standardized setup procedures following Certified Validated Design (CVD) guidelines and offers greater flexibility and control over the system compared to traditional systems

The GUI setup follows the right setup, meaning we have to follow the CVDi.e. Certified Validated Design. Everything is clear, because you can build CI yourself, but without rules, it can be messy. With FlexPod, there are rules to follow, making it more standardized. This helps with troubleshooting and compatibility assessments, simplifying troubleshooting significantly. We also use FlexPod pre-validated architectures to validate the design. It is very, very important to us because we had a bad case in 2015 where separate items integrated poorly due to no version or firmware compatibility certification. Troubleshooting became a nightmare. So, standards are crucial for us, and everything entering production should be verified or at least documented for certification.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"From a hardware perspective, it's interesting. The selling point of VRTX is that everything is built-in. For a small company that doesn't have a server room or the capabilities of hosting several servers, VRTX has four blades. The equivalent in regular server models would be four servers, which is a minimum of 4U, but it could easily be 8U, and then it would have storage. The storage is included inside the enclosure, and it would require a storage unit. It would also require connectivity, which would be ethernet or another protocol switch. From a software perspective, it's a little bit more integrated. You have an integrated way of managing the whole thing, including storage and networking. It has an internal network that can also be useful. I know for a fact that Dell is almost fazing out the product, and it is not that available anymore because it will just cannibalize their sales. They want to sell the more expensive stuff."

"With Dell PowerEdge VRTX, there are fewer points, and it is easier to troubleshoot and find your way around it."

"It is pretty easy to install."

"The most valuable feature is the combined management in one box."

"Dell PowerEdge VRTX supports a lot of memory which has allowed us to keep our system size smaller."

"The system is very intuitive."

"The online UA is very good in comparison to others."

"It is simple to use and it's user-friendly."

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] pros

"The solution's granular scalability and broad application support helps us to meet the needs of diverse workloads."

"The agility is probably the most valuable feature for us. It's very easy to send out resources."

"It's a new architecture, really scalable and programmable. When you look at SDN propositions it fits very well in a next-gen data center."

"The product is robust, stable, and has flexibility."

"It runs very well lights out. Set it and forget it."

"It has had a big, positive impact, because now everything is centralized."

"Once it is in place, we do not touch it, so it is more stable than other solutions."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the stability."

More FlexPod XCS pros

Cons

"The problem is with our configuration. We know we can use PowerEdge for hyper-convergence if we have PowerEdge and configure vSAN. We will be able to achieve what VxRail is being able to provide, but we need to migrate it to a new infrastructure instead of changing our existing. It will be much more difficult for us."

"The support must be improved."

"There are some noises, and this module is quite annoying, with significant heat issues."

"We've had general issues related to the solution being difficult."

"The licensing can be difficult to understand."

"When we first started with this product, we had some difficulty with it."

"The cost of Dell PowerEdge VRTX is high, making it difficult for small and medium businesses to bear."

"The scalability could be better."

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] cons

"Something that we struggle with because we're a relatively small scale organization and the administrative effort is spread across so many different pieces of infrastructure, it would be nice to have a set of tools that enables us to get a little bit more information out of our system."

"Not a ten because it could always be cheaper, it could always be faster."

"One of the things that I've wanted would be availability of a health status, similar to Active IQ from my converged platform, on an app. I have dashboards so I can see the health of the system when I'm in the office, but when I'm not in the office I can't."

"Compatibility issues with replication. The Oracle table formats were not working and storage replications did not work as well, until we had to introduce other components to make it work."

"I would like to see the following: Support for multiple vendors' hardware; support for SAN with Cisco 9000 switches; automated deployment and configuration with respect to CVD."

"There are times where we have had issues with technical support."

"The upgrades should be improved. We would like to have the ability to do unified upgrades of the whole infrastructure from beginning to end."

"Hardware stability needs improvement. We replaced a lot of RAM this past year. We had to replace the complete blade once after extensive troubleshooting. Any given time, we have approximately one blade down within the entire infrastructure, unfortunately."

More FlexPod XCS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We bought a license for seven years."

"The solution price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX could be reduced. However, when comparing the price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX to other solutions, such as HP and Lenovo, it was the best price for what they offer."

"Fully configured, it costs about $50,000 or $55,000. I did purchase a used one or refurbished one. I have been very happy with it so far. Even if it is an older unit, it doesn't look like its age, and I would say it has been a great choice so far for me. Obviously, I would have thought twice if I had to pay for a brand new one because it is still an older technology with the risk of being discontinued. I talked to Dell, and they're still selling it, but they're not promoting it. They're promoting another line of products right now for hyper-converged, which are much more expensive."

"This product is more reasonably-priced than similar solutions by HPE."

"The solution is less expensive than competitors."

"We are renewing the support and we are purchasing the license for the software."

"On the scale of pricing, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I would rate it as a three. I am familiar with the overall cost, which involves licenses from Dell and VMware, among others, making it a combination of various license types."

"The tool's pricing is fine."

"We have seen an 80 percent improvement in application performance."

"Cost is the primary factor behind why I would not give this product a perfect rating."

"You get better management and orchestration, but it still costs you money."

"Make sure that you engage as much with whom you are buying from as a partnership, not just as a purchase."

"If your company really needs to be up 100% of the time, and you need to do a private data center, I don't know if I could realistically actually recommend another blueprint."

"Everything is purchased, so we do not do any leasing with this product."

"We pay approximately $1,400 USD in total for between five-thousand and ten-thousand ports."

"We can just swap in new equipment or hardware as we need, which has probably saved us several weeks."

More FlexPod XCS pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user244362

Managing Consultant with 51-200 employees

Aug 30, 2015

Nutanix vs. VMware EVO:RAIL vs. FlexPod

Originally posted at www.storagegaga.com/dont-get-too-drunk-on-hyper-converged/ I hate the fact that I am bursting the big bubble brewing about Hyper Convergence (HC). I urge all to look past the hot air and hype frenzy that are going on, because in the end, the HC platforms have to be aligned…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

18%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

20%

Performing Arts

10%

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	34
Midsize Enterprise	66
Large Enterprise	182

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

The system is very intuitive.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

The cost of Dell PowerEdge VRTX is high, making it difficult for small and medium businesses to bear. I would rate the pricing as seven out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

It would be much better for customers if Dell could provide firmware updates even after the end of the product's life, enabling them to manage and keep their hardware for a longer time.

See all answers

What do you like most about FlexPod?

The system is designed for easy scaling. Because we define everything clearly. So when we plug the system in, we apply the profile, and it scales easily.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FlexPod?

The pricing is not cheaper, but stability is more important for us now. We focus on business gains, not static numbers. Following XCS rules ensures a stable environment, which is crucial. For me, C...

See all answers

What needs improvement with FlexPod?

FlexPod should focus more on automation. Integrating an automation tool with FlexPod would enable customers to leverage automation capabilities. More automation would be helpful. Currently, we cont...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ConvergedSystem vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 47% of the time

IBM PureSystems vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 20% of the time

Rackspace OpenStack vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Competitors

Dell PowerFlex vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 17% of the time

HPE ConvergedSystem vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 11% of the time

Dell VxBlock System vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 10% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 9% of the time

HPE Hyper Converged vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 9% of the time

More FlexPod XCS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

January 2026

Download Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

FlexPod XCS

January 2026

Download FlexPod XCS product report

Overview

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] provides compact, integrated management with shared storage and networking, ideal for small companies seeking easy scaling. Users value its robust security, stability, and processing power within an all-in-one configuration.

PowerEdge VRTX combines servers, storage, and networking into a single unit, optimizing performance and reducing the need for separate components. It offers excellent technical support and a resourceful design with multiple blades. Despite its current web-based storage and networking management being slow, there is a demand for a Windows-based application, increased storage capacity, auto-tiering features, and improved hyper-convergence capabilities. The integration with other storage solutions could be better, and a more compact version is suggested. Continued support and firmware updates past its lifecycle, better pricing, and noise reduction are requested by users.

What are the main features of Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

Integrated Management: Combines servers, storage, and networking in a single platform.
Scalability: Supports flexible scaling for small business needs.
Blades and Processing Power: Offers multiple blades with strong processing capabilities.
User-Friendly UI: Simplifies IT management with intuitive interface and hardware compatibility.
Security: Known for robust security features ensuring stable operations.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Ease of Installation: Designed for straightforward deployment without extensive setup.
Cost-Effectiveness: Provides good value by reducing the need for multiple components.
Technical Support: Recognized for effective customer service and assistance.
Space Optimization: Ideal for environments where space is limited yet essential.

In branch offices and industries requiring reduced space and IT needs, PowerEdge VRTX supports virtualization, client-server applications, and financial services. It aids infrastructure in providing internet and security services, highlighting its ease of installation and effective customer support.

Dell Technologies

FlexPod XCS is the secure platform your applications need from edge to cloud. Easily manage your suite of cloud-native, edge, and enterprise apps. Integrate advanced cloud services without compromising performance, security, reliability, or scale.

NetApp

Sample Customers

University of Dundee, GE Healthcare Japan

University of Sao Paulo, WD-40, The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group

Buyer's Guide

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December 2025

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