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Dell SC Series vs IBM System Storage DS8000 Series comparison

Dell Technologies and IBM are both solutions in the Frame-Based Disk Arrays category. Dell Technologies is ranked #3 with an average rating of 9.0, while IBM is ranked #2. Dell Technologies holds a 11.9% mindshare in FBDA, compared to IBM’s 34.5% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 85% of IBM users who would recommend it.
Dell SC Series
Read 54 Dell SC Series reviews
  • 95 Views
  • 77 Comparison Views
94% willing to recommend
IBM System Storage DS8000 S...
Read 6 IBM System Storage DS8000 Series reviews
  • 230 Views
  • 147 Comparison Views
85% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary
We performed a comparison between Dell SC Series and IBM System Storage DS8000 Series based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Frame-Based Disk Arrays solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

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To learn more, read our detailed Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series Report (Updated: January 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series
January 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 SC Series
Ranking in Frame-Based Disk Arrays
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
54
Ranking in other categories
All-Flash Storage (18th)
IBM System Storage DS8000 S...
Ranking in Frame-Based Disk Arrays
2nd
Average Rating
9.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Frame-Based Disk Arrays category, the mindshare of Dell SC Series is 11.9%, down from 18.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM System Storage DS8000 Series is 34.5%, up from 27.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Frame-Based Disk Arrays
 

Featured Reviews

Steven McClendon - PeerSpot reviewer
Superior platform with excellent snapshots and cost-saving auto-tiering
I'm a big fan of the SC Series platform. Its feature set is superior to some of the other platforms. The snapshots on SC are excellent, allowing for multiple snapshot schedules for any one system. The auto-tiering functionality intelligently moves new data to the highest performance tier and then progresses it down to less expensive tiers over time, providing cost savings for customers.
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reviewer1392684 - PeerSpot reviewer
Great Global Copy and Global Mirror features with an easy initial setup
We're just a customer. We don't have a business relationship with the company. I'm an outsourcing service provider and I've had a lot of experience using the solution. We have everything from DS8100 disc storage, all the way up to 8990s. I'd advise new users to read the implementation installation guide. Most of the questions are answered in there. People just tend to skim over it and don't get into the details. However, it's important in making everything run smoothly and understanding the solution. That's probably the best advice I've actually heard from anybody. At the end of the day, don't be someone who skips the instructions, and all of a sudden you have a pile of parts. I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
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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

"What is most valuable about the Dell EMC SC Series system was its reliability."
"I've found the stability to be very good."
"I find this version to be more budget-friendly compared to products from other vendors. This aspect greatly benefits my customers. It's highly advantageous due to its affordability. The operational aspect is also noteworthy. Additionally, its availability and performance are commendable. The speaker are also equally powerful."
"There's some new stuff coming with 7.3, which just got released, where they're spreading the sparing across the whole array, rather than having a dedicated spare disk, and have it sit there and do nothing until one of them dies, and then it kicks in - and having to rebuild all of that. Now, they'll do the sparing across all the disks and they say that is going to add not only space but performance to the array, with 7.3."
"The most valuable feature is the speed for the end-user."
"The most valuable features are the with back-end dedupe, and the thin nodes. For a 20TB or 60TB, we're using almost a one-to-two ratio."
"Dell SC Series offers a lot of performance, being one of the best performing storages Dell ever made."
"I can mix and match the drives, using older mechanical devices and the latest SFP drives in a single solution with different enclosures."
More Dell SC Series pros
"The high throughput feature is the most powerful thing in this product."
"The Global Copy and Global Mirror features are the solution's most valuable aspects."
 

Cons

"The tool's pricing is high and not suitable for medium companies."
"The lack of reporting would be the main issue."
"I would like to improve the processing ability."
"In some customer cases, customers experienced more performance or latency."
"While the price is competitive, in the next release it would be better if they could reduce the fees."
"Snapshots in VMware. You can’t do snapshots since the storage itself does that. Therefore, some apps (Veeam, for example) don’t work well with this kind of tiering storage."
"The configuration could be easier in Dell EMC SC Series."
"In the future, I want any box that comes on-premises to have the provision to integrate with cloud storage."
More Dell SC Series cons
"The solution should embedded replication switches into the hardware instead of using them externally."
"The GUI isn't as user-friendly as other options."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have found it to be affordable. Comparing the cost with other hardware, it seems to be right in line with the compute and the storage that we get with it."
"Support typically depends on the array. It can range anywhere from $7,000 to a couple of hundred thousand dollars."
"Always keep in mind, this is not just a enclosure with disks is a complete SAN as a service. There is software, license, and storage in one single solution."
"The maintenance is usually pretty good. It's not like some of the others where they increase it in the fourth, fifth, or sixth years."
"This solution could be better priced in comparison with other vendors."
"The pricing of Dell EMC Compellent is competitive."
"We have the basic license for the use of this solution and it is a permanent license. The overall cost could be less, it is expensive."
"The pricing is reasonable, but it is expensive."
More Dell SC Series pricing and cost advice
"The license is very expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
23%
University
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell SC Series?
I find this version to be more budget-friendly compared to products from other vendors. This aspect greatly benefits my customers. It's highly advantageous due to its affordability. The operational...
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell SC Series?
Cost considerations are crucial when choosing between solutions like Dell and NetApp. Sometimes Dell offers better performance for less money. That said, the costs can vary.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Dell SC Series?
In the future, I want any box that comes on-premises to have the provision to integrate with cloud storage. If I want a second copy or need to replicate data from on-premises to the cloud, this pro...
See all answers
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Comparisons

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Dell PowerStore vs Dell SC Series
Compared 70% of the time
Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs Dell SC Series Logo
Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs Dell SC Series
Compared 11% of the time
Dell Unity XT vs Dell SC Series Logo
Dell Unity XT vs Dell SC Series
Compared 10% of the time
IBM FlashSystem vs Dell SC Series Logo
IBM FlashSystem vs Dell SC Series
Compared 9% of the time
More Dell SC Series Competitors
Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs IBM System Storage DS8000 Series Logo
Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs IBM System Storage DS8000 Series
Compared 100% of the time
More IBM System Storage DS8000 Series Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Dell SC Series
February 2025
Dell SC Series reportDownload Dell SC Series product report
Buyer's Guide
IBM System Storage DS8000 Series
February 2025
IBM System Storage DS8000 Series reportDownload IBM System Storage DS8000 Series product report
 

Also Known As

SC Series Storage, Compellent
System Storage DS8000
 

Overview

Dell EMC SC Series arrays provide a unified platform for the ultimate in performance, adaptability and machine-driven efficiency. SC Series software delivers modern features that help you meet aggressive workload demands using the fewest drives necessary. With an open, future-ready design, SC Series storage integrates seamlessly with applications and infrastructure, enabling you to scale on a single platform and add capabilities without forklift upgrades.

Dell Technologies
IBM System Storage DS8000 series is a high-performance, high-capacity series of disk storage that supports continuous operations. The DS8000 series includes the DS8800 (Models 951 and 95E) and the DS8700 (Models 941 and 94E).
IBM
 

Sample Customers

TGen, Frost Science, Gerrie Electric
Renfe, Park Nicollet Health Services, Ricoh Americas Corporation, SK Energy, SWK STADTWERKE KREFELD AG
Buyer's Guide
Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series
January 2025
Free Report: Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
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See our Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series report.
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We monitor all Frame-Based Disk Arrays reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.