HPE MSA vs IBM FlashSystem comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and IBM are both solutions in the Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.0, while IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 19.9% mindshare in MS, compared to IBM’s 19.8% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of IBM users who would recommend it.

HPE MSA

Read 23 HPE MSA reviews

1,417 Views
1,141 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

IBM FlashSystem

Read 110 IBM FlashSystem reviews

1,461 Views
1,109 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

HPE MSA

IBM FlashSystem

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

IBM FlashSystem and HPE MSA compete in the data storage solutions category. IBM FlashSystem has the upper hand in terms of performance and features for demanding workloads, whereas HPE MSA provides a more budget-friendly option with essential features suitable for simpler storage needs.

Features: IBM FlashSystem is known for its high performance, low latency, and strong virtualization capabilities. It is suited for demanding workloads requiring robust performance and efficiency. HPE MSA, categorized as entry-level, offers solid stability with features such as dual controllers, tiering, and the ability to provide shared storage solutions without high complexity.

Room for Improvement: IBM FlashSystem users have pointed out the need for enhanced scalability, code stability, and more detailed GUI reporting. There is also a call for improved cloud service integration. For HPE MSA, users have noted the need for better scalability and more modern features like deduplication, as well as enhanced cloud integration options.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both IBM FlashSystem and HPE MSA are primarily installed on-premises. Some IBM users also manage hybrid or private cloud deployments. IBM FlashSystem receives mixed reviews regarding technical support, with some users praising their experience and others calling for improvement. HPE MSA is generally appreciated for responsive customer service but lacks in supporting new features.

Pricing and ROI: IBM FlashSystem is often perceived as a more expensive option, necessitating careful budget planning, yet offering significant ROI through comprehensive features and performance benefits. HPE MSA, while cost-effective, may still pose financial challenges for smaller businesses, providing a positive ROI as a budget-friendly solution, albeit with fewer advanced features compared to IBM FlashSystem.

To learn more, read our detailed HPE MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HPE MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem

April 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

HPE MSA

Ranking in Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM FlashSystem

Ranking in Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

4th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

110

Ranking in other categories

NAS (4th), All-Flash Storage (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) category, the mindshare of HPE MSA is 19.9%, up from 17.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM FlashSystem is 19.8%, up from 16.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

Featured Reviews

Pragnesh Sachania

Deputy Manager IT at La Gajjar

Scalable, easy to manage, and used for virtualization environments

We didn't face any issues with the technical functionality. However, we faced a lot of challenges with our custom configuration. The HPE support person who did the installation was very technical. He answered all the queries, and we resolved the entire setup. We set up the storage as per our requirements. We previously used a physical server instead of virtualization. With the help of an HPE engineer and partners, we prepared a strategy for migrating the entire physical servers to our virtualization infrastructure. It took two days to deploy the solution. Six people were involved in the solution's deployment, including two from HPE and four from our IT team.

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Raanan Sitton

Vice President Sales at BELOCAL LTD

Offers cost-effective storage for small companies with budget constraints

IBM FlashSystem 5300 is offered at a very low cost in Israel, which is advantageous for small companies. However, other features like deduplication and compression do not perform effectively. The price sensitivity makes it a viable option for clients with budgetary constraints, as it allows us to secure deals based on the cost rather than advanced performance.

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

"The simple configuration feature is great. It is very simple, allowing you to set up MSA very easily."

"It has notably provided scalability benefits."

"HPE StorageWorks MSA is an entry-level, cost-effective solution for SMB customers."

"The solution is very easy to use, it is not really complex for any user, such as non-technical individuals."

"The most valuable features were the dual controllers and being able to expand it."

"The cost to performance for HPE StorageWorks MSA is good."

"I like StorageWorks' snapshots for our backup system. We had a pool of SSD and traditional drives. StorageWorks has a feature that transfers the hot data to high-performing drives."

"The most valuable feature for customers is the autonomic tiering, which enhances their storage scalability as easily as possible."

More HPE MSA pros

"Ability to manage third-party arrays and virtualise them: One screen to control multiple arrays. Simplified administration."

"The most valuable features are, of course, the virtualization of the storage, the performance, and the compression."

"This solution is really user friendly. It also offers good performance and is highly reliable."

"Over the years, it has become increasingly user-friendly."

"I would recommend it to other users."

"The initial setup is straightforward and can be done in an hour and a half by one person."

"The solution allows for easy migrations from previous products or vendors via its embedded storage virtualization function."

"This solution is convenient, user-friendly, convenient and reliable."

More IBM FlashSystem pros

Cons

"The solution requires hardware."

"We faced a lot of challenges with our custom configuration during installation."

"There is room for improvement in terms of scalability. There are times when we need to upgrade the device and the firmware. Sometimes, that can be a struggle."

"It would be ideal if there was a better management interface."

"HPE should reintroduce customizable ports as they were in Gen 5, allowing customers to use both iSCSI or SC on a single controller."

"Some clients have suggested room for improvement in expanding storage capacity beyond the base traces."

"The support contract is expensive, although they are very responsive."

"HPE StorageWorks MSA could maybe include a pay-top of texture feature or something like job replication."

More HPE MSA cons

"We had issues when attempting to do a flash, we hope to resolve it soon."

"This solution needs a management console where we are alerted to issues and can report them, or escalate them through email or another method."

"There is room for improvement in the troubleshooting part, specifically related to IBM Spectrum for Insight. Customers are uncomfortable with remote access, which affects automated remote support."

"There could be some extra features added."

"IBM FlashSystems is lagging in optimizing storage technologies."

"Events/log analysis tools."

"It has room for improvement in the area of stability."

"I think the only thing the developers can look at, is that it is limited to 25 gigabytes currently. In the next release they might want to increase that."

More IBM FlashSystem cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the pricing as nine out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."

"This solution is quite expensive; they should lower the cost."

"HPE StorageWorks MSA's licensing is perpetual and not integrated."

"The solution’s pricing is reasonable."

"The solution can be a bit expensive."

"The price of the solution is a little high and they should provide more competitive pricing. If you want to increases the storage size there are additional fees."

"When we bought this solution it was very reasonably priced and they were willing to deal."

"This solution involves a one-time CapEx payment, followed by warranty extensions."

"I price of IBM FlashSystem is reasonable and competitive."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The pricing is competitive in our country."

"They've been much more aggressive in the last five, six years than they were before that."

"The pricing has been very competitive for the last few years. IBM got to the point where they changed the pricing model and we feel very comfortable with the pricing. It's very competitive. Over the last two years, IBM has been coming up with all kinds of interesting promos, especially for the SMB systems. That makes it very competitive price-wise and in terms of performance..."

"Its price is very good."

"Pricing can be considered as per market competition."

"My customers got the IBM FlashSystem bundle offer. It was a one-time purchase for three years of service. The price would depend on the storage size and could reach between $25,000 to $55,000."

More IBM FlashSystem pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

14%

Government

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE StorageWorks MSA?

The most valuable feature of HPE StorageWorks MSA is its flexibility.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE StorageWorks MSA?

I am not satisfied with the licensing model and pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with HPE StorageWorks MSA?

It needs more details on how to integrate with the cloud for backup scenarios. It should show more options for cloud backup support.

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM FlashSystem?

It is simple to make an update.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM FlashSystem?

Many factors affect purchasing directly from IBM, often involving a multi-step process. Customers, especially in banking, often use the latest devices as they are upgrading, indicating they do not ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM FlashSystem?

The GUI needs some improvement. An additional function that could be helpful is reducing the time it takes to delete volumes, especially if they are compressed or deduplicated.

See all answers

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Compared 8% of the time

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Pure Storage FlashArray vs IBM FlashSystem

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HPE Alletra Storage vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE MSA

April 2025

Download HPE MSA product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem

April 2025

Download IBM FlashSystem product report

Also Known As

HP StorageWorks MSA

IBM Storwize

Overview

Whether you need best-in-class performance or are looking to get the most capacity for your investment, MSA has a fast, affordable solution for you. And every MSA comes with an intuitive setup and management interface anyone can master.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

IBM FlashSystem products are enterprise computer data storage systems that store data on flash memory chips. Unlike storage systems that use standard solid-state drives, IBM FlashSystem products incorporate custom hardware based on technology from the 2012 acquisition of Texas Memory Systems. This hardware provides performance, reliability, and efficiency benefits versus competitive offerings.

IBM

Sample Customers

Femsa CSC, TTX, Rabobank

Celero, Friedhelm Loh Group, Clarks, Mingkang Natregro Health Food Group, Sofia, Etisalat Fights Fraud, UF Health Shands Hospital, Generali, Elecon Engineering Company Limited, Ventiv , Technology, CPFL Energia, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., SciQuest, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Paddy Power, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Interconnect Services, Severstal IP-Only AB, PVU Group GmbH

Buyer's Guide

HPE MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem

April 2025

Free Report: HPE MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem

Find out what your peers are saying about HPE MSA vs. IBM FlashSystem and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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