IBM FlashSystem vs Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance comparison

IBM and Oracle are both solutions in the Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) category. IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.5, while Oracle is ranked #9. IBM holds a 19.8% mindshare in MS, compared to Oracle’s 4.1% mindshare. Additionally, 91% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 66% of Oracle users who would recommend it.

IBM FlashSystem

Read 110 IBM FlashSystem reviews

1,461 Views
1,109 Comparison Views

91% willing to recommend

Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appl...

Read 2 Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance reviews

341 Views
273 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

IBM FlashSystem

Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appl...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance and IBM FlashSystem compete in high-performance data storage. IBM FlashSystem usually has the upper hand due to its advanced features focusing on speed and efficiency, despite being more expensive.

Features: Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance features scalable architecture, seamless data management capabilities, and robust security features suitable for diverse enterprise environments. IBM FlashSystem offers cutting-edge flash storage solutions with enhanced speed and efficiency, high-density performance, and a strong emphasis on flexibility and reliability.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: IBM FlashSystem is noted for straightforward deployment and extensive support options that streamline integration into existing systems. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance provides a user-friendly installation process but may require more hands-on technical support over time.

Pricing and ROI: Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance offers a lower initial setup cost, appealing to budget-conscious buyers, with a decent ROI. IBM FlashSystem, with a higher setup cost, delivers long-term value with a focus on performance, making the investment worthwhile. Its superior technology often results in a better overall ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM FlashSystem vs. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem vs. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

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

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)

Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appl...

Ranking in Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

9th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) category, the mindshare of IBM FlashSystem is 19.8%, up from 16.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance is 4.1%, down from 4.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

Featured Reviews

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.

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RobertMakale

IT Consultant at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees

A stable unified storage system that enables quick access to data

The main thing Oracle can improve is the cost. It would be better if Oracle opened up the system to enable integration with other vendors. Whether it's the database, application server, or storage appliance, they should make it easy to integrate them. They need to open up more to ensure that it can work in any environment and IT ecosystem.

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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

"Speed (IOPS/second) – It is most vital for applications that need low latency and high speed for transferring the data."

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

"The all-flash storage has tier replication capabilities."

"It's a mature product. It's like a BMW that evolves consistently."

"IBM FlashSystem is a powerful effective storage solution. Additionally, it is user-friendly, anyone can use it."

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

"The ability to create LUNs and modify them are the most valuable features of this solution."

"The most valuable feature in demand is virtualization and its support storage of virtualization features."

More IBM FlashSystem pros

"I like its storage capacity, quick access to the data, speed, and overall storage management."

Cons

"GUI interface should be enhanced more as there is some issues in copy services."

"They can improve its initial configuration. The initial configuration is currently very difficult. There are multiple choices or alternative ways to configure based on the use case and what you are targeting out of the device, that is, more capacity or more performance. These multiple alternatives cause a lot of confusion. They should increase the processing part of the nodes. Currently, you can cluster up to eight nodes. From my experience and the workload that I am facing in my environment currently, I would like to see either a bigger or stronger node or a larger number of nodes that can be clustered together. We formally communicated to them that we need to see either this or that, and they are working on something."

"Customization features must be improved."

"Include an option to upload the support package to the IBM ECuRep when opening an IBM PMR."

"Cloud file sharing is an area that needs improvement."

"If you want to expand, you cannot expand the disc enclosure. You have to buy a total individual node. Sometimes, this is difficult because we are just looking for capacity and not a node."

"There is room for improvement in the troubleshooting part, specifically related to IBM Spectrum for Insight."

"The interface of this solution could be improved."

More IBM FlashSystem cons

"The main thing Oracle can improve is the cost. It would be better if Oracle opened up the system to enable integration with other vendors. Whether it's the database, application server, or storage appliance, they should make it easy to integrate them. They need to open up more to ensure that it can work in any environment and IT ecosystem."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of IBM FlashSystem is reasonable."

"The pricing may be a bit higher than other brands. If you compare the IBM FlashSystems in midrange with Dell EMC in midrange, IBM costs a bit more, but I prefer IBM because it has more specs that I can benefit from."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The solution has good pricing, but it is not cheaper."

"The pricing is competitive in our country."

"The integration is already included in the license cost of IBM FlashSystem. The integration is very easy. You get the IBM storage core with all software, firmware, and upgrades. EMC provides the features in the box, but they are not free for customers. There is a licensing cost for features. We have yearly licensing, but IBM has also provided a new option where you pay as you go. They provide a big box, and I pay, for example, for 10 terabytes. If I exceed 10 terabytes, IBM will charge for the new storage after 10 terabytes. It is a good opportunity in the market for using the storage as a cloud and paying as you go."

"The tool is cost-efficient."

"Regarding licensing make sure you add at least three years software maintenance from IBM at the beginning, because you will not be able to download firmware updates or any fixes/patches without this."

More IBM FlashSystem pricing and cost advice

"The price could be better. We have many competing products now like Huawei and Dell EMC, and these are slightly cheaper."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Real Estate/Law Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

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 ...

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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.

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Comparisons

Dell PowerStore vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 23% of the time

Huawei OceanStor Dorado vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 8% of the time

Pure Storage FlashArray vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 8% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 8% of the time

Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs IBM FlashSystem

Compared 6% of the time

More IBM FlashSystem Competitors

NetApp FAS Series vs Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

Compared 48% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

Compared 21% of the time

HPE 3PAR StoreServ vs Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

Compared 12% of the time

More Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem

April 2025

Download IBM FlashSystem product report

Buyer's Guide

Modular SAN (Storage Area Network)

March 2025

Download Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance product report

Also Known As

IBM Storwize

Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

Overview

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

Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance integrates the cloud into its core architecture, making cloud storage available to all users and access protocols while eliminating on-premises cloud access licensing charges and the need for external gateways. Built using a powerful SMP design, multi-threaded OS, massive DRAM caches, and all flash storage, Oracle ZFS Storage Appliance powers the most demanding applications, from fast query responses and, rapid transaction processing to virtualization and cloud workloads. With these performance levels, you can easily achieve 4:1 consolidation of your current NAS filers and gain a higher return on your storage investment.

Oracle

Sample Customers

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

Translational Genomics Research Institute, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, CyberSolutions Inc., Y-Telecom, First Alliance Bank Zambia Limited, AZ Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende, Mutlinet Pakistan, TDC A/S, Digi-Key Corporation, Thurgau Cantonal Bank

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem vs. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

April 2025

Free Report: IBM FlashSystem vs. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM FlashSystem vs. Oracle Sun ZFS Storage Appliance and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.

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