Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users
reviewer2072877 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Reseller
Top 20
Resilience has helped to reduce unplanned production downtime
Pros and Cons
  • "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."
  • "Perhaps they could make it more power efficient. They're pretty good, but there's always room for improvement. Also, they could try to reduce heat generation."

What is our primary use case?

We use them for general Windows deployments for domain controllers, file print servers, and database servers.

How has it helped my organization?

PowerEdge Rack Servers have helped to reduce unplanned production downtime. They have been resilient.

What is most valuable?

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.

Also, the signed firmware, drift detection, and BIOS recovery are useful features in the current security climate. Physically, they're reasonably secure, with locking mechanisms on the physical hardware, and the update processes for firmware fall within the parameters we require for our security.

The OpenManage console for lifecycle management provides an intuitive user experience. The interface is easy to understand. In terms of our IT staff's productivity, it makes things quicker. It's a lot quicker to access OpenManage remotely than actually having to go and look at the server. It depends on where the server is and where most of our staff are. It could save five minutes or it could save two hours. It has also decreased the time it takes to deploy new data centers.

What needs improvement?

Perhaps they could make it more power efficient. They're pretty good, but there's always room for improvement.

Also, they could try to reduce heat generation.

Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
830,455 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Dell PowerEdge Servers for about 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

They're pretty reliable, so we don't have to replace them that often; we just have to maintain them.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We've not had to scale them up from what we've deployed, generally.

But when it comes to handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, they seem to be keeping up to date and providing the latest hardware to keep up with the requirements.

How are customer service and support?

Dell's technical support is generally pretty good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used HPE previously. We switched to Dell PowerEdge because they were more cost-effective.

What was our ROI?

The servers that we've deployed have all been in place for long enough to give us a full return on their value.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is usually in line with what we expect from Microsoft.

What other advice do I have?

To protect our systems from malware and other firmware attacks we use third-party tools.

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
PeerSpot user
reviewer1852578 - PeerSpot reviewer
Systems Administrator at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Has helpful monitoring and has a lot of flexibility for scaling
Pros and Cons
  • "The monitoring system is really helpful. I'm a one-man team, and I run systems and IT for a pretty big company. The ease of use of being able to flip through a browser tab was the most valuable feature for me."
  • "The servers get slower at the end of their life cycle. The technology needs to evolve."

How has it helped my organization?

We used PowerEdge as our main servers for all things virtual and as our file servers as well. We had a lot of VPN users as most of the company is remote. There wasn't as much lag time when dealing with file transfer, specifically in the office. Using the PowerEdge Servers and the Dell switch stack interchangeably skyrocketed the firm in the office.

What is most valuable?

The monitoring system is really helpful. I'm a one-man team, and I run systems and IT for a pretty big company. The ease of use of being able to flip through a browser tab was the most valuable feature for me.

As for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, PowerEdge has a lot more flexibility for scaling. It has everything that you would want for a business that's growing.

In terms of PowerEdge's approach to security with its firmware and drift detection, there have been no issues with any updates or security breaches.

The company had to move to a new building, and one of the main concerns was energy consumption. As far as I know, there were a lot of eco settings present to make sure that the PowerEdge Rack Servers used the proper amount of energy.

I've had zero downtime in the three and a half years I've been in the company. Prior to my time, I do know that the uptimes of the systems were very long. From all the records and logs of the previous IT administrator, I can see that there were no issues with the servers.

What needs improvement?

The servers get slower at the end of their life cycle. The technology needs to evolve.

Also, when you have separate servers and have to add connections between them, they slow down.

For how long have I used the solution?

I used this solution for about a year and a half since I joined the company. The company was using it at least since 2015.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There hasn't been a whole lot of downtime and zero issues with stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

There's expandability, and you can scale with PowerEdge Rack Servers.

About 80% to 85% of our workforce is remote, and they all use laptops. About half of that comes back to the server through a VPN. There are only about 60 people in the office using the solution on-premises.

How are customer service and support?

I've had no issues with technical support, and they've been very quick and responsive. I've had to call them, maybe three times in the last three years. I would give them a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

PowerEdge Rack Servers are pretty standard servers. You put them on the rack, you plug them in, and you set up the settings.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We weren't paying very much, but it was at the end of the lifecycle. We're now using the VxRail hyper-converged infrastructure, and the pricing was very similar for the same amount of power but with easier automation.

What other advice do I have?

Make sure that it fits your company now and your company in the future because if you don't build for scalability, you will get caught by a foot and have to buy more stuff.

I would recommend PowerEdge Rack servers to smaller organizations and not to larger ones like ours.

On a scale from one to ten, I would rate PowerEdge Rack servers at nine.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers
January 2025
Learn what your peers think about Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: January 2025.
830,455 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer2318322 - PeerSpot reviewer
ITAdministrator at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 20
Offers seamless integration, rock-solid stability, and efficient customer support
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is well-rounded and has been effective in meeting our needs."
  • "I would like for PowerEdge Rack Servers could be a bit more compact."

How has it helped my organization?

I chose Dell PowerEdge servers to tackle key issues in our setup. It adds extra security, aligning with our data protection goals. Gold Service support ensures reliable assistance, minimizing downtime. The smooth integration between services makes switching to Dell a confident move for our server needs. PowerEdge Rack Servers boosted our organization's flexibility without any issues. They just worked perfectly, with no negative impact. It has also boosted our IT staff's productivity. I now have more time for other tasks, and while it's hard to quantify, it saves me a few hours each week.

What is most valuable?

The product is well-rounded and has been effective in meeting our needs. The customer feedback has been positive as well.

What needs improvement?

For the next release, I would like for PowerEdge Rack Servers to be a bit more compact.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The overall stability is excellent. There is almost no downtime, and the system runs smoothly. PowerEdge servers have significantly minimized production downtime for me. They run smoothly without causing any hassles, allowing me to focus on administration. Updates are infrequent, and the system operates seamlessly in the background, requiring minimal attention.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the support as a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What was our ROI?

Quick customer support, especially with gold support, has been key for maximizing return on investment. In a hard disk issue, they fixed it within three hours.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

In terms of pricing and licensing, it is a trade-off. If you find it expensive, you can limit access, but if the budget allows, you can expand.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers as a ten out of ten.

Foreign Language: (German)

Bietet reibungslose Integration, hohe Stabilität und effizienten Kundensupport

Wie hat es meiner Organisation geholfen?

Ich habe mich für Dell PowerEdge-Server entschieden, um die wichtigsten Punkte in unserer Organisation zu lösen. Sie bieten zusätzliche Sicherheit und entsprechen unseren Datenschutzanforderungen. Der Gold Service-Support gewährleistet zuverlässige Unterstützung und minimiert Ausfallzeiten. Die nahtlose Integration zwischen den Services macht den Wechsel zu Dell zu einem sicheren Schritt für unsere Serveranforderungen. Die PowerEdge Rack Server haben die Flexibilität unserer Organisation ohne Probleme erhöht. Sie haben einfach perfekt funktioniert, ohne sich negativ auszuwirken. Außerdem hat sich die Produktivität unseres IT-Personals erhöht. Ich habe jetzt mehr Zeit für andere Aufgaben, und obwohl es schwer abzuschätzen ist, habe ich dadurch ein paar Stunden in der Woche gespart.

Was ist am wertvollsten?

Das Produkt ist gut ausgestattet und hat unsere Anforderungen erfüllt. Das Kundenfeedback war ebenfalls positiv.

Was muss verbessert werden?

Für die nächste Version würde ich mir wünschen, dass die PowerEdge Rack Server etwas weniger Platz benötigen.

Wie lange habe ich die Lösung verwendet?

Ich arbeite schon seit 12 Jahren mit Dell PowerEdge Rack Servern.

Was halte ich von der Stabilität der Lösung?

Die allgemeine Stabilität ist ausgezeichnet. Es gibt fast keine Ausfallzeiten, und das System läuft reibungslos. Die PowerEdge-Server haben die Ausfallzeiten in der Produktion für mich deutlich minimiert. Sie laufen reibungslos, ohne Probleme zu verursachen, so dass ich mich auf die Verwaltung konzentrieren kann. Es werden nur selten Updates durchgeführt, und das System arbeitet nahtlos im Hintergrund und erfordert nur minimale Überwachung.

Wie sind Kundendienst und Support?

Ich würde den Support mit zehn von zehn bewerten.

Wie würden Sie den Kundenservice und -support bewerten?

Positiv

Wie hoch war unser ROI?

Der schnelle Kundensupport, insbesondere der Gold-Support, war der Schlüssel zur Erhöhung der Investitionsrentabilität. Ein Problem mit einer Festplatte wurde innerhalb von drei Stunden behoben.

Welche Erfahrungen habe ich mit den Preisen, den Einrichtungskosten und der Lizenzierung gemacht?

Was die Preise und die Lizenzierung angeht, handelt es sich um einen Kompromiss. Wenn Sie es teuer finden, können Sie den Zugang einschränken, aber falls Ihr Budget es ermöglicht, können Sie es erweitern.

Welche anderen Ratschläge habe ich?

Insgesamt würde ich die Dell PowerEdge Rack Server mit zehn von zehn Punkten bewerten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1437618 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a engineering company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
A simple and scalable solution that is easy to use and enables users to pull out elements and change them easily
Pros and Cons
  • "We can pull out elements and change them ourselves."
  • "The product must provide more options to add GPUs to the machines."

What is our primary use case?

My organization uses the product as a simple server.

How has it helped my organization?

We implemented the product for its simplicity and scalability. We wanted a simple system that we could scale up if needed. Currently, we only have a few servers. It's easy to change them. The components can be changed around.

What is most valuable?

The simplicity of the bars is valuable. We can pull out elements and change them ourselves. It saves us time. We do not open the machine much. It leads to less maintenance efforts. We can also use components of other brands. It is easy to use.

What needs improvement?

The product must provide more options to add GPUs to the machines. It's always a challenge. If we don't think about it when buying the machine, we cannot do it afterward.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for 20 years. We use R730 and R630.

How are customer service and support?

The support is good. The support was better ten years ago. Now, we have to do more things ourselves. Ten years ago, the team focused on solving the issues first instead of finding who was to blame.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used HPE some time ago. The machines are the same, but the support provided by Dell is better.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product's pricing is not good. It's always a winning factor for other solutions. It is not the most affordable tool.

What other advice do I have?

I hope PowerEdge's Cyber Resilient Architecture approach is sufficient. Once, we had a problem because the rack was not updated. It's annoying that I didn't get informed by Dell that we had to update it. Communication should be better for security reasons.

I never thought about energy consumption, but we all must decrease our power consumption. It was never an issue for us, though. The tool is efficient for what we use it for. It is scalable till the end. The product lasts for seven years. We can use the machine for a long time.

The solution has helped reduce unplanned production downtime. We have a cluster. If one fails, the other one takes over. The OpenManage console has affected our IT staff’s productivity. We use it a lot. It's a good tool to access our service. The tool saves 25% of our time.

Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2316993 - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer at a computer software company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Top 20
Easy to manage and configure with good on-site resilience
Pros and Cons
  • "It's helped us reduce unplanned downtime."
  • "We have storage and would like to manage more backups without adding extra storage devices. Maybe it's already there. I need to look at it more."

What is our primary use case?

We are using the solution for our virtualization environments. We are using a VMware environment and some hypervisor environments, and we are using this for that purpose.

How has it helped my organization?

With virtualization, you have a lot of freedom to manage the environment. We have a lot of requests coming in, a lot of machines to build, as well as some dev servers, test servers, et cetera. There is also the protection of all the systems. Compared to the cloud, if you have your own bare metal in your own office, that's cheap. That's one of the real advantages.

What is most valuable?

We can manage and configure all the storage systems ourselves. We have a lot more liberty there. When we add more things like storage servers, we can manage the backup. We are on the safer side since we have our own infrastructure and we have a good backup mechanism. It's more easy and more convenient for a system admin to manage these environments. 

Poweredge has helped our organization. The model we're using is great. We had issues with an older model, however, this new one has been good. We have some production environments in our system. We shifted those to the new systems, and so far, I'm happy with the performance. 

The power is cyber resilience is good. So far, with the security upgrades, it's quite good. 

We have three or four servers and so far, it's going very well. 

It's helped us reduce unplanned downtime. We have PowerEdge in collaboration with VMware. That's going well so far. We can utilize various features, like, B Motion, et cetera, to manage zero downtime. 

What needs improvement?

I'd need to research the product more. Maybe it needs a little bit more support. We have storage and would like to manage more backups without adding extra storage devices. Maybe it's already there. I need to look at it more. Some hypervisors don't seem to have any extra storage. However, it may already be there, and I haven't found it yet.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for almost two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's great. It's stable so far. I have not experienced any issues with stability, so I would definitely say it's good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

From a scalability point of view, we are using the servers in cluster mode. It's great so far. We can migrate workloads and do whatever we want to do, including updates, with zero downtime.

How are customer service and support?

Dell support is great, with us, at least. We have direct contact with Dell, so whenever we have a question, they are always there. 

Everyone is great. They really care about their customers. They have offices in Pakistan, the Netherlands, and Germany. They really try to understand the Pakistani market. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use a different server. I've always used Dell. 

What was our ROI?

We've reduced downtime. The cost is also a big factor. When you have good servers in-house with power backups, you are able to save quite a lot of money compared to the cloud. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We have a customer relationship with Dell. We have a good account manager that can help in terms of pricing. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Three or four months ago, we ordered a new Dell PowerEdge. I do not recall evaluating other options. 

What other advice do I have?

We have more control and are saving money as compared to the cloud, which helps with long-term planning. The last Dell PowerEdge is in our local office. I've given our team the servers to do with them as they want. 

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. 

I can't wait to learn more about their technology. 

Foreign Language:(German)

Leicht zu verwalten und konfigurieren, mit einer guten Vor-Ort-Widerstandsfähigkeit.

Was ist unser Hauptanwendungsfall?

Wir verwenden die Lösung für unsere Virtualisierungsumgebungen. Wir verwenden eine VMware-Umgebung und einige Hypervisor-Umgebungen, und zu diesem Zweck setzen wir diese Lösung ein.

Inwiefern wurde meine Organisation dadurch unterstützt?

Mit der Virtualisierung hat man sehr viel Freiheit bei der Verwaltung der Umgebung. Es kommen viele Anfragen herein, viele Maschinen müssen gebaut werden, sowie einige Entwicklungsserver, Testserver und so weiter. Auch der Schutz aller Systeme ist wichtig. Im Vergleich zur Cloud ist ein eigenes Bare-Metal-System im eigenen Büro günstiger. Das ist wirklich ein großer Vorteil.

Was ist am wertvollsten?

Wir können alle Speichersysteme selbst verwalten und konfigurieren. Dadurch haben wir viel mehr Freiheiten. Wenn wir weitere Dinge wie Speicherserver hinzufügen, können wir die Datensicherung verwalten. Wir sind auf der sicheren Seite, da wir unsere eigene Infrastruktur haben und über einen guten Sicherungsmechanismus verfügen. Es ist einfacher und bequemer für einen Systemadministrator, diese Umgebungen zu verwalten.

Poweredge ist für unsere Organisation sehr hilfreich. Das Modell, das wir verwenden, ist großartig. Wir hatten Probleme mit einem älteren Modell, aber dieses neue Modell ist gut. Wir haben einige Produktionsumgebungen in unserem System. Diese haben wir auf die neuen Systeme umgestellt, und bisher bin ich mit der Leistung zufrieden.

Die Widerstandsfähigkeit gegenüber Cyberangriffen ist gut. Soweit, mit den Sicherheits-Upgrades, ist es ziemlich gut.

Wir haben drei oder vier Server, und bis jetzt läuft es sehr gut.

Es hat uns geholfen, ungeplante Ausfallzeiten zu reduzieren. Wir verwenden PowerEdge in Zusammenarbeit mit VMware. Das klappt bisher sehr gut. Wir können verschiedene Funktionen wie zum Beispiel B Motion usw. nutzen, um Ausfallzeiten zu vermeiden.



Was muss verbessert werden?

Ich müsste das Produkt genauer erforschen. Vielleicht braucht es ein bisschen mehr Support. Wir haben einen Speicherplatz und würden gerne mehr Backups ohne zusätzliche Speichergeräte verwalten. Vielleicht gibt es das schon. Ich muss mehr darüber nachforschen. Einige Hypervisoren scheinen keinen zusätzlichen Speicherplatz zu haben. Vielleicht gibt es sie aber auch schon, und ich habe sie nur noch nicht gefunden.

Wie lange verwende ich die Lösung schon?

Ich verwende die Lösung seit fast zwei Jahren.

Was halte ich von der Stabilität der Lösung?

Es ist großartig. Bis jetzt läuft es stabil. Ich habe keine Probleme mit der Stabilität, so würde ich definitiv sagen, es ist gut.

Was halte ich von der Skalierbarkeit der Lösung?

Aus Sicht der Skalierbarkeit verwenden wir die Server im Clustermodus. Bis jetzt läuft das sehr gut. Wir können unsere Workloads migrieren und alles tun, was wir tun wollen, einschließlich Updates, und das ohne Ausfallzeiten.

Wie funktioniert der Kundendienst und der Support?

Der Support von Dell ist großartig, zumindest bei uns. Wir haben direkten Kontakt mit Dell, und wenn wir eine Frage haben, sind sie immer da.

Alle sind großartig. Sie kümmern sich wirklich um ihre Kunden. Sie haben Büros in Pakistan, den Niederlanden und Deutschland. Sie versuchen wirklich, den pakistanischen Markt zu verstehen.

Wie bewerten Sie den Kundendienst und den Support?

Positiv

Welche Lösung habe ich zuvor verwendet und warum habe ich gewechselt?

Wir haben vorher keinen anderen Server verwendet. Ich habe immer Dell verwendet.

Wie hoch war der ROI?

Wir haben die Ausfallzeiten reduziert. Die Kosten spielen ebenfalls eine große Rolle. Wenn Sie gute Server vor Ort mit Stromunterstützung haben, können Sie im Vergleich zur Cloud erheblich Geld sparen.

Welche Erfahrungen habe ich mit den Preisen, den Einrichtungskosten und der Lizenzierung gemacht?

Wir haben eine Kundenbeziehung zu Dell. Wir haben einen guten Kundenbetreuer, der uns bei der Preisgestaltung helfen kann.

Welche anderen Lösungen habe ich geprüft?

Vor drei oder vier Monaten haben wir einen neuen Dell PowerEdge bestellt. Ich kann mich nicht daran erinnern, andere Lösungen geprüft zu haben.

Was kann ich sonst noch raten?

Wir haben mehr Kontrolle und sparen im Vergleich zur Cloud Geld, was uns bei der langfristigen Planung hilft. Der letzte Dell PowerEdge steht in unserem lokalen Büro. Ich habe unserem Team die Server zur Verfügung gestellt, so dass sie damit machen können, was sie wollen.

Ich würde die Lösung mit neun von zehn Punkten bewerten.

Ich kann es kaum erwarten, mehr über ihre Technologie zu erfahren.


Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2289357 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technology & Digital Product Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
Fairly priced, stable, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "The ease of setting them up is valuable. It is easy to set them up."
  • "Their support can be better. Getting to the right person for support is a challenge."

What is our primary use case?

We use them to host a car parking system. 

How has it helped my organization?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers with pre-installed Microsoft Windows Server. It is just easier when they come already loaded. There is less for us to do.

We host our application on them. They are great for running our applications. We recently had to upgrade the specs of some of the servers due to the demands on the system. For example, where it used to be Dell R350 with hard drives, we are now expected to go with SSDs, but it deals with our applications very well.

We do not necessarily use a lot of its security and other features. We take it out of the box, put our application on it, and then just run it or install it on a device if needed.

With Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we now have more resilience. Previously, we used a PowerPC as a server. By using a dedicated PowerEdge Rack Server, there is resilience when using, for example, a RAID array.

Our in-house application runs directly on it. That is a big critical element, but the impact of these servers on our IT infrastructure is no different from another server.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have helped to reduce unplanned production downtime by about 20%.

What is most valuable?

The ease of setting them up is valuable. It is easy to set them up. 

What needs improvement?

Training needs to be improved. I feel we are not getting the best benefit out of the PowerEdge servers at the moment because we do not have in-depth knowledge on how to fully configure them. The PowerEdge servers are fine. It is our training that needs to be improved.

Their support can be better. Getting to the right person for support is a challenge.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for eight or nine years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have never seen any major issues with stability. They are stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Once we have deployed a server, we do not increase any specs on it, so we do not have too much experience with scalability. If we do need an improved or enhanced server, we will get that straight from Dell. We would not enhance RAM, SSD, or anything else on our own.

There are about eight people who may configure them. Once these servers go to the site, there are more people using them, but I do not know how many.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is usually very good, but getting to the right person is a challenge. They are good once we get to the right person or once somebody is dedicated to helping us, but getting to that point in the first place is a bit annoying. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

My predecessor was already using them, so I carried on ordering them. We do not have any experience with anything similar. We just stick with what we know. The only alternative that we use is a tower PC as a server. It is just a standard PC.

We did not consider public cloud servers before choosing PowerEdge servers. Our platform at the moment is not native to the cloud. It has a heavy data demand and bandwidth requirement, so the cloud was not necessarily within the scope of our product at the time. However, we are developing a cloud-native solution. That might be something we can consider moving forward.

We went for PowerEdge servers because of the price and specs. It is something that has been used by our team before I even joined it, so we continue to use it. The support from Dell is usually very good as well. So, it is a combination of price, specs, and support that makes us keep using Dell.

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to set them up. We could realize their benefits within a few months of deployment.

I am involved in their deployment as an assistant and not as the main person. Most times, it is straightforward, but it also depends on the spec that we get with different solid-state drives or hard drives. Sometimes, the RAID sets can be a bit more complex.

With regards to getting the server into a state where we can deploy our application, it takes a few hours. In a few hours, we can deploy the Windows operating system, do the RAID setup, and then it is ready for our in-house solution.

What about the implementation team?

It is usually a one-man job. I might provide some assistance, but typically, it is a one-man job.

What was our ROI?

We have potentially seen an ROI, but I would not be able to give a figure. We deploy our solutions onto those servers, and effectively, that is no longer our equipment, so we do not necessarily see what is going on with them. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

They are fairly priced.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. I would advise having a good relationship with Dell, and they will support you above and beyond.

Overall, I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2007348 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
Real User
We have seen a very positive performance increase
Pros and Cons
  • "The fact that they came pre-installed was quite good. We didn't have to worry too much about that process... Also, the maintenance part makes it very easy to raise queries and get repairs done."
  • "The rate controller interface is difficult to get to without installing additional software. It would be helpful if they had preinstalled software to make that easily accessible."

What is our primary use case?

We have two that we use as domain controllers and power servers. We're running an ERP system that is critical to the business, but the majority of our other stuff is cloud-based.

How has it helped my organization?

In comparison to what we had before, which was some older Dell equipment, the performance of the PowerEdge Rack Servers is stunning. They have improved the performance of our systems. We've been a Dell house for years and years, and replacing the older Dell equipment with these machines has given us a very positive performance increase.

We're quite a small company, so anything we can throw at any of these servers— they will just eat it for breakfast. We've had no problems with them.

We haven't had any unplanned production downtime. That is down to the quality of the Dell servers.

What is most valuable?

The fact that they came pre-installed was quite good. We didn't have to worry too much about that process. 

In terms of the usage of the machines themselves, one of the most valuable features is the Hyper-V element, although that's an application on the servers. 

Also, the maintenance part makes it very easy to raise queries and get repairs done.

In terms of handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, while I don't have anything to compare these servers against, I have no issues with the performance of our systems. They work as well as I could expect them to. They will be perfectly fine for our workloads.

What needs improvement?

The rate controller interface is difficult to get to without installing additional software. It would be helpful if they had preinstalled software to make that easily accessible.

For how long have I used the solution?

The company I'm with at the moment purchased Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers back in 2018 or 2019.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've never had any outages, so the stability is perfect, or as close to perfect as you can get.

We've had the UPS kick in a couple of times and they've stayed up; they haven't died instantly. They are perfectly acceptable and I can't see any issues with them at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We haven't really had to upscale anything on the servers, other than a bit of memory. The particular modules we have are about as high as we can go, but that's fine because we purchased them to be "high-spec'd."

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is very good. We have access to our own account manager and he will pass queries on. And on occasion, I've spoken directly to their support teams. We have been very pleased with the account management from Dell. It's been good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used Dell, but older machines. We made the switch because the old kit was getting too old. It was getting to end-of-life, and we needed some performance improvements. The PowerEdge definitely gave us that.

How was the initial setup?

It did the initial setup, more or less, by itself. I did a little bit of fine-tuning here and there, but nothing drastic. It was very easy. 

I was the only person involved. I was responsible for everything from physically getting the stuff in the rack to configuring it and making it live, and everything in between.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a return on investment because of the performance improvements and the fact that we have had no downtime. That's enough for us.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's a bit of a shock when you have to find the money, but the pricing is very competitive, so I'm happy with that.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I've been working with Dell for a number of years and never had any issues, so Dell was the go-to solution for me. We had a quick look at other machines in terms of pricing, and there wasn't any particular benefit in terms of pricing by going with someone else. With the history and trust I had in Dell, I went with Dell.

What other advice do I have?

One native OS security feature we use in our environment is Windows Defender, but at the same time, we are running a third-party endpoint protection solution. The native OS security features have had no negative impact. The endpoint protection is on both the clients and servers. We run vulnerability scanning regularly, and we do penetration testing, internal and external, on a regular basis.

As for public cloud servers, we did not consider them before choosing PowerEdge because we use them for internal management. We are looking at cloud solutions, but not for the core, critical servers.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
PeerSpot user
Platform and Backup Support Senior Manager at a financial services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
A centralized data processing solution that offered immediate ROI
Pros and Cons
  • "The complete hyper-converged infrastructure of this solution has been most useful. PowerEdge has helped to reduce data processing time by 20%."
  • "Since the start of COVID, there is a shortage of support resources and it is challenging to get queries resolved quickly."

What is our primary use case?

We used PowerEdge Rack Servers to transfer all of our physical servers and legacy systems into a virtualized environment on VMware. 

How has it helped my organization?

When we moved to PowerEdge Rack Servers, we converted all the physical legacy servers to the virtualized server. This reduced the operational cost, maintenance, and availability of the environment by 30 to 40%.

This solution's analytics have helped to decrease downtime. We were previously maintaining functionality by 92 to 93%, and this has increased to 98 to 99%.

What is most valuable?

The security features that PowerEdge provides have been very useful for our environment. We have integrated iDRAC Telemetry with our internal centralized monitoring tool, HPSM.

The complete hyper-converged infrastructure of this solution has been most useful. PowerEdge helped to reduce the data processing time by 20%. The system's management frameworks enabled us to progress towards full automation. 

For how long have I used the solution?


What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a very stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This is a scalable solution. We have almost 800 servers hosted on PowerEdge as well as almost all major banking applications. 

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the technical support for this solution a seven out of ten. Since the start of COVID, there is a shortage of support resources and it is challenging to get queries resolved quickly. 

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used HPE servers, but found that Dell offered enhanced features in comparison and was the best option in Saudi Arabia. Dell offered stability and scalability. 

How was the initial setup?

Deployment took approximately a week. Initially, we required three people to do the deployment. After the deployment, we have three people dedicated to doing operations and maintenance.

What about the implementation team?

The initial setup was completed by Dell.

What was our ROI?

Within 24 months, we saw return on investment by using this solution. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is good compared to other products. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend PowerEdge Rack Servers because it is very stable and easy to deploy, manage, and maintain. It also offers reliable performance. 

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.