Dell PowerEdge VRTX Reviews

Our primary use case is for the branch office of our company which doesn't need a lot of IT. It's a good solution when you don't need so much IT. We have about 100 users. 

The fact that you have computer storage in a very small factor is valuable.

I think the networking parts of this solution could be improved.

In a future release I'd like to be able to increase storage, that would make a big difference. 

I've been using this solution for five years and have just implemented the recently released latest version. 

Stability is fine. 

Scalability could be improved. I don't need to scale the product any further but I think there would be other companies that would want to do this and will realise that it's not so scalable. 

I haven't had contact with technical support for a long time. In the past they were fine. 

I'm not sure that there is any competition in this specific solution. I haven't used any other products for this purpose.

Initial setup took less than a day and I did it myself. 

I would rate this product a nine out of 10. 

Our primary use case is for virtualization but on the current configuration that we have, we don't have the ability of failing over virtual machines from one host to another. They are all isolated independent, they are not configured in a cluster.

We want to move from a stand-alone implementation of VM hosts and we want to migrate to hyper-converged infrastructure. We will still be using the same virtual machine that we have, but we will migrate it to hyper-converged to have a higher level of availability and resiliency.

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.

I have been using this solution for three years. 

Because our server is stand-alone, we are limited with the capacity of the compute memory processed in our storage that we have on the server.

For example, if we have one server that is eight GB of memory and HR would like to expand this. We cannot expand it because the cluster in the server is already utilized and because it's not clustered we already reached the limit of the maximum capacity. The problem is with our configuration, not with the capability of the server that we provided.

We have several PowerEdge R440 which are configured as stand-alone VMHost (not in cluster) due to this we have fix configuration on our Storage.

We can expand on Memory as long as there are available slots, but not for storage as all the bays are consumed.

The problem is on our configuration, not designed for high availability and future scalability. therefore, we are looking into migrating our infrastructure to VXRail.

On a previous server that we procured we bundled the protocol. But for all the servers that we have, we have only on-site support access remote diagnostic. So this access remote diagnostic means that the end-user as a customer will be doing the diagnosis based on the procedure that was provided by Dell.

But for us and customers who are not Dell experts, it's a headache to implement the procedures that Dell provided.

We just had an issue with one memory and we wanted Dell to come and replace a memory module. But they said, "No, you need to update the firmware first." We updated the firmware first and then we still had the issue. They then asked us to send the longs and then they provided another firmware for another component until eventually all diagnosis procedures were completed, and the issue is still there. Only then did Dell come and provide the memory. The amount of time we spent on performing the diagnosis for critical services is not acceptable, but that was a mistake from our side.

The initial setup was straightforward. 

We started off with a base because we started our infrastructure with Dell and we always propose or prefer Dell which is easier to manage the warranty than with different vendors.

Some other companies like IBM and HP have come to introduce their system but because we already have a lot of Dell devices we just renew with Dell. I'm not sure if the prices are lower or higher but I think it's okay.

We are evaluating VxRail and we read some comments on the internet that the VxRail service will have only one rate controller. However, you have four nodes inside. So we expect that if any one of the four nodes fails the rest of the cluster will survive. So there's no point in asking the protocol failure on those nodes. And if that rate controller fails, then it is a single point of failure. Dell admitted that, yes, it is the single point of failure. So if that rate controller could be increased because then I think that would be a better design for the device.

I would recommend this solution and I would also recommend having a protocol because you cannot expect all engineers to have enough knowledge on how to do diagnostics. You should also bundle training for Dell so that the end-user will have the needed level of knowledge to continue using the device properly.

I would rate it a nine out of ten.

We are using the solution for virtual infrastructure for production, and different kinds of services.

The best feature is the equipment. It's all-in-one and you can easily configure it. You have storage, you have power, and CPU power all in one. I see a big advantage in this.

It is easy to set up the product.

The solution is stable.

Technical support is excellent.

It's affordable.

I would like to use the solution in the future, however, this product has reached end-of-life.

The scalability could be better.

I would like to see more speed, however, the power of computing is growing.

I've been using the solution for five years. 

We are very impressed with the stability. It's great. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's 99% online.

The solution does not scale well. With this model or this type, you cannot have higher power on the storage. You can connect only to expandable storage.

Technical support is great. They always answer my questions and solve my issues. We are quite satisfied with the solution. 

Positive

We used other solutions in the past. The difference here is the hyper-converged infrastructure. It's a huge advantage. This is all-in-one and it's very easy to manage. In the past, we use separate storage and compute power.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward and simple. It's not overly complex or difficult. 

The deployment is quick. You just need to connect and power on the infrastructure. It's a couple of minutes.

It is pretty low-maintenance. We don't need too many staff members to maintain it. 

We handled the initial setup in-house. We did not need any consultants or integrators. 

We've seen a substantial return on investment. 

The solution is affordable. I'd rate it a four out of five. It's very reasonably priced. We pay a yearly licensing fee.

I'm using VRTX, however, it's end-of-life.

I am just an end-user. I am not a partner.

I would definitely recommend the PowerEdge VRTX. For a small and medium business, it's a perfect solution.

I'd rate the solution a nine out of ten.

The cloud is the solution's best feature.

Technical support is great and very helpful.

We now find that the solution is quite stable.

There's a learning curve. I'm learning some things every day about the clouds and infrastructure specifically in my company, and in the other company's webinars.

Sometimes we have issues with storage. We end up googling answers.

We've had general issues related to the solution being difficult. They are small issues, like connection problems or cable issues mostly.

They could improve integration between other storage solutions.

We've been working with the solution for more than two years. 

We've had some issues with storage, however, those have largely been dealt with and solved. We don't have issues with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. However, we sometimes face connectivity problems.

I haven't tried to scale the product. I can't speak to how easy or hard it is to expand. 

I'm not sure how extensive the solution is being used currently. We might increase usage in the future, however, I can't say for sure.

We've had issues with support. We've contacted them about it and are working with them to try to resolve it. We're also looking for images on Google. Mostly, they have been pretty helpful.

Ultimately, our managers chose the solution. I can't speak to what was used before or why they chose this product.

We bought it from Dell and they set it up for us. We are just managing it. There may have been some issues with the initial setup. I wasn't directly involved. I can't exactly be sure.

I don't have information about the licensing. I don't handle that aspect of the product.

I'm interested in looking into cloud options, however, our CEO is not ready to move off of on-premises products yet.

We're using the converged infrastructure series.

I'd recommend Dell. We know the Dell brand pretty well and can say that their support is good. There are professional engineers in their company. That's why we choose Dell.

I would rate the solution at a five out of ten.

This is an all-in-one device for a branch office. It includes servers, storage, and networking all in one box so it saves rack space. You don’t need to buy all of the components separately, so you don’t need to spec network cards, storage, or server devices.

We used it to take over a Dell cluster of servers and a Dell EMC SAN solution.

Using this solution has lowered costs by including SAN storage, networking, and servers all in one chassis. We used to have half a rack taken with clustered servers, storage devices, and network switches. All that is now consolidated into five U high with four Blade servers and 6 TB of SAN storage in one box.

Management is by web interface which means one place for all configuration.

The most valuable feature is the combined management in one box. It is space-saving, and in fact, you can have four Blade servers in one box, all sharing the same storage and network card.

A 10 GB network card is a must.

The Pro Support is very good and helped me with one of the servers when a network card stopped working. Re-installing the server fixed this problem.

Management of storage and networking is web-based, slow, and difficult. I would like a Windows application to manage this instead of using the web interface.

My Dell account manager promised to help me with setting it up, but after buying it, he was nowhere to be seen. Didn’t call me back, didn’t take my e-mails. So you are pretty much on your own with setup. Luckily there a lot of people who have already done the same setup, so I was able to follow their guides.

I have been using this solution for seven years. No problems except 1 disk died a few years ago.

Now it's ready to decommission, it's out of support now.

This solution is very stable. Never had a problem with stability.

The reliability is good. In five years I think only one disk has failed.

We started with two servers but you could also move to four.

Storage is pretty much full, so expanding the storage is not possible.

Dell Pro Support is great, you always get through to someone who knows what they are talking about. They are helpful and they stay with your problem until it is resolved.

Previously had separate servers, storage, and networking all from different vendors, which took up a lot of rack space and three different ways of managing. We wanted something that took less space, was easier to manage, and from a single vendor. Dell had that.

The initial setup was a very steep learning curve. Dell did lend us a device for a week to test out before we bought it, but then almost accused us of stealing it after we returned it! Turned out, it had gone back to a different address than they expected.

It took me about a week of reading Dell articles and other peoples' experiences before I had finished the setup. Not easy.

I did everything myself. Dell offered help when we bought it, but that help never materialized. Our account manager was always too busy to return my calls or respond to my e-mails.

Pricing is cheaper than buying three separate devices and then managing them separately. We bought a license for seven years.

No

My advice is to ask Dell consulting to set it up for you. It took me about a week to get everything working as expected.

We are using Dell PowerEdge VRTX to run client-server applications. It has replaced all of the servers that we had, and everything is now virtualized.

The use of Dell PowerEdge VRTX has kept our system size small saving space.

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

Dell PowerEdge VRTX can improve by providing support for M2 drives. 

By using the M2 drives it would allow the possibility of having more drives because right now the system is using SSD drives which take up considerably a lot more room. You are only allowed 24, but with the same amount of space, you could probably put 96 or 128 M2 drives. Whether that is possible, or not, I do not know, but from a space point of view, that would be something that I would consider a step forward.

I have been using Dell PowerEdge VRTX for approximately six months.

Dell PowerEdge VRTX is scalable. I have room for four blades in our system and I am only using two, it allows for growth expansion if needed in the future.

We have approximately 45 people using the solution in my organization.

The technical support is very good. They answered any question I had and gave me information if I needed it. I was pleased with their overall support.

I switched from my previous solution because I wanted to virtualize, and Dell PowerEdge VRTX allowed me to do that quite easily. It provided me with very fast access to the system because we used to use standalone servers, and now because it is virtualized everything is very quick.

The setup was fairly straightforward.

I used the support from Dell to do the implementation.

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.

I have evaluated solutions from HP and Lenovo.

I rate Dell PowerEdge VRTX a nine out of ten.

This product is easy to use and should not be difficult for anybody.

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

I have been working with Dell PowerEdge VRTX for five years.

This is a stable product.

This solution is scalable. There are five people in the company who are using it.

The support is good.

Prior to Dell, we were working with a solution from HP and we are still using it. We decided to keep both systems running. The biggest difference between these two solutions is the price.

It is pretty easy to install.

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

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

VRTX is put into place where there are branch offices or where there is a NetIO-intensive workload in small offices with servers, racks, and processors in place to optimize their size and performance.

It helped to reduce cost of ownership in my remote branch office and help better manageability

This is all-inclusive with shared storage and the servers housed in one chassis, including the networking. It's a data center in one small box, which is a good value for the customers who are small in size and cannot afford a large investment.

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

This solution is good but, with multiple Chassis, it would be a good thing to have one console for management and integration with utilization software.

In the next release, I would like to see some auto-tiering features. There are other enterprise storage solutions that have them included.

I have been using this solution for the last three or four years.

This solution is quite stable.

The scalability is limited with one chassis and the amount of storage it will give you, but it is mainly used for small offices.

The initial setup was straightforward and took a maximum of one-hour to deploy.

I have learned that it is better to keep it simple and to have good management.

I think this solution is one of the best in the Dell portfolio.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.