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IBM Spectrum Virtualize pros and cons

Vendor: IBM
4.4 out of 5
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Prominent pros & cons

PROS

IBM Spectrum Virtualize offers comprehensive features for storage virtualization, including volume compression, thin volumes, and easy on-the-fly modifications.
The mirroring feature provides valuable disk virtualization between different locations, enhancing data availability and reliability.
Migration using image mode techniques allows almost seamless server storage transition from older SAN systems to newer ones, with minimal downtime.
Scalability is impressive, capable of handling from small to large enterprise-class setups, offering efficient technology use that significantly reduces costs.
IBM's advanced Flash Core Modules introduce a feature-rich software set, extending backend storage capabilities and optimizing storage machine performance autonomously.

CONS

IBM Spectrum Virtualize exhibits complications in migration processes, varying on a case-by-case basis.
When expanding volumes in a global mirror environment, operations must be halted, which is frustrating for users.
Adding new disks requires another array, as the current array doesn't support expansions, posing a problem for customers.
Tight integration with cloud storage is needed for a broader range of use cases.
High-end support like NBME and longer Fibre Channel lengths could be enhanced, though improvements are planned.
 

IBM Spectrum Virtualize Pros review quotes

reviewer1264842 - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 1, 2021
I like all the features, but the most impressive recently has been the introduction of IBM's Flash Core Modules. They are a form of a flash drive, but they have many more features.
it_user672441 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
One of the main features of Spectrum Virtualize is it virtualizes the servers from the storage. We have a very large infrastructure. A major advantage is when you get the aged storage arrays and you have to replace all of those.
it_user672417 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
It's got full features, so we can compress volumes. We can do thin volumes and we can change them on the fly.
Learn what your peers think about IBM Spectrum Virtualize. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
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reviewer1404255 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 19, 2020
There are many benefits to this solution. Storage virtualization and the ability to migrate massive amounts of data to other systems without impacting your client are the most valuable. It is non-disruptive for my users. We migrated 350 terabytes of data in one night to a new machine without a small system going down and a single user complaining about the performance. You have to fine-tune a lot of storage machines constantly for performance and for making sure that they are optimal, but IBM Spectrum Virtualize does this by itself. It does the adjustment on its own, and it does it right. That's what makes it different. I had a huge VSP from Hitachi, which is also a type of virtualization-based engine but with a decent size. It was a continuous performance-tuning exercise. I never had that issue with IBM Spectrum Virtualize.
it_user12768 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 3, 2018
It has the ability to seamlessly move hardware in and out as we refresh technology.
it_user672432 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
Using SBC, a valuable feature is the mirroring, which is the virtualization of the disk between disparate places.
it_user868239 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 6, 2018
The abstraction flair and the abstraction layer. We had a mixture of different storage arrays, and the wonderful thing about SVC is is that it normalizes all it into a single driver. A single view that all hosts see simultaneously.
it_user694704 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 30, 2017
Migration from configurations where servers have storage provisioned from older SAN disk systems to newer storage systems is almost seamless using image mode migration techniques, with only a short outage of the servers.
LH
May 6, 2018
The ability to have a feature-rich software set which extends the capabilities of the back-end storage arrays.
it_user672333 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
The most valuable feature is its reliability.
 

IBM Spectrum Virtualize Cons review quotes

reviewer1264842 - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 1, 2021
t is limited in terms of a single system to eight nodes or four, what they call IO groups.
it_user672441 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
There are things that occur when you get to this size and capacity. We're very large, i.e., petabytes. When you get to that sheer volume of the numbers of things, it is too big for people to keep track of.
it_user672417 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
The integration would be an option that we would like, but I understand that's not how it's going to be implemented.
Learn what your peers think about IBM Spectrum Virtualize. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1404255 - PeerSpot reviewer
Oct 19, 2020
I hate I/O groups. If you start swapping I/O groups, they can be potentially risky. If they could get rid of the whole I/O group principle, the risk is not there anymore. I understand the fundamental thing about I/O groups, but they are risky.
it_user672432 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
For improvement considerations, I would probably say multiple sites.
it_user868239 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 6, 2018
NBME support and support for a higher Fibre Channel lengths could be improved, but those are already on the roadmap.
it_user694704 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jun 30, 2017
Adding features for data deduplication is one area of improvement.
LH
May 6, 2018
Level 1 technical support needs improvement.
it_user672333 - PeerSpot reviewer
May 25, 2017
They are actually working on one bug we found, which was with flash restore. This was the user interface design for virtual environments.
CO
May 29, 2017
I already discussed possible improvements with some of the guys from Hearnsley. One of our frustrations is when you go to expand volumes in a global mirror environment, you have to stop everything in order to expand. So that's one of the things.