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PeerSpot user
Independent Analyst and Advisory Consultant at Server StorageIO - www.storageio.com
Consultant
Top 20
Do a proof of concept (POC), scaling as large as you can as close to your intended production environment.

What is most valuable?

It's a free and open source software-defined storage (SDS) that runs on various platforms such as Ubuntu, CentOS, RHEL, IBM Z, among others.

It can be used for a bulk object including as an alternative to OpenStack Swift, Swiftstack, and others. Can also be configured for the block as well as the file.

How has it helped my organization?

Hmmmm…….Good question.

What needs improvement?

Ease of use, ease of management, ease of deployment, ease of troubleshooting, resiliency, automation, and performance.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used various versions of Ceph off and on at different times, going back several years.

Buyer's Guide
Ubuntu Linux
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ubuntu Linux. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Yes, on the other hand, deploy in a controlled environment, stay within the “box”, and it works well.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

For my use, I did not scale it very large, as was concerned with doing so and with not having enough hardware to maintain performance.

In other words, depending on what you are looking to do, while being SDS, Ceph is also hardware dependent, as is all SDS.

However, it also needs CPU, memory and fast storage for OSDs as you scale activity.

How are customer service and support?

N/A, relied on various forums and Ceph site (looked at Red Hat site info, however, found ceph and other sites more useful).

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

I have used and do use various others, including services such as AWS S3 /EBS /EFS /EC2 instance, as well as Azure Files/Blobs/etc, GCS.

Also on-prem software, including Microsoft S2D, VMware vSAN, OpenStack/Swift among others.

How was the initial setup?

Depends on your experience, and what you are trying to do, there are some useful scripts floating around, or you can get a turnkey kit solution from vendors such as Fujitsu, SUSE, Red Hat, and many others.

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

Look beyond the initial cost, for example, free if open source version, or price for a kit from Fujitsu, SUSE, RHEL among others.

Look at ongoing costs for maintenance. This is particularly important if you are going the free route as you will end up paying regarding allocating or using more of your staffs time to support, maintain, upgrade and enhance.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

VMware vSAN (still have), Microsoft Windows Storage Spaces Direct/S2D (still have), Dell EMC ECS/Atmos (still have), OpenStack Swift (still have), AWS S3 (still have), Azure (still have), Datacore (did a trial), and many others.

Some others to look at and consider include Dell EMC ScaleIO, Elastifile, Hedvig, HDS HCP, NetApp StorageGrid, Nexenta, Noobaa, Rozo, Starwind, Storpool, Virtuozzo, and WekaIO, among others.

What other advice do I have?

Do a proof of concept (POC), scaling as large as you can as close to your intended production environment.

If needed, use Google, AWS, Azure or some other cloud to do the POC in.

Look for several things in your POC including what are the hardware performance and resource (CPU, memory, I/O, SSD) dependencies, how easy to manage, tune, troubleshoot along with resiliency.

For example, fail nodes and see how system recovers as well as what you need to do to support the environment. Don’t be scared of Ceph, be prepared and informed, use it where it makes sense and is capable of meeting your needs. Make sure that you can get ceph to work for you, vs. you having to go to work for ceph.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1787649 - PeerSpot reviewer
IP/MPLS Engineer at a comms service provider with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Secure and easy to deploy but there needs to easier to access online troubleshooting
Pros and Cons
  • "It's great for security and it is very safe."
  • "There aren't enough experts in my country to be able to help troubleshoot or to post answers to problems."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use it for our personal applications. We use it in our day-to-day work. 

What is most valuable?

It's easy to deploy.  We can deploy it whenever we want. 

It's great to use with the Linux system. They work well together. 

If you know what you want to program, they make it very easy to do so. 

The solution is very stable. It's great for security and it is very safe.

The installation process is simple.

What needs improvement?

We don't have enough information about this system. When we run into problems, we'd like for it to be more clear what a valid solution might be. For example, if I try to deploy a certain technology, I have to look all over the internet to figure out how to accomplish this. There aren't enough experts in my country to be able to help troubleshoot or to post answers to problems. I'm not sure if there are enough domestic or regional experts who know enough about the solution.

The interface could be better.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used this solution for quite a long time. It's been more than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is quite stable. Its performance is good. There are no bugs or glitches. it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I'm not sure if the product is scalable. I haven't attempted to scale it and therefore could not accurately comment on that aspect.

We have the solution in different departments and on different servers. In our department, maybe five or six people use it. 

How are customer service and support?

We don't get technical support from people. If we need an answer to a problem, we need to seek it out online. 

How was the initial setup?

I have found that the solution is

That said, it depends on the type of server that you are using. You need to ensure it has enough resources. The deployment is quick and we were able to do it in 30 minutes or so.  

While we have a technical team of about 15 people in our department that can handle deployment and maintenance tasks, there are other departments and other people on different teams that can as well.

What about the implementation team?

I'm quite comfortable with the solution. I can handle the implementation process myself. I did not need the help of any integrators or consultants. 

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

The solution is free to use and free to explore. People can go ahead and discover it and experiment with it. 

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend the product to other users and other companies. It's a good solution in general. 

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Ubuntu Linux
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ubuntu Linux. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
LeandroCoelho - PeerSpot reviewer
Pre-sales Analyst at Algar Telecom
Real User
Dynamic solution with many applications and a user friendly interface
Pros and Cons
  • "What makes Ubuntu easy to use is the large set of applications and the interface. The graphical interface is user friendly."
  • "When installing software, an online interface has to be used and commands written to run the installation. The solution could be improved if it was possible to click twice in an icon for the installation process to begin."

What is most valuable?

What makes Ubuntu easy to use is the large set of applications and the interface. The graphical interface is user friendly.

What needs improvement?

When installing software, an online interface has to be used and commands written to run the installation. The solution could be improved if it was possible to click twice in an icon for the installation process to begin. 

In the next release, I would like to be able to use Microsoft Office within Linux. 

For how long have I used the solution?

.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Syed Masood - PeerSpot reviewer
Web Developer at doodleblue
Real User
Open-source, free of viruses, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is free to use and open-source."
  • "In general, Windows is easier to use and friendlier to deal with than Ubuntu."

What is our primary use case?

It's very helpful for development. I'm a software developer. Linux is very easy to install a couple of things from the terminal. We can do most of the things from the terminal. It's very useful, in terms of their application in the cloud server. We can install it in the server, in our community server. If I do something in my local machine in the terminal, I can do the same thing in the cloud server. That's why I'm using Linux Ubuntu.

A few years ago, maybe two years ago, we were affected by some kind of encryption virus, a malware virus. It affected most of the Windows system due to the fact that our system was connected with some LAN connection. However, the Linux-based systems were not affected as it's a different OS. In our office, we just removed the Windows thing and put everything over on the Linux OS. 

What is most valuable?

It's stable.

The solution is free to use and open-source. There is no license needed, which is actually better, even though I like Windows. 

Our cloud server's a Linux-based operating system. I need to deploy my software on our cloud server. I just use Linux on my local server. Whatever I do for my software in my local server, the same needs to happen in the cloud server. That part is easy. I can replicate that software in my cloud server. If I do it in Microsoft Windows in that local development, that is totally different from our cloud server. It will cause issues in our cloud server. That's why I am using Linux in my system.

Linux is virus-free. 

The GUI in relation to the initial setup is very simple. 

What needs improvement?

If you are in the middle of an update, and things are disrupted, it can cause issues. You need to wait for the update to complete before doing anything. 

Windows we can handle by ourselves when it comes to troubleshooting, however, Ubuntu is a bit difficult. We need some other technical person to troubleshoot things for us. It's kind of difficult to maintain as compared to Windows.

In general, Windows is easier to use and friendlier to deal with than Ubuntu.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and does not get infected with viruses. It's very resilient and the performance is good. I haven't dealt with bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have about 150 people using the tool.

We do plan to increase usage in the future.

How are customer service and support?

Ubuntu has some community over the internet. There is an Ask Ubuntu community online. Whenever I have some problems, I can check through the website and get some solutions. Sometimes it can take a little longer to resolve things if the question doesn't have an answer online.

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

I'm also familiar with Windows. In many ways it is easier to use, however, it is more prone to viruses and malware, which can be an issue.

How was the initial setup?

This is an open tool. It's easy to install. From the GUI, we can just click next, next, next, and then install.

The process is very simple. It's not overly difficult.

In terms of maintenance and troubleshooting, we do require a more technical person.

What about the implementation team?

I can handle the initial setup myself. I do not need the assistance of any integrators or consultants. 

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

The solution is open-source. It doesn't cost anything to actually use it. You just download it from their website and you can start using it. 

What other advice do I have?

Currently, I'm using Ubuntu 20 LTS, 20.04 long-term support.

I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten. I tend to prefer Windows and would recommend it over Unbuntu.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1556859 - PeerSpot reviewer
Associate Director at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Real User
User-friendly, plenty of features, and secure
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of Ubuntu Linux are it is user-friendly, has plenty of features that you can develop and builds your own code. Additionally, it is secure and easy to operate."
  • "The solution could improve by having better integration."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Ubuntu Linux for running applications.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of Ubuntu Linux are it is user-friendly, has plenty of features that you can develop and builds your own code. Additionally, it is secure and easy to operate.

What needs improvement?

The solution could improve by having better integration.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Ubuntu Linux for approximately five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is bug-free and stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have approximately 400 people using this solution in my organization.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is easy and takes less than 20 minutes.

What about the implementation team?

I can do the implementation myself. However, we have a five-person technical team of mostly engineers that do the implementation and maintenance of the solution.

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

The solution is open source and we do not need to pay for a license.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Ubuntu Linux an eight out of ten.

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
Dimitris Iracleous - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Technical Instructor at Code.Hub
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Is stable and flexible
Pros and Cons
  • "Ubuntu Linux is flexible because it has a lot of new features, so you can use it without any problems."
  • "You have to do a lot of configurations yourself. It is not very user friendly."

What is our primary use case?

It can be used to write an application that is for all kinds of users to operate as an independent application.

What is most valuable?

Ubuntu Linux is flexible because it has a lot of new features, so you can use it without any problems.

It is a stable, open source solution as well.

What needs improvement?

You have to do a lot of configurations yourself. It is not very user friendly, but if you wanted to be a technical person, you may use it. However, you may still have a lot of difficulty with the configuration.

They could make more automations for the average user.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using it for 6 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have never had problems with stability.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is straightforward, but you have to study beforehand. It isn't as straightforward as Windows is. You have to know some things you have to do.

It took about two hours, but it could be higher than that because we had to check for things. We didn't need a lot of reboots as compared with Windows, but I had to decide a lot of technical things during the installation.

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

It's an open source solution, but you can make donations if you'd like to.

What other advice do I have?

On a scale from one to ten, I would rate Ubuntu Linux at eight and would recommend it to those would like to implement it.

For average users, I would recommend Windows because it's the system most people use. If they are gamers, they will not find any game applications, as Ubuntu Linux is mostly for developers.

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
System Administrator at j5 Software South Africa
Real User
A stable, user-friendly solution that has good standardization, visualization, and package management
Pros and Cons
  • "I think Ubuntu's main strength, as opposed to using the other Linuxes, has been its ability to encourage user feedback."

    What is our primary use case?

    We're using Ubuntu in a number of different ways and I even have a server for the main controller that's running Ubuntu so that people can authenticate and do various other things internally. I started using Linux a very long time ago and it wasn't Ubuntu. Ubuntu just happened to be the friendliest, nicest solution out there. It is also the easiest to sell to other people. 

    One of the things I like about this solution is that you can leave it without having to boot into a rescue mode at one of your servers. You don't have to change permissions or go through nightmarish scenarios to solve technical issues. 

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable features of this solution are standardization, visualization, and package management. I also like their videos. 

    Ubuntu is following mainline Linux, and what Ubuntu really does well is packaging it well so that you've got a really turnkey desktop or service solution. Their stuff is pretty good as far as it goes. I've enjoyed using the product because of those things. 

    What needs improvement?

    I would love to see more, open documentation and a bigger ecosystem. I think Ubuntu's main strength, as opposed to using the other Linuxes, has been its ability to encourage user feedback. I think that's something that can always be improved. So it's just about keeping that open and increasing the certainty in IT because IT needs to know what we're going to stick with. When you decide to make an architectural change, it may be better to get community feedback first, and maybe then announce it in a different way. I don't think it's very technical and the community feedback route should be looked at or be improved. 
    They might also add additional features, like something to tweak the home desktop a little bit for new users. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using this solution for about thirteen years now, since 2006.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is very stable and the long term support releases have been great. It is always a very good idea to read what's happening and not to switch over too quick. We have products that we put out that we build, so we also have to make sure that all the libraries around that product are going to be working the same before we even start to use it. So the stability is fantastic. We've been very happy about the long term support release and we've hardly had any problems at all.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Ubuntu Linux is built to scale well. We are currently running our entire infrastructure on it. So we've got virtual machine servers, word servers, and version control for code. And I've got an office with at least ten people using the desktop version.

    I'm hoping that our software service will grow and then we will have much more server usage. We are part of a much bigger corporation with more than 20,000 employees in the active directory. So, we used to previously push Ubuntu much harder, but these days we just like to let people choose whether they want to use it. And we buy Ubuntu certified laptops for the people who want to use Ubuntu for enterprise. Linux is still a bit of a second class citizen on enterprise desktop, because of active directory dominance.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Up to now we solved our own technical issues, like normal de-bugging. Other issues I like to solve by using different technologies. But not without having to go through a very diverse ecosystem where there's a lot of solutions in place.

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

    I used Linux a few years back and then I moved from Linux onto Ubuntu in 2006. I liked the way Ubuntu community marketed itself. I like to use friendly solutions, and not solutions where elitist techno people make other people feel inferior.

    What other advice do I have?

    My advice to others would be to know what you really want. Ubuntu can be customized to exactly those functions. Depending on how you want to scale, for example, you might want to look at microservers, architecture, and how to connect it all up. And have your Ubuntu servers as small nodes or even containers. The solution offers many options, so if you're starting with Linux or Ubuntu, I would start with playing around in virtual machine space, seeing how the package management works, write some scripts, getting to know a little Bash. The solution is very secure and there is a lot of documentation available already. 

    I rate this solution an eight out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Consultor at Scitum
    Consultant
    ​Old equipment works for at least two or three years more
    Pros and Cons
    • "Use of the tools for systems and software to test functionalities."
    • "The integration with other applications, like Chrome or Firefox, works excellent for users navigating and test browsing."
    • "Developing more applications for businesses could work better, but that is not part of the OS piece. Let the developers work on other apps, therefore the needs for consuming less memory do not affect the performance of this OS version."

    What is our primary use case?

    • Surprised with the better use of resources for old machines.
    • The GUI is easy and friendly.
    • The environment was a test machine with Intel i586 (recommended).

      How has it helped my organization?

      Improved on the recycling of old computers, but most users ask for a solution for new equipment. 

      What is most valuable?

      Use of the tools for systems and software to test functionalities. The integration with other applications, like Chrome or Firefox, works excellent for users navigating and test browsing.

      What needs improvement?

      Developing more applications for businesses could work better, but that is not part of the OS piece. Let the developers work on other apps, therefore the needs for consuming less memory do not affect the performance of this OS version.

      For how long have I used the solution?

      One to three years.

      What was our ROI?

      Old equipment works for at least two or three years more, which means a significant savings.

      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 Ubuntu Linux Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
      Updated: October 2024
      Buyer's Guide
      Download our free Ubuntu Linux Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.