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Technical Solution Architect at HCL Technologies
Real User
Top 20
Offers zero-day deployment along with excellent lifecycle management and monitoring features
Pros and Cons
  • "Offers zero-day deployment"
  • "Lifecycle management (LCM) should be enhanced"

What is our primary use case?

At our company, we work as consultants and offer the VxRail environment to our customers. Sometimes, we work on small remote sites where we propose and escalate a few hosts, like two or three-node blasters. Otherwise, our company uses the solution for handling native HCI capability without VCF. 

What is most valuable?

One of the solution's most valuable features is its zero-day deployment. The deployment is extremely fast, which our company's customers find very interesting. The lifecycle management feature makes the VxRail environment function quicker than other traditional, discreet environments.

For daily operations, VxRail has a great direct monitoring feature. The solution also offers seamless support to track issues through ESRS premises. 

What needs improvement?

At our company, when we manage the lifecycle for upgrading from one version to another, sometimes the upgrade gets stuck or the solution doesn't support online upgrades and compatibility.  

The solution's lifecycle management (LCM) should be enhanced. Multiple issues arise when dealing with the LCM feature on hand. The VMware feature can be included in the solution's software layer. Like Nutanix, VxRail should bring some competitive features like inbuilt DR capabilities and cloud hosting. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VxRail provides an easy-to-scale environment. However, there are some limitations when the product is considered from the VMware perspective. The feature of HCI mesh functioning with Dell EMC VxRail further helps manage the compute-only nodes when needed. At our company, we never faced any challenges while scaling the VxRail environment. 

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VxRail
January 2025
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How are customer service and support?

At our company, whenever we face a challenge or issue with VxRail, we easily resolve it by contacting customer support. Immediate support is available from Dell for any hardware issues. But in some instances, for virtualization issues, there is some dependency on VMware, which leads to a delay in support. 

At our company, we believe VxRail support is proactive and their response metrics are smoother than Nutanix's. I would rate VxRail's customer support an eight out of ten. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The product offers easy and fast deployment. 

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

The hardware cost associated with the tool usage is a bit high. But when a user has been using VxRail for three to five years, the overall hardware cost reduces due to a reduction in orchestration cost. When we compare the CapEx and OpEx costs of VxRail together, they are always lower than those of another type of rack server adoption. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

At our company, we also work with Nutanix. Some of our customers prefer to adopt Nutanix for a few special use cases. Nutanix's performance and underlying operations are sometimes better than VxRail's. But personally, as a tech architect, I would say VxRail is better than Nutanix in terms of daily operations. 

For some technical issues, reaching out to Nutanix support is difficult, whereas similar issues can be easily resolved by reaching out to VxRail support. Troubleshooting articles are not easily available with Nutanix. From the disaster recovery perspective, when a user adopts the Dell EMC VxRail, some dependency on third-party tools like SRM and Hyper-V is required. For Nutanix, a user does not need to bear the cost of external tools as Nutanix holds internal DR capabilities.

Nutanix also offers its own public cloud, where the tool can be used with AWS or Azure to develop a hybrid cloud environment. But VxRail has only an on-prem offering that can be used for discrete HTC and VCF environment operations. 

What other advice do I have?

Users are usually very comfortable executing the workload of data center operations on VxRail. But when a user has to manage heavy workloads for storage, such as HeavyDB and database servers, they prefer to use external storage facilities to gain the maximum benefits of the computed nodes. 

At our company, one of the customers is leveraging around 8,000 servers of VxRail, out of which 50% is native VxRail without VCF, and the rest of ESXi is utilized with VCF. The solution has also helped our company's customers grow their businesses. 

The monitoring tool of VxRail helps improve efficiency. The tool easily integrates with VMware, vSphere and other logging tools. VxRail also allows hardware monitoring and tools within the Dell EMC VxRail are presented as a plugin within the vCenter. Any monitoring executed for hardware failure environment can be easily managed through the operations tool. VxRail also effortlessly integrates with ITSM tools. 

Due to the automation features, cluster scalability, and number of operational days of the tool, VxRail is able to reduce 30-40% of our company's operational costs. Our company's customers' preferences vary depending on factors like quality, cost, and features, choosing VxRail or another competitive solution. Overall, I would rate VxRail an eight out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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System administrator at a mining and metals company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Good interface, useful documentation, and excellent support
Pros and Cons
  • "I have found the vSAN is highly flexible. The documentation is good and the interface of the solution is responsive and fast. The interface has everything you need to manage the solution, such as the VxRail and VMware integration. You can manage the hardware from within the VMware plasma pan."
  • "The configurations of VxRail can be difficult. However, it has improved in the newer version. From version 6 to 7, there has been a lot of changes."

What is our primary use case?

We use VxRail for the promotion of all our infrastructure VM services.

How has it helped my organization?

VxRail has helped us by increasing the performance and capacity of our workload. 

What is most valuable?

I have found the vSAN is highly flexible. The documentation is good and the interface of the solution is responsive and fast. The interface has everything you need to manage the solution, such as the VxRail and VMware integration. You can manage the hardware from within the VMware plasma pan.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VxRail for approximately four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

VxRail is stable because it has redundancies. VxRail is our standard system for the deployment of HR environments.

We have one person for the maintenance of the solution and one person for the backups.

We use the solution on a daily basis.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have found VxRail highly scalable. You are able to add more nodes and increase the hardware to scale. It is flexible.

We have thousands of people using the solution. However, it is difficult to know for sure since many different business units use it.

How are customer service and support?

VxRail comes from Dell and they have a one-stop service. You can work with Dell to get everything solved. Any issues in hardware or in software, whether it be VMware related or Dell related, everything is done by one team from Dell. The support aspects of the solution are good but it carries a price. We're happy to pay the price if we get that level of service.

One of the most valuable aspects of the support is the knowledge of the people and the speed at which they respond. If you have a problem and you phone them up, they immediately have the experts at the end of the phone to assist. If there is a problem they come in and fix the problem quite fast. If it is more difficult they will spend the time that is needed to solve it. They have helped us out of some heavy situations we caused ourselves. The support is very good.

The support that they offer us is why we purchased the solution.

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

We have previously used Hyper-V-based systems, StarWind, and Nutanix. We have mostly done testing of the other solutions and have not fully introduced them. Out of all the solutions we tested, we settled on the VMware-based VxRail. 

We switched from the others solutions because the support from Dell VxRail was excellent.

How was the initial setup?

The configurations of VxRail can be difficult. However, it has improved in the newer version. From version 6 to 7, there has been a lot of changes.

The initial setup of VxRail was straightforward because they get handled by Dell themselves. There is a one-stop-shop for all your needs. They gather the information on what you require in your environment and how you want to set it up, such as what local IT information networks are required. They do a good job and the whole process took them a couple of hours to half a day.

What about the implementation team?

Dell did the implementation of the solution for us.

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

VxRail is expensive because it's based on VMware and V-SAN. The price is not the cheapest. The technical support is expensive, but it is a good service.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to others would be not to attempt to fix issues yourself and let Dell look after them.

I rate VxRail a nine 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
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VxRail
January 2025
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Solutions Architect
Real User
Its flexiblity gives us rack space and it saves on manpower
Pros and Cons
  • "It gives us tons of flexibility. We can create new machines, then destroy them if they don't work out. We test a lot of use cases that may or may not play out. We can build all types of scenarios into virtual machines that we may or may not use. If we don't use them, we just turn them off, no using up resources."
  • "I would like them to include an easier solution to host its own DNS. When they changed to version 6.5, they took out the easy features of letting the rail be its own DNS. You can still trick the system and make the VxRail Manager another one of the rail-required VMs become the DNS, but it's a lot of extra work. I'd like to see it put back into the UI."

What is our primary use case?

We use it in a infrastructure in a box-style setup for onsite deployments. We take certain assets to remote locations and record data for whatever sorties that they are doing.

How has it helped my organization?

The flexibility has improved our organization. If we went the traditional method, we would have to carry a lot more equipment. VxRail allows us to take all the systems that we would use in a full rack in a quarter rack.

What is most valuable?

It gives us tons of flexibility. We can create new machines, then destroy them if they don't work out. We test a lot of use cases that may or may not play out. We can build all types of scenarios into virtual machines that we may or may not use. If we don't use them, we just turn them off, no using up resources.

What needs improvement?

I would like them to include an easier solution to host its own DNS. When they changed to version 6.5, they took out the easy features of letting the rail be its own DNS. You can still trick the system and make the VxRail Manager another one of the rail-required VMs become the DNS, but it's a lot of extra work. I'd like to see it put back into the UI.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of version 6.5 and above has been pretty good. 

Version 6.0 and below has always been kind of a pain to work with, but there have been huge improvements. I like the inclusion of the HTML5 vCenter.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is great. Thankfully, our data needs are in the 200 gigabyte range when we go out onsite, so we're not overloading it. We just have the single rail that has four hosts on it.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is not so great. They had the VMware personnel trying to help us out. We had some issues on one of the rails, and it never got resolved. It is just one of those things on the to-do list. 

They were walking me through some of the diagnostic stuff, and it was clear that they had no idea. I ended up sending five different sets of logs to their FTP site, and there was no resolution. After I sent the last set of logs, which was right over Christmas break, they were like, "We can't keep this ticket open for two weeks while Dell EMC goes offline at the end of the year." 

This just something I haven't picked back up yet. Thankfully, it's not a production critical piece of equipment right now. However, I would love to figure out how to do a factory reset and start from scratch. This was from version 6.0, and I've got reservations with anything lower than version 6.5.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward for versions 6.5 and 6.7.

What was our ROI?

There is the logistical cost savings of the produced footprint of the equipment. 

There is an administrative cost savings. Instead of having seven to 15 separate boxes that someone has to administer on 15 different terminals, you can do the majority of it from one interface. Therefore, it saves on manpower costs.

What other advice do I have?

I don't think I would have picked a different product.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Mike (Michael) Evans - PeerSpot reviewer
Mike (Michael) EvansEnterprise Architect at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Real User

Nice honest feedback for your specific use case. Doing the job. Have you done any review of the flexibility and license savings you could do by reviewing Cisco HyperFlex? Also don't have to suffer with vSan challenges.

Team leader operations connectivity at a tech consulting company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
Good performance, lots of flexibility, and top-notch support
Pros and Cons
  • "The assurance that my systems would not suffer a performance drop no matter where they are is valuable. I do not need any extra hardware."
  • "They should have better compatibility with other processors, such as AMD processors."

What is our primary use case?

We have a good mix of everything. There are terminal servers, routers, firewalls, and customer servers, and all are on VMs. We are replacing our old hardware servers. We have virtualized those as well.

How has it helped my organization?

By implementing VxRail, we wanted scalability. We wanted to be able to easily add a server and configure it. We wanted the simplicity of configurations for the team so that I do not need to extensively train the team. They know immediately what to do.

VxRail has improved our availability. This means we no longer stress when a server fails. It immediately switches VMs to another machine. I can update without having to set a maintenance window. I have become more independent.

Because everything happens in one window, it is absolutely easy to handle.

VxRail has the ability to consolidate infrastructure from multiple locations, but we are only at one location.

VxRail has had quite a positive effect in terms of energy consumption. I can compare what individual hardware is needed. I can also see which hardware and what capacities are being used. When the VMs move themselves to work evenly on all computers or servers, it is an advantage.

VxRail has helped to reduce unplanned production downtime because we now have a cluster, and the VMs move themselves. We have had two outages in a year. One was a hardware failure, and the other was an update problem. Only two or three VMs were turned off because a component was defective. Otherwise, there was no major outage. They moved everything to other machines as planned, and we could work with it.

With VxRail, the flexibility is very high because we can scale it without any problems for new projects. For example, we have a larger project coming up where many associations will be involved. I can simply plug in additional devices, set up the initial configuration, and let the service configure itself immediately. I am very flexible.

For sustainability, we can recycle them. We have not done it, but we had the option to do it as a lease purchase. That is also advantageous for the future.

What is most valuable?

The assurance that my systems would not suffer a performance drop no matter where they are is valuable. I do not need any extra hardware.

What needs improvement?

They should have better compatibility with other processors, such as AMD processors.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VxRail since the beginning of 2023.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has broken twice now, but everything still ran, so I would rate it a nine out of ten for stability. It is great that things can fail without a major impact. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. Scalability is given by the fact that we can simply add more servers.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is superb. Because of CloudIQ and the proactive approach of Dell, the support for customers is top-notch. We had new hardware or replacement parts on-site within three hours. 

I would rate their support a nine out of ten. I do not have a problem with English, but if you want to get support in German, it is a bit more difficult. It used to be easier. It is not a dealbreaker, but it would be nice to have. We are doing great with what we have, but it would be an advantage if from 9 to 10, there was a German-speaking support person. For example, when we were upgrading from version 7 to 8, it would have been nicer to be able to converse more fluently with someone, but that is more of a problem on my end and not with the support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

We have not used any other similar solution.

How was the initial setup?

If I had done it without the help of the person from Dell for the first time, it would have been more complex. Because he showed me once, it was very easy. If I want to change something now, it is just easy. There is all the automation behind it. When I have a new server, I slide it into the rack, connect all the wiring, give it an IP address, and click a button to bring up the server.

What about the implementation team?

We had someone from Dell who helped us with the installation and configuration.

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

There is an advantage for those who have a good deal with Dell. Its price is good. From a company's perspective, it is always too expensive, but it is about value for money.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options. We had other Dell servers, but we did not have VxRail. We did not need any alternatives. We like working with Dell. The colleagues offered it to us and sold it to us.

We did not consider a public cloud infrastructure before choosing VxRail.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate VxRail a ten out of ten. I am satisfied with it. Once you get the hang of it, you can just work on it. If you need support, they can help you configure something.

Foreign Language:(German)

Gute Leistung, viel Flexibilität und erstklassiger Support

Was ist unser Hauptanwendungsfall?

Wir haben eine gute Mischung aus allem. Es gibt Terminalserver, Router, Firewalls und Kundenserver, die alle auf VMs laufen. Wir sind dabei, unsere alten Hardwareserver zu ersetzen. Auch diese haben wir virtualisiert.

Wie hat es meiner Organisation geholfen?

Mit der Implementierung von VxRail wollten wir Skalierbarkeit erreichen. Wir wollten in der Lage sein, einfach einen Server hinzuzufügen und ihn zu konfigurieren. Wir wollten, dass die Konfigurationen für das Team so einfach sind, dass ich das Team nicht ausgiebig schulen muss. Sie wissen sofort, was zu tun ist.

VxRail hat unsere Verfügbarkeit verbessert. Das bedeutet, dass wir keinen Stress mehr haben, wenn ein Server ausfällt. Es schaltet die VMs sofort auf einen anderen Rechner um. Ich kann Updates durchführen, ohne ein Wartungsfenster festlegen zu müssen. Ich bin unabhängiger geworden.

Da alles in der gleichen Ansicht geschieht, ist es absolut einfach zu handhaben.

VxRail hat die Möglichkeit, die Infrastruktur von mehreren Standorten aus zu konsolidieren, aber wir sind nur an einem Standort.

VxRail hat sich in Bezug auf den Energieverbrauch sehr positiv ausgewirkt. Ich kann vergleichen, welche Hardware im Einzelnen benötigt wird. Ich kann auch sehen, welche Hardware und welche Kapazitäten genutzt werden. Es ist von Vorteil, wenn sich die VMs so verschieben, dass sie gleichmäßig auf allen Rechnern oder Servern arbeiten.

VxRail hat dazu geführt, dass wir weniger ungeplante Produktionsausfälle haben, weil wir jetzt einen Cluster haben und die VMs sich selbst verschieben. Wir hatten in einem Jahr zwei Ausfälle. Bei einem handelte es sich um einen Hardwareausfall, bei dem anderen um ein Update-Problem. Nur zwei oder drei VMs wurden abgeschaltet, weil eine Komponente defekt war. Ansonsten gab es keine größeren Ausfälle. Sie haben alles wie geplant auf andere Maschinen verschoben, und wir konnten damit arbeiten.

Mit VxRail ist die Flexibilität sehr hoch, weil wir es ohne Probleme für neue Projekte skalieren können. Wir haben zum Beispiel ein größeres Projekt vor uns, an dem viele Verbände beteiligt sein werden. Ich kann einfach zusätzliche Geräte anschließen, die Erstkonfiguration einrichten und den Dienst sofort selbst konfigurieren lassen. Ich bin sehr flexibel.

Im Sinne der Nachhaltigkeit können wir die Geräte recyceln. Das haben wir nicht getan, aber wir hatten die Möglichkeit, sie als Mietkauf zu erwerben. Das ist auch für die Zukunft von Vorteil.

Was ist am wertvollsten?

Die Gewissheit, dass meine Systeme keine Leistungseinbußen erleiden, egal wo sie sich befinden, ist wertvoll. Ich benötige keine zusätzliche Hardware.

Was muss verbessert werden?

Sie sollten eine bessere Kompatibilität mit anderen Prozessoren, z. B. AMD-Prozessoren, aufweisen.

Wie lange nutze ich die Lösung schon?

Ich verwende VxRail seit Anfang 2023.

Was halte ich von der Stabilität der Lösung?

Es ist jetzt zweimal kaputt gegangen, aber alles lief noch, also würde ich es mit neun von zehn Punkten für die Stabilität bewerten. Es ist toll, dass Dinge ohne größere Auswirkungen ausfallen können.

Was denke ich über die Skalierbarkeit der Lösung?

Es ist skalierbar. Die Skalierbarkeit ist dadurch gegeben, dass wir einfach weitere Server hinzufügen können.

Wie sind Kundenservice und Support?

Der Support ist hervorragend. Aufgrund von CloudIQ und dem proaktiven Ansatz von Dell ist der Support für Kunden erstklassig. Wir hatten innerhalb von drei Stunden neue Hardware oder Ersatzteile vor Ort.

Ich würde den Support mit neun von zehn Punkten bewerten. Mit Englisch habe ich kein Problem, aber wenn man Support auf Deutsch haben möchte, ist es etwas schwieriger. Früher war das einfacher. Das ist kein Hindernis, aber es wäre schön, wenn man es hätte. Wir kommen mit dem, was wir haben, gut zurecht, aber es wäre von Vorteil, wenn es von 9 bis 10 einen deutschsprachigen Supportmitarbeiter gäbe. Als wir zum Beispiel von Version 7 auf 8 umgestiegen sind, wäre es schöner gewesen, sich mit jemandem fließend unterhalten zu können, aber das ist eher ein Problem meinerseits und nicht des Supports.

Wie bewerten Sie den Kundenservice und -support?

Positiv

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

Wir haben keine andere ähnliche Lösung verwendet.

Wie war die Ersteinrichtung?

Wenn ich es ohne die Hilfe des Dell-Mitarbeiters zum ersten Mal gemacht hätte, wäre es komplizierter gewesen. Weil er es mir einmal gezeigt hat, war es sehr einfach. Wenn ich jetzt etwas ändern will, ist das ganz einfach. Dahinter verbirgt sich die ganze Automatisierung. Wenn ich einen neuen Server habe, schiebe ich ihn in das Rack, schließe alle Kabel an, gebe ihm eine IP-Adresse und klicke auf eine Schaltfläche, um den Server hochzufahren.

Was ist mit dem Implementierungsteam?

Wir hatten jemanden von Dell, der uns bei der Installation und Konfiguration geholfen hat.

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

Es gibt einen Vorteil für diejenigen, die ein gutes Geschäft mit Dell haben. Sein Preis ist gut. Aus der Sicht eines Unternehmens ist es immer zu teuer, aber es geht um ein gutes Preis-Leistungs-Verhältnis.

Welche anderen Lösungen habe ich bewertet?

Wir haben keine anderen Optionen evaluiert. Wir hatten andere Dell-Server, aber wir hatten kein VxRail. Wir brauchten keine Alternativen. Wir arbeiten gerne mit Dell. Die Kollegen haben es uns angeboten und verkauft.

Bevor wir uns für VxRail entschieden haben, haben wir keine öffentliche Cloud-Infrastruktur in Betracht gezogen.

Welche anderen Ratschläge kann ich geben?

Insgesamt würde ich VxRail mit zehn von zehn Punkten bewerten. Ich bin sehr zufrieden damit. Wenn man einmal den Umgang damit gefunden hat, kann man einfach damit arbeiten. Falls man Unterstützung braucht, kann man sich bei der Konfiguration helfen lassen.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Muhammad-Hassan - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Manager - Virtualization at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Reasonably priced, simple installation, and is easy to manage
Pros and Cons
  • "The compute is good and we have not had any issues with the vSAN."
  • "In the next release, I would like to see our graphical user interface allow us to manage VxRail clusters and everything on a single pane of glass where I can monitor and shut down the server, similar to a VxRail manager."

What is most valuable?

The environment is easy to manage.

The compute is good and we have not had any issues with the vSAN.

What needs improvement?

VxRail requires VMware support. When an issue occurs in VMware vSphere, for example, you would have to log a complaint with VMware support, and sometimes Dell Support can resolve the problem, but you will also have to log a complaint with VMware support internally, and the support agent will work with us to resolve the problem. Hardware support is adequate. They are capable of resolving the issues. We believe Dell's vShpere support falls short of the mark.

In the next release, I would like to see our graphical user interface allow us to manage VxRail clusters and everything on a single pane of glass where I can monitor and shut down the server, similar to a VxRail manager.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with VxRail for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

VxRail is very stable. It is working very well.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VxRail is very scalable. It can scale out to 64 hosts.

In our company, we have eight to ten people who are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

The automatic creation of support tickets Whenever an issue arises, ESRS and VxRail are present and automatically forward the complaints to Dell. These are fantastic features.

Technical support is not very good, but it's not bad.

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

We were not working with pre-configured appliances. We were using servers that we configured. We used VMware and vSAN. 

How was the initial setup?

VxRail is easy to set up. It was very easy.

The complete configuration and powering of VxRail took a couple of days to set up the servers and infrastructure, as well as the cabling. When we power up the servers, VMware and vSAN were already applied to it. We will only need to buy the license to configure the appliances.

What was our ROI?

VxRail has a great return on investment.

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

When compared with others, the price is very reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

It's a very good product. I would recommend this solution to others who are considering it.

I haven't used any other product that I can compare it with, but so far it has been good.

I would rate VxRail 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
Linas Adamonis - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Cloud and Servers Technologies at JSC "Lithuanian railways"​
Real User
Simplified management, fast performance, and reasonable price
Pros and Cons
  • "We are very happy with the purchase, and it works well. It is fast. We went with the full-flash version, meaning that we have SSDs. So, we can build a Windows virtual machine in two minutes. We were surprised when we first tried to do that."
  • "We have some issues, but they are possibly out-of-the-box issues. There was a host that was dead on arrival, and there were some file issues on other hosts. We're currently working actively with Dell to resolve all these issues. Once they are resolved, the product should be stable."

What is our primary use case?

I'm not a direct user. I'm a team manager, and we are using it in our company. We are using it as our new-generation virtualization platform. Currently, we are just building the environment, and we still have things to do directly with Dell.

How has it helped my organization?

We are very happy with the purchase, and it works well. It is fast. We went with the full-flash version, meaning that we have SSDs. So, we can build a Windows virtual machine in two minutes. We were surprised when we first tried to do that. So, currently, we are very happy with it.

What is most valuable?

The best features of HCI are the reliability and no need to have additional storage models and storage administrators. All the things—such as virtualization models, storage models, and networking—are in one environment. So, a single hardware administrator can access and support everything. I like HCI because of being able to have all components of virtualization in one cluster and in one place. There is no SAN and storage. It brings simplicity to hardware maintenance.

What needs improvement?

We have some issues, but they are possibly out-of-the-box issues. There was a host that was dead on arrival, and there were some file issues on other hosts. We're currently working actively with Dell to resolve all these issues. Once they are resolved, the product should be stable.

In terms of the additional features, we still need to adopt what we have. It has lots of features, and we need to start using it heavily. I might have something to add in a year or so, but currently, I don't have anything.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution since December. It has been two full months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We are having some out-of-the-box issues, and we're actively working with Dell to resolve those issues. Once those issues are resolved, it should be stable, but as a virtual environment, it has never failed. These are only single-node or single-component issues that don't affect the whole virtual environment, which is great and which is why I love HCI.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable. Currently, we have 12 people who are working with this solution, but there will be more.

What about the implementation team?

A vendor did the whole implementation. We have purchased it as a service. So, we had a third-party vendor who installed and configured everything. My technicians were watching and learning. So, we were not the ones who were primarily responsible for configuring things. The process took some time, but the result is very satisfying.

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

It is reasonable. Compared to the legacy hardware that we had so far, we are not paying way more, but we have very good performance. Its price is good.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it a nine out of 10 because of those out-of-the-box issues. They are a bit annoying, but I believe we will be able to resolve them quickly, and then it would be a 10.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer2318352 - PeerSpot reviewer
Product owner at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Helps to minimize downtime, scaling is a breeze, and the support is top-notch
Pros and Cons
  • "The most compelling aspect of VxRail lies in its unwavering guarantee of sustained performance for my systems, regardless of their geographical distribution."
  • "While VxRail offers compatibility with AMD processors, its capabilities in this area could benefit from further development."

What is our primary use case?

We leverage VxRail for its versatility, enabling us to consolidate a diverse range of IT infrastructure within its robust framework. This encompasses terminal servers, routers, and firewalls, all seamlessly integrated alongside customer servers operating within virtualized environments. Moreover, VxRail empowers us to migrate our legacy hardware servers, breathing new life into them by virtualizing their functionalities within the same platform.

In order to address the limitations imposed by our previous infrastructure's inability to scale effectively, we opted to leverage the capabilities of VxRail. This has empowered us to seamlessly integrate additional servers and implement streamlined configuration processes, fostering a remarkable ease of use for the entire team. Consequently, the need for extensive training has been completely eliminated, as intuitive procedures enable our personnel to grasp the necessary steps instinctively.

How has it helped my organization?

VxRail's enhanced resiliency has banished server failure anxieties! VMs now seamlessly migrate to redundant machines, eliminating downtime and the need for tedious maintenance windows. My independence from individual components has soared, leaving me unfazed by fleeting indicators.

It streamlines our VMware administration, transforming what could be a multi-paneled juggling act into a unified, effortless orchestration. Confined to a single, intuitive interface, managing our virtualized environment becomes a seamless, frictionless experience.

The overall energy footprint exhibits a favorable trend, allowing for granular comparisons between individual hardware components. This transparency enables me to discern precise hardware utilization and capacity allocation. Notably, the system's ability to dynamically distribute workload across all computers and servers simultaneously presents a distinct advantage, promoting uniform resource utilization and potentially optimizing energy consumption.

VxRail's implementation has significantly mitigated the frequency and impact of unplanned production disruptions. The introduction of a clustered environment has empowered virtual machines with the ability to autonomously migrate between physical hosts, effectively sidestepping localized hardware or software hiccups. This year, we only encountered two outages, one stemming from a hardware malfunction and the other attributable to an update issue. Excluding the aforementioned hardware failure, downtime was restricted to the brief shutdowns of a mere two or three virtual machines due to isolated component defects. In all other instances, VxRail seamlessly orchestrated the migration of affected workloads to alternate hosts, ensuring continued operational functionality and minimizing business disruptions. This newfound resilience has demonstrably enhanced our ability to weather unforeseen challenges and maintain operational continuity.

The flexibility of VxRail is truly exceptional. Scaling is an absolute breeze, regardless of the project scope. Take, for instance, an upcoming large-scale initiative involving numerous organizations. I can seamlessly integrate additional devices, establish the basic preliminary setup, and trust the system to autonomously adapt with remarkable alacrity.

VxRail aligns seamlessly with our commitment to sustainability. Its modular design and durable components facilitate responsible end-of-life management, allowing us to reintegrate the devices back into the circular economy through convenient recycling programs. Choosing the lease-purchase option further enhances this advantage, ensuring not only initial cost efficiency but also sustainable disposal or potential repurposing of the equipment down the line. This forward-thinking approach positions us favorably for future environmental regulations and demonstrates our unwavering dedication to responsible resource utilization.

What is most valuable?

The most compelling aspect of VxRail lies in its unwavering guarantee of sustained performance for my systems, regardless of their geographical distribution. This eliminates the need for any additional hardware or cumbersome configuration, ensuring a streamlined and worry-free experience.

What needs improvement?

While VxRail offers compatibility with AMD processors, its capabilities in this area could benefit from further development.

While my proficiency in English poses no issue, accessing Dell's German support, if necessary, proves slightly more convoluted, a lingering experience from past encounters. While not an insurmountable obstacle, the convenience of readily available German-speaking assistance would be undeniably pleasant. Having such support readily available, particularly during nocturnal hours, would foster a sense of complete coverage, alleviating any potential Sunday inconveniences. However, let me be clear, my present situation is perfectly manageable. Yet, experiencing the fluidity of communication during the aforementioned version eight upgrade, for instance, would undoubtedly have been delightful. Ultimately, though, this pertains more to a minor personal preference than a fundamental flaw with the support itself.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using VxRail for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Despite two separate hardware failures within the VxRail system, the overall operational stability remains remarkably high, earning it a solid nine out of ten rating. This impressive resilience stems from the system's clever design, where individual component breakdowns have minimal impact on overall functionality. While not absolutely foolproof, the vast majority of potential issues can be weathered without significant disruption.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

VxRail's impressive scalability lies in its ability to seamlessly accommodate increasing workloads by effortlessly adding additional servers.

How are customer service and support?

Dell's support operates with the precision of a well-oiled machine. The proactive insights gleaned from Cloud IQ equip their technicians with the foresight to anticipate and address potential issues before they even manifest. This proactive approach has been a game-changer for us. In the rare instance where hardware malfunctions, their rapid response is truly awe-inspiring. Having new equipment at our doorstep within three hours is a testament to their unwavering commitment to minimizing disruptions and maximizing our productivity.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

Tackling the initial deployment single-handedly would have undoubtedly been a difficult task, rife with complexities and pitfalls. Thankfully, the Dell technician's expert guidance shed light on the intricacies of the process, transforming it into a surprisingly straightforward endeavor. Even now, post-deployment, tweaking and adjusting settings remains a breeze. The initial apprehension has given way to a newfound confidence and ease, a testament to the clarity and efficacy of the training provided.

Our phased implementation strategy endeavors to systematically migrate various functions towards automated execution, a process fraught with unforeseen challenges. While the strategic framework was readily established, translating it into tangible action proved significantly more arduous.

What about the implementation team?

We had the invaluable assistance of a skilled technician from Dell throughout the intricate process of VxRail installation and configuration.

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

Securing a favorable agreement with Dell presents a distinct advantage. While one could argue, from a strictly corporate standpoint, that the cost of VxRail has been in the higher range, the true evaluation lies in the return on investment. Essentially, it boils down to a question of cost-effectiveness, not simply raw expense.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Given our established, positive relationship with Dell and our ongoing appreciation for their offerings, we opted to forgo exploring other potential solutions.

What other advice do I have?

VxRail has truly exceeded my expectations. It's not just a ten out of ten, it's a game-changer. Once we overcome the initial learning curve, we'll be able to operate it with complete confidence, not just in terms of independent usage, but also knowing we have exceptional support readily available to assist with any configuration needs.

VxRail's intuitive design manifests in its remarkable ease of use. The intricate automation behind the scenes operates seamlessly, orchestrating a symphony of tasks with minimal user intervention. Whether we're integrating a new server, its arrival becomes a mere dance of effortless steps. Slide the server into its designated rack, meticulously connect the necessary cables, and with a single press of the designated button, we've summoned a powerful computing resource to life.

Foreign Language:(German)

Minimale Ausfallzeiten, problemlose Skalierung und erstklassiger Support 

Was ist unser Hauptanwendungsfall?

Wir nutzen VxRail aufgrund seiner Vielseitigkeit, die es uns ermöglicht, eine Vielzahl von IT-Infrastrukturen innerhalb seines robusten Rahmens zu konsolidieren. Dazu gehören Terminalserver, Router und Firewalls, die alle nahtlos neben den Kundenservern integriert sind, die in virtualisierten Umgebungen betrieben werden. Darüber hinaus können wir mit VxRail unsere Legacy-Hardware-Server migrieren und ihnen neues Leben durch Virtualisierung ihrer Funktionalitäten innerhalb derselben Plattform geben.

Um die Einschränkungen zu beseitigen, die sich aus der mangelnden Skalierbarkeit unserer bisherigen Infrastruktur ergaben, haben wir uns für die Nutzung der Funktionen von VxRail entschieden. Dies hat uns in die Lage versetzt, zusätzliche Servern nahtlos zu integrieren und optimierte Konfigurationsprozesse zu implementieren, was zu einer bemerkenswerten Benutzerfreundlichkeit für das gesamte Team geführt hat. Infolgedessen entfällt die Notwendigkeit umfangreicher Schulungen komplett, da unsere Mitarbeiter dank intuitiver Verfahren die erforderlichen Schritte instinktiv nachvollziehen können.

Wie hat es meiner Organisation geholfen?

Die verbesserte Ausfallsicherheit von VxRail hat die Angst vor Serverausfällen beseitigt! VMs werden jetzt nahtlos auf redundante Maschinen migriert, wodurch Ausfallzeiten und lästige Wartungszeiten entfallen. Ich bin jetzt unabhängiger von einzelnen Komponenten und kann mich von flüchtigen Indikatoren nicht mehr irritieren lassen.

VxRail vereinfacht unsere VMware-Verwaltung und sorgt für eine einheitliche, mühelose Steuerung, was sonst ein komplexer Vorgang ist. Durch die Beschränkung auf eine einzige, intuitive Oberfläche wird die Verwaltung unserer virtualisierten Umgebung zu einer nahtlosen, reibungslosen Erfahrung.

Der gesamte Energieverbrauch von VxRail zeigt einen positiven Verlauf und ermöglicht einen detaillierten Vergleich zwischen den einzelnen Hardwarekomponenten. Diese Transparenz ermöglicht es mir, die genaue Hardwareauslastung und Kapazitätszuweisung zu erkennen. Insbesondere die Fähigkeit des Systems, die Arbeitslast dynamisch auf alle Computer und Server gleichzeitig zu verteilen, ist ein deutlicher Vorteil, der eine einheitliche Ressourcennutzung fördert und den Energieverbrauch potenziell optimiert.

Die Implementierung von VxRail hat die Häufigkeit und die Auswirkungen von ungeplanten Ausfällen im Betrieb deutlich verringert. Durch die Einführung einer Cluster-Umgebung sind virtuelle Maschinen in der Lage, selbstständig zwischen physischen Hosts zu migrieren, wodurch lokale Hardware- oder Softwareprobleme effektiv umgangen werden. In diesem Jahr hatten wir nur zwei Ausfälle zu verzeichnen, von denen einer auf einen Hardwarefehler und der andere auf ein Update-Problem zurückzuführen war. Abgesehen von dem erwähnten Hardware-Ausfall beschränkten sich die Ausfallzeiten auf das kurzzeitige Herunterfahren von lediglich zwei oder drei virtuellen Maschinen aufgrund von isolierten Komponentendefekten. In allen anderen Fällen sorgte VxRail für eine nahtlose Migration der betroffenen Workloads auf alternative Hosts, so dass die Betriebsfunktionalität aufrechterhalten und Geschäftsunterbrechungen minimiert werden konnten. Diese neu gewonnene Widerstandsfähigkeit hat unsere Fähigkeit, unvorhergesehene Herausforderungen zu meistern und die Betriebskontinuität aufrechtzuerhalten, nachweislich verbessert.

Die Flexibilität von VxRail ist wirklich außergewöhnlich. Die Skalierung ist ein absolutes Kinderspiel, unabhängig vom Projektumfang. Zum Beispiel bei einer bevorstehenden umfangreichen Maßnahme, an der zahlreiche Stellen beteiligt sind. Ich kann nahtlos zusätzliche Geräte integrieren, die Grundeinstellungen vornehmen und darauf vertrauen, dass sich das System mit bemerkenswerter Schnelligkeit selbstständig anpasst.

VxRail fügt sich nahtlos in unser Engagement für Nachhaltigkeit ein. Das modulare Design und die langlebigen Komponenten erleichtern ein verantwortungsbewusstes End-of-Life-Management und ermöglichen es uns, die Geräte durch bequeme Recyclingprogramme wieder in die Kreislaufwirtschaft zu integrieren. Durch die Wahl der Option des Leasings und des Kaufs wird dieser Vorteil noch verstärkt, da so nicht nur die anfängliche Kosteneffizienz, sondern auch die nachhaltige Entsorgung oder die potenzielle Wiederverwendung der Geräte gewährleistet ist. Mit diesem weitsichtigen Ansatz sind wir für künftige Umweltvorschriften bestens vorbereitet und demonstrieren unser unermüdliches Engagement für eine verantwortungsvolle Ressourcennutzung.

Was ist am wertvollsten?

Der wichtigste Aspekt von VxRail ist die Garantie für eine gleichbleibende Leistung meiner Systeme, unabhängig von deren geografischer Lage. Dies macht zusätzliche Hardware oder umständliche Konfigurationen überflüssig und sorgt für eine optimierte und sorgenfreie Erfahrung.

Was muss verbessert werden?

Obwohl VxRail Kompatibilität mit AMD-Prozessoren bietet, könnten seine Fähigkeiten in diesem Bereich von einer weiteren Entwicklung profitieren.

Obwohl ich Englisch gut beherrsche, ist der Zugang zum deutschen Support von Dell etwas komplizierter, was ich aus vorherigen Fällen noch gut in Erinnerung habe. Auch wenn dies kein großes Problem ist, wäre es doch sehr angenehm, wenn ein deutschsprachiger Support zur Verfügung stehen würde. Die Verfügbarkeit einer solchen Unterstützung, insbesondere während der Nacht, würde das Gefühl einer vollständigen Abdeckung fördern und mögliche Unannehmlichkeiten am Sonntag mildern. Ich möchte jedoch betonen, dass ich mit meiner derzeitigen Situation vollkommen zurechtkomme. Dennoch wäre es zweifellos schön gewesen, wenn die Kommunikation zum Beispiel während des oben erwähnten Upgrades auf Version acht so reibungslos funktioniert hätte. Letztlich handelt es sich aber eher um eine kleine persönliche Präferenz als um ein grundsätzliches Mängel am Support selbst.

Wie lange nutze ich die Lösung schon?

Ich nutze VxRail schon seit einem Jahr.

Was halte ich von der Stabilität der Lösung?

Trotz zweier separater Hardwareausfälle innerhalb des VxRail-Systems ist die Betriebsstabilität insgesamt bemerkenswert hoch, was ihm eine solide Bewertung von neun von zehn Punkten einbrachte. Diese beeindruckende Widerstandsfähigkeit ist auf das clevere Design des Systems zurückzuführen, bei dem Ausfälle einzelner Komponenten nur minimale Auswirkungen auf die Gesamtfunktionalität haben. Es ist zwar nicht absolut sicher, aber die meisten potenziellen Probleme können ohne wesentliche Ausfälle behoben werden.

Was denke ich über die Skalierbarkeit der Lösung?

Die beeindruckende Skalierbarkeit von VxRail liegt in der Fähigkeit, steigende Workloads durch das einfache Einsetzen von zusätzlichen Servern nahtlos zu erfüllen.

Wie sind Kundenservice und Support?

Der Support von Dell läuft wie eine gut geölte Maschine. Die proaktiven Erkenntnisse aus Cloud IQ geben den Technikern den nötigen Weitblick, um potenzielle Probleme zu erkennen und zu lösen, bevor sie überhaupt auftreten. Dieser proaktive Ansatz hat für uns den entscheidenden Vorteil gebracht. In den seltenen Fällen, in denen es zu Hardware-Fehlfunktionen kommt, ist ihre schnelle Reaktion wirklich beeindruckend. Dass wir innerhalb von drei Stunden neue Geräte erhalten haben, ist ein Beweis für ihr ständiges Bestreben, Störungen zu minimieren und unsere Produktivität zu maximieren.

Wie bewerten Sie den Kundenservice und -support?

Positiv

Wie war die Ersteinrichtung?

Die Ersteinrichtung im Alleingang durchzuführen, wäre zweifellos eine schwierige Aufgabe gewesen, die mit vielen Komplexitäten und Schwierigkeiten behaftet gewesen wäre. Glücklicherweise hat die professionelle Unterstützung durch den Dell-Techniker die Feinheiten des Prozesses aufgeklärt und ihn in ein überraschend einfaches Verfahren umgewandelt. Selbst jetzt, nach der Installation, ist das Optimieren und Anpassen der Einstellungen ein Kinderspiel. Die anfängliche Skepsis ist einer neuen Sicherheit und Einfachheit gewachsen, was ein Beweis für die Klarheit und Wirksamkeit der Schulung ist.

Unsere schrittweise Implementierungsstrategie ist darauf ausgerichtet, verschiedene Funktionen systematisch auf eine automatisierte Ausführung umzustellen, ein Prozess, der mit unvorhergesehenen Herausforderungen verbunden ist. Während der strategische Rahmen schnell festgelegt war, erwies sich die Umwandlung in konkrete Maßnahmen als deutlich mühsamer.

Wie sieht es mit dem Implementierungsteam aus?

Während des komplizierten Prozesses der VxRail-Installation und -Konfiguration hatten wir die unschätzbare Unterstützung eines erfahrenen Technikers von Dell.

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

Die Sicherung einer günstigen Vereinbarung mit Dell stellt einen deutlichen Vorteil dar. Auch wenn man vom rein geschäftlichen Standpunkt aus argumentieren könnte, dass die Kosten für VxRail im höheren Bereich liegen, liegt die wahre Bewertung in der Investitionsrendite. Im Grunde genommen ist es eine Frage der Kosteneffizienz und nicht nur der reinen Kosten.

Welche anderen Lösungen habe ich bewertet?

Angesichts unserer etablierten, positiven Beziehung zu Dell und unserer anhaltenden Wertschätzung für ihre Angebote haben wir uns entschieden, keine anderen potenziellen Lösungen zu erforschen.

Welche anderen Ratschläge kann ich geben?

VxRail hat wirklich meine Vorstellungen mehr als erfüllt. Es ist nicht nur eine Zehn von Zehn, es ist ein Game-Changer. Wenn wir erst einmal die anfängliche Lernphase hinter uns gebracht haben, werden wir in der Lage sein, es mit vollem Vertrauen zu betreiben, nicht nur in Bezug auf die unabhängige Nutzung, sondern auch in dem Wissen, dass wir einen außergewöhnlichen Support haben, der uns bei allen Konfigurationsanforderungen unterstützt.

Das intuitive Design von VxRail manifestiert sich in seiner bemerkenswerten Benutzerfreundlichkeit. Die komplizierte Automatisierung im Hintergrund funktioniert nahtlos und führt mit minimalen Benutzereingriffen eine Reihe von Tasks durch. Ob wir einen neuen Server integrieren oder nicht, dessen Installation erfolgt mühelos in wenigen Schritten. Schieben Sie den Server in das dafür vorgesehene Rack, schließen Sie die erforderlichen Kabel sorgfältig an, und mit einem einzigen Tastendruck erwecken wir eine leistungsstarke Rechenressource zum Leben.

Welches Modell nutzen Sie für die Entwicklung dieser Lösung?

Im Hause.

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
CTO at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Hosting platform that offers ROI through simplifying work of staff to amplify team output
Pros and Cons
  • "We have seen ROI using this solution. It has simplified the work of the staff that we have which allows us to do more work with the same number of people, without having to incrementally grow the staff. The reliability of the product has been exceptional."
  • "Supply chain capabilities are certainly hurting us. We're in the process of placing a large order for more VxRail nodes right now."

What is our primary use case?

We simplified our environment and made it easier to expand. We use the solution in four different locations and have about 25 people directly administering the product. The product is used by 4,000 people.

What is most valuable?

The fact that we can expand our nodes horizontally and the integration with VMware, which is what we use for all of our server virtualizations, has been most valuable.

What needs improvement?

Supply chain capabilities are certainly hurting us. We're in the process of placing a large order for more VxRail nodes right now.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. 

How are customer service and support?

The technical support for this solution is very good. I would rate them an eight and a half. 

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

We previously used Cisco UCS and made the switch to Dell after an extensive proof of concept. We felt like it was going to be the best comprehensive solution for us.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. 

What about the implementation team?

In some cases, we used a reseller. We have negotiated an agreement with Dell where we now buy directly from them.

What was our ROI?

We have seen ROI using this solution. It has simplified the work of the staff that we have which allows us to do more work with the same number of people, without having to incrementally grow the staff. The reliability of the product has been exceptional.

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

Licensing and price for this solution is reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
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 VxRail Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: January 2025
Product Categories
HCI
Buyer's Guide
Download our free VxRail Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.