Dell PowerVault Reviews

Name: Dell PowerVault
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 4.3 (25 reviews)

4.3 out of 5

25 reviews
100% willing to recommend

What is Dell PowerVault?

PowerVault MD3 storage arrays help you cost-effectively address the challenges of data growth with versatile solutions that are optimized for smaller-scale storage consolidation, flexible virtualization projects and high business continuity.

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Dell PowerVault is the #1 ranked solution in top Fibre Channel solutions and #2 ranked solution in top Enterprise SAN solutions. PeerSpot users give Dell PowerVault an average rating of 8.6 out of 10. Dell PowerVault is most commonly compared to Dell PowerStore: Dell PowerVault vs Dell PowerStore. Dell PowerVault is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 51% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 14% of all views.

Helped 865,295 peers since 2012

Featured Dell PowerVault reviews

Gehad Said

Senior Presales Solutions Engineer ( DELL EMC & VMware) at NTT DATA

Dell PowerVault acts as an entry storage for a small organization; I've been using it in my organization. Dell PowerVault functions as SAN storage and iSCSI storage. Per workload capacity, the deployment and migration time is dependent on various factors. Dell PowerVault has strong features; we can work on it as a SAN storage, and if we are connecting with fiber, 16 gig or 22 gig, and as the iSCSI also. Dell PowerVault is a small SAN storage, and I recommend it for small organizations. If the customer does not have enough budget, and already has small capacity with not difficult workload, this is an entry-level storage solution, and for Dell PowerVault, I'm satisfied. I rate Dell PowerVault a nine out of ten.

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SigfridCecillon

Director at Arsium

You can extend your library. You can add some disks. But you have to rebuild your environment, so it's not very easy. And you can add some other libraries. You can add some cables to extend it, but it's not very easy to do. So it isn't very easy because the technique used to do that is not very easy. You have to work strictly to rebuild all the alignment. So, maybe this is an area of improvement. There are around 10 to 15 customers using this solution.

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Md. Hamidul Haque Razu

Technical Support Manager at Genex Infosys Ltd.

We have been utilizing Dell PowerVault mainly as a backup solution, for data storage and file-sharing purposes Dell PowerVault is a reliable solution that offers good performance and affordability. I find this solution to be cost-effective in providing data storage for clients. There have been…

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Dell PowerVault mindshare

Product category:

As of August 2025, the mindshare of Dell PowerVault in the Enterprise SAN category stands at 32.2%, up from 5.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise SAN

PeerResearch reports based on Dell PowerVault reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Enterprise SAN	Aug 19, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Aug 19, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell PowerVault vs Dell PowerStore	Aug 19, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell PowerVault vs Cisco MDS Series	Aug 19, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Dell PowerStore	4.3	33.5%	96%	120 interviews Add to research
NetApp ASA	4.5	4.9%	100%	3 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Dell PowerVault offers features like reliability, expandability, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. It's easy to deploy and manage, stable, scalable, and provides strong support. Users appreciate its performance, storage capabilities, simple setup, and affordability. It supports functions like data deduplication and replication, benefiting small to medium-range storage needs. Users value its security, longevity, and ability to connect with fiber or iSCSI, offering good return on investment compared to other brands.

"Dell PowerVault is cost-effective as a storage solution, and I see it has competitive pricing with other vendors."
"We've even used PowerVault series that we intended to use for five years for almost eight years, and it was still working fine, providing good ROI compared to any other brand, which are the overall advantages of Dell PowerVault."
"Dell PowerVault offers valuable full flash storage."

Room for Improvement

Dell PowerVault needs improvements in UI, scalability, and integration capabilities. Deduplication, compression, and flash technology features are desired. Users face difficulties with high costs, upgrade processes, and Active Directory integration. Real-time feedback, cache capacity, cloud export, and NVMe support require enhancement. Reducing dependence on tape drives and offering a unified storage system are priorities. Initial acquisition costs and support pricing are concerns, and users request enhanced configuration options for better scalability.

"If you do not have an existing relationship with Dell or are exploring the market for the first time, the initial acquisition cost of Dell PowerVault is high compared to competitors such as Hitachi or IBM, which often undercut prices."
"The product is generally stable, but there have been instances, to my knowledge, where we faced issues in the controller during software upgrades. The availability is not at the desired level during these upgrade processes, as we sometimes need to shut down both controllers. This could be an area for improvement."
"The product could support an NVMe hard disk."

ROI

Organizations using Dell PowerVault reported a decrease in storage costs from .81 cents to .18 per GB with the 3260i, enhancing profitability while reducing customer pricing. Users experienced ROI within a year and rated the value favorably. They confirmed Dell PowerVault delivers effective returns when performance criteria are met. The use of Dell PowerVault has shown beneficial ROI, indicating satisfaction among users with its financial impact.

Pricing

Enterprise users of Dell PowerVault describe its pricing as mostly reasonable and competitive. Setup costs were cited around £30k, with initial purchase prices ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, plus 10% annually. There's emphasis on additional fees for operating systems and licenses, which some find expensive. Despite certain costs being high compared to competitors, users rate its overall affordability between seven to nine out of ten, highlighting its cost-effectiveness and strong market position.

"I rate the solution's pricing a seven to eight out of ten."
"The product is inexpensive."
"I rate the product price a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is low, and ten is high."

Popular Use Cases

Dell PowerVault is primarily utilized for virtualization, storage, backup, and application hosting. Users employ it for ERP production, Hyper-V and VMware clusters, and small environment virtualization. Hospitals, contact centers, and organizations in need of affordable storage options appreciate its advanced capacity and redundancy. It supports data management tasks, such as backup, data retention, and file sharing, often integrated with other storage solutions for comprehensive data handling in small to medium-sized business environments.

Service and Support

Dell PowerVault's customer service and support are largely rated highly. Many find technical support excellent, responsive, and knowledgeable. Users in specific regions note logistical challenges and time-consuming ticket processes. Some report complex interactions requiring multiple explanations to support personnel. Others highlight the value of having spare parts due to delivery delays. Despite some minor issues, satisfaction remains high, with many appreciating the range of support options and quick responsiveness in addressing concerns.

Deployment

Dell PowerVault's initial setup is generally straightforward and simple. Many find it easy and intuitive, often taking only one person a couple of hours to complete. Some mention that specific configurations, like SAN installation, can be slightly complex. Companies reporting first-time installations found it challenging but expect simplicity with more experience. Typically, setup requires little maintenance and is adaptable, allowing for multiple deployment methods depending on connectivity options.

Scalability

Dell PowerVault's scalability varies, being effective for small to medium enterprises. Many find it suitable, rating it positively, although some face limitations in large environments or with certain configurations, particularly in disk expansion. While capable of almost doubling capacity and adding storage, configuration challenges exist. The ability to scale is praised by some, yet others find it constrained beyond certain thresholds, especially when expanding performance or accommodating large user bases.

Stability

Dell PowerVault is widely regarded as stable, with many users giving it high marks for stability. It is noted for easy deployment and management, though some users mentioned occasional minor control issues and a lack of active-active controller. Ratings for stability vary from six to ten out of ten, with praise for its performance in both small enterprises and larger organizations. Users appreciate its stability and scalability but mention it has not kept up with some needs.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell PowerVault Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.