Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] vs FlexPod XCS comparison

Dell Technologies and NetApp are both solutions in the Converged Infrastructure category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of NetApp users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Read 20 Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

FlexPod XCS

Read 295 FlexPod XCS reviews

3,176 Views
1,493 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

FlexPod XCS

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 26, 2025

FlexPod XCS and Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] are part of the converged infrastructure market, offering solutions for data centers. FlexPod XCS has an advantage due to its extensive vendor collaboration, integration capabilities, and support system.

Features: FlexPod XCS delivers integration with NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, providing seamless support and compatibility across these technologies. It simplifies support issues with a single point of contact. Additionally, its architecture supports ease of deployment and scalability, well-suited for large environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] is noted for its compact design, integrating compute, storage, and networking in a single unit, which simplifies deployment for small to mid-sized setups. However, reliance on a single vendor limits support and flexibility.

Room for Improvement: FlexPod XCS users seek enhancements in unified management and automation to streamline operations. Cost reduction and consistency in support are also desired. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] could benefit from extended support, enhanced scalability, and improved storage options. Simplified licensing and additional compact unit offerings are also suggested for better alignment with business needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: FlexPod XCS is praised for efficient deployment with multi-vendor support from NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, eliminating separate vendor interventions. Its customer service stands out as proficient and cohesive, especially in mixed technology environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] simplifies deployment with its all-in-one design but lacks integrated cross-vendor support, resulting in slower service responses post-end-of-life.

Pricing and ROI: FlexPod XCS's higher initial cost is balanced by long-term ROI, operational efficiencies, and reduced downtime, appealing to enterprises. Meanwhile, Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] offers budget-friendly solutions for small setups with straightforward pricing, but it may fall short in long-term savings and flexibility in larger deployments.

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

FlexPod XCS

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

295

Ranking in other categories

Converged Infrastructure (1st)

Featured Reviews

Kirihettige Anton Asiri Prasad

Systems Engineer at Thakral One (Pvt) Ltd

Enables continued support and efficient data management in IT infrastructure

Dell PowerEdge VRTX is mainly used for virtual environments and is beneficial for IT infrastructure. It offers scalability, allowing customers to scale up as needed, which is crucial for maintaining hardware without purchasing new products. Its integrated storage solutions improve data management by providing the flexibility and ease of scaling up.

Read full review

John Kevin

Deputy IT Manager at MBBank

Enforces standardized setup procedures following Certified Validated Design (CVD) guidelines and offers greater flexibility and control over the system compared to traditional systems

The GUI setup follows the right setup, meaning we have to follow the CVDi.e. Certified Validated Design. Everything is clear, because you can build CI yourself, but without rules, it can be messy. With FlexPod, there are rules to follow, making it more standardized. This helps with troubleshooting and compatibility assessments, simplifying troubleshooting significantly. We also use FlexPod pre-validated architectures to validate the design. It is very, very important to us because we had a bad case in 2015 where separate items integrated poorly due to no version or firmware compatibility certification. Troubleshooting became a nightmare. So, standards are crucial for us, and everything entering production should be verified or at least documented for certification.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"We now find that the solution is quite stable."

"This process is very good, with a processor that has 32 cores, which is sufficient to meet my qualifications and needs."

"We were satisfied after we upgraded to a professional next-day on-site support."

"Dell PowerEdge VRTX is almost perfect in terms of stability, and I would rate it ten out of ten."

"With Dell PowerEdge VRTX, there are fewer points, and it is easier to troubleshoot and find your way around it."

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

"While I cannot say Dell is better than HP or IBM, Dell has a strong presence here in Qatar. We can recommend Dell because of that strategic factor."

"The system is very intuitive."

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] pros

"One of the easiest solutions to implement, maintain, and scale."

"It has been a great product, primarily because of a lot of its deduplication features, and the out-of-the-box thinking on block level storage from NetApp."

"It's a new architecture, really scalable and programmable. When you look at SDN propositions it fits very well in a next-gen data center."

"The solution was simple to deploy."

"The ease of expansion is the most valuable feature."

"When you open the box, they give you a very nice diagram. Which was my initial guide through setting up any NetApp SAN. It worked itself out pretty well."

"It's all converged into one consolidated platform, which works well together."

"The overall versatility and validate designs are great. We previously used a different platform, but we gained a lot of utilization with FlexPod."

More FlexPod XCS pros

Cons

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

"The storage can be improved."

"The licensing can be difficult to understand."

"VRTX is a bit simplified to the extent that it is a mainstream type of solution for small businesses. If a company needs a more complex solution or something that is a time saver or has more power or scalability, it is probably not the best solution. However, when a company grows and its needs grow, this type of environment can be definitely migrated towards a lab environment or pre-prod testing, not necessarily production. It can still have a second life for the other types of use."

"We've had general issues related to the solution being difficult."

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

"The problem is with our configuration. We know we can use PowerEdge for hyper-convergence if we have PowerEdge and configure vSAN. We will be able to achieve what VxRail is being able to provide, but we need to migrate it to a new infrastructure instead of changing our existing. It will be much more difficult for us."

"The cost of Dell PowerEdge VRTX is high, making it difficult for small and medium businesses to bear."

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] cons

"Updates are not frequent enough."

"We would like to see a new design that comes with more productivity or graphics. Currently, the vendors, like HPE and Dell EMC along with NetApp, all have very similar products. We want more diversification."

"I would like them to integrate the NVIDIA GRID into the system, so we could easily deploy certain solutions with the FlexPod."

"Areas for improvement would be the support for the engineering team, who seem to have no clue when you open a case, the communication with and recognition of resellers, and the documentation, with could be more detailed."

"The interface is a little convoluted."

"There are too many drivers and software combined all together, and we need to have compatibility between all of them."

"Support could be more integrated. For example, you might call NetApp, and they'll determine that VMware is the issue. It would be helpful if they could automatically engage VMware and bring them onto the same call to transfer ticket information and work together."

"I would like to see more orchestration tools in FlexPod because we virtually end up with integrating the v-orchestration tool within FlexPod. I would like to see something like that included within FlexPod."

More FlexPod XCS cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We bought a license for seven years."

"The solution is less expensive than competitors."

"On the scale of pricing, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I would rate it as a three. I am familiar with the overall cost, which involves licenses from Dell and VMware, among others, making it a combination of various license types."

"The solution price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX could be reduced. However, when comparing the price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX to other solutions, such as HP and Lenovo, it was the best price for what they offer."

"The tool's pricing is fine."

"Fully configured, it costs about $50,000 or $55,000. I did purchase a used one or refurbished one. I have been very happy with it so far. Even if it is an older unit, it doesn't look like its age, and I would say it has been a great choice so far for me. Obviously, I would have thought twice if I had to pay for a brand new one because it is still an older technology with the risk of being discontinued. I talked to Dell, and they're still selling it, but they're not promoting it. They're promoting another line of products right now for hyper-converged, which are much more expensive."

"We are renewing the support and we are purchasing the license for the software."

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

"We pay approximately $1,400 USD in total for between five-thousand and ten-thousand ports."

"Everything is purchased, so we do not do any leasing with this product."

"Buy storage based on the solutions you need, the technologies you need, and what will make your life a lot easier down the road."

"We have saved time and money for new service deployments. Without FlexPod, it probably takes about ten hours. With FlexPod, within two hours, we are up and running. So, we have seen about an 80 percent time decrease."

"As a whole, it is inexpensive, and it uses the least amount of parts."

"We definitely saw a lot of operational cost savings using FlexPod. As far as capital outlay goes, that was a little bit too much for us to swallow and we weren't able to recognize enough savings in that area to afford it."

"We have saved time with Snapshots, SnapMirrors, and backup and DR capabilities versus other platforms that we have looked at in the past."

"Coming from a rack and stack server model to FlexPod, it has saved us a lot of time (approximately hundreds to thousands of hours)."

More FlexPod XCS pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user244362

Managing Consultant with 51-200 employees

Aug 30, 2015

Nutanix vs. VMware EVO:RAIL vs. FlexPod

Originally posted at www.storagegaga.com/dont-get-too-drunk-on-hyper-converged/ I hate the fact that I am bursting the big bubble brewing about Hyper Convergence (HC). I urge all to look past the hot air and hype frenzy that are going on, because in the end, the HC platforms have to be aligned…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

17%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

20%

Performing Arts

10%

Educational Organization

Transportation Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	13
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	34
Midsize Enterprise	66
Large Enterprise	182

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

The system is very intuitive.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

The cost of Dell PowerEdge VRTX is high, making it difficult for small and medium businesses to bear. I would rate the pricing as seven out of ten.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

It would be much better for customers if Dell could provide firmware updates even after the end of the product's life, enabling them to manage and keep their hardware for a longer time.

See all answers

What do you like most about FlexPod?

The system is designed for easy scaling. Because we define everything clearly. So when we plug the system in, we apply the profile, and it scales easily.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FlexPod?

The pricing is not cheaper, but stability is more important for us now. We focus on business gains, not static numbers. Following XCS rules ensures a stable environment, which is crucial. For me, C...

See all answers

What needs improvement with FlexPod?

FlexPod should focus more on automation. Integrating an automation tool with FlexPod would enable customers to leverage automation capabilities. More automation would be helpful. Currently, we cont...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ConvergedSystem vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 38% of the time

IBM PureSystems vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

Rackspace OpenStack vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 14% of the time

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 7% of the time

Oracle Private Cloud Appliance vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

Compared 6% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Competitors

Dell PowerFlex vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 17% of the time

HPE ConvergedSystem vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 10% of the time

Dell VxBlock System vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 9% of the time

Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure (NCI) vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 8% of the time

HPE Hyper Converged vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 8% of the time

More FlexPod XCS Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]

January 2026

Download Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

FlexPod XCS

January 2026

Download FlexPod XCS product report

Overview

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] provides compact, integrated management with shared storage and networking, ideal for small companies seeking easy scaling. Users value its robust security, stability, and processing power within an all-in-one configuration.

PowerEdge VRTX combines servers, storage, and networking into a single unit, optimizing performance and reducing the need for separate components. It offers excellent technical support and a resourceful design with multiple blades. Despite its current web-based storage and networking management being slow, there is a demand for a Windows-based application, increased storage capacity, auto-tiering features, and improved hyper-convergence capabilities. The integration with other storage solutions could be better, and a more compact version is suggested. Continued support and firmware updates past its lifecycle, better pricing, and noise reduction are requested by users.

What are the main features of Dell PowerEdge VRTX?

Integrated Management: Combines servers, storage, and networking in a single platform.
Scalability: Supports flexible scaling for small business needs.
Blades and Processing Power: Offers multiple blades with strong processing capabilities.
User-Friendly UI: Simplifies IT management with intuitive interface and hardware compatibility.
Security: Known for robust security features ensuring stable operations.

What benefits should users consider in reviews?

Ease of Installation: Designed for straightforward deployment without extensive setup.
Cost-Effectiveness: Provides good value by reducing the need for multiple components.
Technical Support: Recognized for effective customer service and assistance.
Space Optimization: Ideal for environments where space is limited yet essential.

In branch offices and industries requiring reduced space and IT needs, PowerEdge VRTX supports virtualization, client-server applications, and financial services. It aids infrastructure in providing internet and security services, highlighting its ease of installation and effective customer support.

Dell Technologies

FlexPod XCS is the secure platform your applications need from edge to cloud. Easily manage your suite of cloud-native, edge, and enterprise apps. Integrate advanced cloud services without compromising performance, security, reliability, or scale.

NetApp

Sample Customers

University of Dundee, GE Healthcare Japan

University of Sao Paulo, WD-40, The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group

Buyer's Guide

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January 2026

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