Hitachi VSP E Series vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe comparison

Hitachi Vantara and IBM are both solutions in the NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays category. Hitachi Vantara is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5, while IBM is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.3. Hitachi Vantara holds a 2.5% mindshare in N, compared to IBM’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of Hitachi Vantara users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of IBM users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 5, 2024

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe and Hitachi VSP E Series are competitive within the storage solutions category. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is seen as superior due to its advanced features and potential for higher ROI.

Features: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is distinguished by its high-performance NVMe interface, AI-enhanced storage optimization, and flexible scalability options. Hitachi VSP E Series is known for its strong data encryption, comprehensive data protection, and robust storage virtualization capabilities.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Hitachi VSP E Series offers simplified deployment with strong integration capabilities and comprehensive customer service. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe provides more complex integration options requiring technical expertise but benefits from IBM’s extensive customer support.

Pricing and ROI: IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe generally requires a higher initial setup cost with the promise of greater long-term ROI. Hitachi VSP E Series offers a more cost-effective initial investment with dependable ROI from efficient storage management and lower total cost of ownership.

To learn more, read our detailed Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 881,665 peers since 2012

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

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays category, the mindshare of Pure FlashArray X NVMe is 4.2%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Hitachi VSP E Series is 2.5%, up from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is 1.5%, down from 1.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Pure FlashArray X NVMe	4.2%
Hitachi VSP E Series	2.5%
IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe	1.5%
Other	91.8%

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays

Featured Reviews

Jaehoon Oh

Chief Technology Officer at Lambda256

Supports efficient storage management through volume snapshots and offers reliable non-disruptive upgrades

I have no specific improvements to suggest for Pure FlashArray X NVMe at this time. The performance statistics could be enhanced. I can see the performance statistics in the Pure Storage console, but it does not show the performance by 4K byte unit. It displays IOPS and bandwidth, but IOPS is about real use, and I want to know how many IOPS are currently running in 4K byte units. I cannot see that IOPS because most storage systems report their performance by 4K byte unit. I want to see Pure Storage performance by 4K byte unit to compare with other storage or other internal NVMe SSD.

Read full review

Bilal Munir

Technical Architect at ASG Group

Enhanced speed and integration benefit hybrid environments but cost remains a concern

The Hitachi VSP E Series is all-flash storage, so it is fast. It is quite good for databases, and clients who are familiar with Hitachi prefer to use it. Clients with hybrid environments generally look for something like a single glass view, where they can integrate all their different systems and view everything on one screen or desktop.

Read full review

MohammedIsmail

Datacenter Manager at Tracker Connect

Enhanced storage performance and an easy setup with compression challenges

We use IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe as a storage device in the IT industry The features I find most valuable include its use for storage and performance. The solution's compression needs to be improved, as it's not the best. Furthermore, support from the partner could also be improved as it's been…

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

"The system allows for seamless learning experiences, facilitating quick and easy cloning of environments within minutes."

"It has benefited my organization because it has reduced time to insights."

"FlashArray has some fresh efficiency features. I've never seen a storage solution with a compression rating this high before. It's at least 4-to-1 on Oracle databases. It's the best flash storage for Oracle."

"The latency is good."

"Pure FlashArray X NVMe will quickly overcome all the hurdles you face, including network and latency issues."

"I use the tool for Oracle databases, Oracle virtual machines, and Oracle Linux databases. I'm on the storage side, not a database administrator."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is its ease of use."

"The duplication algorithm allows us to get a lot more use out of less storage. We're running a five terabyte array right now and we're running probably about 30 terabytes on it. So the duplication rate is pretty phenomenal, without a cost to performance. It still runs pretty smoothly."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pros

"The product is generally quite stable."

"Hitachi VSP handles large volumes of transactions with ease, and we often support customers in this direction when we have Oracle in the middle."

"Its user-friendly configuration and maintenance processes contribute to its reputation for being straightforward and easily manageable."

"I rate Hitachi VSP series nine out of ten for a transactional workload requiring no compromise on availability and performance."

"The most valuable features of Hitachi VSP series include its high performance and availability."

"We are using the Hitachi VSP E Series for high IOPS."

"It offers good file sharing."

"The features I find most valuable include its use for storage and performance."

"What I like about the product are its high availability, maximum efficiency in performance, and its ability to handle a high level of I/O operations."

"The solution is more available for IOPS warehousing, resolving issues, and reporting than other products."

"It's easy to use, has good stability, and many features."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its upgrades, as we don't have to do much homework because of its different controllers."

"The most valuable features of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe are its steady performance and usefulness in high-traffic environments."

"It is a very stable solution."

"IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is one of the leading storage systems in the world...I rate the solution's stability a ten out of ten."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe pros

Cons

"Adding some functions to the product would be beneficial."

"The tool's pricing is higher than competitors."

"There is room for improvement in the pricing of the product."

"Right now, the box itself is just strictly working as a backend storage system. It would be fantastic if we could access it directly like a NAS device through network access or SIS drives. I think they have an interface, but I am not sure how good it is. If we could address a box directly on the network without having to go through a server, it would be great. The replication schemas could be improved. We are not using replication on the storage level right now. We use a different type of replication. If their replication would be as good as the one that we have, I would probably run the replication schema because it might be faster, but I don't know that for a fact. So, I cannot say that they have good replication. All I can say is that they need to inform us better."

"There is room for improvement in catering to midrange storage needs, especially for customers seeking Enterprise-class features."

"If the customer only needs 500 terabytes and doesn't care how much data they'll put in the server, IBM is cheaper than Pure."

"I would like to see replication and DR features in the next release of this solution."

"They could add more support for file storage and different types of storage."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe cons

"There is room for improvement in simplifying the overall complexity of the environment."

"Hitachi should work on unified storage platforms."

"The solution's support duration or end-of-support life is very short."

"Hitachi is quite expensive, and small to medium-sized organizations usually do not purchase it."

"The graphical user interface is somewhat outdated, lacking some of the modern features found in other solutions."

"I would like to see IBM products become more affordable because they can be quite expensive, which limits their accessibility to a broader customer base."

"The solution's compression needs to be improved, as it's not the best."

"The efficacy of the GUI in IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe could be enhanced, and it would be beneficial to include a feature that can prevent ransomware attacks."

"The ZIO interface could be improved."

"There is a tool provided by IBM for repairing batteries which can only be utilized by those who have an IBM technical advisor under service contract. However, for individuals who do not have such a contract, the tool can be difficult to use and requires a zip file copy. I believe that it would be greatly beneficial if the tool were made more user-friendly and accessible for all individuals who need to repair batteries."

"The tool's architecture is complex. It also needs to add data utilization reports."

"In the FlashSystem 5200, there were only four ports of 32 fiber channels for the architecture. This has been resolved in the new generation."

"The solution's compression feature could be better."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The support cost per array is about $20,000 a year for 24/7 support."

"Our licensing fees are $500,000+ USD."

"Pure FlashArray X NVMe’s pricing is cheaper than other products."

"The tool is an investment that we've budgeted for. While the prices may be higher than those of other vendors, we see it as a market leader with benefits. We don't regret purchasing it."

"Pretty much everything that you need is licensed when you buy the product. Licensing to me is different than the maintenance cost, but they can bleed into one another. We buy the product, and we expect three years of support bundled into what we negotiate on our storage arrays. I would start to see maintenance costs going into the fourth year, but we're not there yet."

"The product is expensive."

"Given its price, Pure is not the first option."

"The tool's pricing is cheap; I rate it a six to seven out of ten. Most of our sales are not subscription-based. We sell the hardware, and customers keep using it. They only renew the service part annually. The support can be a bit pricey, but the solution is more cost-effective than anything else out there."

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is fair, with additional costs for support services."

"Hitachi VSP E Series is an expensive solution."

"It's a lot less costly than cloud storage. People get surprised by the cost of cloud storage, which is extremely expensive and four or five times the cost of storage on-premises. People don't realize what they're spending on storage until they start getting bills from Amazon, Microsoft, and others. This is a good way to reduce your cloud storage expenses."

"Compared to other solutions, the cost of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is reasonable, with a one-time payment of around $70,000. However, additional support is available for $25,000 for three years. The overall maintenance cost is steep."

"The solution's price is competitive."

"The price of the FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is reasonable."

"The price of IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is less than Dell. For upgrades, the Dell solutions are more expensive."

"Compared to its competitors, IBM's offering is the most cost-effective."

"The product has an average cost."

"The solution is priced well."

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Educational Organization

Healthcare Company

Marketing Services Firm

11%

Government

Computer Software Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	11
Large Enterprise	12

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	8
Large Enterprise	5

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

Pure FlashArray X NVMe helps to improve our processing speed. It is user-friendly and easy to use.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

The price of Pure FlashArray X NVMe is very expensive, though I do not know the actual price because I am using the E...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Pure FlashArray X NVMe?

I have no specific improvements to suggest for Pure FlashArray X NVMe at this time. The performance statistics could ...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Hitachi VSP E Series?

The solution is expensive, which can be considered a con.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Hitachi VSP E Series?

Hitachi needs to work on the marketing side because communication is a problem, as many customers do not know what th...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Hitachi VSP E Series?

Currently, we are not approaching the virtual storage. We are working with Hitachi and Pure Storage; in some cases, w...

See all answers

What do you like most about IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The storage serves the virtual environment. Most of our applications run in the virtual environment, and it serves ne...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The tool is expensive, though I do not know the specific licensing costs.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe?

The solution's compression needs to be improved, as it's not the best. Furthermore, support from the partner could al...

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerStore vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 16% of the time

Dell PowerMax vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 12% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 10% of the time

TrueNAS R-Series vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 9% of the time

NetApp AFF vs Pure FlashArray X NVMe

Compared 8% of the time

More Pure FlashArray X NVMe Competitors

Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs Hitachi VSP E Series

Compared 21% of the time

Dell PowerStore vs Hitachi VSP E Series

Compared 19% of the time

NetApp ASA vs Hitachi VSP E Series

Compared 13% of the time

NetApp AFF vs Hitachi VSP E Series

Compared 11% of the time

Hitachi VSP 5000 Series vs Hitachi VSP E Series

Compared 9% of the time

More Hitachi VSP E Series Competitors

Dell PowerMax vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 26% of the time

Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 17% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 16% of the time

Dell PowerStore vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 16% of the time

Pure Storage FlashArray vs IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Compared 12% of the time

More IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Pure FlashArray X NVMe

January 2026

Download Pure FlashArray X NVMe product report

Buyer's Guide

NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays

January 2026

Download Hitachi VSP E Series product report

Buyer's Guide

IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

January 2026

Download IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe product report

Also Known As

Pure FlashArray//X NVMe, Pure FlashArray//X, FlashArray//X

No data available

IBM FlashSystem 9100, FlashSystem 9100

Overview

Pure Storage FlashArray//X is the world’s first enterprise-class, all-NVMe flash storage array. It represents a new class of storage – shared accelerated storage, which is a term coined by Gartner – that delivers major breakthroughs in performance, simplicity, and consolidation.

Pure Storage

Hitachi VSP E Series offers an advanced storage solution designed for enterprises seeking scalability and performance. It is suitable for a range of applications, providing reliability and efficiency to meet demanding IT environments.

Hitachi VSP E Series is designed to enhance storage capabilities with robust features catering to needs such as data management, storage optimization, and system versatility. This series integrates seamlessly within IT infrastructures, offering improved data protection and resource management. Its enhanced storage architecture ensures data integrity while supporting high data loads efficiently, making it a go-to choice for enterprises requiring high-performance storage systems.

What are the most valuable features of Hitachi VSP E Series?

Scalability: Enables seamless expansion as data requirements grow, ensuring continued performance without disruption.
Reliability: Provides consistent uptime and data protection, minimizing risks associated with data loss.
High Performance: Delivers fast data processing speeds to support demanding applications.
Data Management: Offers advanced data management tools for streamlined operations and efficiency.
Energy Efficiency: Designed to reduce power consumption while maintaining optimal performance.

What benefits and ROI should be considered?

Cost-Effectiveness: Benefits from lower operational costs due to efficient data handling and energy use.
Operational Efficiency: Enhances work productivity by optimizing data processes, leading to better resource allocation.
Flexibility: Supports various deployment scenarios, allowing adaptation to different business needs.
Data Security: Enhances data protection mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

Hitachi VSP E Series is widely implemented in industries such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, where data integrity and speed are crucial. Its ability to integrate with existing IT frameworks makes it a valuable addition to businesses aiming to streamline data processes while maintaining high standards of data protection and system reliability.

Hitachi Vantara

IBM FlashSystem 9100 combines the performance of flash and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) end-to-end with the reliability and innovation of IBM FlashCore technology and the rich features of IBM Spectrum Virtualize - all in a powerful 2U enterprise-class storage system. Providing intensive data driven multicloud storage capacity, FlashSystem 9100 is deeply integrated with the software defined capabilities of IBM Spectrum Storage allowing you to easily add in the multicloud solutions that best support your business.

IBM

Sample Customers

Fremont Bank, Judson ISD, The Nielsen Company

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

December 2025

Free Report: Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe

Find out what your peers are saying about Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

881,665 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Hitachi VSP E Series vs. IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe report.

See our list of best NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays vendors.

We monitor all NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.