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IBM FlashSystem vs NetApp Private Storage comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 7, 2024

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

IBM FlashSystem
Ranking in NAS
7th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
113
Ranking in other categories
Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) (4th), All-Flash Storage (13th)
NetApp Private Storage
Ranking in NAS
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
15
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the NAS category, the mindshare of IBM FlashSystem is 6.2%, down from 13.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NetApp Private Storage is 2.8%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
NAS Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
IBM FlashSystem6.2%
NetApp Private Storage2.8%
Other91.0%
NAS
 

Featured Reviews

OmarIsmail1 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Technical Specialist II at Clicks Group
Offers high performance and dependable support for fast storage needs
The most valuable feature of IBM FlashSystem is its robust back code. When integrated properly into the environment and configured according to the guidelines, it provides a very solid infrastructure that does the job on demand. Additionally, IBM FlashSystem offers competitive pricing and reliable performance. The hardware is dependable, ensuring that it functions effectively when the setup is done correctly.
Atilla Celiloglu - PeerSpot reviewer
Broadcast Technology Director at tv8
Has supported continuous broadcasting with reliable performance and consistent operations
They can make more solutions for cloud integration in NetApp Private Storage. It should be easier to use the cloud S3 integration, maybe from a NetApp interface, where users can choose the type of storage before sending to S3. I would like to see more audit and performance logs via cloud integrations and ONTAP. Without the need for separate software.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Stability-wise, this solution is fine."
"IBM FlashSystem is a stable solution."
"The stability is quite good, there are no bugs or glitches, it doesn't crash or freeze, and it's a very reliable product."
"Go ahead and implement it. IBM storage provides you everything that you’ll need for a block-level architecture, as they have many different products which provides you with a variety of options to meet your needs."
"IBM FlashSystem is a flexible solution with plenty of features."
"The most valuable features were the performance of the array, i.e., very low latency and high IOPS. Plus, the management interface is very easy to use."
"IBM Storwize makes management of the IT environment much easier, with high availability and enhanced security, proven dependability, data compression with hardware acceleration, and advanced copy services features all in this product."
"Virtualization of external storage, while adding cache and speed to the external storage."
"We feel that NetApp gave us a platform (base) which could clearly arrange all our files and volumes."
"For recording and stability, NetApp Private Storage is the best."
"The solution scales well."
"It gave us a platform which could clearly arrange all our files and volumes."
"Its flexibility and ability to configure volumes is its most valuable aspect; I have no problem configuring the product for different kinds of use cases and configuring throughput or configuring some kind of logical volumes and so on."
"NetApp has its own dedicated operating system, so it will not be affected by any wireless piggybacking or malware. That's the beauty of NetApp's operating system."
"NetApp has really added a lot of features over the years to improve the product and performance. They can do things now like control ingress. They can control egress."
"The solution is stable."
 

Cons

"There are some issues on a firmware level."
"Technical Support: Not so good in my country because they only have a few people with great knowledge about FlashSystem."
"The problem is that if the buffer is not configured correctly this increases the latency because of this delay and the retransmit."
"I know they have a flashcopy manager, but it is extra software, an additional license, and some customers don't like to add addition costs to their infrastructure. If IBM could create, or include snapshot management within the GUI, that would really be helpful."
"One area for improvement is in the GUI, where host clusters are not properly dealt with."
"There is a need for more help with the commands because, from version to version, they change; so what I used to use back in the different version, I can't use now."
"The array level RAID does not seem available."
"Cloud file sharing is an area that needs improvement."
"The one thing I've noticed with NetApp when you buy hardware and you can use it for a while and then you have to get new hardware."
"I would like to have the Active-Active feature. Some competitors, like Nutanix, already have it."
"The solution could improve by having better support experts. For example, they do not have clear instructions on configuration."
"It is not the fastest storage solution."
"This product is probably one of the most complex to set up on the market."
"I think that it should work better with Microsoft solutions, more integrated with Microsoft. We also need integrated NAS and block storage."
"If you overthink provisioning, if you over-allocate, if it gets full, or if something crazy happens and you haven't been watching, then you can lose data."
"We had to write a number of custom tools or scripts ourselves to use it as a staging area between our on-premises datacenter and our cloud installation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of IBM FlashSystem is a little high because you pay a premium because the solution is from IBM. We had paid for the SLA prior to using the solution."
"We have no issues with the price as it is very competitive."
"The price of IBM FlashSystem is reasonable."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"I find the pricing of the solution to be very reasonable."
"It pays to go back and get the best price you can from your supplier. The first offer is not always at the best discount."
"The tool is cost-efficient."
"Pricing can be considered as per market competition."
"The price of NetApp Private Storage is similar to other solutions. There is typically an annual license required for this solution."
"We negotiate whatever deal we can get on the type of storage that it is, but it's totally under our control,."
"The price could be lower."
"It is an expensive solution."
"The product is costly."
"In general, I am pleased with the pricing, though it is a little high."
"NetApp Private Storage is cheaper here in India compared to other solutions, such as Dell."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Construction Company
9%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business47
Midsize Enterprise21
Large Enterprise59
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business6
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for IBM FlashSystem?
The pricing is high; storage solutions are always expensive. I do not know if the price needs to be reviewed, but it is worth considering.
What needs improvement with IBM FlashSystem?
As far as I know, IBM FlashSystem has already improved, but I do not see room for improvement. It is simple to use and manage via SVC, simple to configure, and even for the zoning, I do not see imp...
What is your primary use case for IBM FlashSystem?
We are not working with Object Storage or Storage Protect; we are working with SAN storage and LUN storage. I am a consultant assigned to a customer in France. We are working with SVC in regard to ...
What needs improvement with NetApp Private Storage?
They can make more solutions for cloud integration in NetApp Private Storage. It should be easier to use the cloud S3 integration, maybe from a NetApp interface, where users can choose the type of ...
What is your primary use case for NetApp Private Storage?
It consists of a large production company and national television channels broadcasting 24/7. We wanted to choose a stable product with flawless SLA levels for an organization that broadcasts 24/7....
What advice do you have for others considering NetApp Private Storage?
I believe it will deliver the expected performance and stability for television channels and production studios. On a scale of 1-10, I rate NetApp Private Storage an 8.
 

Also Known As

IBM Storwize
NPS
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Celero, Friedhelm Loh Group, Clarks, Mingkang Natregro Health Food Group, Sofia, Etisalat Fights Fraud, UF Health Shands Hospital, Generali, Elecon Engineering Company Limited, Ventiv , Technology, CPFL Energia, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., SciQuest, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated, Paddy Power, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Interconnect Services, Severstal IP-Only AB, PVU Group GmbH
ASE IT, Concerto Cloud
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM FlashSystem vs. NetApp Private Storage and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.