Dell PowerEdge MX- Series Reviews

When discussing Dell PowerEdge M, my clients primarily use it when they're not looking for a virtualization platform such as VMware or Microsoft Hyper-V but want compute and processing speed to run multiple applications in one cluster or one box. In such cases, we can propose MX7000 because, just as virtualization on the physical layer, MX7000 provides the same configuration to run multiple workloads in one cluster.

I recommend Dell PowerEdge M for certain mid-size customers as long as they are not looking for a virtualization platform. They can consider PowerEdge M, MX7000, which takes up only 7U rack space, allowing them to initially start with two blades and scale up to seven in the same enclosure, ensuring future scalability without needing to buy additional space.

The most valuable function of Dell PowerEdge M, particularly with MX7000, is its future scalability, which is advantageous because if the customer is changing their network infrastructure from 1GB or 10GB to 25GB or 400GB, the MX7000 fabric switch can support that, making future scalability completely available.

In terms of potential room for improvement regarding Dell PowerEdge M, I would want to see something such as dense nodes and additional storage, as well as multiple network connectivity on the blades.

The functions that I would want to see from Dell are not limited to just what I mentioned, but currently, I feel no additional features are needed.

I suggest adding an additional network card within the blades, specifically for connectivity.

I have been working with and on Dell PowerEdge M hardware predominantly for around 5+ years, including rack and modular servers.

For the stability of Dell PowerEdge M, I would rate it a 9 or 9.5.

Regarding scalability, I can scale up to 64 enclosures, and each enclosure can hold around 7 blades. This scalability exists, and it won't be a constraint at all.

Regarding technical support from Dell, I find them to be one of the best support providers in the industry right now. On the support front, I rate them a solid 9.

I am primarily working mostly on data center solutions with Dell, such as servers, storage, networking, on the hardware part.

HP is the main competitor for Dell PowerEdge M in the market.

If I compare Dell and HP, the main benefit of Dell is its management console, known as iDRAC with OME, which allows management of up to 8,000 devices, not limited to Dell products but including other brands as well. This gives Dell an advantage compared to HP's ILO.

The initial setup of Dell PowerEdge M is a little bit complex, but not significantly because we provide the deployment completely from our end. With our deployment, it is a seamless process, so there's nothing major to worry about.

My clients mostly have this setup with our help.

We utilize AI technology with Dell PowerEdge M through a module known as CloudIQ, which provides automation and takes care of predictive analysis and reporting.

When rating Dell's pricing model, it varies case by case and configuration by configuration. Sometimes Dell may be a little costlier, but that is considering the services and solutions we are providing, which can be adjustable.

HP is the main competitor for Dell PowerEdge M in the market.

If I compare Dell and HP, the main benefit of Dell is its management console, known as iDRAC with OME, which allows management of up to 8,000 devices, not limited to Dell products but including other brands as well. This gives Dell an advantage compared to HP's ILO.

I rate Dell PowerEdge M a 9 out of 10.

We are using it for multiple in-house applications and databases. We have multiple edge servers in our cluster, and we are managing the load in a cluster environment with a virtualized setup, which helps automatically balance utilization.

One of the best aspects of PowerEdge is that it provides a consolidated hardware infrastructure, allowing multiple servers in a simple ten-rack unit. This suits our business needs of using less space with maximum capability. It is expandable and scalable, with the ability to add more servers in additional chassis.

There isn't much that needs improvement as PowerEdge fulfills our requirements. However, the costing could be improved as it is somewhat expensive. Minor improvements are always possible, however, nothing specific comes to mind.

We have been using it for more than three to five years.

We are not facing any latency or performance issues. The solution performs well without any problems.

The solution is scalable. We can put 16 servers in one chassis and expand by adding additional chassis with more blades whenever needed.

Support is good, meeting our needs satisfactorily. If asked to rate support from one to ten, I would give it an eight.

Positive

We also use servers such as Dell, Lenovo, Dell EMC hybrid storage, and Denodo servers.

The installation process is straightforward. It is as simple as any other infrastructure. Two people are needed for the hardware aspect, but one person is sufficient for configuration.

In terms of pricing, it is not cheap yet rather average. Comparatively, Dell is better than Lenovo in manageability, especially when it comes to firmware and driver upgrades.

I would rate PowerEdge M an eight out of ten. I have no immediate advice for improvements as it meets our current requirements.

I use the solution in my company for virtualization.

The solution's most valuable feature is its interface. The tool allows you to choose any interface you want. For example, you can choose a 10, 25, or 100 GB fiber channel.

It is a pretty dynamic product and is better than everyone else's servers. HP has lost its way, and we are not going to use Lenovo in our company.

I believe that the tool’s support team is an area with certain concerns where improvements can be made.

I have been using Dell PowerEdge M for fifteen years. My company has a partnership with Dell.

My impression of the scalability of the product is good. You can put a lot of memory in the tool now, and you have a good choice in processors, so you can go wherever you want or do whatever you want with your money. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

My experience with the support team has been straightforward. Your first call with the support team is a lucky draw. If the problem is massive enough, the tool quickly offers tier-three support. I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.

Positive

The product's initial setup phase was always straightforward.

On a scale of one to ten, if ten was the most straightforward, I rate the setup phase a nine.

Only one person can deploy the solution. We go online with SAN and move the virtualization to it. People involved in the deployment process varies but the person that takes care of the servers or SAN Storage would do it when it isn't delegated to one person.

The solution can be deployed in a couple of hours.

I have seen that most people run the tool for seven to ten years. I don't think there's any problem with the return on investment.

I know we get three years basic, and the on-site licensing model for business seems fine. I wouldn't pay for a support plus or anything.

My company use the tool. We are pretty much in Dell PowerEdge's camp, so we aren't looking into the alternatives. We looked at HP, and it was horrible.

My company has experience with other products in the market, and we started to use Dell after HP wore us out. HP is horrible. We decided to try Dell and haven't looked back since then. There are differences between HP and Dell in areas such as support. The on-site support from HP is bad as they can't diagnose the problems right, and then they have to go into one piece at a time. The on-site support ends up causing death for you one day. My company is not a fan of HP.

The tool handles workload variations in our company's environment since we use a VMware stack, causing everything to be distributed across servers.

I would recommend the product to others because it is cheaper than Cisco and better than HP.

My company is not currently deploying AI in the product, but AI reviews many things related to Dell and can tell you what your trends are, which is helpful.

I rate the overall tool a nine out of ten.

Running ESXi.

One good option is that they now have a template or profile creation. This wasn't possible in previous models like the PowerEdge M1000e or the 1955 and 1855 series. The 7000 series introduced this time-saving approach. You configure a template, and when you add a new server, you can deploy it from that template with consistent configurations.

Also, configuring the iDRAC (integrated Dell Remote Access Controller) is easy. You only need to apply settings in a few places, and they are applied across all blades.

For the 7000 series, it has its own management console. For rack servers, you can use OpenManage software.

With OpenManage, you can monitor the servers, perform health checks, and configure email notifications. However, we mainly use it for hardware alerts, as our primary focus is on ESXi.

One area for improvement is VLAN configuration. With Cisco UCS, you apply settings in one place, and they are applied across all the levels. With PowerEdge M, you need to apply them in multiple places, like on the SmartFabric and the M series blades themselves. It would be more convenient if we could apply VLAN configurations in one or two places, like in UCS.

Also, in UCS, you can upload the configuration from the support bundle to the infrastructure. Dell has made improvements in this area for PowerEdge M, as they didn't have this option previously.

One more thing I would like to see is about training. Previously, there were some foundational-level courses on Dell's learning site. If those kinds of training were provided again, that would be helpful.

For ESXi, I did all the foundation courses available on VMware's website. Dell might offer courses on mobility, but I am not sure about recent offerings. In the past, there were foundational courses available, but I don't know if that has changed since Broadcom acquired VMware. However, advanced and professional courses were available from VMware, which is what most companies use if they are looking for those levels. But initial-level courses were something we expected from Dell.

My current company procured this product around two years ago, and before that, I used Dell modular servers as well.

We have PowerEdge servers, and we also have the 7000 series. We used blade servers, specifically the M series. We use PowerEdge R and C series, mostly rack servers.

On the PowerEdge model, specifically the 7000 JST, I have been working on it for the last two years. So far, it's stable. I haven't seen many problems with that product. It's a stable product.

The product is reliable. Uptime is also good, especially when using the server for virtualization platforms. In case one node goes down, the uptime isn't affected because services continue running within the cluster on other nodes. The uptime report from the monitoring tools is good.

Scalability is good. They have improved it, and I'm fine with it. Maybe I don't have high requirements for these aspects.

But overall, it is good. No concerns.

It's okay. The support is adequate. My support experience is okay. I have raised a few tickets and received support. Since I have only been working with it for two years, my experience is limited. 

It is easy. Major time is spent on planning and preparation of the site because we need to work with the network team. Sometimes, it took time, but otherwise, the installation is easy.

Every company has a different kind of process. So, depending on the process, availability of resources, and the network team's support, deployment might take some time. If everything is in place, installation can be done within one to three days.

Deployment resources depend on the deployment size. For example, the number of engineers needed varies depending on whether you are installing two JCPs, three JCPs, or ten to twelve blades.

There is a different team that manages it. Dell servers are still there in the environment.

The M series is similar to Cisco UCS (Unified Computing System). I used it in the past. In my previous organizations, we worked with UCS, but they migrated from UCS to the 7000 series, the blade series. 

Maybe because UCS was more cost-effective and less resource-effective. That's why they moved to that. But in the current environment, we don't have UCS.

For Dell, I rate it a nine out of ten because they have created a solution similar to UCS. They are competing well but still have some improvements to make compared to UCS.

We have a Blade server, specifically the N640, and some of the Dell PowerEdge R740, R760, and R750 models. We have been using these servers.

PowerEdge is a very standard server and isn't significantly different from other brands regarding the processor and the network interface card configurations. The quality of service and support makes a difference in IT solutions. In particular, the Integrated Lights-Out (iLO) support is notably better than that of other servers, although differences are minimal across different providers.

The last year, we experienced problems with support, as Dell decreased staff in Latin America, impacting support quality. 

Additionally, Dell's prices have increased more than competitors.

I have used Dell PowerEdge M for the last ten years.

The reliability of the server is okay. We have encountered issues with disk latency, however, this is due to BigWorld configuration rather than the server itself.

Recently, delays with spare parts and the availability of specialists have become problematic. Previously, we had access to specialists in the country or Latin America, but now they must be sourced from the U.S. or Europe, increasing response time.

Neutral

The initial setup of Dell PowerEdge M is straightforward, and its ease of installation is a highlight.

My data security team comprises 26 people, with necessary networking technicals and VMware administrators to deploy servers quickly and manage them using IP addresses.

The cost varies significantly depending on the server's configuration and can range from $10,000 to $60,000 for the same server line family.

The server is a commodity. Dell PowerEdge is a standard offering without significant differences from other servers. 

Overall, I would rate the PowerEdge M series a seven out of ten.

We used it for normal Windows servers before, in my previous client. They used it for regular Windows clients, and they have a significant infrastructure.

I have explored the new iDRAC features. It's similar to what we have in HP as well.

Using the iDRAC feature makes server management much easier for this type of setup. It's quite useful.

Perhaps the processor needs some improvement in terms of processing features. If I remember correctly, the Intel Xeon processor shipped with the Dell PowerEdge M is the 6426Y.

This processor is a 16-core processor that can handle around 32 threads. Now, the HP server we are considering has a 6430 processor, which is 32 cores. It can handle 64 threads. So it's twice as much as the Dell PowerEdge M. However, the memory module, the DDR4-4800, is the same.

But according to reviews and online sources, the memory performance is much better on the Dell PowerEdge. That's where the confusion arises.

Another area of improvement could be scalability. 

I have been working as a system admin for 15 years. So, we used Dell PowerEdge M in the past. 

We had Dell PowerEdge M ranging from the 2900 to the 2950 models. We have the 360 G5, G6, G7, and the 380 G7. And later on, we started virtualizing the environment.

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

If we consider the end users, it would be more than 10,000. This setup is for the Ministry of Education, specifically for a college.

I would rate the scalability a seven out of ten. 

Our clients are planning to upgrade the system infrastructure with Cisco Blades. They want to move away from the complexity of managing other servers.

The initial setup is easy. 

In my current client's environment, but they are more inclined towards Cisco servers and have a large infrastructure based on Cisco blades. They have three different clusters with individual hosts, and they primarily use Hyper-V rather than VMware.

The processor performance is better on the HP, while Dell has an advantage in terms of memory performance. The client is having trouble deciding which one to go for.

On a scale from one to ten, I would rate this solution a seven out of ten. I have worked with the older servers. Even though they were quite old, they performed well because it has been a long time since we acquired Dell servers. I purchased Dell PowerEdge R730 or Dell PowerEdge R740. In general, the parts are reasonably priced compared to other products. They are easy to manage. And I strongly believe that the parts are of better quality.

I was searching for a comparison since one of my clients made the software at Black Duck, such as SAST, Coverity, CCASP, SCA, BINDI, and CODES. Therefore, I want to make a comparison to forward it to my client, showing the differences. They have decided to purchase the software for the first time.

The biggest advantage of PowerEdge is that it is cost-effective, and its performance and infrastructure are much better than other competitors like Lenovo and HP. 

Scalability and flexibility are key aspects, and most importantly, performance. The performance is very good, even when you are using it at one hundred percent load, providing one hundred percent performance.

There is no need for improvements. Everything is okay. I have not noticed any specific improvements needed as most updates are done by the OEM over time. 

I have been providing a session for the last 14 to 15 years.

Based on my experience, there is little maintenance required, yet not much if you are using it in a proper environment and providing the proper conditions for the servers. Then there's no need for extensive maintenance.

The scalability and flexibility are better compared to others.

Dell support is satisfactory. I always have a good experience with it.

Positive

It's easy. It's not a difficult task. You can manage it, and it is quite straightforward.

One person can handle it. It's not a hard task that requires engaging different people.

Dell high-end server prices are quite high for some servers, yet not all. Most of the Dell series, like the PowerEdge series, are reasonably priced and accessible.

Overall the rating is around nine out of ten. 

We are using PowerEdge primarily in our infrastructure. We have an on-premises private cloud and a virtualization layer. We use PowerEdge for automation on the firmware, which provides alerting capabilities whenever there is an issue.

PowerEdge has high functionality, especially for automation on the firmware, which allows us to receive alerts for issues. 

The service and support from Dell have been excellent, typically providing resolution within four hours. Security features were initially a significant attraction, as Dell offered a lot of in-built security. The hardware is stable, which is essential due to the low outage rates.

The caching is a bit weak, which can make the hardware non-responsive, especially on hypervisor layers like ESXi or Hyper-V. Caching is vital for virtualization platforms, which is an area where PowerEdge is a little weaker.

We have been using it for more than five years.

The hardware is very stable. Outages are very rare with Dell products.

Scaling in is good, however, scaling out is where we faced some issues. PowerEdge servers are slightly challenging to scale out.

The support is good. That said, the account management needs to be strengthened.

Positive

I have used Lenovo, Cisco, IBM, and Dell previously. I initially chose Dell for their excellent service and support, many in-built security features, and stable hardware.

The initial setup is very simple and straightforward.

It's priced medium, however, recently the global pricing has increased by twelve percent. It would be beneficial for us if the pricing could be reduced by about eight percent.

We are currently using Dell, however, we need to have more discussions with Lenovo for more insights beyond what online searches offer.

Based on my experience, PowerEdge is suitable for all sizes of companies, especially beneficial for BFSI and enterprise-class companies. 

I rate PowerEdge ten out of ten.

We primarily use Dell PowerEdge M for server purposes in solar power plants. The server is utilized as a simple data logger and for SCADA. Our use cases are primarily focused on solar power service for the solar power plant, which involves simple data logging and does not require heavy or complex calculations.

Our company operates in the energy sector and the Dell PowerEdge M serves our needs effectively. The equipment allows us to support SCADA and servers required by our customers. We do not delve much into the intricate configuration and parts specification. We ensure the equipment meets the operational requirements set by our clients.

The server is more common for the mass market and although it is nothing special, what stands out is the good after-sales service provided.

We work primarily with power plants such as thermal, solar, and wind power plants. There is no specific feedback on improvements directly from our usage. If areas need improvement, we would address them with our integrator. 

I have been dealing with Dell PowerEdge for five years.

I cannot say specifically about the stability as it is not my area of concern.

I don't know about the scalability.

I rate their customer service at nine out of ten since our requests have been attended to in a timely manner.

Positive

My customers prefer Dell, and for us, Dell has provided all the support we need. I cannot say about switching from another solution as Dell remains our preferred choice.

We have not specifically gotten into the initial setup details. It might be straightforward for the end-users, however, I do not directly deal with it.

We contact the integrator to handle the parts related to the implementation and maintenance.

I do not have any specific return on investment information regarding Dell's impact on our company.

The pricing is okay for us. For us, the confidence in Dell's equipment is higher than HP. HP is cheaper, however, our preference for Dell comes from its reliability and support.

I recommend Dell PowerEdge M. Over the past five to six years that I have worked with PowerEdge, I have had no complaints from my customers.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Our facility relies heavily on PowerEdge, spanning multiple generations. It is the foundation of our entire infrastructure, supporting a wide array of workloads, ranging from administrative tasks to private cloud and scientific computing. PowerEdge is a versatile and reliable platform that we can depend on.

PowerEdge has been a foundational part of our IT infrastructure, and its Fresh Air configuration saved us from disasters on multiple occasions. The solution's ability to survive extreme conditions has been invaluable, and its reliability has been astounding. We currently run three generations of PowerEdge in our data centers.

The solution offers remarkable flexibility, reliability, and extensive software support. PowerEdge is capable of running Microsoft private cloud, VMware private cloud, OpenStack, Linux distributions, and scientific workloads. The infrastructure is truly remarkable.

We can typically expect a 20 percent improvement in performance from Intel processors with each new generation, depending on the workload.

Utilizing the OpenManage capabilities of the platform is essential for us since we have a limited number of personnel to manage the PowerEdge that we possess. Thus, OpenManage's console productivity is invaluable for our IT staff.

The PowerEdge servers have proven to be invaluable in preventing up to 90 percent of unplanned production downtime. When other servers were failing due to extreme heat, PowerEdge was able to withstand the conditions and keep running. This made the solution an invaluable part of our operations.

The introduction of PowerEdge servers drastically increased the flexibility of our operations. We are leveraging the solution's capabilities for a wide range of applications and it is certainly the most versatile platform available to us. We deployed a variety of server models in different sizes, ranging from 1U to 2U and beyond, providing us with the flexibility to handle almost any task.

We are testing the latest PowerEdge from Dell for scientific workloads such as machine learning, deep learning, data analysis, and engineering simulation. We see excellent performance improvement and power consumption control. This is part of our Green Data Center project, where we take into account the “green” capabilities of the hardware we buy.

We are beginning to employ cyber-resilient architecture features. It is no longer just the platform security of the past that we take into consideration when making a new acquisition, but now we are also bearing in mind the security features on the server side due to the ever-evolving environment.

We found that the power consumption inside the BIOS of the latest PowerEdge has been significantly improved. The power control capabilities are now much more precise and the iDRAC tool that allows external programs to control the system's power consumption is also much more detailed than its predecessor.

We have been utilizing OpenManage for many years as beta testers, and our experience with OpenManage has been overwhelmingly positive. Dell OpenManage console is incredibly user-friendly and has made our lives significantly easier.

I would like to have additional HPC and AI capabilities on general Dell PowerEdge servers. To optimize the PowerEdge for HPC and AI, modified designs may be necessary.

I have been using Dell PowerEdge .Next for two months.

The stability and power consumption of Dell PowerEdge .Next are incredibly impressive. We have been running a single unit 24 hours a day for a month, primarily to test its stability and understand the power consumption control capabilities, and it exceeded expectations. Compared to the previous PowerEdge models, the stability and power management of .Next are remarkable.

There are no issues with the scalability. Up to now, I haven't been able to identify any drawbacks of the platform I'm using.

Dell's technical support is perfect and one of the reasons we buy their solutions.

Positive

We see a return on investment. The performance of the platform, which we tested on virtualization platforms such as VMware, is very impressive. PCIe 5 has made great improvements in communication and storage. Depending on what we can afford, Intel Scalable Architecture CPUs are more powerful than ever before.

The pricing of Dell PowerEdge .Next has changed drastically due to the introduction of the latest technologies such as PCIe 5, DDR5, and the next generation of CPUs. This caused the prices of CPUs, DRAM, and PCIe cards to skyrocket. Consequently, it is difficult to compare the new pricing to what it was two years ago since the market has evolved significantly. The pricing of PowerEdge .Next is higher than it was before.

Our university is similar to a hardware supermarket, offering almost all brands of hardware, including Lenovo and HP. Although I have not had the opportunity to experience the newest HPE ProLiant 11 machines, I can say that PowerEdge is more reliable, more customizable, and has better management compared to other brands. The iDRAC capabilities, with its easy-to-use remote management, integrate seamlessly with OpenManage. When we purchase a PowerEdge server, we don't need to worry about hidden or additional costs for the management. As for the future, this remains to be seen.

I give Dell PowerEdge .Next a ten out of ten.

We have been testing the latest generation of Dell PowerEdge systems in our data center for the past couple of months, in addition to the generations already in production.

Since 2016, our data center experience has been excellent, with very few hardware issues, including machines that still run from that year.

In our PowerEdge servers, we predominantly use Intel Xeon scalable processors of various generations, with AMD processors making up the remaining 10 percent.

We see a lot of improvement over the generations of PowerEdge. I must admit that while there is plenty of competition, the difference is remarkable. Enhancing PowerEdge is no easy task, yet Dell Technologies took great strides to incorporate customer feedback. The platform grew in flexibility, such as the range of disks available, the evolving iDRAC features to meet customer needs, and so much more.

We host a substantial infrastructure at the University. While we utilize public cloud services such as Microsoft 365 and Google Meets, we do not use them for computing, engineering simulations, or any internal services. All of our services are kept in-house.

The PowerEdge .Next platform is more than just its CPU, it encompasses all the solution's features, from the iDRAC to the next-generation RAID controller, which is 20 to 30 percent faster than the previous generation. Furthermore, Dell PowerEdge .Next's new architecture helps to drive the entire platform, making its performance even more impressive.