Dell PowerEdge R-Series Reviews and Pricing

Teamleiter IT at a retailer with 11-50 employees

Mar 11, 2024

The Resilient Architecture approach to security, including silicon-based firmware, signed firmware updates, user access, and supply chain security is good

Pros and Cons

"The DRA cards for server management is the most valuable feature. They provide a clear overview of server settings and issues. We also like that the notifications are well-organized."

"The price could possibly use improvement. Dell servers are not the most affordable, and pricing is always a consideration. Otherwise, I don't see any specific areas for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for Hyper-V server virtualization.

The reason we adopted Dell PowerEdge is because we wanted to simplify and streamline our IT infrastructure as much as possible. That is the challenge we were facing.

How has it helped my organization?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have made my organization much more organized. Before, we didn't have DRA cards or a centralized overview of servers, so managing them required local access. Now, I can centrally monitor and control server issues across all locations.

PowerEdge Server's Cyber Resilient Architecture approach to security, including silicon-based firmware, signed firmware updates, user access, and supply chain security and integrity is good. It's especially good with regular updates that instill confidence.

I can't provide details on the processor architecture, as I'm not deeply familiar with it.

PowerEdge Rack Servers' handling of evolving high-performance workload requirements when equipped with the appropriate server is sufficient and very good. Although it's crucial for a customer to plan for future resource needs.

The servers have had an excellent impact on our organization's sustainability goals. The longer lifespan of Dell servers aligns well with the typical server lifespan calculation of five to seven years.

The OpenManage Console has affected the productivity of our IT personnel. It has become much more manageable. It's easier to administer servers, even for colleagues who are less technically inclined.

What is most valuable?

The DRA cards for server management is the most valuable feature. They provide a clear overview of server settings and issues. We also like that the notifications are well-organized.

What needs improvement?

The price could possibly use improvement. Dell servers are not the most affordable, and pricing is always a consideration. Otherwise, I don't see any specific areas for improvement.

In a future release, having a ten-gigabit LAN onboard from the start would be a significant advantage. It would eliminate the need for aftermarket upgrades.

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For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The servers have good stability. Servers need to run smoothly, and Dell servers do that reliably.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability depends on how you plan and allocate resources. With proper planning, it's scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate their support a nine out of ten. It would be even better if ProSupport for servers were integrated and didn't require additional fees or licenses.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were previously using HPE ProLiant and Microtech servers. They were not as user-friendly or easy to manage.

How was the initial setup?

We did the setup. We installed a Windows server and configured the hard drives.

The complexity of the setup is as complex as setting up any server. It's not as simple as a laptop but not excessively complex if you've done it a few times.

Our strategy was to set up the servers and then we migrated VMs from the old servers once the new ones were ready.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Microsoft licensing for Hyper-V servers is a challenge, but Dell's hardware may be slightly more expensive. Overall, it's manageable.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at HP again but decided on Dell due to our positive experience with Dell laptops.

Also, Dell's Pro Support is something I find valuable, and I believe it's not available to the same extent as other providers.

What other advice do I have?

PowerEdge Rack Servers' energy consumption depends on how the server is utilized. I can't provide specific details, but every server requires power.

The use of PowerEdge Rack Servers hasn't had a significant impact on the overall flexibility of our operation. If anything, it has ensured everything runs smoothly.

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a nine out of ten. There's not much that needs improvement. Your success with it largely depends on how well you plan.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Ahmad Asghari

IT-administrator at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Feb 7, 2024

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Highly reliable and scalable servers with excellent customer service

Pros and Cons

"We like their quality. I have also dealt with HPE and other manufacturers. In terms of service, Dell is optimal."

"They can consider making them smaller in physical size but retain the same quality and the same security."

What is our primary use case?

We have a lot of use cases. We have many virtual machines on them that we use for development. We have a development department with us. They work on the machines that we have installed via HPE.

How has it helped my organization?

By implementing Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we wanted everything to be in-house so that we could manage it ourselves. We essentially wanted to have it all in our hands. We did not want to outsource it.

So far, these servers have been satisfactory and very reliable. Of course, we maintain updates; that is a part of it, and we plan accordingly to restart the entire machine, etc. A lot of it is automated in-house.

They have definitely improved our organization. We have centralized everything, which is the advantage. With Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we essentially operate hardware and have various applications and solutions on one platform. They have had a significant impact on security, and there is also reliability. When you have peak loads, you can adjust accordingly. That is a definite advantage with such a machine.

In terms of energy consumption, I do not know what the consumption is, but the trend is towards machines consuming less. Dell probably needs to keep up with other manufacturers and reduce consumption. It is also likely a reason why many companies are trying to move away from traditional servers, or in our case, towards Azure Cloud, because they also want to save energy.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have definitely helped a lot in terms of the sustainability goals. I am new to the company, but from what I have gathered, we used to have a separate machine for each application area. In other companies where I have been, we had, in some cases, up to 80 machines. With Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we could streamline the entire server landscape we had. They are designed for that purpose.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have affected the overall flexibility of our operations. In the past, we had a separate machine for each application, but now, everything is centralized. One hardware has everything on it. We have reliability, and the VMs can be moved back and forth depending on the load.

What is most valuable?

We like their quality. I have also dealt with HPE and other manufacturers. In terms of service, Dell is optimal. I have been very satisfied with it, at this company or elsewhere. That was the reason why we stuck with Dell. Good service is one of the reasons.

There are other aspects of quality. These servers are very reliable. We hardly had any failures. A hard drive replacement is routine, depending on what is built in, but otherwise, the quality has been excellent.

What needs improvement?

In general, our long-term goal is to have everything in Azure. We also work with Office 365, and we want to have everything essentially in one place. Above all, the hardware we have on-site does not need to be maintained anymore because it takes time and money. We want to simply move away from this aspect. I am not a decision-maker, but if it were up to me, I would probably prefer to have these servers rather than somewhere in the cloud.

They can consider making them smaller in physical size but retain the same quality and the same security. That can be an option. They do not necessarily need such a large cabinet.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for five to six years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

These servers are stable. Their reliability is just right.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I would rate them a ten out of ten in terms of scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I am super satisfied with their support. I am impressed. It is great. Assistance is quick, and technicians are there right away. It, of course, depends on the contract you have. We get immediate support. It is top-notch. They should keep it up.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

In my current company, I have not used any other servers. I am new here, but we have always used Dell. In my previous company, we used HPE extensively, but we moved away from it due to issues with quality and service. Unfortunately, HPE was not as good in terms of service. So, we switched to Dell. The service was a factor for the change.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Licensing is according to the machines you have. It is a part of the process. I am not familiar with the prices, but from a company's perspective, the more cost-effective, the better, especially when managing a large infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a ten out of ten. In all the companies where we used Dell, I was always satisfied. That is why the decision was made back then to move away from other manufacturers and switch to Dell. I am not a decision-maker, but if I could decide, I would still stick with the physical aspect because I prefer having the device physically with me, being able to take care of it, and seeing it, rather than it being somewhere in the cloud. I am not a decision-maker, but I would choose Dell.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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Dell PowerEdge R-Series

July 2026

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Mehdi Gharbi

Head of Alliance at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees

Jan 31, 2024

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Extraordinary accessibility, cost-effective, and perfect support

Pros and Cons

"The user interface is very simple, and the support team is always happy to answer any questions we have. They are very easy to contact."

"The price is very high."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for the data storage of applications.

Before implementing Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we had many servers. Thanks to the implementation of these servers, we now have all the servers concentrated in one solution.

How has it helped my organization?

We had multiple solutions that did the same job, and thanks to this solution, I now only have to use one solution. It not only improves our space; it is also much less expensive for our company.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have the PowerEdge Cyber Resilient Architecture approach to security. It is the most important thing for our company. It is not an option for us to continue working without this execution modality.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are very sustainable in terms of energy consumption. If I have many applications and solutions, the consumption will be high, but if I work with only one, the consumption level will be better.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are good for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads. All the data I work with is very heavy. We use PowerEdge servers because they can handle the data without any problem. This is very reassuring.

For us, the issue of electricity pollution is very important. This system is perfect for us in terms of sustainability.

Using PowerEdge Rack Servers has not much affected the overall flexibility of our operations or business. For us, it has always been very important to have a fast response time to keep our customers satisfied, even before we implemented the servers. That is why it has not impacted our flexibility much.

What is most valuable?

The user interface is very simple, and the support team is always happy to answer any questions we have. They are very easy to contact.

Whenever I have worked with Dell, I have felt a lot of simplification.

What needs improvement?

The price is very high.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for two years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

At the moment, I do not know. Next year, we are planning to invest more in these servers, and I guess this is a good sign about its scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is perfect. There are never problems communicating with them. If you have any questions, you can contact them very quickly.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using another solution previously.

How was the initial setup?

I was not involved in its implementation. It was my team that was involved. What I know is that it was very easy to implement.

In terms of implementation strategy, we spoke with Dell and our specialists, and everything was very easy.

We have a hybrid cloud. We use Microsoft as the cloud provider. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are currently being used only in our department.

What was our ROI?

The biggest ROI is time in terms of the time it takes you to access each application and upload data. It would be difficult if there were different solutions.

Its accessibility is extraordinary.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

They are a little expensive, but in the end, with everything they provide you, the solution is perfect.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other solutions.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

reviewer2339151

Administrador sistema at a maritime company with 51-200 employees

Jan 31, 2024

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Robust hardware, easy management with OpenManage, and excellent support

Pros and Cons

"The robustness of the hardware itself is valuable. We have had PowerEdge servers running even after they were out of their warranty timeline. For example, about four or five years ago, we updated the virtualization platform. One of the servers that we had on that platform was ten years old. These servers have a lot of durability. You can see that they are well-made."

"Lately, we feel that we need an improvement in our servers. Surprisingly, we have seen some servers here that do meet these characteristics. They are slightly smaller servers."

What is our primary use case?

We are mainly using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for web servers, database servers, virtualization platforms, and servers in remote locations and on ships. We are a ship passenger transport company, and we have our servers there too, so there is a little bit of everything.

How has it helped my organization?

By implementing Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we were looking for a solid infrastructure that would allow us to run our business processes and our database and web environments. With PowerEdge, we have achieved that, and we are happy.

Thanks to the durability and performance that Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have, our company feels very confident.

I cannot assess Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers in terms of energy consumption because we are not very aware of what each PowerEdge server consumes. In terms of the capability of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, we usually have the servers oversized, so we do not have any problems. We are fine.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have reduced unplanned production downtime. Service outages, for example, because of problems with the servers are marginal. Normally, the problems that we have with system availability are because of communication.

We use the OpenManage console, and we have made good use of it. We started working with OpenManage a long time ago, and we have done tasks as simple as restarting a remote server from OpenManage, so we do not have to go to an actual office to do a restart.

Using PowerEdge Rack Servers has affected the overall flexibility of our operations or business, but it is not just because of the use of PowerEdge. It is also because of the use of virtual infrastructure. In this case, we work with VMware, so we do have a lot of flexibility. We can add a server, more data, or more processes. Below all that, the physical layer provided is through PowerEdge, so it has made our operations easier.

What is most valuable?

The robustness of the hardware itself is valuable. We have had PowerEdge servers running even after they were out of their warranty timeline. For example, about four or five years ago, we updated the virtualization platform. One of the servers that we had on that platform was ten years old. These servers have a lot of durability. You can see that they are well-made.

What needs improvement?

Lately, we feel that we need an improvement in our servers. Surprisingly, we have seen some servers here that do meet these characteristics. They are slightly smaller servers.

On ships, we have racks to be able to mount devices, and both the servers and the communication devices have to be small. They have to be small in depth. We need servers with the same power and the same characteristics as in the office or on land, but we would like them to be smaller. They will be more practical when it comes to being able to handle them and place them at locations where we have space restrictions.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for more than 20 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is very good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can upgrade it. You can add more capacity, more memory, and more disks. That is it. Nothing special.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is brilliant.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use any similar solution.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was of moderate complexity. It was normal.

When we set up the virtual infrastructure or when we update it, the strategy is always to do it in steps. We change each server separately and take small steps and obviously avoid any service outages.

In terms of environment, we have a private cloud and on-premise setup. We have different providers, such as Belorcio and Telefónica, and we have two large CPDS, one is in a private cloud that is outside the organization and the other one is on-premises.

What about the implementation team?

We use Belorcio, who is our partner in the Canary Islands. We are from the Canary Islands.

What was our ROI?

It is a safe bet. We have servers that are already out of their lifecycle and have not failed in ten years. Some components such as the disk, especially old disks, may fail, but other than that, there has been no issue. That is why these servers are reliable.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I do not know much about the prices. It is my colleague who has that data.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not really evaluate other solutions. We have done some tests with other manufacturers that did not go too well. We are happy with our current solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

reviewer2318385

Global Infrastructure Architect at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees

Jan 1, 2024

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Makes it easier to maintain the environment with standardization

Pros and Cons

"The most valuable feature is standardization because we have a small group of IT resources that need to do the operational tasks."

"The way we can manage the environment through the solution's GUI could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers mainly for virtualization and as hypervisors.

How has it helped my organization?

We are currently converting from VMware to Hyper-V and trying to use Dell's Azure Stack HCI solution to converge the storage instead of using separate storage devices. We have one environment for network storage and computing, which gives us more flexibility and standardization in the solutions.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are reliable with no serious issues. Now, standardization makes things easier in exchanging components and knowledge.

What is most valuable?

We have a lot of branches. The most valuable feature is standardization because we have a small group of IT resources that need to do the operational tasks. As long as we have standardization everywhere, it's easier to maintain the environment.

What needs improvement?

The way we can manage the environment through the solution's GUI could be improved. You need different management tools at the moment for doing different things, and it would be helpful if there were one global tool you could use to monitor and manage updates.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for a couple of months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We never faced any stability issues with the solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is a scalable solution.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used HPE Compaq and IBM. We were taken over by another company that was already using Dell, and IBM was quitting with those devices because Lenovo took it over. That's why we switched to the new standard Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's deployment is pretty good, and we used ProDeploy from Dell. We gained a lot of information during the deployment, and it's also been a learning curve for us. It's very helpful that knowledgeable people are doing the ProDeploy so you can also learn about the implementation.

What about the implementation team?

We deployed Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers in two weeks.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution’s pricing is competitive with other products.

What other advice do I have?

The solution's security by itself is pretty good. The hardening of the server itself is good enough at the moment. We have automation for updates and upgrades that ensure things are tested before they are published instead of running into issues while you do the upgrades.

Our old computers use power supplies of 800 Watts. The new ones were offered twice, 24,00 Watts, which was quite the difference. I'm not saying they are using it, but the fact that they were delivered with 24,00 Watts was shocking because then you think you require more capacity in the data centers, and that isn't the case. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers should improve their power consumption.

We don't currently have very high computing power, so it's standard business applications. When I implement it with Azure Stack HCI, we can hopefully improve the IOPS, using the cluster storage instead of a SAN or a NAS solution.

We discussed technology within Dell during the design phase, which was pretty good. They help us a lot with the sizing of the systems.

Overall, I rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

reviewer1045272

Sr IT Specialist at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Jan 1, 2024

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The servers offer excellent stability, reliability, and performance

Pros and Cons

"Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have been stable and reliable over the last decade."

"There is room for improvement in certain aspects of the deployment process as it is a bit complex."

What is our primary use case?

We use Dell PowerEdge servers for various purposes, including running databases on Windows platforms, blades, and chassis for high-performance computing. Our VMware environment relies on PowerEdge servers, particularly in the HPC setup, which involves complex networking and interconnects.

While the infrastructure can be intricate, the consistent performance of Dell servers makes maintenance easier. Coming from a Unix environment, I find the reliability of these servers comparable, if not better, and they require less time for repairs.

What is most valuable?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have been stable and reliable over the last decade.

What needs improvement?

There is room for improvement in certain aspects of the deployment process as it is a bit complex.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for ten years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Evaluating the stability of Dell PowerEdge servers, we focus on security patching and follow-ups on vulnerabilities. While our team emphasizes security core aspects, our primary concern is a balance between green IT and cost efficiency. Power and heat consumption are challenges across all brands, mainly influenced by Intel chips.

The server's reliability in storage is dependent on how storage is divided over multiple storage arrays. Although downtime is required for server replacement, the overall architecture provides a good overview and easy management of multiple servers.

The stability of Dell PowerEdge servers is excellent, with minimal hardware defects in the last three years. The impact of server maintenance is reduced due to virtualization, allowing easy movement of VMs within the cluster. I would rate the stability as a nine out of ten.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Comparing Dell to Lenovo in our hybrid brand solution for HPC, Lenovo is sometimes a bit more expensive but can be easier to install with less driver complexity.

Dell, on the other hand, can be cheaper. Dell's recent shift has resulted in a larger data center footprint, but the cost-driven nature of IT decisions often favors the most economical solution. While our return on investment with Dell is generally good, IT views these solutions as costs rather than revenue generators. Overall, the reliability is strong, but our focus remains on minimizing costs.

How was the initial setup?

Deploying Dell servers feels like rocket science, but as a seasoned professional, it is generally straightforward and intuitive for me. I rarely use manuals and rely on my experience. Occasionally, finding the right person with multi-disciplinary knowledge can be a challenge, leading to minor delays. Overall, the experience is good, but there is room for improvement in certain aspects.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers as an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Mohamed-Mousa

IT Manager at a media company with 201-500 employees

Mar 9, 2023

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The components last a long time and I have never had to call support

Pros and Cons

"I like the iDRAC feature. I have also seen long life from each part and haven't had to call support, as far as I remember. I use competitors like HPE and we need spare parts every year."

"The BIOS interface could be improved; it is very poor. PowerEdge is very good overall, but if you compare the BIOS interface with HPE, it is not very good."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using the server for Exchange and it gives me good performance.

What is most valuable?

I like the iDRAC feature.

I have also seen long life from each part and haven't had to call support, as far as I remember. I use competitors like HPE and we need spare parts every year. I have been using this server for 10 years and haven't faced any problems with the hardware or performance.

What needs improvement?

The BIOS interface could be improved; it is very poor. PowerEdge is very good overall, but if you compare the BIOS interface with HPE, it is not very good. HPE's is very advanced but Dell's is very simple.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for about 10 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is about a seven out of 10.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable, but we are not planning to get more PowerEdge servers. We are planning to go with hyper-converged. We are looking to extend our environment and deploy a new DR site.

We have multiple locations and about 400 users.

How are customer service and support?

Their support is excellent, but here I'm referring to all our Dell products, because I haven't had to contact them about PowerEdge.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I didn't have a previous solution, but I work with HPE servers at the same time. There is no major difference between them in performance or specifications. I prefer Dell for its warranty, which is very good here in Egypt. I am able to extend my warranty for one or two years.

How was the initial setup?

For me, the setup was easy.

The only maintenance is cleaning it and adding hard disks.

What about the implementation team?

I did it, as a system admin, with my team of three people: technical support and our help desk team.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Dell is somewhat more expensive than HPE.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

In terms of money, if I compare a cloud system and an on-premises server like PowerEdge, if I rent the same type of product in the cloud for 10 years, it will cost more than if I get a PowerEdge server for five years.

What other advice do I have?

If you invest in your network, it will be advantageous.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

reviewer2007348

IT Manager at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees

Oct 31, 2022

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We have seen a very positive performance increase

Pros and Cons

"The fact that they came pre-installed was quite good. We didn't have to worry too much about that process... Also, the maintenance part makes it very easy to raise queries and get repairs done."
"In comparison to what we had before, which was some older Dell equipment, the performance of the PowerEdge Rack Servers is stunning."

"The rate controller interface is difficult to get to without installing additional software. It would be helpful if they had preinstalled software to make that easily accessible."

What is our primary use case?

We have two that we use as domain controllers and power servers. We're running an ERP system that is critical to the business, but the majority of our other stuff is cloud-based.

How has it helped my organization?

In comparison to what we had before, which was some older Dell equipment, the performance of the PowerEdge Rack Servers is stunning. They have improved the performance of our systems. We've been a Dell house for years and years, and replacing the older Dell equipment with these machines has given us a very positive performance increase.

We're quite a small company, so anything we can throw at any of these servers— they will just eat it for breakfast. We've had no problems with them.

We haven't had any unplanned production downtime. That is down to the quality of the Dell servers.

What is most valuable?

The fact that they came pre-installed was quite good. We didn't have to worry too much about that process.

In terms of the usage of the machines themselves, one of the most valuable features is the Hyper-V element, although that's an application on the servers.

Also, the maintenance part makes it very easy to raise queries and get repairs done.

In terms of handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads, while I don't have anything to compare these servers against, I have no issues with the performance of our systems. They work as well as I could expect them to. They will be perfectly fine for our workloads.

What needs improvement?

The rate controller interface is difficult to get to without installing additional software. It would be helpful if they had preinstalled software to make that easily accessible.

For how long have I used the solution?

The company I'm with at the moment purchased Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers back in 2018 or 2019.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We've never had any outages, so the stability is perfect, or as close to perfect as you can get.

We've had the UPS kick in a couple of times and they've stayed up; they haven't died instantly. They are perfectly acceptable and I can't see any issues with them at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We haven't really had to upscale anything on the servers, other than a bit of memory. The particular modules we have are about as high as we can go, but that's fine because we purchased them to be "high-spec'd."

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is very good. We have access to our own account manager and he will pass queries on. And on occasion, I've spoken directly to their support teams. We have been very pleased with the account management from Dell. It's been good.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We previously used Dell, but older machines. We made the switch because the old kit was getting too old. It was getting to end-of-life, and we needed some performance improvements. The PowerEdge definitely gave us that.

How was the initial setup?

It did the initial setup, more or less, by itself. I did a little bit of fine-tuning here and there, but nothing drastic. It was very easy.

I was the only person involved. I was responsible for everything from physically getting the stuff in the rack to configuring it and making it live, and everything in between.

What was our ROI?

We have seen a return on investment because of the performance improvements and the fact that we have had no downtime. That's enough for us.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's a bit of a shock when you have to find the money, but the pricing is very competitive, so I'm happy with that.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I've been working with Dell for a number of years and never had any issues, so Dell was the go-to solution for me. We had a quick look at other machines in terms of pricing, and there wasn't any particular benefit in terms of pricing by going with someone else. With the history and trust I had in Dell, I went with Dell.

What other advice do I have?

One native OS security feature we use in our environment is Windows Defender, but at the same time, we are running a third-party endpoint protection solution. The native OS security features have had no negative impact. The endpoint protection is on both the clients and servers. We run vulnerability scanning regularly, and we do penetration testing, internal and external, on a regular basis.

As for public cloud servers, we did not consider them before choosing PowerEdge because we use them for internal management. We are looking at cloud solutions, but not for the core, critical servers.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.

Aharon Bagraman

Programmer Sysadmin at a university with 10,001+ employees

Jul 13, 2022

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They are stable and don’t crash

Pros and Cons

"The use of OpenManage Console reduces the time it takes to manage PowerEdge Rack Servers in terms of updates and maintenance."
"Since there have been no problems with them, except for routine battery changes, we continue to use Dell’s reliable hardware."

"Unfortunately, PowerEdge Rack Servers do not support NVMe storage."

What is our primary use case?

Our main uses for PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel are virtualization, file servers, and Active Directory, which our entire infrastructure sits on.

I have five Dell PowerEdge servers now. About 40,000 users are using these servers. About 70 to 80 people use the file server.

How has it helped my organization?

Support for virtualization is very important to us. It provides redundancy when booting from storage, where the servers are loaded from a separate storage. It provides full server support.

What is most valuable?

The use of OpenManage Console reduces the time it takes to manage PowerEdge Rack Servers in terms of updates and maintenance.

What needs improvement?

Unfortunately, PowerEdge Rack Servers do not support NVMe storage.

OpenManage Console is slightly confusing, especially after upgrade releases. There isn't a manual for what to do with lifecycle management and in what sequence. I have to rely on user forums instead of Dell in these cases.

For how long have I used the solution?

This is my third purchase. I bought my first three PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel two years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The primary reason that we chose PowerEdge - they are stable and don’t crash.

I keep my firmware, BIOS, and drivers up-to-date. Regarding security, we have not had any incidents.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The two Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers that I am using solve my needs completely in terms of redundancy and scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I used Dell support a couple of times, and it was okay.

I would rate Dell’s support as eight out of 10. When resolving an issue, they transferred me to multiple support techs. This is because when you reach global support, your request is processed by the operator. Then, there are a few other steps. Usually, I am asked primitive questions before being transferred to Tier 2 or 3, who take a couple of days to get back to me.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

One of the reasons that we choose to use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is because we never had a problem with the previous ones. Whereas, we have had servers and blades from Lenovo with a lot of problems. There were constant motherboard failures.

In addition to Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, we also have Dell's storage. Since there have been no problems with them, except for routine battery changes, we continue to use Dell’s reliable hardware.

How was the initial setup?

It was straightforward with the help of the Dell wizard. I just needed to connect it to VMware. Obviously, someone has to study when preparing to deploy and configure PowerEdge Rack Servers. In my case, deployment and configuration of two PowerEdge Rack Servers with VMware, cloud, and integration with our storage took about three days.

My strategy was to launch these servers as quickly as possible. First, we made sure that there was communication. Then, we installed clients in VMware. After that, we started installing the PowerEdge Rack Servers.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

As an educational institution, we have certain budget restraints. So, we work around our budget and what hardware we can get from it.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We considered Lenovo and HPE, but chose Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers because of their reliability.

What other advice do I have?

Choose stable servers when considering fast servers, because even though they might work fast, they might not last. We have been happy with Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers.

I would absolutely rate PowerEdge Rack Servers as 10 out of 10.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Raanan

Lab Manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

Jul 10, 2022

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Architecture enables quick replacement of parts, but server health info should be displayed on the front

Pros and Cons

"For us, the most valuable feature is the iDRAC. It helps us to solve problems when a server is stuck or hung or we don't have any network access."
"The Dell platform works very well, we are very happy with it, and if price isn't a concern, I would recommend Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers."

"I would like to see more information about server health and the server's state, on the front. HP has a little screen that shows server utilization, how many disks there are inside, and the power consumption. HP also shows an alert if there is a malfunction of any device inside."
"PowerEdge has a high price tag. The price is a critical factor in our company."

What is our primary use case?

We have a 1U and a 2U PowerEdge Server. We're using them to scale storage devices. They provide a platform for our software that involves managing multiple, high-speed disks. We're using them to connect Mellanox and Intel NICs, which are very fast network interfaces.

What is most valuable?

For us, the most valuable feature is the iDRAC. It helps us to solve problems when a server is stuck or hung or we don't have any network access.

It's also easy to deploy new firmware or a new update to the servers remotely.

We're also able to manage multiple servers in one place.

Also, the way the hardware is architected, you can replace parts in no time. It's very quick and easy to replace a fan, disk, CPU, or insert a new card into the server.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see more information about server health and the server's state, on the front. HP has a little screen that shows server utilization, how many disks there are inside, and the power consumption. HP also shows an alert if there is a malfunction of any device inside. Those kinds of features would be useful for Dell customers.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel for about seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel are very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is a bit of a downside because of our technology. In our environment, the scalability comes from the network and not from adding another server. We are adding a lot of NVMe devices and when we reach capacity we need to add another server. This is what determines the scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Dell provides very good support. It's very fast and they answer in a professional manner. That's what I need.

I would rate their support at nine out of 10. It's not a 10 because they have to improve by answering even faster. They also need to give local distributors more permission or to provide hardware parts faster. If you have a malfunction with the device, you usually have to send it abroad, and they investigate it and then bring it back. That takes a long time.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We are currently using Lenovo, AIC, Tyan, and Quanta servers in addition to the Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers powered by Intel, because we need some OEM equipment to reduce the cost. PowerEdge has a high price tag. The price is a critical factor in our company. We don't have a lot of budget for acquiring servers and that is why we look at other vendors.

But the flexibility of the PowerEdge servers and the approach to resolving problems really quickly make it more convenient to work with. I like working with PowerEdge. Solving a problem on a PowerEdge will take, say, a few minutes, while with the other vendors it will take 10 to 20 minutes to investigate and debug the problem.

What other advice do I have?

We are using both Intel and AMD technology with our Dell servers. We are comparing the performance of both. While there are some issues and challenges on the Intel side in some areas, the overall impression of the Intel technology is that it is working well. I expect we are going to use it for the next few years.

The Dell platform works very well. We are very happy with it. If price isn't a concern, I would recommend Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers.