Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Reviews

We are a web hosting company, so we host websites. They are predominantly high-value websites. They tend to be very intensive applications, so we use CPUs with lots of cores and memory. We try to get as much performance as possible out of these machines.

At the moment, we are using Dell R640 and 740XD, and we have some 540s for backups.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are very good for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads. Even though we do not use the very latest generation servers, they are in line with our customers' needs. Our customers do not know or care what the specs of the servers are. They just want the results, which speed from websites or whatever applications they are running. We have a very strong reputation in the industry for producing those fast results, and at the moment, Dell servers support that very well. Our knowledge perhaps is not as good as it could be on some of the latest technologies. We do not even use NVMe storage yet, but I am quite interested in seeing some of the new technology for NVMe support.

Due to our environmental compliance, we are very aware of our consumption, and it is pleasing to see regular improvements in that area. We are regularly looking at and reviewing our power consumption. We replaced some of our older Dell models with newer ones, which are way more efficient. They are very good in terms of energy consumption. There is a useful calculator available on their website to work out how much we are going to be using, so we can tell in advance. Before we populate a new data center cabinet, we can see how much we should expect it to be using. That makes it a lot easier. We then do not underfill or overfill a cabinet. We can maximize the use of the space by knowing with some degree of accuracy how much power is going to be used.

I like the reliability and ease of swapping out failed equipment. It is very easy to replace power supplies and drives.

We use older-generation servers. We are two generations behind. There can be remote access management and iDRAC improvements, but I do not have many complaints about that.

From the licensing model perspective, it might be useful for enterprises to get an overall enterprise license, rather than licensing each server. That is one option because we tend to buy the service with the licenses, but some of our older equipment does not have them.

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

They are very reliable.

We tend to buy quite high-spec servers, so we do not need to upgrade, but storage-wise, typically, we always have an empty base in the servers we deploy. So, we have plenty of scope for scaling.

We do not use their support. We use a third party. We rarely need to get support because the equipment is so reliable. 

We used to use HPE many years ago. We moved to Dell because their servers were more customizable. We were able to use our own disks, for example, whereas HP would not allow us to do that. They had to ship the disks, and that was the main reason we moved.

Dell is just a little bit more logical. Even when you open up the box and carry out the replacement tasks with the components, it seems a little bit more logical. In every generation, there is a change, but when you open up a new box, it does not take long. Without reading the manual, you can figure out what needs to be done. We have never been disappointed with the new products that do come out, so we are quite involved now and attached to the Dell ecosystem.

They are very good in terms of deployment. Our automated system is there, and there is no problem with using our deployment tool with it. I cannot think of a case where we have hit a problem. It has been fast. There is nothing to do with the hardware. There are no obstacles.

We looked at Supermicro, but we never found them very reliable. The chassis and the build felt a little bit more flimsy compared to Dell. Dell servers felt a lot more like enterprise hardware.

In terms of the impact of PowerEdge Servers on our organization’s sustainability goals, we have not recycled much old equipment. I am not sure what to do with it. I do not know whether they have any incentives for returning old hardware. One thing we need to factor in is how to dispose of older hardware.

For the simple needs that we have, I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers an eight out of ten. 

We employ Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers within our vSphere cluster to support our business applications.

Virtual storage, bandwidth optimization with caching, SSD integration, and similar features contribute significantly to the overall performance and efficiency of the servers. These advancements provide a notable improvement in operations.

The PowerEdge servers have poor energy consumption performance.

For the sustainability of our company, we plan to purchase new PowerEdge servers. Our current servers have been in use for five years and are nearing the end of their life cycle. Therefore, we intend to replace them with new PowerEdge servers to ensure continued efficiency and satisfaction.

It contributed to reducing production downtime by approximately 20%.

One of the key reasons we integrate Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, particularly the ID Rack model, is for its remote monitoring and administration capabilities. This feature is essential for managing the servers efficiently, allowing remote access and administration without the need for physical monitors or on-site presence.

Using SD cards for installing the hypervisor is not particularly reliable. Its customer support should be improved.

I have been using the servers for fifteen years.

It offers excellent stability.

Tech support can be slow to respond at times, and there are occasions when they seem hesitant to trust our assessments. This can lead to prolonged troubleshooting processes, often requiring us to provide extensive logs for investigation. I would rate it seven out of ten.

Neutral

We utilize various types of servers, with a predominant focus on HPE models.
In my view, there isn't a significant distinction between them; they essentially perform the same tasks but in slightly different ways. There are variations in management tools, however. Customers seem to prefer Dell, possibly due to their positive experiences with the products and alignment with specific guidelines or regulations.

Deployment was straightforward, and to be honest, not much different from other solutions.

Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

We have virtualization running on Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. We have VMware. We have some physical workloads. We also have Oracle databases.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are reliable and do not require a lot of maintenance. We put them in the rack and forget them. 

In terms of the overall flexibility of our operations, we have a lot of servers, and because of virtualization, it is very flexible, but it has nothing to do with the hardware.

Reliability is important for us. They are reliable, and the service is very good. iDRAC is a good feature that we use very often. We are rarely in the data center.

The server itself is good, but sometimes, the salesperson forgets to sell us the right controller. It is related to sales. It is not related to the technical part. There is nothing that can be improved in these servers technically.

I have been working in this organization for nine years, and they were already using Dell servers when I joined. 

These servers are very stable.

Most times, we take care of things on our own. Usually, when there is something that needs to be fixed or replaced, we take Dell's help. I would rate their support an eight out of ten. It is very good, but it can always be better.

Positive

We only use Dell servers.

They are easy to deploy. There are no problems with that.

We have seen an ROI. We rarely have any problems with these servers. Overall, it is a good deal.

We have not compared them with others. The price is okay, but they can always be a little bit cheaper.

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

Previously, each branch or specific function had its own dedicated servers for tasks such as backups, file storage, print services, and directory management. However, the current approach has shifted towards utilizing VMware for site-related functions. 

This means that instead of individual servers for each task, virtualization technology like VMware is employed to streamline and optimize server management for various purposes across the organization.

Implementing the solution with Dell servers addressed several challenges we encountered. The physical installation, especially in rack configurations, became significantly easier with a streamlined process - a simple click for various tasks.

In our energy research, we've been using Dell PowerEdge servers for an extended period. Recently, we introduced servers from IBM and HPE into our infrastructure. However, we haven't conducted a comprehensive comparison, particularly regarding power consumption.

The PowerEdge servers have proven to be highly effective in meeting our evolving needs. During server configuration, we strategically plan for around fifty to sixty percent usage, opting for a slightly higher configuration than is strictly necessary. This approach has ensured that we haven't encountered any issues thus far.

Dell PowerEdge servers have positively impacted our organization's sustainability requirements. We are extremely satisfied with their performance so far, experiencing minimal hardware issues. With their support in place, any problems, whether related to hardware or software, are promptly addressed and repaired.

The utilization of Dell PowerEdge rack servers has significantly enhanced the overall flexibility of our operations. The remarkable flexibility of these servers has contributed to increased productivity, eliminating downtime.

The integration of servers with VMware has been a smooth and positive process.

There is room for improvement in making it more cost-effective. Another area for improvement could be the delivery process. Occasionally, there might be extended wait times between placing an order and receiving the delivery.

We have been using it for more than twenty years now.

We are highly satisfied with the level of stability provided.

The scalability of the servers has been excellent. As we transition to VMware, scalability remains a strong point. Our approach of configuring slightly higher than immediate needs allows for easy scaling without significant challenges.

Our overall experience with their product and support has been consistently excellent. We would rate their support as highly effective, as we have not encountered any significant issues. I would rate it eight out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup is straightforward.

The implementation strategy involves careful planning, determining the required components for the server, and configuring all aspects before proceeding with the actual implementation. Once everything is set up according to the plan, the implementation, whether for physical or virtual servers, typically proceeds smoothly without significant complications.

In terms of ROI, we have experienced zero downtime with Dell PowerEdge servers. Proactively, if there is any indication of potential issues or planned maintenance, we always prepare alternative solutions. This approach has proven to be highly cost-effective, ensuring uninterrupted operations in our environment. Over my thirteen years with the company, I cannot recall a single instance where colleagues had to wait due to server issues or encountered any significant problems. Overall, the reliability of Dell PowerEdge servers has contributed significantly to a seamless and dependable work environment.

We are continuously exploring offerings from various companies, always seeking the best solutions. Currently, we have servers from both HP and IBM, and specifically, we've integrated IBM storage and Solar devices for evaluation. This approach allows us to compare and assess their performance before making informed decisions based on our specific needs.

Adopting the PowerEdge Cyber Resilient Architecture for security involves ensuring that all firmware updates released by Dell are diligently applied. Regular updates are consistently implemented to meet standard security protocols. However, there is also a proactive stance in preparing for unforeseen circumstances, acknowledging the importance of expecting the unexpected.

Overall, I would rate it nine out of ten.

Foreign Language:(German)

Bietet außergewöhnliche Flexibilität, Zuverlässigkeit und Produktivität und gewährleistet einen reibungslosen Betrieb und Skalierbarkeit bei minimalen Ausfallzeiten

Was ist unser Hauptanwendungsfall?

Bisher benötigte jeder einzelne Standort oder jede Funktion einen eigenen zugeordneten Server, um Aufgaben wie Datensicherung, Dateispeicherung, Drucken und Verzeichnisverwaltung durchzuführen. Der aktuelle Ansatz ist jedoch dazu übergegangen, VMware für standortbezogene Funktionen zu verwenden.

Das bedeutet, dass anstelle von separaten Servern für jede Aufgabe eine Virtualisierungstechnologie wie VMware eingesetzt wird, um die Serververwaltung für die verschiedenen Zwecke des Unternehmens zu rationalisieren und zu optimieren.

Wie hat es meiner Organisation geholfen?

Durch die Implementierung der Lösung mit Dell-Servern konnten wir mehrere Herausforderungen lösen, mit denen wir zu kämpfen hatten. Die physische Installation, insbesondere in Rack-Konfigurationen, wurde durch einen optimierten Prozess erheblich vereinfacht - ein einfacher Klick für verschiedene Aufgaben.

In unserer Energieforschung verwenden wir schon seit längerem Dell PowerEdge-Server. Vor kurzem haben wir auch Server von IBM und HPE in unsere Infrastruktur aufgenommen. Wir haben jedoch keinen umfassenden Vergleich durchgeführt, insbesondere nicht hinsichtlich des Stromverbrauchs.

Die PowerEdge-Server haben sich bei der Erfüllung unserer wachsenden Anforderungen als äußerst effektiv gezeigt. Bei der Serverkonfiguration rechnen wir strategisch mit einer Auslastung von etwa fünfzig bis sechzig Prozent und entscheiden uns für eine etwas höhere Konfiguration als unbedingt nötig. Dieser Ansatz hat dafür gesorgt, dass wir bisher keine Probleme hatten.

Dell PowerEdge-Server haben sich positiv auf die Nachhaltigkeitsanforderungen unserer Organisation ausgewirkt. Wir sind mit der bisherigen Leistung der Server äußerst zufrieden und hatten nur geringe Probleme mit der Hardware. Dank des Supports von Dell werden alle Probleme, ob sie nun mit der Hardware oder der Software zu tun haben, umgehend angegangen und behoben.

Der Einsatz von Dell PowerEdge-Rack-Servern hat die Gesamtflexibilität unseres Betriebs erheblich verbessert. Die bemerkenswerte Flexibilität dieser Server hat dazu beigetragen, die Produktivität zu steigern und Ausfallzeiten zu vermeiden.

Was ist am wertvollsten?

Die Integration von Servern mit VMware war ein reibungsloser und positiver Prozess.

Was muss verbessert werden?

Verbesserungsbedarf besteht bei der Kosteneffizienz. Ein weiterer verbesserungswürdiger Bereich könnte der Lieferprozess sein. Gelegentlich kann es zu längeren Wartezeiten zwischen der Bestellung und dem Erhalt der Lieferung kommen.

Wie lange nutze ich die Lösung schon?

Wir verwenden die Lösung nun schon seit über zwanzig Jahren.

Was halte ich von der Stabilität der Lösung?

Wir sind sehr zufrieden mit der Stabilität der Lösung.

Was denke ich über die Skalierbarkeit der Lösung?

Die Skalierbarkeit der Server ist ausgezeichnet. Bei der Umstellung auf VMware bleibt die Skalierbarkeit ein wichtiger Punkt. Unser Ansatz, etwas höher zu konfigurieren als der unmittelbare Bedarf, ermöglicht eine einfache Skalierung ohne größere Herausforderungen.

Wie sind Kundenservice und Support?

Unsere allgemeinen Erfahrungen mit dem Produkt und dem Support waren durchweg ausgezeichnet. Wir würden den Support als sehr effektiv bewerten, da wir auf keine nennenswerten Probleme gestoßen sind. Ich würde ihn mit acht von zehn bewerten.

Wie bewerten Sie den Kundenservice und -support?

Positiv

Wie war die Ersteinrichtung?

Die Ersteinrichtung ist sehr einfach.

Wie sieht es mit dem Implementierungsteam aus?

Die Implementierungsstrategie umfasst eine sorgfältige Planung, die Bestimmung der erforderlichen Komponenten für den Server und die Konfiguration aller Aspekte, bevor mit der eigentlichen Implementierung begonnen wird. Sobald alles entsprechend dem Plan eingerichtet ist, erfolgt die Implementierung, ob für physische oder virtuelle Server, in der Regel reibungslos und ohne größere Verzögerungen.

Was war unser ROI?

Was den ROI betrifft, so haben wir mit Dell PowerEdge-Servern keine Ausfallzeiten erlebt. Falls es irgendwelche Hinweise auf potenzielle Probleme oder geplante Wartungsarbeiten gibt, bereiten wir stets alternative Lösungen vor. Dieser Ansatz hat sich als äußerst kosteneffizient erwiesen und gewährleistet einen ununterbrochenen Betrieb in unserer Arbeitsumgebung. In den dreizehn Jahren meiner Tätigkeit für das Unternehmen kann ich mich an keinen einzigen Fall erinnern, in dem Kollegen aufgrund von Serverproblemen warten mussten oder auf nennenswerte Probleme gestoßen wären. Insgesamt hat die Zuverlässigkeit der Dell PowerEdge-Server wesentlich zu einer reibungslosen und zuverlässigen Arbeitsumgebung beigetragen.

Welche anderen Lösungen habe ich bewertet?

Wir prüfen ständig die Angebote verschiedener Unternehmen und suchen immer nach den besten Lösungen. Derzeit haben wir Server sowohl von HP als auch von IBM im Einsatz und haben speziell IBM-Speicher und Solar-Geräte zur Evaluierung integriert. Dadurch können wir die Leistung der beiden Unternehmen vergleichen und bewerten, bevor wir auf der Grundlage unserer spezifischen Anforderungen eine Entscheidung treffen.

Welche anderen Ratschläge kann ich geben?

Wenn Sie die PowerEdge Cyber Resilient Architecture für die Sicherheit übernehmen, müssen Sie sicherstellen, dass alle von Dell veröffentlichten Firmware-Updates gewissenhaft angewendet werden. Regelmäßige Updates werden konsequent implementiert, um die Standard-Sicherheitsprotokolle zu erfüllen. Es wird jedoch auch eine proaktive Einstellung bei der Vorbereitung auf unvorhergesehene Umstände an den Tag gelegt, denn es ist wichtig, sich auf das Unerwartete vorzubereiten.

Insgesamt würde ich das System mit neun von zehn bewerten.

We use PowerEdge Rack Servers for quantitative analytics, data simulations, and machine learning.

The hardware makes it a good solution.

PowerEdge Rack Servers are very good for handling the evolving needs of high-performance workloads.

Its tuning and performance are good.

The specs for the benchmarks are very good, but the firmware and software are lacking. There are some issues with the Linux kernel and the long-term support (LTS) for some of the firmware's dependencies. It is causing the kernel to dump. The support for the Linux brands isn't optimal. We would like them to optimize the kernel drivers for benchmarks.

There are some issues that need to be solved with our model in regards to UEFI and firmware. 

I have been using it for about 10 years.

There haven't been any issues with downtime.

Dell's open source support is very good. There are a lot of issues that they need to handle though, like the firmware and UEFI.

We previously used IBM and Lenovo.

It is a cluster, so you just plug and play.

Lenovo is very good with updates.

We use AMD Opteron instead of Intel Xeon.

We chose Dell because of its open source. Our community likes Dell because of its open source delivery.

We use GCP Spot and AWS Graviton as our failover solutions.

I would rate this solution as eight out of 10.

I have been using PowerEdge servers primarily for file storage.

Using PowerEdge rack servers has allowed us to use less space. Previously, we used the regular servers, but PowerEdge rack servers take up less space and are easier to handle.

The OpenManage Console improves our IT staff productivity by simplifying platform management. We can keep track of all those servers and do more jobs. The server effectively handles the evolving needs of high-performance workloads. 

The management of the security architecture could be improved. It takes some time and can be challenging. 

I have been using PowerEdge servers for over 20 years.

The overall stability is okay. We had some disk issues with an older version, but newer versions have worked fine.

PowerEdge infrastructure is scalable, but we don't have much need to scale it.

We used HP servers before. The main differences between HP and Dell are price and management. Dell is better priced. 

The initial setup was straightforward. We deployed PowerEdge in-house using OpenManage. 

The biggest return on investment for me is the stability of the product.

Dell is priced better than alternative solutions.

I rate Dell PowerEdge eight out of 10. PowerEdge servers have improved the overall flexibility of our operations and business a little by simplifying operations and rationalizing placement. 

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers for servers and backup.

The product has improved our business. There are fewer complications than what we had before with other brands.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is simpler to use when compared with HPE. The product provides more features than what we expected six years ago.

The solution must increase the space provided. It is still an issue. The terabytes are never enough.

I have been using the solution for six years.

The support is getting better. Before, we had to call and explain what was going on. Now, the support has a website. I rate the support a seven or eight out of ten.

Neutral

We were using HPE before. Many schools were already doing business with Dell. So, we tried it. We also have Dell's laptops and desktops.

The deployment is not difficult at all.

The tool's pricing is very good.

The server does consume energy. The energy consumption is less than what it was three years ago. We still have the same capacity. We don't have many high-performance workloads. We have AutoCAD and SolidWorks. These are two programs that need a lot of CPU. The rest is file surfing and document printing. We are planning to use the OpenManage console.

Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.

We use multiple models of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. We're currently using the more hypervisor-focused models with AMD CPUs but from different generations.

We use Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers mostly for hypervisors and also for single application usage.

We've had some supply and support challenges with other manufacturers, and Dell could deliver for us, and the cooperation with the Dell team works really well for us. The accounting team knows a lot. They can help us out with our challenges. They can help us fill our needs.

Through Dell's OpenManage software, we can track our power usage, but we can also track what components use how much power in the system. It helps us at least get the intelligence we need to get the reports out to the business and to our partners.

In regards to energy consumption for the whole company, it's only a small percentage. But if we look at just IT, then the surface does consume a sizable amount. And whether that's renewable or fossil energy, it's still impacting.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are able to handle high performance well. We're using high-performance systems and they fill our needs. 

We are able to save days' worth of time depending on the number of services we are deploying.

The flexibility of the Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is good because they come in smaller spec sizes to larger spec sizes. If we need it for a stand-alone system, we can get a really small system. For our Hypervisor, we can get the larger spec systems to carry a higher workload.

The most valuable feature is the ease of use. It's very easy to get new systems in the data center and to get them ready for production.

I'm currently not running into specific cases that I'd say we could improve. Of course, the most important features are security and sustainability. Those are subjects that Dell does a lot of work on. The whole industry works a lot on it, but everyone also sets goals of being sustainable. Working together on those subjects, I'd say could help us achieve those goals together. Sustainability and the data center is a hot topic. I work for the airport and we want to be the most sustainable airport in the world. So starting with our IT stack could benefit.

The most important for us is once someone gets access to a system that we don't want them to have access to, it probably won't be physical access. What will a system do to detect besides all the software we have in place? And right now, I'm not really aware of what the PowerEdge stack does for us in those scenarios, but that's an interesting use case. I would like more resilience because, for all companies, cybersecurity is important. Once something goes wrong, then we'll see the whole business go along. Within the IT department, we have to be ahead of that.

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

In terms of a real IT company, we're small. So for us, our needs can be easily filled with the current scalability that Dell can deliver to us.

We've had some small communication errors with support agents going on holiday and not doing a good handover of a case, but that's just one thing. The rest of our experiences with technical support are great.

Positive

We used exclusively Lenovo and IBM in the past. For some reason, we switched to Dell. It may have been pricing, but also support. 

The initial installation is easy. Through Dell software, we can create baselines. And with those baselines, we can automate the first steps of deployment. Stuff we would normally have to go into the data center, physically connect to a server, and do by hand, can now just be done after two simple steps.

Normally, deploying new hardware would sometimes take a couple of days, including getting it already for the business. Now especially on the tedious first steps of installation, we save time.

We have had good life cycles. While they may not directly generate a return on investment, they fulfill their intended purpose and have demonstrated long-term viability.

I would rate Dell PowerEdge Rack ten out of ten.