Dell EMC Unity XT reviews

My clients use it from a virtual environment. So, there is a NAS application as well.

It is an on-prem virtualization solution.

In my experience, the application configuration is a standout feature. It allows users and even admin nodes to be configured more smoothly. The process, especially after zoning, has become more streamlined with enhancements in bin management, cleaning, and initiatives.

The ability to have flash to adapt to your environment. It's one of the best solutions you can actually use for the database.

Dell Unity XT's integration capabilities are good, like VMware features and other features that are already added. It's quite good.

It is easy to use. The interface is quite user-friendly, and the integration is not too difficult.

The only challenge I've ever had was with a Drive firmware upgrade.

However, when I did an on-prem performance [assessment], it didn't pose much of a problem.

I have been using it for six years.

I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

I've done upgrades a couple of times. It wasn't too hard to upgrade. A few times, it involved adding capacity depending on how the size of the collections began. And boom, we're good to go.

Within the last three months, I did an upgrade on Unity. It was quite simple. We downloaded the firmware, and then there was a bit of setup. And just a few steps, and we were ready to go.

Our clients are usually enterprise businesses. 

The only time I've ever had a challenge was when the problem had gone beyond the initial support. And when we moved on to the next person who took over, it was really about them fully understanding what we had been troubleshooting.  

Positive

The initial setup is very easy. I would rate my experience with the initial setup a nine out of ten, with one being difficult and ten being easy.

It's quite easy. Once you have the application that needs to set up the connection in utility, we are good to go.

I have not had any cloud training in Unity. But the first time I had to deploy one by myself,  it was one of the easiest things I could ever do.

The deployment takes a few minutes. Because if you have your IPs prepared and your router is done, the deployment usually just takes a few minutes.  

I would definitely recommend using it because of its integration part and scalability. 

I would rate it a nine out of ten. 

We are running 3,000 VMs spread out over five such units.

The initial Unity x50 series, even all-flash, were quickly driving the CPU to near 100% on as little as 180TB, having data reduction on all volumes in place.

XT came in to support and sizes better on our infra, due to more CPU power. The system doesn't seem to have a module to offload data reduction, but in the end, does a great job of getting the data reduction to come around at higher capacity without oversubscribing the CPU (%). In the end, the SDD media cost more than the array/storage processors. So basically you want to reduce data as much as the system can take.

Good in-built monitoring tools from the System|Performance Section Tab is valuable. From CloudIQ you can reach out to vCenter as well. ESRS (Call Home) on the service delivery part is valuable.

Remote Code update support (interactive or not) is free of charge, as you wish, nonetheless you are free to do it yourself as updates are cumulative and retained on each new code level.

The uemcli is not an object-oriented CLI and the more object-rich PowerCLI has been discontinued. Only people with bash experience possibly can operate it. Still, nowadays, feeding object from one command into another is still a burden with such CLI. When adding a few disks to a cluster, the CLI is actually standing in the queue for one disk to be added to all, requiring multiple scans on each member host, before proceeding with the second and scanning all hosts once again. One could add all disks at once and stand in the queue once for a rescan all.

There isn't a means to add volume groups or host groups. A feature that any solution I worked with so far has. It's a burden to assure each host has the same LUN ID on each host in this manner. As of the June 2021 release, code OE 5.1, seems to offer the option to have host groups in the end!

===> Review 01/2023: Unity OE 5.1 came out with the notion of a host group

The integration with vCenter comes with a side effect, in that it will take control of the vSphere scan process, moreover, every esx host is scanned multiple times. It takes easily a few hours to add a few LUNS to a few hosts. This is rather painful. Even when adding LUNs using the Unisphere GUI, you can keep up with the pace of your script.

Support Responsiveness and time to fix bugs should be improved. Over the past 1.5 years, we had occasional controller reboots and we went all the way from OE 4.5 over 5.02 to 5.03, 5.1, and 5.2.1, and eliminated the most common causes. We still face a stress-triggered cache merge issue and though we provided the dumps and engineering acknowledged the bug, it has been told that addressing the bug requires substantial code rewriting and the problem will be fixed in the next major code release (OE 6.x). We are now two years later, still no fix, but fortunately, face the condition occasionally, and among even other bug checks.

===> Review update 01/2023

There was also a problem of a  Storage Processor Panic condition that could unveil after uptime in days had been reached. We had two such crashes and the uptime of our five units (ten controllers) showed they all bypassed the uptime, which had the potential to even crash the remaining eight controllers. Without much explanation on the cause (Typical at Dell EMC), it seems like a memory leak issue to me. We decided to reboot them all as a quick reply and later on to patch them on a more convenient maintenance window.

It was only until this summer that the issue is known and formalized to the public and listed as DTA 205836: Dell Unity: Storage Processors Running 5.1.X Code May Panic After 275-300 Days of Runtime (User Correctable)

All Unity systems running Unity Operating Environment (OE) version 5.1.X, but primarily Unity XT systems (480, 680, or 880, including F models), may experience SP panics after 275-300 days of runtime.

==> Review 29.01.25 codes 5.3 & 5.4 evaluation

We had no controller reboots anymore, not on the 650f nor on the 880f arrays. We use the solution soley for block/FC. It has been all around a very viable solution for our (exclusively) block workloads for 5 years. We are about to decide to refresh our 5 arrays towards the newer Powerstore. We can only hope for what Dell EMC delivered with this "Unity". Not ever had we had a complete downtime (only single node panics) for 5 such arrays , the oldest went into its 6th year recently. 

I discovered that the RESTAPI has lots to offer and there are more metrics then in Unisphere & Apex Observabiity (ex CloudIQ or your on remote infra presented Perf collections and Alerts). 

I have been using Unity (XT) for 15 months.

OE 5.03 was a rather mature and stable code, without to say that it will address all. Some bugs are stress/load triggered and rather exceptional but might be easily recurring if the same conditions are met again. 

===> Review 01/2023

Code 5.1 has no improvement, quite on the contrary, there was initially also an issue with Veeam in the sense that DELL EMC unilaterally deprecated some commands, which caused Veeam to no longer be able to interface with it for storage-based snapshots of ESXi VMs. There came a code/OE specifically to address this, but it took a while, likewise, the solution from Veeam to replace their integrated and deprecated UEM CLI interface took even longer to accommodate DELL Unity product engineering changes.

Code 5.1 flaw-

All Unity systems running Unity Operating Environment (OE) version 5.1.X, but primarily Unity XT systems (480, 680, or 880, including F models), may experience SP panics after 275-300 days of runtime.

The XT scales better than its predecessor. 

===> Review 01/2023

The Unity product will not survive as its own brother in the same low-end midrange, being PowerStore, is in all aspects a better product (latency and scalability-wise).

It is not the most responsive support, we have a Service Account Manager and reporting in place now and keep the pressure to get answers. They have very bad post-bug/incident follow-up. You only get a record that the problem is either known or recorded by engineering, but not when it got corrected retroactively, nor any prospected date when it will be corrected.

Also some fixes require substantial rewriting , others are fairly simple but again, once the bug is recorded, you are not retroactively informed and need to read the release notes ffor fixes and hope for your issue to be listed.

Despite this, bugs are luckily rare if one considers these units operate 24/24 hrs  365/365d, so some arrays get clean sheet but not each year , another one faces a reboot once or twice a year. All considered, its like DELL states, its a surely a rare bug and you have 2 nodes instead of 1 for such issues.

Neutral

The system is easy to install and you might be able to do it on your own on the 2nd attempt.

The first three systems were set up by a reseller, the Unity XT by myself. It's rather straightforward if you have FC/Block or Eth/NFS Storage array experience.

Ease of use, Ease of setup , Price Quality, vSphere Integration, Remote CloudIQ data (Performance data & Alerts), and ESRS/SCG  (Call Home integration). 

The setup is rather straightforward.

I have compared Unity x00/x50f versus Unity XT x80f. 

Midrange solution for SMBs up to large enterprises too, if you spread the load on many units.

We use the solution for site recovery manager, DR, and endpoint penetration. Dell Unity XT is integrated with vCenter. It has automation and is configured automatically in Vcenter.

It would be great if the solution could integrate an NVMe disk.

I have been using Dell Unity XT for two years.

I rate the solution ten out of ten for stability.

I rate the solution’s scalability ten out of ten.

The solution's technical support was fast.

Positive

It is very easy to set up and configure the solution.

It is not hard to manage Dell Unity XT. Dell Unity XT works fine and has never failed since its implementation in our infrastructure.

Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.

As customers, we use it to manage CCTV camera files. It serves as the file server for sharing and storage purposes.

The storage management is superb, with a user-friendly graphical interface and dashboards. The performance is good, and it has high reliability for data applications. 

The integration, dashboards, and analytics are excellent. It gives me immediate output and quick access to the reports I need promptly.

There is an issue with data duplication occurring on the flash memory. It should be improved. Also, timely updates and upgrades to the latest versions would be great.

I've been using this solution for approximately six to seven years.

It's an excellent product with high stability.

The solution is scalable. We have 400 users for the solution. Also, there is a support team consisting of L1, L2, and L3 engineers. L1 engineers are available around the clock in shifts to provide continuous support.

The support team is highly supportive, responsive, and efficient in providing solutions.

Positive

Previously, we had Dell devices on our site. We use Windows servers for our physical server needs, particularly file sharing. Therefore, we sought a solution for data replication between our primary and secondary data centers. 

Our goal was to achieve data replication with a minimal Recovery Point Objective (RPO) to ensure we have well-defined recovery points for the company. This setup has proven to be helpful, especially when there's a need to access necessary records.

The initial setup requires some training and deployment knowledge. It took us two days to complete the deployment process.

It is a good return on investment. 

Commercial side is not involved. 

This product is highly useful and well-suited for all types of automation, for smaller-scale or middle-level tasks. It serves as a one-stop solution for various automation needs. Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

Unity XT is a flash-based solution that provides extreme performance due to SSD or flash drives. It includes features like data compression and was used in customer environments. The simplicity in terms of configuration and data replication, especially in conjunction with RPA RecoverPoint, are key features.

Managing Unity XT is very easy, and being from Dell EMC, it adds value. The product meets many customer requirements.

The simplicity of configuration, data replication in conjunction with RPA RecoverPoint, and better compression ratios are the most valuable features. Performance is a top feature.

Data replication needs improvement as the future roadmap for RecoverPoint appliance is not there.

I have used the solution for about four years.

It is a high stability solution, and I would rate it ten out of ten.

I would rate the scalability around nine out of ten.

After EMC merged with Dell, the quality of support has dropped, and the time duration for resolving issues is long. However, support is still good.

The initial setup was very smooth.

My clients have seen ROI from the solution.

Pricing is a bit on the higher side and lacks transparency.

Dell Unity XT is a good product and solution. It meets a lot of customer requirements, so I would recommend it.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

We are using it as a unified storage solution for different workloads, databases, and data backup.

It provides simplified deployment, monitoring and management of storage resources. It is very user-friendly. 

Facilitated optimization of the storage utilization is a really good benefit. 

One of the major challenges we faced with this solution was regarding DPE. When the failure of DPE happens, it needs to be replaced with another part as Dell Unity XT offers a single data processor. Finding the replacement can be a complex task because it's hard to search for the exact part number since that information is not as public as other solutions, such as HPE, provide. Also, since it requires extensive research of the product, it's not very secure. Working on the complexity of these issues would be helpful.

I have been using Dell Unity XT for approximately four years. 

We are highly pleased with the level of the stability so I am rating it ten out of ten. 

Dell Unity XT offers good performance in general with minor limitations regarding mid-level storage. I don't think it's suitable for large enterprise models. I rate it seven out of ten.

Dell Unity XT offers reasonable support, but due to political reasons, my company is under sanctions, so I rate it five out of ten.

Neutral

When I started working with databases, I immediately started with Dell EMC. Later on, I discovered different solutions and choices such as Fujitsu, HPE, Hitachi, NetApp, and Sophos, but it is not possible to implement any of the mentioned solutions due to geopolitical reasons and issues with licensing. 

The initial setup was very easy. This solution is a good fit due to its user-friendly nature regarding implementing and managing the operations. It took approximately two hours to complete the whole process.

The deployment process went really easy with two specialists from our IT department. It is important to note that the efficiency and effectiveness also depend on the expertise of the people operating the solution. 

The pricing structure offers a favorable balance between the cost and the variety of features offered.

I am fairly satisfied with this solution. It is a good choice for small or medium enterprises. I rate it seven out of ten. 

We primarily use the solution for storage. 

The interface is very good. It's user-friendly and easy to navigate.

It is easy to set up the product initially.

The product has helpful local technical support.

It is very scalable.

It is stable and reliable. 

Its replication technology could be better. There is no option to postpone the replication after a failure. 

I've been using the solution for about three years. 

It is a stable product, and it is quite reliable. I haven't come across any bugs or glitches. It does not crash or freeze. I'd rate the stability nine out of ten. The downtime is literally zero.

We have found the solution to be scalable. I'd rate the solution nine out of ten in terms of the ability to extend. 

We have about four people directly working with the solution. They are system administrators. 

I've dealt with technical support in the past. They are helpful. We've worked with a local engineer, and he has been helpful and responsive. 

The initial setup only took one day. The initial setup itself was straightforward. 

We handled the deployment ourselves with the help of Dell. We did a standard deployment. 

I'm not sure of the exact cost of the solution. 

I'd recommend the solution to others. I would rate the solution nine out of ten. We've had a good experience with eh solution. The only issue for us has been the replication technology.

We primarily use the solution for storage for our online services.

The response time is good. It is suitable. 

The product is easy to use. It's not complicated at all.

We do have some sanctions in our country, and this solution is one of the options we have available to us. 

It is easy to set up the solution. 

You need to self-study. We'd like, however, to get professional training. It would be ideal to have some online sources available to us to help us understand its capabilities.

We cannot connect directly with Dell due to sanctions. We'd like to be able to connect to the distributor directly as sometimes we sometimes get the wrong information. It would help with transparency.

I've been dealing with the solution for about six months. 

It has been really stable up to this point. There are no bugs or glitches. It does not crash or freeze. 

There are three of us using the solution. We have more than 3,000 customers using the product. 

It's scalable. Everyone has been pretty happy with its capabilities. 

I've never dealt with technical support in the past. 

The product is not complicated to set up. The implementation is simple. 

It is quick to deploy. It took us about three weeks. 

We gathered the hardware, and we used the servers to connect to the host. It was pretty simple. 

We handled the deployment in-house with instructions or by looking at YouTube for direction. 

We have not witnessed an ROI at this point. That said, we do see that it is worth the money.

I'm not sure of the exact licensing cost of the solution. 

We are a broker. We're users. We are medium-sized, not enterprise-sized. 

I'd recommend the solution to others. It is easy to use, scalable, and easy to set up.

I would rate the solution eight out of ten.