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reviewer1263387 - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Consultant at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Consultant
May 26, 2023
A flexible and stable solution for companies that have small offices
Pros and Cons
  • "We can utilize more than a terabyte of memory."
  • "The product should allow management to troubleshoot remotely."

What is our primary use case?

Our customers use the solution for Active Directory.

What is most valuable?

The product is good for companies that have small offices. We can install more internal disks in the product. We can utilize more than a terabyte of memory.

What needs improvement?

The product should allow management to troubleshoot remotely. The management should be able to access remote management instead of going to the server location.

For how long have I used the solution?

I am using the solution in my current organization.

Buyer's Guide
HPE Proliant ML
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about HPE Proliant ML. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,644 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The support responds quickly to all our queries.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple.

What about the implementation team?

We deploy the product using Intelligent Provisioning. Once we have the ISO file, the product can be automatically installed. The deployment takes around 35 to 40 minutes. One person can deploy the solution. It is not difficult to maintain the solution.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Dell also provides similar solutions. Dell is cheaper than HPE. The choice of product depends on the customer’s needs.

What other advice do I have?

We are system integrators. We set up servers for our customers. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
Network Admin at ALRASHID ABETONG
Real User
Oct 12, 2020
Easy to set up and use, with technical support that is both good and readily available
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the technical support, which is both good and available easily."
  • "This is a product that I would certainly recommend because they are the easiest and simplest form of servers available here in the market."
  • "I think that the RAID support can be improved because it is not very effective compared to the DL series."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use these as file servers. Rarely, we use them for applications.

We are in a physical environment. We have a head office that is based in Saudi Arabia, as well as a second one.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the technical support, which is both good and available easily.

What needs improvement?

I think that the RAID support can be improved because it is not very effective compared to the DL series. Generally, scalability can be improved.

I would like to see a centralized monitoring system for the ML series, where we can see all of them in one place. Something like InfoSight would work well.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have bee using the Proliant series for about 12 years, since perhaps 2008. We used to buy a new one every three to four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

These servers are stable and we have never had an issue.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The Proliant ML is not very scalable because we can hardly increase the memory. The RAID support is also much less than what you get with the DL series.

We have between 10 and 15 Proliant servers and hundreds of users.

How are customer service and technical support?

HPE support is both good and easy to find, especially compared to competitors.

There are two or three local partners in this area and they're good.

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

We are also using the DL series. We primarily use these, as opposed to the ML series. The DL is better, for sure, because it's a little more high-end.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is simple and there is nothing complicated about it. You really just have to turn it on because it's just the backend. After that, it depends on your software and what you're going to install, but it's open and ready to use.

What about the implementation team?

Our in-house team implemented and deployed our servers. We have a service maintenance team of between three and five people, and we also have partners.

If there is maintenance that needs to be done and it is an issue under warranty then they will come and fix it, or sometimes give us a replacement. All of the other things are done here.

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

The ML series is cheaper than other products, and everything is included with the standard licensing fees.

What other advice do I have?

This is a product that I would certainly recommend because they are the easiest and simplest form of servers available here in the market. It's easy to use for any purpose.

I would rate this solution and eight out of ten.

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.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
HPE Proliant ML
June 2026
Learn what your peers think about HPE Proliant ML. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2026.
900,644 professionals have used our research since 2012.
it_user363261 - PeerSpot reviewer
Purchasing and Vendor Manager at a tech vendor with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Nov 2, 2017
It allows users to manage it remotely if something happens
Pros and Cons
  • "The high resolution function is very good, one of the best on the market."
  • "The HP writing systems could be more customer-focused instead of process-focused."

What is most valuable?

  • The high resolution function is very good, one of the best on the market.
  • It allows users to manage it remotely if something happens, which is quite neat.

How has it helped my organization?

Our main concern is having to rebuy the solution or having downtime, so the fact that these servers run well and do not break often addresses our concern.

What needs improvement?

The HP writing systems could be more customer-focused instead of process-focused. It can take some companies quite a while to write.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

It deploys without issue.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I give it a nine out of 10. It is generally very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable, depending on the services that you are running. This is a known factor, so you should plan for it.

How is customer service and technical support?

I have found technical support to be responsive.

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

I have found that the bigger the case that you want, the better the price.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated Dell, but found that HPE fit our needs better. We found that HPE worked better in our environment, and also, that our staff were more competent with HPE than with Dell.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user680196 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Data Center Analyst at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
Jun 16, 2017
Some of the valuable features are consistency, quality, and dependability.
Pros and Cons
  • "Ease of use. When you use one HPE item, it's very simple to get into anything else, software-wise."
  • "I would like see better integration with OneView."

What is most valuable?

Ease of use. When you use one HPE item, it's very simple to get into anything else, software-wise. It's all about consistency and quality. I would actually say that we've had a lot less down time or minimal issues with the HPE hardware than with any other hardware we've had over the years.

How has it helped my organization?

Dependability. That is a big thing for us, because we are in healthcare.

What needs improvement?

I would like see better integration with OneView.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is totally stable, until you're playing around with some of the updates and stuff. Other than that, it is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is there and it's very good.

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is very good.

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

We are provincially-driven in Canada. The hardware that we purchase is all purchased through a provincial agreement. We have to go with whatever they go with. We previously had IBM, up to five years ago. Then we had to start implementing HPE gear, due to the provincial requirements, based on RFQs and RFPs.

How was the initial setup?

The setup was very straightforward.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have been evaluating other options. We have looked here and there at other vendors along the way. We do have other vendor equipment in our data center.

When selecting a vendor, we look for customer service, which is the most important thing, and then product reliability. We need as many nines as we can get.

What other advice do I have?

Do your research and make sure that it fits your solution. There are so many new options out there.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user567750 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior IT Technician at a local government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
Dec 24, 2016
Highly compatible and dependable servers that last.
Pros and Cons
  • "If you want cheap, then you get cheap, if you want good quality that lasts you forever, then you buy HPE."
  • "This solution has average security, but only for education purposes."

What is most valuable?

The quality of the build is the “be-all and end-all” in my eyes. I like the fact that it's indestructible. We've had servers for a long time. Most companies have servers that last for only three years and then they replace them. We've had servers for seven or eight years. The only reason we get rid of them is because the newer models are out. There is nothing wrong with them.

I'm old school. When I look at servers, it has to have an HPE brand. I don't like Fujitsu. I've used them and I don't like them. I don't particularly like Dell.

HPE works out of the box. There's no poshness or no stupid laws and regulations. You just choose what you want and it just works.

How has it helped my organization?

It's compatible with servers and other HP equipment we use in the schools. I don't have any issues with compatibility. If I need drivers for specific products, they are there online. I don't have to run around all over the place looking for equivalent drivers or equivalent bits of software. In my job in education, I have found that HPE has support for all technology. It's a one-stop-shop.

What needs improvement?

I would like to be able to interact with touchscreen smart boards. It comes with iPads and Apple devices. I'd like to interact wirelessly with smart boards. I found Apple a little bit better for that. That's why schools are buying a lot of iPads at the moment. I buy HPE laptops for the teachers and stuff like that, but to make it interactive, it has to be physically plugged into devices to get it to work. Once they're connected, it works great. Schools are going on iPads now where they can connect wirelessly.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I've been doing this for 20 years and I've only had one HPE server die during that time. The motherboard failed. I just rang HPE and an HPE engineer came out and fixed it within 24 hours. I can't find a fault with this product at all.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can scale it. We don't scale it as such. We buy a product to suit our needs, and we've never needed to enhance it after we bought it out of the box. What we normally do is look at the specifications, see what that job entails, and build a server to those specifications. We look at a two or a three-year growth expectancy. That's one of the jobs I basically do.

How is customer service and technical support?

I've used HPE technical support, and it is phenomenal. I had one issue once where I couldn't get the installation to start. It was a starting pack, which HPE has since built into your machines. Back then, it was a new product, Version 2, that I had never used. I just rang up and said, "How do you get this to kick in? Where's the CD? Where's this, where's that?" It worked really well. The fault was just in my knowledge. I didn't have that sort of range.

With the new version, you just press a key and it kicks in.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is for single-layer network. We have servers on the main cover, and then it satellites out to individual premises in schools that go over the fiber link, and the group policies then travel from the main cover down to the satellite sites.

What other advice do I have?

This solution has average security, but only for education purposes. We have standard encryption.

We inquire about the newest product that is coming out, and then we look at the cost-efficiency for how much it's capable of doing for what we need. If it's too big of a jump, then we will opt-out of that option, and look for an everyday solution. We're talking about primary and secondary skills. We haven't got thousands and thousands of pounds to pay for them.

I've used HPE in the past. I know it works out of the box. I won't change since it works. If you want cheap, then you get cheap. If you want good quality that lasts you forever, then you buy HPE. You pay for what you have.

Keep up the good work.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user252639 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Systems Engineer - Storage and Virtualization at a legal firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Vendor
Aug 22, 2016
They are just as reliable as the blade servers.
Pros and Cons
  • "ProLiant is the industry standard and the most popular selling rack mount server in the history of rack mount servers."
  • "The quality of the cases has gone down. They flex a lot."

Valuable Features

ProLiant is the industry standard and the most popular selling rack mount server in the history of rack mount servers. We use them out of momentum.

Room for Improvement

The quality of the cases has gone down. They flex a lot.

Use of Solution

I’ve used the product for more years than I care to count.

Stability Issues

They are a very stable product for us and are just as reliable as the blade servers.

Scalability Issues

We use them for remote offices, normally in pairs, and we haven’t had any issues. They’re easy to work on and can deal with tight quarters where it is really hot.

Customer Service and Technical Support

HP support is very good. I've never had an issue with it. HP stands behind their product so they work hard to fix issues.

Other Advice

To pick a solution, we generally create a matrix and then fill in what we want out of the product. We pump in vendors and choose whoever meets the targets that we set. I would rate the ProLiant a 9 out of 10.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user362046 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Architect And Solution Manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Consultant
Feb 21, 2016
The most important feature for us is that they're simple to manage for administrators and IT infrastructure teams. The software needs some improvement for implementing updates.
Pros and Cons
  • "They're good products and once you learn them, they're simple to manage for administrators and IT infrastructure teams."
  • "The software needs some improvement, especially when there's an issue."

Valuable Features

I've used these servers for 20 years since the days of Compaq, and so they're easy for me to use. They're good products and once you learn them, they're simple to manage for administrators and IT infrastructure teams. That's really the most important feature -- the ease of use.

Improvements to My Organization

This is a bit of a strange question because it's not a perfect solution for an organization that is reliant on its customers. The servers are not only for us but for our customers as well because, ultimately, we work for our customers. These servers let us provide the best service to our customers.

Room for Improvement

The software needs some improvement, especially when there's an issue. When implementing software updates, patches, or fixes, sometimes we need to stop a part of the service. Of course, this is downtime that interrupts services and impacts the relationships we have with our customers. We need to be able to rely on software that won't require downtime to update or at least have much more minimal effect on our business when there is a required update.

Deployment Issues

Deployment has been generally good with only minor issues.

Stability Issues

It's very stable, except where I've pointed out the need to stop parts of the services for software updates, patches, or fixes.

Scalability Issues

It has scaled for us without issues.

Customer Service and Technical Support

Technical support is good.

Initial Setup

The initial setup is fairly straightforward, particularly the hardware. The software has a bit of complexity and there's, again, the issue of updates and patches.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user364161 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Process Manager - Server Domain Architect at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Jan 7, 2016
We're standardized with these servers with the accompanying support and hardware. It makes things much more efficient for us to maintain and operate.
Pros and Cons
  • "We're standardized with these servers with the accompanying support and hardware, which makes things much more efficient for us to maintain and operate, and it's easy for staff to manage."
  • "We have stability problems when we install new generations, but they're usually resolved within six months or so."

Valuable Features

We use the standard version of these servers. They're very useful for us and are the only servers we use for all our server needs.

Improvements to My Organization

We're standardized with these servers with the accompanying support and hardware. It makes things much more efficient for us to maintain and operate. Plus, it's easy for staff to manage.

Use of Solution

We first used them 25 years ago, and therefore have many different generations of them. We actually have thousands of them in our data centers.

Deployment Issues

They deploy without issues.

Stability Issues

We have stability problems when we install new generations, but they're usually resolved within six months or so.

Scalability Issues

It's very scalable.

Customer Service and Technical Support

I think that technical support is good enough for us.

Initial Setup

The initial setup is straightforward.

Other Advice

Just use it.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user362043 - PeerSpot reviewer
Infrastructure Manager at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Jan 3, 2016
We've seen the most improvement in change in continuities, where each time we move new hardware, it's more and more effective.
Pros and Cons
  • "It's truly effective and it's always on."
  • "It seems that when we have a single problem, it's a fight with the hardware."

Valuable Features

It's truly effective and it's always on. We've tried other manufacturers who claimed particular purposes for their servers, but we never got any decent results from them. We tried HP servers a few years ago and we've come back to it. It's perfect for what we do.

Improvements to My Organization

For us, it's change in continuities where we've seen the most improvement. Each time we move new hardware, it's more and more effective. Everyone on the team is familiar with the hardware, so we don't have to teach them everything. It's simple for us to operate as a team, which is of primary importance for us.

Room for Improvement

It seems that when we have a single problem, it's a fight with the hardware. We get the package and we do the assembly. This takes us a week or more, and that's a problem. It takes too much time.

Deployment Issues

Deployment has been issue-free.

Stability Issues

It's very stable. That's a main factor for us.

Scalability Issues

We're able to scale it, though we're mainly adding older servers to this new one. Scalability is not the most important thing for us.

Customer Service and Technical Support

Technical support has been good. We work in sensitive environments and technical support has been a positive point.

Initial Setup

Initial setup was straightforward.

Implementation Team

We implemented it ourselves in-house.

Pricing, Setup Cost and Licensing

HP maybe seems sometimes more expensive than others, but we stay with them and we know why.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Vice President at a tech vendor with 51-200 employees
Reseller
May 29, 2015
Good for data centers and SMB enviorments
Pros and Cons
  • "Complete video overview:"

    Valuable Features:

    Complete video overview:

    Other Advice:

    I can update this soon with benchmark results and also coming soon is memory configurations.

    Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
    PeerSpot user
    it_user318648 - PeerSpot reviewer
    it_user318648Content Strategist at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
    Vendor

    It is fantastic to read such wonderful comments about our HP BladeSystem from real users.

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