IBM System Storage DS5000 Series Reviews

Our budget at this moment is for IBM System Storage DS5000 Series, and even though I always prefer the top tools, it is not possible sometimes. We have to make all these changes in infrastructure during a very complicated period here in Argentina. IBM and Lenovo have more normal storage tools.

I use the solution in my company as a storage of the virtual machine of the main system in VMware in IBM FlashSystem 5035. I am now designing another storage to manage object files and as a backup while also using it as a protection against ransomware while using the storage like a remote copy in another data center of the provider. We have Veeam Backup V12. I am trying to improve the structure with the backup strategy 3-2-1 or 3-2-1-1 so that we have a backup for quick recovery here with the DLP device, along with another backup in another storage remote and on the cloud.

I have IBM System Storage DS5000 Series and during the transition to the new equipment. I have an IBM Storwize V7000 Unified with three nodes, which has given excellent results even though the tool has narrowly reached the end-of-life phase. I got the tool from my company's common provider, from whom I bought all the firewall tools. IBM is now maintaining its tools to use them as secondary access to big data and to store copies.

The product has a solid hardware, but I received it with a mechanical hard drive. The jobs in the system were approximately 42,000, and now we have approximately 10,02,000 jobs with IBM Storage FlashSystem, but the performance has improved a lot compared with the tool from two years ago when I had received all obsolete equipment with a lot of mess, so I had to arrange and change all the requirements, and now I am working on the network's backbone with high speed, checking the connection with fiber optic between the main environment and the security. With the rearrangement of the rules in the firewall, I do a lot of work.

Companies or groups of business units are growing fast. We have perhaps between four and five more people than what it was two years ago, so the systems are increasing, and now we are working with RPA in some of our processes for automation, especially wherever it is mandatory in the financial branch, like a common investment fund and the investment in action or where there are other products. Our market is directly related to small business. We are working with companies where data translation is needed or where invoices, specifically credit invoices, the negotiation of cheques, or a doc that shows receipt of money, which you can sell at a future date. We have a sub-warehouse that has a back office in the cloud to use all operations related to creditors so that the company can increase its share in the markets. I think that we may need something on-premises in the future. The trends indicate that users are returning to on-premises systems because of the high cost of public clouds. We are looking for a better data center. In Argentina, hardware costs are high, but now, it is a great investment. We are slowly planning to expand the tool. In the USA, when it comes to object-first devices, there is a cost of 48,000 USD for 128 TB, but in Argentina, the cost is 64,000 USD for 84 TB. In Argentina, we have a lot of taxes, and the government is in the process of reducing these taxes, but now we have a situation associated with our economy. Out of 100 companies, only two are seeking employees. We are waiting for the recovery of the economy, but everything here is expensive apart from the salaries.

I have experience with IBM System Storage DS5000 Series for seven months. I am a customer of the tool.

The tool is very stable. We are managing the monitoring, and there are two or three big processors in the storage now.

The solution's scalability is very good. For example, now we have the storage with eight solid storage devices. I have an important number of tools.

IBM has an important impression in Argentina. My main provider, a former IBM employee, was confident about IBM System Storage DS5000 Series. For our company, the tool was expensive in some lines of the products. I don't have any doubts about IBM tools. I feel the market for IBM storage is wide here in Argentina because there is a high availability of IBM solutions in the market compared to other products.

In my company, 150 people use 40 servers in ten locations for virtualization. All the virtual machines are now in IBM System Storage DS5000 Series.

I haven't used the solution's technical support. I would like to have support to deploy all the monitoring systems with all the CRM and the screen monitors we use directly, for example, Grafana, which is popular. I need to build a big monitoring system to monitor from the data center environment. I rate the support a nine out of ten. It is more of a geographical issue than a company one. If you use Apple in the USA, it is not the same as if you use Apple in Argentina. The support tool is influenced by the country's environment. I can tell you that when we talked about all the equipment, The first device that arrived was IBM System Storage DS5000 Series, so the delivery speed was faster than the other tools. Cisco and Hewlett Packard take a year to be assembled. I have to deploy wi-fi corporate if I want to use Cisco or Hadoop.

Positive

I don't like the storage now, as it is in the same data center. I want to separate the data center from the backup to another floor of the building or outside the building in a data center of another provider. I want to have a public cloud that is 300 kilometers long, from Rosario to Buenos Aires, and another backup in the cloud provider. My company has to follow regulations about capital markets, and we have to stay on an on-premises model for the core business. We can have a contingency data center in the cloud, reduce the cost, and improve synchronization.

The setup phase is easy since we don't have to travel anywhere. We have a common provider. We always select a provider that offers the deployment service included in the tool. We don't have enough people in our area to deploy the tool. I am actively searching for new personnel, but it is very difficult to find a person. We have some barriers, as a lot of people work for other countries and have better salaries, so it reduces the number of people with the expertise that I need in Argentina. It is more useful most of the time to use consulting firms with professional teams so that we can stay independent of people who are leaving Argentina searching for better salaries.

My analysts of infrastructure, the provider, and I are in the process of learning about the process related to storage. For thirty years, I have worked in networking, switching, routing, and infrastructure, making it relatively easy for me to follow the process. I think it is not difficult to configure the device. There can always be a level where the next person can add more features using more effectively and go for the full optimization of the system. We can deploy with a lot of default VMs in the system, and it is more effective with a configuration and is more professional.

I have used help from integrators.

With the tool, I can make a return in less than two years compared with Dell EMC or Hewlett Packard's storage, so it is available at a good price. We mounted all the virtualization with less than 1,50,000 USD. We are negotiating to get the tool for 800,000,000 Argentine Pesos. The tool is expensive, but it is worth the money. There are no concerns about the investment in empowering the business. There is a need to negotiate a lot. The tool helps the lives of the infrastructure or people. People don't understand the whole picture between security, infrastructure, and communication. If someone sees the cost to be high, they wonder why they need to buy the tool when everything is working fine.

The tool has a lot of positive features like mirroring volume, which is more convenient to me, for me on the contingency side, and protecting data, and they are very solid. I am a veteran with the tool and have thirty years of expertise. I began my career mainly with IBM systems, like IBM iX and IBM AD.

My company has deployed the automation mainly in the investment table now, and we are expanding these with another area. For example, the negotiation areas have repetitive tasks, but we are now in the process of studying and analyzing the methods and all the processes because it is impossible to automate the process with no documentation or a plug-in diagram. If the company has to grow fast or quickly, we have a little goal to handle. I am the main manager of IT and infrastructure, and my team collaborates with all the main areas in the organization.

IBM products always provide me with highly solid solutions. Sometimes, the tool offers availability and features. I have used a lot of IBM tools during my career, and I use them to network with the technologies from IBM. I was working in the banking sector, where IBM AS/400 was very popular.

I rate the tool a ten out of ten.

We use the DS5000 for mainframe purposes. We have IBM z System and have installed SAP HANA SaaS for IBM equipment. This equipment storage holds very large data of SAP HANA.

IBM equipment works only with IBM equipment here. At this moment, we use Veritas NetBackup, and changing the software is very difficult for us. The enterprise I work with functions well with IBM equipment. We have been using IBM equipment for many years.

The security and velocity for fetching data are valuable. It is easy to manage, and making a new file system or handling day-to-day operations is simple and useful.

There are some functions that can only be used in prompt mode. If these functions could be shown in the graphical interface, it could be better.

On a scale of zero to ten, I would rate the stability as ten. It's very stable.

The equipment is very robust, and the scalability is very robust. On a scale of zero to ten, it's rated an eight.

Customer service with IBM is very good. The technicians know a lot, and the team is very efficient. On a scale of zero to ten, I would rate it as ten.

Positive

We used storage solutions from Dell and NetApp. We switched to IBM because the equipment works only with IBM, and we have an IBM mainframe and IBM power. IBM is much more stable and robust than others.

The initial setup was easy, and I would rate it an eight on a scale of ten for ease of setup.

Five people were involved in the deployment and maintain the solution. It was the same five people who deployed and maintain the solution.

The return on investment was noticed within two years; I would rate it an eight.

The price fits well with the proposal of this equipment. Although IBM is not cheap, the cost fits well with the propose.

We have used storage from Dell and NetApp.

I recommend IBM DS5000.

I'd rate the solution ten out of ten.

We just use it basically for storage. We don't get into the features that it has.

I use it as an employee; as an end-user customer. It is for basic usage.

IBM DS5000 Series supported our initiatives in handling large-scale data analytics.

That worked very well. We didn't have much trouble with that.

The initial setup is hard. 

I have been working with this solution for about six to seven years. 

I have experience with this product. I also have experience with the 8000, 7000, and 6000 series.

I would rate the stability an eight out of ten. 

Scalability is pretty good. You can grow your storage environment with it.

I would rate the scalability a six out of ten. 

We used Dell. It was a corporate business choice.

I would rate my experience with the initial setup a six out of ten, with ten being easy. So, it's kinda hard.

It was easy enough to integrate this solution into our existing infrastructure because we used professional services.

We used IBM's operational services.

The deployment process was assisted by IBM engineer, so the deployment time depended on their availability.

The system would work well for the customer. So, it's good. 

I would rate it an eight out of ten.

Our clients use the solution for enterprise storage needs.

IBM System Storage DS5000 series enhances clients' data handling capabilities through improved security, fast systems, and added value features like HyperSwap and Safeguarded Copy. Unlike other vendors, IBM includes these features without additional charges, making it a cost-effective solution.

Improving software installation and licensing retrieval would make using IBM System Storage DS5000 series easier for customers.

I have been working with IBM System Storage DS5000 Series for over ten years.

The stability of IBM System Storage DS5000 series makes it suitable for a wide range of projects, covering about 70-80% of the market's needs, particularly in Denmark. For larger projects or those requiring higher performance, upgrades to the 7000 or 9000 series may be considered, offering faster IO and increased data storage capacity while maintaining the same storage architecture.

The scalability of IBM System Storage DS5000 series is very good, particularly in the SMB market, ranging from companies with 50 to 1,000 employees. It offers all necessary features regardless of company size, making it suitable for various data demands and ensuring uptime and connectivity to the cloud.

Setting up IBM System Storage DS5000 series itself is straightforward. However, adding extra storage software, like Storage Control or Spectrum Control, can be a bit complex. Overall, the storage system setup is simple, but adding additional software may require some extra effort.

I would rate the solution as an eight out of ten in terms of affordability. IBM System Storage DS5000 series offers good value for money, especially after IBM adjusted prices two years ago, prompting competitors like HPE to follow suit. You can start with a low investment which is suitable for backup purposes. However, for more comprehensive solutions, integration and support from a channel partner are essential, as the setup process is complex and requires expertise.

Comparing IBM System Storage with competitors, Nutanix stands out in Denmark due to its popularity and competitive pricing. While IBM offers top-notch features and capabilities, competitors like Nutanix leverage their own virtualization engine and offer complete solutions, including servers, which IBM lacks.

Our clients in Denmark often rely on IBM storage solutions due to their reliability, extensive features, and competitive pricing. IBM's expertise in technology is evident, although its marketing may be lacking. Despite IBM's sale of its Intel server series to Lenovo, smaller companies in Denmark still prefer IBM-based solutions for their infrastructure needs. 

IBM System Storage DS5000 series is highly reliable, which is evident by clients' systems still operating effectively after seven or eight years. 

Overall, I would rate IBM System Storage DS5000 as a nine out of ten.

We are using the solution for data management. We provide virtual desktop services for the school, with management systems accounting for approximately 25% of our usage and 75% for virtual desktop stations.

We started small, and we gradually increased its capacity over the years. We started with a two-terabyte storage capacity, and now we are investing in machines with capacities in the mid-20s, with plans to expand to 50 terabytes. We primarily use it for data management, especially virtual machines.

The solution offers an excellent price-performance ratio, including SSDs and compression capabilities. This results in faster performance and potential space savings due to compression.

The solution's integration with other tools could be improved.

I have been using the IBM System Storage DS5000 Series for ten years.

We started with storage from 2 units, and now we have 50. The tool has good scalability.

Around 2,000 users are using this solution.

There was a major failure due to a single problem on the controller. Initially, we didn't understand why the system was still running, but then we realized there was a secondary controller. We contacted support and swiftly resolved the issue.

Positive

We have used Dell before. We switched to the IBM System because of the price-performance ratio.

The initial setup is easy. Deploying SAN storage is very fast and can be done in two days. It doesn't require any maintenance. 

We continue to invest in the IBM System Storage DS5000 Series because it represents a significant total investment. We are achieving substantial progress, especially since we have the same team managing multiple tasks. We have increased the number of users sixfold without increasing the number of system administrators.

The product has reasonable pricing.

The IBM System Storage DS5000 Series is the first high-level solution offered reasonable price. It provides the same features as high-end solutions but with scalability. It's priced right for us. Additionally, it provides features similar to those of an enterprise-level solution. We get a lot of features with the DS5000 Series. It's a strong positioning in the market.

Overall, I rate the solution a 9 out of 10.

The IBM System Storage DS5000 Series can be integrated into various platforms such as IBM, Intel, Linux, and others. It provides flexibility in integration wherever storage is required.

If you decide to expand the IBM System Storage DS5000 Series by adding an extension frame to the controller, you won't have the ability to incorporate flash storage models directly. Instead, you'll need to work with SSD which may be slightly slower.

The product is very stable.

I rate the solution’s stability a nine out of ten.

The solution’s scalability is good. It is suitable for medium and enterprise customers.

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

Technical support is very good. Response time and quality is good.

Positive

Dell EMC is a competitor that is easy to use and has high performance.

The initial setup is simple and takes an hour to complete. It can work as a group model.

The solution is cheaper than Dell EMC but more expensive than Pure Storage.

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

There are different use cases of the solution. We use it to store and protect centralized data. We can use it to store databases and other application data. We can also use it for backups.

The solution is reliable. The tool is known for its stability and scalability.

The stability could be improved.

I have been using the solution for 23 years.

I rate the product’s stability a nine out of ten.

I rate the product’s scalability a nine out of ten. We have many customers. The solution is suitable for enterprise customers.

The support is fast.

The tool is easy to deploy.

The tool has built-in licenses.

I will recommend the tool to others. It is stable and reliable. It is expandable. A solution is integrated with IBM System Storage for security purposes. Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.

Our use case is primarily for clients with mainframes, such as big banks or ministries involved in core banking or AI-based storage solutions. It complements those with mainframes and is ideal for large enterprises.

The most valuable aspects of the DS5000 Series are its high availability, stability, cost-effectiveness, and the unique IBM FlashCore modules, which other competitors lack. These FlashCore modules enable local operations on the drive itself without a performance overhead, a significant advantage.

Regarding improvements, there's a common perception, primarily during pre-sales, that IBM storage solutions are expensive, though studies often prove otherwise. As for additional functionality, supporting two to three sites for applications might be a potential enhancement.

I've been working with IBM System Storage DS5000 Series for about five years now.

On a scale from one to ten, I'd rate its stability at nine.

For scalability, I'd rate it at nine as it is typically recommended for enterprise-level companies due to its capabilities.

The only minor issue might be related to time zone differences, causing delays in responses.

Positive

Setting up the DS5000 Series is straightforward as long as the right implementation engineer is handling the process, ensuring a smooth implementation without issues.

Comparing the DS5000 Series with other vendors, I can't provide a direct comparison, but IBM's distinguishing factor lies in its Spectrum management software, providing unique functionalities that set it apart.

Overall, I'd rate the IBM System Storage DS5000 Series at nine out of ten, acknowledging that the differentiation in the market is not solely hardware-based but heavily reliant on software features. IBM's software updates often unlock new capabilities, making it a forward-thinking and flexible choice for clients.

My company uses the product for virtualization, SAP, and VDI.

The management features provided by the product are very simple and easy, making them the most valuable feature of the solution.

The price of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required. From an improvement perspective, the price of the product needs to change.

I have experience with IBM System Storage DS5000 Series for fifteen years. My company has a partnership and is a major vendor for companies like IBM and VMware.

It is a very stable solution.

It is a scalable solution.

I deal with more than a hundred customers of my company who use IBM System Storage DS5000 Series.

In relation to the technical support of the product, I would say that all the vendors of IBM face challenges because of the issues with the supply chain, because of which, at times, the spare parts take too long time to be delivered.

The product's initial setup phase is very straightforward, considering I am a system integrator by profession.

During the product's installation phase, I try to find the IP addresses, and during the initial configuration for the partition, I create volumes and assign those volumes to servers.

The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.

Two people are required to implement a single product.

The basic functionalities of the product are provided within the normal license, but users can opt for some optional features from IBM's licensing model.

I work as a system integrator in an organization where we use SAP. My company takes care of the implementation part of SAP infrastructure for our customers.

I would recommend to those planning to use IBM System Storage DS5000 Series that they also need to consider the other products in the market before making a decision.

I rate the overall product a seven out of ten.

We use it for applications, databases, media, files, etc. 

The product should improve its support. 

I am working with the tool since 2000. 

The solution is stable. 

The tool is scalable. My company has 50 customers for the solution. 

The solution has good support. 

The tool's setup is simple. The migration from a non-IBM product to an IBM product is easy and saves headaches for the customer. 

I would rate the tool a nine out of ten. We prefer IBM because of its good features. It can visualize a non-IBM solution which is one of its unique features.