VxRail Reviews

We primarily use VxRail for small-scale deployments in our organization. Our virtual machines and AD servers run on it, utilizing no more than four nodes due to its high recovery capabilities. We rely on it exclusively for storage and computing needs.

VxRail uses a plug-and-play concept, so you can easily add nodes. While the initial implementation might be complex, you won't need a dedicated team to manage it once it's fully set up. VxRail supports straightforward scaling, allowing you to add as many nodes as needed for upgrades and simplifying the upgrade process.

There's a specific procedure to follow when shutting down a VxRail system. The process can be complex due to the system's configurations and load balancing. Because VxRail uses node-based configurations, handling shutdowns, restarts, or reboots might seem challenging. Simplifying this process could improve the overall user experience.

I have been using VxRail for six to seven years.

The device is stable.

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

It is a strong player in the cloud market. While it may sometimes be more expensive, it is well-suited for on-premises needs. 

400 users use this solution, but not everyone is deployed on the VxRail virtual machine because we migrate them to the cloud.

I rate it as ten out of ten.

The initial setup of VxRail can be challenging for someone without a strong background in virtual machines. If a team lacking experience with these systems is tasked with the setup, seeking support from DirectTel for the implementation process may be beneficial. The deployment takes more than six to seven hours.

I rate the initial setup a five out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

It's too expensive.

I recommend that Dell focus on extending the product lifecycle of VxRail to around eight years instead of frequently releasing new products. This approach could lead to a better return on investment.

When comparing large-scale and medium-scale companies to small-scale ones, VxRail is generally more suitable for medium to large enterprises. Small-scale businesses may not require the advanced features of VxRail and might find it less cost-effective for their needs. VxRail can be a good fit for medium and large companies, offering scalability and efficiency that align with their demands. It can be cost-effective in the long run, especially considering total lifecycle benefits.

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

The solution is used for companies using hyperconversion. If companies are moving towards hyper-converged infrastructure and want to consolidate everything to one single point of management or vendor, they can use this solution. 

VxRail is a unique product due to its adoption with VMware. It does work with PowerEdge servers from Dell. The hyper-converged software-defined storage is very good. The vSAN acts as software-defined storage. It offers very innovative features. It offers a very solid service alongside its innovative features and capabilities. 

There's an acquisition unfolding with Broadcom and VMware. We're waiting to hear what this will mean for VxRail. Until that happens, it's hard to say what the roadmap will look like. There are a lot of changes happening due to the acquisition, even from a licensing perspective, and we're waiting to see. Therefore, it's tricky to evaluate anything.

The Dell PowerEdge Servers are very good servers. VMware is also a very good product. However, we don't get a full picture of VMware cloud formation as an orchestrated data center. Maybe, Broadcom and VMware could bundle their products together. It's possible they could offer the same experience as a public cloud over the data center. VxEail should offer its own cloud platform. 

There can be a lack of functionality. There are limitations and restrictions of choice. There are only three modes of architecture. The hardware configuration is limited. Other vendors are more flexible.

I have about four years of experience using the solution. I still use it on occasion, although I do also use its main competitor, Nutanix.

The stability of VxRail is very good. However, for scaling, it's ideal to split the cluster into four domains if you have many nodes. This ensures stability. It will protect against data loss. 

The solution scales well. A single cluster can have 64 nodes. My largest project only uses 24 nodes. 

Technical support from Dell is very good. They've always offered very good. So far, we've been very satisfied. 

I also use Nutanix, which is VxRail's main competitor.

Review platforms such as Gartner and Forrester, et cetera, always have VxRail and number two next to Nutanix, which is number one. 

VxRail is adopting some of Nutanix's ideology in order to become even more competitive. 

The initial setup is pretty straightforward. We can handle it. All hyper-converged structures come pre-implemented. You simply open it, and you just have to do a few extra tasks, like attaching the management center and configuring it. It can be handled in a single day.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten. 

We use VxRail for private cloud and running core applications.

VxRail is aligned with the VMware environment, and VMware is a stable product. Running a virtual machine on it is much easier and more accessible because it is a configured appliance. VxRail allows us to contain the sprawling of servers and provides visibility. With VxRail, we can manage the life cycle of a virtual machine.

The support charges for VxRail should be optimized and made cheaper.

I have been using VxRail for approximately six years.

VxRail is a stable solution.

Scalability-wise, VMware or Dell says the solution can go up to 64 nodes in a single cluster. We have gone to almost 48 to 50 server nodes, and it is stable. Around 30 customers are using the solution.

The solution’s initial setup is straightforward. The solution's implementation is straightforward and presents no challenges. However, upgrading the versions of the solution requires some time.

The solution's deployment took 30 to 45 minutes per box.

We have seen a good return on investment with VxRail.

VxRail has a subscription model usually tagged with the appliance box only.

VxRail is a scalable and easy-to-use solution. Creating a private cloud helps us help our customers create a streamlined environment with fewer engineers. VxRail supports our virtual desktop infrastructure.

The initial setup of boxes is much cheaper than when we go for upgrades or add more nodes into the cluster. It is easy to manage VxRail.

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

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

I use the solution pretty much for everything. We use it for VMs. Our customers are on VMs, and that's the main use case for us. 

We use the solution to get rid of the physical machines so we can work from anywhere in a virtual environment. 

It's a powerful solution. It's very capable. That's useful for us in our environment. 

It helps simplify the management of VMware. They make it very easy.

It's useful that we can consolidate infrastructure from multiple locations. This is important to us. We've already consolidated a lot of physical machines. It makes management easier and centralizes everything. We don't have everything split across separate locations or thousands of physical machines.

VxRail helped with production downtime. 

We have four clusters at the moment and can easily shift around our virtual appliances. It's really flexible. We can shift around as needed. 

They are always coming out with new updates and fixes. There are no immediate fixes needed. 

There's always room to improve on both the front and back end. It might offer better integration with other products. 

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

The solution is very stable. 

The product is very scalable. 

In the beginning, support wasn't that great. However, it got a lot better after a few calls and meetings. 

Positive

We did not use a different solution previously.

We deployed the solution with Dell. The process was very easy.

Dell assisted us with the first two clusters, and we mostly did the second two clusters ourselves. 

We do not consider ROI in terms of the goal of the company in relation to this solution. We're a non-profit.

I'm not involved in the pricing or licensing. 

We did not evaluate other vendors previously. While we checked other solutions, this one proved the easiest.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. We find it to be a very good product. Of course, there's always room for improvement. 

We use VxRail for ERC for SAP.

The most valuable feature of the solution is the performance.

The solution's setup is a bit complex, and the complexity needs to be reduced.

I have been using VxRail for three to four years.

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

The solution’s scalability is very good. Our clients for VxRail are usually small and medium businesses.

I rate the solution ten out of ten for scalability.

Dell's technical support is not that good. The support team takes a long time to respond, and there are challenges regarding the people's expertise. We have been facing a lot of problems with the technical support for any of the Dell products, including storage, backup recovery, RecoverPoint, or VxRail.

On a scale from one to ten, where one is bad and ten is good, I rate the solution’s technical support a four to five out of ten.

Neutral

On a scale from one to ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy, I rate the solution's initial setup a six out of ten.

The solution’s deployment takes a few days.

If we normally quote for storage, we have to quote for something like PowerStore. In that area, the solution has brought down some costs. VxRail is still more expensive than its competitor solutions.

On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten.

We had some initial challenges because of the networking component. To overcome them, we had to go through a lot of documentation and information from the website. I would recommend VxRail to customers who have a VMware environment and want to consolidate everything into servers without using the storage.

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

The computing achieved by the solution for more than 100 VMs with less storage is very good. The software integration is easy, like plug-and-play. Compared with other products, the IT administrator or IT integrator doesn't take much time to get the tool up and running.

The solution should facilitate the separate expansion of computing and storage.

I have been using VxRail for ten years.

The solution's stability is very good. The failure ratio and errors are very low. The solution gives us fast pre-alerts for main upgrades.

I rate the solution an eight out of ten for stability.

As per the current scenario, we can scale up to 64 nodes, which is enough for normal workloads.

The solution's technical support is very good. We get very good support from Dell in the Middle East, but L3 access is a bit tough.

Positive

The solution’s initial setup is very easy.

Since VMware is detached from Dell, the solution's pricing is a bit higher than before. After the detaching of Dell and VMware, VMware's licensing pattern has changed and has become a bit expensive compared to other hypervisors in the market.

We do not pay for each Dell product but for the whole Dell bundle. We purchase a license for three to five years, which includes maintenance and support.

VxRail is utilized in our data center operations depending on multiple types of workloads. VxRail can be used by any company, including small and medium-sized or enterprise businesses. Once implemented properly, the solution works smoothly, and we don't need to maintain it. VxRail is easy to scale, use, and manage.

I would not recommend the solution to small companies. Small companies with less than 15 VMs won't be able to afford the price, and traditional tools will be better for them. I recommend VxRail to small and medium-sized businesses with more than 15 to 20 VMs.

Overall, I rate the solution seven and a half out of ten.

We use VxRail as a hyper-converged infrastructure service within our virtualization environment. We utilize it to run various applications, including virtual infrastructure, Microsoft SharePoint, Citrix solutions, and internally developed applications. These applications serve diverse purposes and are essential components of our environment.

The product has significantly improved our organization. It is highly stable and supported by an excellent support team, ensuring reliability and assistance whenever needed, regardless of time or location. The self-deployment feature is easy to use.

One of the most valuable features we have found is the ease of managing our virtualization environment. The management interface makes overseeing various resources and tasks within our infrastructure simple. Additionally, managing different kinds of hardware and platforms through the same interface is highly valuable.

The product has high pricing. This particular area needs improvement.

The platform is stable. Once you deploy any workflow or virtual machine within the environment, it operates without encountering issues. There are no significant downtimes or interruptions in monitoring. Stability remains consistent unless constraints are due to specific errors.

The product has good scalability. We can connect the required nodes automatically. Deploying VxRail is relatively cost-effective in increasing the number of users. We currently have a low demand for increased user capacity. However, if such demand arises, the process would be straightforward. Adding additional nodes is intuitive and seamless. Connect the new nodes, and the system will automatically update within the centralized management model.

We have only needed to utilize support services once or twice. We have not encountered any major issues. Additionally, when we did require support, the response was immediate, and our requests were promptly addressed.

The initial setup was straightforward as it was deployed with the help of product management partners. As for requirements for deployment and maintenance, no additional software is needed. Basic skills and general knowledge are sufficient for deploying and managing this solution.

The licensing costs can vary depending on the number of processors and specific requirements, which may result in considerable expenses.

The platform has enabled us to reduce the physical machines required to run large-scale services. It supports VDI deployment, enabling easy use for running different platforms in similar environments.

Integrating VxRail with our IT infrastructure has been relatively straightforward, particularly from the network perspective. However, we encountered some challenges regarding firewall integration. Overall, the process has been facilitated by the platform's compatibility with various vendors.

I rate the platform a nine out of ten.

VxRail simplifies IT infrastructure management by providing a single management console for compute, storage, and network. The second advantage is that VxRail offers a continuously validated architecture from the OEM. This means that Dell thoroughly tests all firmware updates before being released or installed on the product, helping to prevent compatibility issues. The third benefit is its ten-year roadmap. Dell consistently announces a roadmap for the product spanning the next decade.

VXRail enhances data center scalability through its CI-based architecture. It allows for node-based scalability, meaning up to sixty-four nodes can be added to a single cluster. This scalability feature enables customers to scale up as needed without downtime.

Apart from the single management console, one of the most valuable features I've found in VxRail is its continuously validated architecture backed by Dell. This means that all firmware and updates undergo testing in Dell labs. Unlike with standard Dell servers, where we update firmware independently, with VxRail, Dell provides compatibility information for each update, ensuring we never encounter compatibility issues.

Integrating the tool with other products is quite straightforward. It's open in terms of storage, allowing for easy integration of third-party external storage solutions at both the network and storage levels. Additionally, all third-party backup software is integratable with it. 

The product's automation lifecycle management is a good feature.

One challenge customers face with VxRail is the high cost of scalability. The price is higher if they want to add memory or capacity after purchasing the tool for three or five years. Each drive and RAM module is licensed separately, making the architecture costly. It would benefit Dell to review this licensing model and make it more cost-effective and flexible for customers.

I have been working with the product for four years. 

I rater the tool's stability a ten out of ten. 

I rate the tool's scalability a ten out of ten. 

The solution's technical support is good.

Positive

The tool's setup process for VxRail is easy. If you follow the deployment guidelines and best practices, it typically takes no more than an hour to complete.

We've evaluated products from various vendors, but none currently match VxRail's capabilities in the market. While HP offers a similar product, it doesn't measure up to it. Some unique features make the product stand out, and we haven't found any direct competitors that can be comparedIt's primarily designed for enterprise-level use and may not be suitable for smaller or medium-sized businesses due to its higher cost. Enterprises are the main purchasers of VxRail. However, if Dell aims to make it more cost-effective, it could expand its market to include small and medium-sized businesses.

I rate the overall solution an eight out of ten.