Dell EMC Unity XT reviews

Name: Dell Unity XT
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 4.2 (197 reviews)

4.2 out of 5

197 reviews
96% willing to recommend

What is Dell Unity XT?

Dell EMC Unity XT is one of the best all-flash storage arrays on the market today. Dell EMC Unity XT arrays are designed for performance, optimized for efficiency, and built for a multi-cloud world. In addition, they support digital transformation, enabling businesses to reach the full potential of their data capital quickly and easily. Dell EMC Unity’s All-Flash and Hybrid Flash storage platforms provide the performance, efficiency, enterprise-class software, and virtualization integrations required for running a wide range of virtualized applications.

Get the Dell Unity XT Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about Dell Unity XT, Dell PowerStore, Pure Storage FlashArray and more!

Dell Unity XT is the #6 ranked solution in best All-Flash Storage Arrays. PeerSpot users give Dell Unity XT an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Dell Unity XT is most commonly compared to Dell PowerStore: Dell Unity XT vs Dell PowerStore. Dell Unity XT is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 52% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 17% of all views.

Helped 865,164 peers since 2012

Featured Dell Unity XT reviews

Syed Habib

Head of Infrastructure Security (S.A.V.P) at EXIM Bank Ltd

Dell and a partner jointly implemented this solution in Auvink. We installed the Flash, which makes our IO operations fast and efficient. Replication is available, allowing us to replicate data simultaneously from one site to another. All-flash technology and vTXT enhance speed, and the IOPS are faster. The cache's IOPS are much better. Snapshots provide a unique feature for testing and make management more comfortable and easy. The platform is multi-supported and certification is more convenient and easy to manage.

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Nagendra Nekkala.

Senior Manager ICT & at Bangalore International Airport Limited

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.

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Vaidyanathan Swaminathan

Co-Founder at Tech RIdge Solutions

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…

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Dell Unity XT mindshare

As of August 2025, the mindshare of Dell Unity XT in the All-Flash Storage category stands at 6.5%, down from 10.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

All-Flash Storage

PeerResearch reports based on Dell Unity XT reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	All-Flash Storage	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell Unity XT vs Dell PowerStore	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell Unity XT vs NetApp AFF	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell Unity XT vs HPE Alletra Storage	Aug 18, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Dell PowerStore	4.3	16.5%	96%	120 interviews Add to research
Pure Storage FlashArray	4.6	6.6%	99%	199 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Dell Unity XT's most valuable features include high performance, ease of use, and seamless integration. Its unified storage supports both block and file functions, reducing complexity. Users appreciate the simple management interface, scalability, and robust support. Its data reduction capabilities, including compression and deduplication, maximize efficiency. The platform's integration with VMware is notable, with features like easy replication and remote support, enhancing reliability and performance for varied workloads.

"Dell Unity XT is quite scalable and can be scaled up to the petabyte level."
"Dell excels in service and support."
"Snapshots provide a unique feature for testing and make management more comfortable and easy."

Room for Improvement

Dell Unity XT needs enhanced deduplication and compression capabilities, improved management interface flexibility, and better VMware integration. Users seek increased capacity and connectivity options, with frustrations about limited scalability and storage group functionality. There are requests for more proactive support and timely updates, along with demands for cost reduction. They desire better replication features, seamless cloud integration, and enhanced reporting tools. Some express challenges with service and hardware availability in certain regions.

"The technical support sometimes takes three to four days to get hardware to facilities. I would rate customer service four out of ten."
"Recently, customers have been asking for a cloud tiering option in storages. Some Dell storages do not have cloud tiering, which is an optional commercial feature."
"Sometimes the response time is higher than expected due to a lack of issues."

ROI

Dell Unity XT offers impressive returns by improving ease of management and scaling without adding headcount. Users experience savings through reduced downtime and power consumption, deduplication, and faster server setups. It supports virtualization and simplifies data management for critical applications. Customers notice benefits in performance, less intervention needed, and decreased costs for vSphere integration. Many have observed significant value within a two to three-year time frame due to these efficiencies and cost reductions.

Pricing

Dell Unity XT is priced competitively for enterprise storage, offering cost-effective solutions with bundled licensing. Users appreciate its pricing against competitors like HP and NetApp, especially for all-flash arrays starting around $25,000. While some note slight pricing hikes and complex licensing at times, Unity XT remains a good value with no hidden costs, often benefiting from bulk purchase discounts. Its balance of cost and features suits both small businesses and larger enterprises.

"It is priced at around or under $50,000."
"The solution’s pricing is competitive."
"The product’s pricing should be improved."

Popular Use Cases

Dell Unity XT is primarily used for block storage and virtualization platforms, particularly VMware environments. Users utilize it for applications like SQL Server, Exchange, and Oracle databases, offering ample storage in various sectors, including healthcare, finance, and government. It supports both unstructured file and block storage, known for its reliable performance, scalability, and integration with VMware environments. Unity XT is frequently chosen for its speed, all-flash capabilities, and efficient storage management.

Service and Support

Many users praise Dell Unity XT's customer support for its responsiveness and knowledge, often rating it highly. While some reported challenges following Dell's merger with EMC, such as slower response times and difficulties reaching higher-tier support, improvements have been noted. Customers appreciate proactive monitoring features like ESRS and CloudIQ. Technical staff are often commended for their expertise and helpfulness, though occasional issues with support ticket management and initial contacts have been mentioned.

Deployment

Dell Unity XT's initial setup is generally straightforward and user-friendly, with a wizard-guided process and an intuitive interface. Many configurations are simple and require no extra utilities or professional services. Some users find slight complexities in aspects like licensing or specific network connections, but most report a seamless experience, achieving setup within hours or days. Training or experienced personnel might occasionally be involved for more advanced requirements, ensuring efficient deployment.

Scalability

Users report that Dell Unity XT is highly scalable, capable of handling expanding needs without disruption. Many have upgraded storage or enhanced configurations with ease. While some models have specific scalability limits, users praise the architecture for its flexibility. The ability to add storage resources or devices has been frequently noted as a benefit. The scalability of Dell Unity XT meets satisfactory levels, with users successfully managing storage demands efficiently.

Stability

Many users report Dell Unity XT as reliable with no stability issues. While early versions had some challenges, updates have improved performance and resolved bugs. Users appreciate its reliability and consistent uptime. Some encountered occasional glitches, typically resolved swiftly through updates. Most agree Dell Unity XT handles workloads smoothly and is less problematic compared to earlier storage systems, earning high satisfaction and stability ratings from various users and organizations.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell Unity XT Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Financial Services Firm

University

Educational Organization

Healthcare Company

Comms Service Provider

Construction Company

Retailer

Real Estate/Law Firm

Wholesaler/Distributor

Non Profit

Energy/Utilities Company

Insurance Company

Performing Arts

Hospitality Company

Outsourcing Company

Media Company

Transportation Company

Legal Firm

Aerospace/Defense Firm

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Consumer Goods Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Photography Company

Marketing Services Firm

Logistics Company

Compare Dell Unity XT with alternative products

Learn more about Dell Unity XT

Dell EMC Unity XT Features

Dell EMC Unity XT has many valuable key features, including:

Unified storage flexibility: With Dell EMC Unity XT you can consolidate separate storage platforms into a single Unity XT unified storage system via a simple and intuitive (HTML5) management GUI that also connects you to CloudIQ.
All-inclusive data protection: Dell EMC Unity XT offers a reliable way to protect application data with all-inclusive data protection services, including snapshots, data-at-rest drive encryption, replication, thin clones, and dynamic pools.
Software-defined solutions: Dell EMC Unity XT provides software-defined storage and HA for on-prem and in the cloud solutions.
Multi-cloud alignment: With Dell EMC Unity XT you have the ability to build and manage an effective data-first multi-cloud strategy. It allows you to consolidate public and private cloud resources that align with your business goals.
Metro node: This feature enables automated business continuity with zero RPO and RTO. It also provides greater flexibility through multi-platform support and replication to any array and has zero performance impact on the storage array.
Scalable file system: Dell EMC Unity XT is built with a robust 256TBu file system. The UFS64 file system includes up to 256 independent VMDK clones, 16 thin clones, space efficient snapshots with a simple space reclaim and low IO impact, file system shrink that can reclaim free blocks, simplified Quotas for User, and much more.
DevOps integrations: Dell EMC Unity XT supports the Container Storage Interface (CSI) plugin to run Kubernetes workloads.

Dell EMC Unity XT Benefits

Some of the benefits of using Dell EMC Unity XT include:

High-speed data access
Low latency
Dual-active controller architecture
Multi-cloud
Intuitive user interface
Cost efficient
Solid performance

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by Dell EMC Unity XT users.

A Systems Engineering Manager at a manufacturing company says, "It is definitely one of the most robust, solid, well-performing products that I have dealt with. It is set it and forget it, which is pretty amazing." He also mentions, “We can do both block and file storage on one unit without purchasing a separate device.”

Peter S., Senior Technical Specialist at a healthcare company, states, “The most valuable feature is reliability. At the end of the day, it just runs. This solution is easy to work with and easy to maintain.”

PeerSpot user Melvin T., Senior Systems Engineer at Prosperity Bank, explains that the solution is “easy to use and we can add LUNs or space without interruption to end-users. We're able to access it from just about anywhere, as long as we have access to a browser. That feature is really neat because sometimes we will go to a different data center or a different site, and if we need to access it to see a LUN or to see any type of storage, we can do that. That's one of the big takeaways with Unity."

Dell Unity XT was previously known as EMC Unity, Dell EMC Unity.