Cisco UCS B-Series vs Supermicro SuperBlade comparison

Cisco and Supermicro are both solutions in the Blade Servers category. Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.4, while Supermicro is ranked #7. Cisco holds a 7.6% mindshare in Blade Servers, compared to Supermicro’s 7.6% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 80% of Supermicro users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS B-Series

Read 74 Cisco UCS B-Series reviews

1,130 Views
1,107 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Supermicro SuperBlade

Read 4 Supermicro SuperBlade reviews

846 Views
711 Comparison Views

80% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS B-Series

Supermicro SuperBlade

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 31, 2025

Supermicro SuperBlade and Cisco UCS B-Series compete in the blade server market. Cisco UCS B-Series seems to have the upper hand due to advanced management features and scalability, although Supermicro SuperBlade is favored for its pricing and support.

Features: Supermicro SuperBlade is notable for its high-density design, customizable configurations, and efficient power usage. Cisco UCS B-Series offers integrated management capabilities, scalable architecture, and robust performance.

Room for Improvement: Supermicro SuperBlade could enhance its integrated management features, scalability options, and improve its performance metrics. Cisco UCS B-Series may benefit from simplifying its complex interface, further reducing initial costs, and shortening deployment times.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Supermicro SuperBlade provides flexible deployment and personalized customer support tailored to individual needs. Cisco UCS B-Series ensures streamlined deployment through its cohesive management suite, affording quicker setup and management processes.

Pricing and ROI: Supermicro SuperBlade is appreciated for lower initial costs and favorable ROI, aligning with budget-conscious users. Cisco UCS B-Series, with higher initial setup costs, offers substantial value over time through advanced features and reliable long-term operation.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade

September 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 867,370 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco UCS B-Series

Ranking in Blade Servers

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Supermicro SuperBlade

Ranking in Blade Servers

7th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Blade Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS B-Series is 7.6%, down from 9.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Supermicro SuperBlade is 7.6%, up from 7.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Blade Servers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Cisco UCS B-Series	7.6%
Supermicro SuperBlade	7.6%
Other	84.8%

Blade Servers

Featured Reviews

DavidMbugua

Group General Manager-ICT at SkyLink

Reliable product with efficient automation capabilities

Cisco UCS B-Series manages various processes, including handling payments for over 650,000 growers, running group financials, managing human resources, and operating our main ERP system, SAP. The servers' resilience was particularly impactful. Even during power outages, the servers resumed operations from the last saved point without human intervention. The enhanced processing speed also allowed us to complete tasks that took two days in just one hour. The automation capabilities enhanced efficiency and facilitated integration with our networking components, particularly since we also used Cisco switches. The servers' security was reliable, and formal training on Cisco products made management easier. I rate the product an eight.

Read full review

Gergely Lakos

DevOps Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

With many servers in one, these blade servers are easier to manage

The service could be improved by faster servers, more widely available VMs, and more storage in one place. Then, in the event of a blade failure, we could start our VMs on another blade in a couple of minutes. This is why we wanted to buy storage. But now, we want to buy a twin server with 24 VMware discs to create test storage. The next product release should allow more servers to be controlled simultaneously.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The feature that I found the most value is the abstract and stateless capacities."

"The platform has valuable features for management and good monitoring tools. It provides efficient insights."

"It is less time-consuming to deploy the software."

"The most valuable feature is the service profile."

"The stability provided by the product is its most valuable feature for our organization."

"Overall service and support from Cisco is very good."

"The scalability is very good."

"The most valuable features are monitoring and processing, which can handle a lot of throughput and are more powerful than the HPE series."

More Cisco UCS B-Series pros

"The initial setup was straightforward."

"I think the IPMI is a really good feature."

"The ability to save resource is a key feature."

Cons

"The initial setup process is complex."

"Previously, the unified port functionality allowed the same port to function as both FC and Ethernet, however, this has now changed."

"There are patches that cannot be implemented without any downtime or reboot required."

"This model does not support virtualization of the switch."

"The integration is an area where Cisco UCS B-Series needs to provide users with more details."

"It is more expensive than the competitors."

"It needs a better UI. Cisco makes a great product, but doesn't know how to make a UI."

"The price of the solution could improve."

More Cisco UCS B-Series cons

"There is a lack of support for fiber channels currently that needs to be added."

"Supermicro blade servers are not the best. They could improve in scalability but are not really scalable right now."

"The solution does not scale well."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Make sure you work with a vendor partner than can get you a substantial discount off of list pricing."

"It makes much more sense for individual licenses for distributed environments"

"It is expensive."

"The licensing cost is a little bit expensive because by default, it depends on your fabric interconnect model. Most of the time, however, Cisco provides a lot of promotions to the customers, so the cost can be waived for many projects. The price of the chassis itself is fair."

"The pricing for Cisco products is always high."

"There is a need to pay towards the licensing costs of the solution on a yearly basis. Price-wise, it is an expensive product"

"From a business point of view, the price is on the higher end."

"Cisco UCS does not require a license. However, this license is not specific to users."

More Cisco UCS B-Series pricing and cost advice

"The product is not expensive."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Blade Servers solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Performing Arts

Financial Services Firm

14%

Comms Service Provider

14%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Computer Software Company

11%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	15
Large Enterprise	41

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS B-Series?

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it is easily scalable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS B-Series?

Comparing Cisco UCS B-Series with traditional servers, while its initial cost may be slightly higher, it is not as expensive as Oracle Exadata, making it a worthwhile investment. It pays off in the...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS B-Series?

There is a need for Cisco UCS B-Series to evolve and scale vertically, particularly with the increasing data demands and the integration of AI, ensuring the solution remains certified and capable u...

See all answers

Ask a question

Earn 20 points

Comparisons

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS B-Series

Compared 35% of the time

Cisco UCS E-Series Servers vs Cisco UCS B-Series

Compared 20% of the time

Dell PowerEdge MX- Series vs Cisco UCS B-Series

Compared 19% of the time

HPE BladeSystem vs Cisco UCS B-Series

Compared 14% of the time

More Cisco UCS B-Series Competitors

Dell PowerEdge MX- Series vs Supermicro SuperBlade

Compared 22% of the time

NEC Sigmablade-H vs Supermicro SuperBlade

Compared 19% of the time

Pure Storage FlashBlade vs Supermicro SuperBlade

Compared 12% of the time

HPE Integrity vs Supermicro SuperBlade

Compared 11% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Supermicro SuperBlade

Compared 10% of the time

More Supermicro SuperBlade Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS B-Series

September 2025

Download Cisco UCS B-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Blade Servers

August 2025

Download Supermicro SuperBlade product report

Also Known As

UCS B-Series, Unified Computing System B-Series

SuperBlade

Overview

Based on Intel Xeon processor E7 and E5 product families, Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers work with virtualized and non-virtualized applications to increase: Performance, Energy efficiency, Flexibility and Administrator productivity.

Cisco

Supermicro SuperBlade delivers innovative computing performance and efficiency, perfect for data-intensive tasks. With its modular design, it optimizes space and power, providing a flexible and scalable infrastructure for demanding business workloads.

Supermicro SuperBlade is specifically engineered for modern data centers needing high-density computing. It offers a compact, modular architecture that simplifies system management and enhances agility. It integrates seamlessly with cloud and virtualization technologies, supporting diverse applications and workloads. Its design focuses on reducing operational costs while achieving peak performance. Users appreciate its balance of power efficiency and high computing capacity.

What are the key features of Supermicro SuperBlade?

High-Density Design: Packs multiple servers in a small form to maximize computing power per square foot.
Scalability: Easily expand or modify with modular components to adapt to growing demands.
Efficient Cooling: Advanced cooling systems ensure optimal performance and energy efficiency.
Built-In Management: Integrated management tools for streamlined operations and monitoring.
Green Computing: Focuses on energy savings for cost-effective and ecological operation.

What benefits and ROI can be expected from Supermicro SuperBlade?

Cost Savings: Reduces energy and operational expenses with its efficient design.
Improved Performance: Delivers exceptional processing power for faster task execution.
Resource Optimization: Maximizes IT resource utilization and efficiency.
Ease of Management: Simplifies management processes, reducing administrative overhead.
Future-Proofing: Provides flexible expansion options to accommodate future growth.

Supermicro SuperBlade is widely implemented in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and research where high computational power and storage are critical. In finance, it's used for real-time analytics and transactions. Healthcare facilities use it for patient data analysis and complex simulations, while research institutions leverage SuperBlade for simulations and data-intensive research tasks. Its adaptability allows enterprises to efficiently meet technical requirements unique to each industry.

Supermicro

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Anonymous Banking Group, Artoni Transporti, Bellevue, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Hertz, Houston Methodist, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Lufthansa Systems GmbH & Co.KG, Outscale, Sony Corporation, Talbots

Prace

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade

September 2025

Free Report: Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Cisco UCS B-Series vs. Supermicro SuperBlade report.

See our list of best Blade Servers vendors.

We monitor all Blade Servers reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.