Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems comparison

Cisco and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are both solutions in the Density Optimized Servers category. Cisco is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.5. Cisco holds a 9.5% mindshare in DOS, compared to Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s 22.6% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Read 29 Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers reviews

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81 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

HPE Apollo Systems

Read 22 HPE Apollo Systems reviews

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181 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

HPE Apollo Systems

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and HPE Apollo Systems are prominent competitors in the server market. While Cisco gains an advantage in environments already using their technology due to performance and integration, HPE is notable for energy efficiency and features that appeal to high-compute applications.

Features: Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are recognized for high throughput, integration with Cisco environments, and scalability. HPE Apollo Systems feature energy-efficient design, advanced management capabilities, and support for large-scale tasks.

Room for Improvement: Cisco UCS C-Series could improve by enhancing management ease, reducing physical footprint, and streamlining integration processes. HPE Apollo Systems could benefit from simplifying installation, enhancing support availability, and optimizing cost management for smaller enterprises.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers benefit from straightforward deployment and integration within Cisco-rich infrastructures, although customer service experiences vary. HPE Apollo Systems may require more complex setups, but offer reliable customer service, providing consistent support and long-term engagement satisfaction.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers offer competitive pricing with strong ROI, especially beneficial for enterprises with existing Cisco investments. HPE Apollo Systems, though potentially higher in initial cost, deliver excellent ROI due to their energy efficiency and performance for large-scale environments.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. HPE Apollo Systems Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. HPE Apollo Systems

April 2025

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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 C-Series Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

5th

Ranking in Density Optimized Servers

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

HPE Apollo Systems

Ranking in Rack Servers

6th

Ranking in Density Optimized Servers

2nd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Density Optimized Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 9.5%, down from 14.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Apollo Systems is 22.6%, down from 30.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Density Optimized Servers

Featured Reviews

Ehsan Emad

Head of IT at Synnapex

The VIC card is the most important feature.

I rate Cisco USC C-Series Rack Servers 10 out 10. If you plan to buy a C-Series, you should be clear about why you want to use it because the uses vary. different. Whether you're using Cisco, HPE, Dell or any other brand, it's essential to define your use case. For example, are you using it for a simulation graphics, calculations, etc.? Depending on the use case, you might want to go with a small server with more CPU. Sometimes you need a light CPU with a powerful GPU. For example, if we have a C-Series with four CPUs at the same time, or we have a server that's handled two CPUs at the same time—the purpose is crucial. C-Series is good enough compared to other competitors like HPE and the other ones. The HPE C20 is one unit and has a lot of RAM support, but the C-series is number one, in my opinion.

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Gayan Senadheera

Director at Tyax Pvt Ltd

Offers higher capacities compared to other solutions, making it suitable for handling large storage needs

In terms of improvement, we could benefit from some training. If there could be some training for our team, we would be better equipped to promote and support HPE Apollo. Currently, we haven't received any specific training related to HPE Apollo throughout my career. If HPE Apollo provides training, we can share the knowledge with our partners, which could lead to more opportunities for HPE Apollo in the market. Deal protection and other support measures would also be beneficial, as they could help us achieve better results in this market.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The VIC card is the most important feature."

"On the Cisco side, there is a benefit in terms of server management. Cisco provides UCS Manager, which is a multi-tenant site manager. We can manage multiple sites while maintaining disaster recovery, a feature not available on other platforms."

"The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are integration and customization."

"Cisco rack servers are very easy to integrate with other products from different vendors."

"Its hardware is really reliable. We also like Cisco for its support."

"The technical support from Cisco is fine."

"Excellent server solution with incredible network throughput."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the expansion and replacement of parts."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"The technical support from HPE has always been good in my experience."

"The solution is well documented in a data sheet."

"We're going to buy another Apollo 6500. We may configure it with half the number of GPUs because that may be all we need. In a sense, we can see the Apollo 6500 being so powerful that we only need half the GPU capability that we have now."

"HPE Apollo's pricing is low, and implementation is very easy compared to other products."

"It enables us to implement software defined solutions very easily, because Apollo servers are certified for use with Linux systems"

"It's pretty flexible. You can choose how much storage you put on the server. You can have one to three nodes, depending on whether you want more CPU or storage."

"The cost benefit of this solution is most valuable. It is quite effective for the work for which we are using it. We are mainly running video servers on these, and we are quite happy with the resilience, density storage, and streaming capacity of the system."

"With HPE Apollo, we can propose configurations with many hard drives, making it suitable for large storage needs."

More HPE Apollo Systems pros

Cons

"The price of the solution is problematic, not the solution itself. It could be less expensive."

"I would like to see a little more integration with VMware."

"The only thing I would change is to provide more proactive support."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers could improve by adding a wider portfolio because they only have two main categories, the C-220 and 240. There is no wide range of options as other solutions have, such as Dell. Additionally, if it was more flexible with the configuration it would be good."

"The pricing is too high and no discounts are available for our country."

"Some customers have complained about delivery time. So, the main weakness is the lead time."

"The C-Series is not designed to be as scalable. They are designed to have enough RAM and enough CPU on their own side. If you want scalability, it's better to choose the B-Series— the Blade Servers — because those are much more scalable with Fabric Interconnect."

"The warranty and support periods should be extended."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"We could, perhaps, use more GPUs in the future, go from eight to 16 GPUs per instance. That could run head-to-head against the DGX-1, the DGX-2 that NVIDIA has developed in their own chassis. That would be interesting to see."

"HPE Apollo's after-sales support and technical support should be improved."

"One drawback which I had: When I needed to expand storage on the Apollo, I had significant problems getting disks for it. It was a very long wait-time. So, if I were to give any advice in regards to improving this product, I would say make more of the 8TB disks available quicker."

"We would like to see SimpliVity on top of the Apollo."

"We are quite happy with it, but its price and storage density can be better."

"We have tried to used standardization using Ubuntu Linux and it's been hard. They had some difficulties getting the RAID configuration up and running because there are no drivers for it. It's not supported by HPE."

"There is a shared battery for all cache controllers in the node. When you have to replace that element, you have to take down all three nodes and not just one."

"The technical support from HPE has always been good in my experience."

More HPE Apollo Systems cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The prices of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are higher compared to the competition. When we try and sell against the competition, then it becomes quite difficult to sell"

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis, which is only $2,000 or $3,000."

"The solution is expensive and I give the price a four out of ten."

"This product is quite expensive and it would be better if it were cheaper."

"This product is slightly more expensive when compared to others."

"The price of the solution could be better when compared to other solutions. However, when we purchased the solution we received Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers in a bundle with other hardware, such as IP phones and networking switches."

"The solution requires an annual licensing fee."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"There is an annual license required to use HPE Apollo."

"Compared to other products, HPE Apollo is not an expensive solution."

"The price of the solution is more expensive than Dell which is their main competitor. However, there are times we have managed to receive a comparable price."

"It is an expensive solution but it is worth the money. The standard licensing cost is for the GPU and the features that someone is using. There are additional charges but they depend on the solution."

"Obviously I would like to see the cost go down. That speaks for itself."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The C-series is the most valuable.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The solution is moderately priced.

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What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The improvement should be done as per customer requirements.

See all answers

What do you like most about HPE Apollo?

HPE Apollo's pricing is low, and implementation is very easy compared to other products.

See all answers

What needs improvement with HPE Apollo?

HPE Apollo's after-sales support and technical support should be improved. The solution should provide fast delivery when it comes to replacing a particular product that is under warranty.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HPE Apollo?

We use HPE Apollo for specific requirements of Linux servers.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 55% of the time

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 24% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 9% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers Competitors

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 35% of the time

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 21% of the time

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 9% of the time

Dell PowerEdge FX vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 9% of the time

More HPE Apollo Systems Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

May 2025

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

HPE Apollo Systems

April 2025

Download HPE Apollo Systems product report

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series

HP Apollo Systems, HP ProLiant SL, HP Apollo

Overview

UCS C-Series Rack Servers deliver unified computing in an industry-standard form factor to reduce TCO and increase agility. Each server addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources.

Cisco

The HPE Apollo high-density server family is built for the highest levels of performance and efficiency. They are rack-scale compute, storage, networking, power and cooling – massively scale-up and scale-out – solutions for your big data analytics, object storage and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. From water-cooling that’s 1,000X more efficient than air, to “right-sized scaling” with 2X the compute density for workgroup and private cloud workloads, the HPE Apollo line is a dense, high-performance, tiered approach for organisations of all sizes.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Artoni Transporti, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, City of Mississauga, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Kind en Gezin, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Nationwide, Quest, Talbots, University of St. Gallen

Weta Digital

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. HPE Apollo Systems

April 2025

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