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Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] vs FlexPod XCS comparison

Dell Technologies and NetApp are both solutions in the Converged Infrastructure category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of NetApp users who would recommend it.
FlexPod XCS
Read 295 FlexPod XCS reviews
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96% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 26, 2025

FlexPod XCS and Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] are part of the converged infrastructure market, offering solutions for data centers. FlexPod XCS has an advantage due to its extensive vendor collaboration, integration capabilities, and support system.

Features: FlexPod XCS delivers integration with NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, providing seamless support and compatibility across these technologies. It simplifies support issues with a single point of contact. Additionally, its architecture supports ease of deployment and scalability, well-suited for large environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] is noted for its compact design, integrating compute, storage, and networking in a single unit, which simplifies deployment for small to mid-sized setups. However, reliance on a single vendor limits support and flexibility.

Room for Improvement: FlexPod XCS users seek enhancements in unified management and automation to streamline operations. Cost reduction and consistency in support are also desired. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] could benefit from extended support, enhanced scalability, and improved storage options. Simplified licensing and additional compact unit offerings are also suggested for better alignment with business needs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: FlexPod XCS is praised for efficient deployment with multi-vendor support from NetApp, Cisco, and VMware, eliminating separate vendor interventions. Its customer service stands out as proficient and cohesive, especially in mixed technology environments. Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] simplifies deployment with its all-in-one design but lacks integrated cross-vendor support, resulting in slower service responses post-end-of-life.

Pricing and ROI: FlexPod XCS's higher initial cost is balanced by long-term ROI, operational efficiencies, and reduced downtime, appealing to enterprises. Meanwhile, Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] offers budget-friendly solutions for small setups with straightforward pricing, but it may fall short in long-term savings and flexibility in larger deployments.

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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

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
20
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
FlexPod XCS
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
295
Ranking in other categories
Converged Infrastructure (3rd)
 

Featured Reviews

Sheikh Sakil Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
Has delivered reliable and dynamic server performance
This process is very good, with a processor that has 32 cores, which is sufficient to meet my qualifications and needs. It's quite a good server, and I've been using it for the last three years. I also use different types of dynamic solutions for network design like AutoCAD and SolarWind.
Read full review
John Kevin - PeerSpot reviewer
Enforces standardized setup procedures following Certified Validated Design (CVD) guidelines and offers greater flexibility and control over the system compared to traditional systems
The GUI setup follows the right setup, meaning we have to follow the CVDi.e. Certified Validated Design. Everything is clear, because you can build CI yourself, but without rules, it can be messy. With FlexPod, there are rules to follow, making it more standardized. This helps with troubleshooting and compatibility assessments, simplifying troubleshooting significantly. We also use FlexPod pre-validated architectures to validate the design. It is very, very important to us because we had a bad case in 2015 where separate items integrated poorly due to no version or firmware compatibility certification. Troubleshooting became a nightmare. So, standards are crucial for us, and everything entering production should be verified or at least documented for certification.
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 security is very good on the solution."
"Dell PowerEdge VRTX is almost perfect in terms of stability, and I would rate it ten out of ten."
"We started off with a base because we started our infrastructure with Dell and we always propose or prefer Dell which is easier to manage the warranty than with different vendors."
"Dell PowerEdge VRTX supports a lot of memory which has allowed us to keep our system size smaller."
"We now find that the solution is quite stable."
"This process is very good, with a processor that has 32 cores, which is sufficient to meet my qualifications and needs."
"In my view, the only aspect that could be enhanced in the Dell PowerEdge VRTX solution is the pricing. Apart from that, the overall performance and features of the solution are flawless."
"The most valuable feature is the combined management in one box."
More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] pros
"The product is robust, stable, and has flexibility."
"It's amazingly scalable. It just works. It can expand to large MetroClusters and keep expanding."
"The most valuable features of this solution are the integration and ease of use."
"It is scaling to our needs. We don't have any issues."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the stability."
"It makes us more lateral and faster to production."
"From the Cisco side, the most valuable features of this solution are the data center density, the deployment, and the management of the servers and the networking."
"If the network or site is down, you just need to go to a single vendor. You don't have to open up multiple cases with each vendor to get things done. That is one of the financial benefits of this solution."
More FlexPod XCS pros
 

Cons

"We've had general issues related to the solution being difficult."
"Dell PowerEdge VRTX can improve by providing support for M2 drives."
"It would be better to have a compact version of this solution for customers that have a small office and don't require a proper data center with power or an industrial type HP."
"The scalability is limited with one chassis and the amount of storage it will give you, but it is mainly used for small offices."
"A disadvantage could be the price."
"The storage can be improved."
"Management of storage and networking is web-based, slow, and difficult."
"The support must be improved."
More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] cons
"I think it is sufficient for now, but in the next generation, I'd just like to see bigger, faster, and better."
"I would like more orchestration and networking in-between the VMs, the virtualization layer for networking. I would like to see better tools for this."
"The upgrade process needs to be improved and it would be nice to manage everything from a single pane of glass."
"As we do much of the Tier-I support ourselves, and thus don't normally need it, there is time wasted in moving up to the next level."
"I would like them to integrate the NVIDIA GRID into the system, so we could easily deploy certain solutions with the FlexPod."
"For the next release, because I know that we are using Pure Storage, what I want to see is the GUI interfaces on this UCS monitor."
"​Newer platform reference architectures take a long time to harden and be publicly available.​"
"They need to improve the user interface to make it easier to work in this environment. The older version is poor."
More FlexPod XCS cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are renewing the support and we are purchasing the license for the software."
"We bought a license for seven years."
"The tool's pricing is fine."
"Fully configured, it costs about $50,000 or $55,000. I did purchase a used one or refurbished one. I have been very happy with it so far. Even if it is an older unit, it doesn't look like its age, and I would say it has been a great choice so far for me. Obviously, I would have thought twice if I had to pay for a brand new one because it is still an older technology with the risk of being discontinued. I talked to Dell, and they're still selling it, but they're not promoting it. They're promoting another line of products right now for hyper-converged, which are much more expensive."
"This product is more reasonably-priced than similar solutions by HPE."
"The solution is less expensive than competitors."
"On the scale of pricing, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I would rate it as a three. I am familiar with the overall cost, which involves licenses from Dell and VMware, among others, making it a combination of various license types."
"The solution price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX could be reduced. However, when comparing the price of Dell PowerEdge VRTX to other solutions, such as HP and Lenovo, it was the best price for what they offer."
"Everything is purchased, so we do not do any leasing with this product."
"As a startup, for the amount of budget we have and the amount we spend, we are getting what we expected."
"The footprint in the data center is quite large, especially when you scale out. Maybe find some hardware in the future, where if a new blade comes out, then Cisco can say, "Look, we'll buy those blades back off you, and we'll give you this blade for X amount of money." A buyback scheme would be good for hardware, and even NetApp as well. Something like a buyback scheme for blades and stuff moving forward would be good, because I know that they're going to put more power into them. E.g., replacing four blades might equal one blade, which would be awesome, but we are still going to have those four blades around. Maybe having something where it will give you this much money for these blades so we can upgrade. That would be perfect."
"The pricing and licensing are quite expensive. However, compared to other solutions, it is okay."
"We fear high availability so we can't buy from different providers."
"We have saved money using FlexPod. We have saved time and money for new service deployments."
"As a whole, it is inexpensive, and it uses the least amount of parts."
"I have saved time on new service deployments. I've done deployments in under a week, and if it's a cloud-based deployment, it's even faster."
More FlexPod XCS pricing and cost advice
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Comparison Review

it_user244362 - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 30, 2015
Nutanix vs. VMware EVO:RAIL vs. FlexPod
Originally posted at www.storagegaga.com/dont-get-too-drunk-on-hyper-converged/ I hate the fact that I am bursting the big bubble brewing about Hyper Convergence (HC). I urge all to look past the hot air and hype frenzy that are going on, because in the end, the HC platforms have to be aligned…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
18%
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Manufacturing Company
23%
Performing Arts
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business34
Midsize Enterprise66
Large Enterprise182
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerEdge VRTX?
The system is very intuitive.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerEdge VRTX?
The cost of Dell PowerEdge VRTX is high, making it difficult for small and medium businesses to bear. I would rate the pricing as seven out of ten.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge VRTX?
It would be much better for customers if Dell could provide firmware updates even after the end of the product's life, enabling them to manage and keep their hardware for a longer time.
See all answers
What do you like most about FlexPod?
The system is designed for easy scaling. Because we define everything clearly. So when we plug the system in, we apply the profile, and it scales easily.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for FlexPod?
The pricing is not cheaper, but stability is more important for us now. We focus on business gains, not static numbers. Following XCS rules ensures a stable environment, which is crucial. For me, C...
See all answers
What needs improvement with FlexPod?
FlexPod should focus more on automation. Integrating an automation tool with FlexPod would enable customers to leverage automation capabilities. More automation would be helpful. Currently, we cont...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

HPE ConvergedSystem vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Logo
HPE ConvergedSystem vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]
Compared 60% of the time
IBM PureSystems vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Logo
IBM PureSystems vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]
Compared 18% of the time
Rackspace OpenStack vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Logo
Rackspace OpenStack vs Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]
Compared 9% of the time
More Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] Competitors
Dell PowerFlex vs FlexPod XCS Logo
Dell PowerFlex vs FlexPod XCS
Compared 27% of the time
Dell VxBlock System vs FlexPod XCS Logo
Dell VxBlock System vs FlexPod XCS
Compared 13% of the time
Oracle Private Cloud Appliance vs FlexPod XCS Logo
Oracle Private Cloud Appliance vs FlexPod XCS
Compared 13% of the time
HPE ConvergedSystem vs FlexPod XCS Logo
HPE ConvergedSystem vs FlexPod XCS
Compared 13% of the time
HPE Hyper Converged vs FlexPod XCS Logo
HPE Hyper Converged vs FlexPod XCS
Compared 13% of the time
More FlexPod XCS Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL]
October 2025
Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] reportDownload Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] product report
Buyer's Guide
FlexPod XCS
October 2025
FlexPod XCS reportDownload FlexPod XCS product report
 

Overview

Dell PowerEdge VRTX [EOL] provides compact, integrated management with shared storage and networking, ideal for small companies seeking easy scaling. Users value its robust security, stability, and processing power within an all-in-one configuration.

PowerEdge VRTX combines servers, storage, and networking into a single unit, optimizing performance and reducing the need for separate components. It offers excellent technical support and a resourceful design with multiple blades. Despite its current web-based storage and networking management being slow, there is a demand for a Windows-based application, increased storage capacity, auto-tiering features, and improved hyper-convergence capabilities. The integration with other storage solutions could be better, and a more compact version is suggested. Continued support and firmware updates past its lifecycle, better pricing, and noise reduction are requested by users.

What are the main features of Dell PowerEdge VRTX?
  • Integrated Management: Combines servers, storage, and networking in a single platform.
  • Scalability: Supports flexible scaling for small business needs.
  • Blades and Processing Power: Offers multiple blades with strong processing capabilities.
  • User-Friendly UI: Simplifies IT management with intuitive interface and hardware compatibility.
  • Security: Known for robust security features ensuring stable operations.
What benefits should users consider in reviews?
  • Ease of Installation: Designed for straightforward deployment without extensive setup.
  • Cost-Effectiveness: Provides good value by reducing the need for multiple components.
  • Technical Support: Recognized for effective customer service and assistance.
  • Space Optimization: Ideal for environments where space is limited yet essential.

In branch offices and industries requiring reduced space and IT needs, PowerEdge VRTX supports virtualization, client-server applications, and financial services. It aids infrastructure in providing internet and security services, highlighting its ease of installation and effective customer support.

Dell Technologies

FlexPod XCS is the secure platform your applications need from edge to cloud. Easily manage your suite of cloud-native, edge, and enterprise apps. Integrate advanced cloud services without compromising performance, security, reliability, or scale.

NetApp
 

Sample Customers

University of Dundee, GE Healthcare Japan
University of Sao Paulo, WD-40, The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group
Buyer's Guide
Converged Infrastructure
October 2025
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