Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ comparison

Dell Technologies and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are both solutions in the NAS category. Dell Technologies is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.7, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.8. Dell Technologies holds a 14.5% mindshare in N, compared to Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s 4.1% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 94% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Read 81 Dell PowerScale (Isilon) reviews

13,669 Views
7,245 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Read 304 HPE 3PAR StoreServ reviews

12,432 Views
3,108 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 7, 2024

HPE 3PAR StoreServ and Dell PowerScale (Isilon) are both in competition in the high-performance storage solutions market. Based on feature comparisons, Dell PowerScale seems advantageous due to its robust scalability and data protection features.

Features: HPE 3PAR StoreServ integrates SSD, SAS, and SATA disks within one system, and provides adaptive optimization along with solid scalability, reliability, and performance consistency. Dell PowerScale is appreciated for supporting diverse data workloads with OneFS operating system, enabling effortless management of large storage, and excelling in scalability and flexibility for large deployments.

Room for Improvement: HPE 3PAR StoreServ could enhance monitoring and reporting plus simplify licensing and address power consumption concerns. Dell PowerScale should focus on improving multi-site capabilities, enhancing metadata reporting, and streamline cost structures along with better management of small files.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE 3PAR StoreServ primarily offers on-premises deployment with robust customer support, though faster technical support response times are desired. Dell PowerScale delivers both on-premises and flexible deployment options with strong customer interaction, though it can improve protocol support.

Pricing and ROI: HPE 3PAR StoreServ may initially seem expensive but offers reasonable pricing given its comprehensive feature set. While its licensing model has improved, careful negotiation is advisable. Dell PowerScale, although pricey, justifies its pricing through competitive total cost of ownership and flexible upgrades enhancing long-term value.

To learn more, read our detailed Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ Report (Updated: April 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ

April 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 892,678 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:

ROI

Sentiment score

6.1

Dell PowerScale enhances ROI through efficient task handling, reduced costs, scalable storage, improved performance, and enhanced management capabilities.

Sentiment score

7.2

HPE 3PAR StoreServ offers varying ROI, with benefits in performance and efficiency, though not all users see measurable returns.

Despite being more expensive than Huawei, it is stable and most enterprises accept the price due to its stability.

Atif Pervaiz

Senior System Engineer at Atlas Security

In terms of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) specifically, we have seen a return on investment due to faster performance than our last few storage arrays, and the general usability is a lot better.

Cheyne Skapyak

Storage & Data Protection Specialist at General Dynamics Land Systems

The second cluster of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) gives us flexibility for small things like code upgrades, all the way to scenarios where we have lost this data center or data, allowing us to check if data is still intact on the other side.

reviewer2706753

Senior System Engineer at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

The return on investment is very good.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

6.9

Dell PowerScale support is praised for responsiveness but can be inconsistent, especially at initial support levels with partner involvement.

Sentiment score

7.3

HPE 3PAR StoreServ support is praised for expertise and responsiveness, despite occasional language barriers and regional satisfaction variations.

Support online is definitely a ten out of ten.

Mazen Jamal Eddine

Pre-Sale Engineer at Arab Operators

When we face issues, we raise a ticket through the valid portal, and they respond immediately and assign a local engineer to coordinate the support process.

Manaye Kerebn

Senior System Engineer at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Dell provides support within four hours, and they always fulfill their promises.

Atif Pervaiz

Senior System Engineer at Atlas Security

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

If we activate the 3PAR call home function, then the remote technician always has access to our StoreServ and provides strong suggestions to improve our 3PAR performance.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.0

Dell PowerScale offers scalable, efficient data management with seamless cloud integration and automatic upgrades for growing enterprises.

Sentiment score

7.5

HPE 3PAR StoreServ is praised for scalability, ease of expansion, and adaptability, despite some complexity in older versions.

We started on PowerScale with around about 300 terabytes and are now two and a half petabytes, still on the same file system.

Uli Betzler

Storage Architect at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees

That's really saved us in certain areas as we didn't have funding to expand Dell PowerScale (Isilon) until next year, which is why we utilized the cloud pools functionality to offload.

Scott Taylor

Senior Infrastructure Specialist at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

As an unstructured data storage solution, writing into it and accessing it from the other nodes is highly scalable with no issues.

reviewer2795952

Senior Technical Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.0

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is praised for stability, near-perfect uptime, efficient performance, and resilience in infrastructure demands.

Sentiment score

8.1

HPE 3PAR StoreServ offers reliable performance with minimal downtime, quick issue resolution, and effective support for seamless operations.

Since we have good protection levels, the data is secured and replicated across the disks.

Mazen Jamal Eddine

Pre-Sale Engineer at Arab Operators

Even if a node goes down, other nodes can respond and provide data back to the user without issues.

RahulSharma8

Storage Platform Engineer at Expedia Group

I assess the stability and reliability of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) as perfect.

Cheyne Skapyak

Storage & Data Protection Specialist at General Dynamics Land Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

HPE 3PAR is a very stable solution from HPE, and people have been using this for more than five years.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

My experience with the stability and performance of HPE 3PAR StoreServ involved one crash, which was caused by failing hardware.

Cyril Omatsola

Information Systems & Security Administrator at a government with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Room For Improvement

Dell PowerScale needs improved deployment, pricing, feature integration, support, cloud compatibility, user interface, and reduced management complexity.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ users seek improved UI, simplified updates, enhanced virtualization, better reporting, scalability, cloud integration, and support.

Firmware or software updates become effortless with Pure, but with Dell PowerScale (Isilon), we must evaluate or conduct trial runs to ensure that these operations will not harm our customer's system; their software is not adequate.

Red Hsu

Senior Ai Architect at Logicalis

Hardware failures under warranty should be addressed within the promised timeline.

Md Shakil Khan

Senior Engineer at Continental Tire

I would want to see more AI features with Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

Cheyne Skapyak

Storage & Data Protection Specialist at General Dynamics Land Systems

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

In Pakistan, some parts are not readily available, and we need to import them from Singapore or other countries.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

HPE 3PAR StoreServ might be missing certain features available in newer products.

Cyril Omatsola

Information Systems & Security Administrator at a government with 501-1,000 employees

We just need to verify whether our current virtual server setup is acceptable to the RBI, as they had raised questions about the VSO, ISO configurations we had implemented.

reviewer1568910

Asst. Manager at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Setup Cost

Dell PowerScale is costly but offers features justifying the expense, with flexible licensing for customizable and scalable solutions.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ pricing varies widely, with negotiation potential; performance and reliability often justify initial and ongoing costs.

It's quite expensive for the amount of storage we have.

Scott Taylor

Senior Infrastructure Specialist at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

Cheaper nodes will cost less, while higher performance nodes will be pricier.

RahulSharma8

Storage Platform Engineer at Expedia Group

Costs align well with what it delivers, making it a fair price for a powerful tool that meets all our needs.

RicardoSantana

Tv Systems Technical Supervisor at a media company with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

It is expensive, however, when we compare it to the features provided by HPE, the price-to-performance ratio is very good.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

Any customer will always ask for the cheaper price.

reviewer1568910

Asst. Manager at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Valuable Features

Dell PowerScale offers scalable, stable storage with flexibility, seamless integration, advanced protection, and simplified management for multi-location environments.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ is ideal for enterprises, offering easy management, high performance, scalability, reliability, and seamless system integration.

Dell PowerScale offers high scalability and stability as well, making it a valuable solution for enterprises.

Atif Pervaiz

Senior System Engineer at Atlas Security

In our AI initiatives, Dell PowerScale (Isilon) plays a significant role in data analysis, data fusion; principally, it is involved in data analysis, data extraction, and statistical analysis.

reviewer2689287

Senior Technologist at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees

Single files are limited to four terabytes in our configuration, however, the system can support up to 16 terabytes, so we can scale based on that too.

Bill Engelmeyer

Systems Engineer at Unisity LLC

For more quotes and insights, download the Dell PowerScale (Isilon) report

There is no downtime when we upgrade our 3PAR systems.

Muhammad Saqib

System Engineer at Hybrid Tech

We are expecting on-site support, which is the main benefit we are getting with HP.

reviewer1568910

Asst. Manager at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees

I find the HPE 3PAR StoreServ valuable for its ease of use and resilience, which is beneficial.

Cyril Omatsola

Information Systems & Security Administrator at a government with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the HPE 3PAR StoreServ report

Categories and Ranking

Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Ranking in NAS

1st

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

File and Object Storage (2nd)

HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Ranking in NAS

8th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

304

Ranking in other categories

Modular SAN (Storage Area Network) (2nd), All-Flash Storage (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the NAS category, the mindshare of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is 14.5%, down from 17.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE 3PAR StoreServ is 4.1%, up from 3.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

NAS Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Dell PowerScale (Isilon)	14.5%
HPE 3PAR StoreServ	4.1%
Other	81.4%

NAS

Featured Reviews

Bill Engelmeyer

Systems Engineer at Unisity LLC

Flexibility and reliability have supported seamless data growth

I cannot think of anything to improve about Dell PowerScale (Isilon). The hardest challenge we have is due to how we've bought things over time. The way that we moved to the PowerEdge platform for the newer systems creates a scale problem as I still buy the older style systems, which are more dense storage. They're different chassis, so the problem we run into in the data center is the depth of the actual equipment. The newer equipment, if we buy an FX910 or a 900, it's a lot shorter in scale than if I buy an 83,000, which is much bigger. This makes it more complicated for deployment.

Read full review

Cyril Omatsola

Information Systems & Security Administrator at a government with 501-1,000 employees

Ease of use in data center boosts resilience and infrastructure efficiency

I find the HPE 3PAR StoreServ valuable for its ease of use and resilience, which is beneficial. The main benefits I have seen from having HPE 3PAR StoreServ include its use at a small branch I managed for about three years with around 60 users. It operates effectively because it is an HPE product we use there. I have not experienced any significant issues besides occasional IT-related ones, such as local database problems. Since handing over the administration of the system to someone else and moving to another department, there have not been any issues. There are many features that exist but I haven't needed to try. Before moving out of that role in my organization, I knew it was a product I enjoyed working with for infrastructure purposes. After completing my new role, I intend to return to infrastructure.

Read full review

See which vendors are best for you

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

See recommendations

892,678 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Comparison Review

it_user182013

Federal Civ/Intel Engineering Lead at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees

May 1, 2015

Measuring Up: EMC XtremIO and HP 3PAR

Leading up to EMC World 2015, IT Central Station asked how I would compare EMC XtremIO and HP 3PAR. Until recently, the flash storage conversation in my organization and many others has centered on XtremIO and Pure Storage, the leaders of the all-flash array (AFA) space. To that end, I've written a…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

11%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Financial Services Firm

13%

Construction Company

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	20
Large Enterprise	46

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	73
Midsize Enterprise	74
Large Enterprise	170

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell EMC PowerScale (Isilon)?

The solution provides massive performance, scalability, efficiency, and ease of management.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell EMC PowerScale (Isilon)?

As I mentioned before, we did not purchase Dell PowerScale (Isilon) directly. Since our organization is a government entity, the country policy does not allow direct purchases; it goes through a fo...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell EMC PowerScale (Isilon)?

I think Dell PowerScale (Isilon) could improve some functions such as Apache S3 or containerized storage support, as these aspects are not well-developed. Their support system is weak; many issues ...

See all answers

What's the difference between HPE 3PAR StoreServ and HPE Primera?

HPE Primera has many great features but one of the best is that it is very easy to deploy. From an overall perspective, it is reliable, easy to set up, stable, and offers quality block storage. All...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE 3PAR StoreServ?

As a customer, I always prefer to have a lower price. Any customer will always ask for the cheaper price.

See all answers

What needs improvement with HPE 3PAR StoreServ?

I have no specific ideas for improvement at present. We just need to verify whether our current virtual server setup is acceptable to the RBI, as they had raised questions about the VSO, ISO config...

See all answers

Comparisons

NetApp FAS Series vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Compared 19% of the time

Everpure FlashBlade vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Compared 10% of the time

Qumulo vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Compared 6% of the time

VAST Data vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Compared 4% of the time

Nutanix Unified Storage (NUS) vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

Compared 2% of the time

More Dell PowerScale (Isilon) Competitors

HPE Primera vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Compared 7% of the time

Dell Unity XT vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Compared 6% of the time

NetApp AFF vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Compared 6% of the time

HPE Alletra Storage vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Compared 6% of the time

Dell PowerStore vs HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Compared 4% of the time

More HPE 3PAR StoreServ Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerScale (Isilon)

May 2026

Download Dell PowerScale (Isilon) product report

Buyer's Guide

HPE 3PAR StoreServ

April 2026

Download HPE 3PAR StoreServ product report

Also Known As

PowerScale, Dell EMC Isilon

HPE 3PAR Flash Storage, InServ, Storeserv, 3PAR Flash Storage, HP Enterprise Storage, 3PAR Flash Array, HP 3PAR Flash Storage

Overview

Dell PowerScale leads in unstructured data management with unified file and object storage, massive scalability, security, and cloud adaptability, enhancing AI, analytics, and enterprise applications with exceptional performance and resilience.

Dell PowerScale Isilon provides a comprehensive platform for unstructured data, excelling in scalability, management, and performance. With features like single-pane management, SyncIQ, and SmartQuotas, it handles large datasets with flexibility and robust security. Its multi-protocol support and seamless expansion improve operational efficiency. While it offers strong data protection, enhancements in cloud integration, cybersecurity, and performance are sought. Users note potential for cost reductions and streamlined configurations and mention desired improvements in object storage handling and NFS support.

What are the key features of Dell PowerScale Isilon?

Single-pane management: Simplifies data control and monitoring through a unified interface.
SyncIQ: Ensures efficient data replication for business continuity.
SmartQuotas: Provides intelligent quota management for optimized storage allocation.
Multi-protocol support: Facilitates cross-platform data access and integration.
Seamless storage expansion: Allows effortless scaling to accommodate growing data needs.

What benefits should users consider when reviewing Dell PowerScale Isilon?

Operational efficiency: Reduces workload with easy management and automation.
Enhanced security: Offers comprehensive data protection and recovery options.
Scalability: Supports large-scale data storage with flexible growth capabilities.
Performance: Delivers high-speed data processing for demanding applications.
Integration flexibility: Adapts to on-prem and hybrid cloud environments for diverse deployment needs.

Organizations across industries utilize Dell PowerScale Isilon for large-scale unstructured storage, supporting applications like video archiving, genomic data storage, and high-resolution imaging. Educational institutions, research centers, and media enterprises rely on its scaled-out storage capabilities, providing centralized, secure storage for diverse applications in hybrid, cloud, and on-prem environments.

Dell Technologies

HPE 3PAR StoreServ offers unparalleled performance and flexibility for enterprise storage needs. It is highly valued for its manageability and advanced capabilities, making it ideal for mission-critical workloads.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ is a high-performance storage system known for its ease of use and robust architecture. It supports seamless upgrades and is adaptable to evolving technology, making it an excellent choice for electronic medical records, virtualization, and centralized data management. With integration capabilities supporting applications like SQL Server, VMware, and SAP, it effectively meets diverse business needs.

What are the key features of HPE 3PAR StoreServ?

Ease of Use: Simplifies management tasks with an intuitive interface.
Reliability: Offers high availability and robust architecture for mission-critical workloads.
Flash Storage: Provides fast data access and improved performance.
Dynamic Provisioning: Enhances scalability and resource allocation.
Data Deduplication: Reduces storage costs by eliminating duplicate data.
Tiered Storage: Optimizes data storage with automated tiering.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating HPE 3PAR StoreServ?

Performance: Handles demanding workloads with efficiency.
Scalability: Grows with enterprise needs without compromising performance.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with existing systems and applications.
Proactive Support: Ensures smooth operation with timely updates and support.

HPE 3PAR StoreServ is employed in industries like healthcare and finance, supporting applications such as Oracle databases and SAP. It enhances data processing and provides essential storage for virtual and real-time applications, meeting the rigorous demands of sectors requiring reliable and high-performance storage solutions.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Sample Customers

OMRF, University of Utah, Translational Genetics Research Institute, Arcis, Geofizyka Torumn, Cyprus E&P Corporation, Colburn School, Columbia Sportswear, Harvard Medical School, University of Michigan, National Library of France,

Just Energy, Latisys, team AG, DreamWorks, BlueShore Financial, Erasmus MC

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ

April 2026

Free Report: Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

892,678 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Dell PowerScale (Isilon) vs. HPE 3PAR StoreServ report.

See our list of best NAS vendors.

We monitor all NAS 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.