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Dell SC Series vs IBM System Storage DS8000 Series comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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 SC Series
Ranking in Frame-Based Disk Arrays
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
All-Flash Storage (16th)
IBM System Storage DS8000 S...
Ranking in Frame-Based Disk Arrays
3rd
Average Rating
9.4
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Frame-Based Disk Arrays category, the mindshare of Dell SC Series is 12.4%, up from 11.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM System Storage DS8000 Series is 22.6%, down from 34.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Frame-Based Disk Arrays Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Dell SC Series12.4%
IBM System Storage DS8000 Series22.6%
Other65.0%
Frame-Based Disk Arrays
 

Featured Reviews

RafaelGamaluis - PeerSpot reviewer
Architect Engineer, IT INFRASTRUCTURES Project Manager at Vilavi
User interface offers clarity and detailed information while technical support consistently delivers
The best features of Dell SC Series are stability and replication. The replication solution is excellent, and they have a solution named Live Migration. It is a robust platform. The interface and the GUI (graphical user interface) for administrating the Compellent are exceptional, with abundant information that is very clear. The management capabilities are excellent, and the stability of our storage hardware is remarkable.
reviewer1392684 - PeerSpot reviewer
Solution Architect; Senior Manager Mainframe Technical Service at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Great Global Copy and Global Mirror features with an easy initial setup
We're just a customer. We don't have a business relationship with the company. I'm an outsourcing service provider and I've had a lot of experience using the solution. We have everything from DS8100 disc storage, all the way up to 8990s. I'd advise new users to read the implementation installation guide. Most of the questions are answered in there. People just tend to skim over it and don't get into the details. However, it's important in making everything run smoothly and understanding the solution. That's probably the best advice I've actually heard from anybody. At the end of the day, don't be someone who skips the instructions, and all of a sudden you have a pile of parts. I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"One time, we had a drive fail and we were notified before we even saw it on the device."
"The setup is straightforward."
"In terms of stability, it's good enough. It's okay."
"The performance benefits weren't surprising, we expected that. What we didn't expect were the densification benefits that we got out of going all-flash. We're able to put more applications on the arrays because of how all-flash performs. The way some of the application profiles have responded to all-flash has been really pleasing."
"The most valuable feature is the speed for the end-user."
"The management capabilities are excellent, and the stability of our storage hardware is remarkable."
"It is suitable for small or medium businesses."
"The process of reallocating data from fast disks (SSD or SAS) to slow disks (SATA) gives you better performance and better use of resources."
"The Global Copy and Global Mirror features are the solution's most valuable aspects."
"The high throughput feature is the most powerful thing in this product."
 

Cons

"This solution could be improved if overall performance was improved and operated with a higher speed and supported a higher volume of RAM."
"The tool's pricing is high and not suitable for medium companies."
"The initial setup is somewhat complex and should be made simpler to do."
"It would be helpful if the solution offered higher performance, at least on the back end."
"While the price is competitive, in the next release it would be better if they could reduce the fees."
"Dell could improve the upgrading process."
"I would like to see higher compression, dedupe, faster I/O, and bigger drives."
"I would like to have 100% functionality through the web app."
"The GUI isn't as user-friendly as other options."
"The solution should embedded replication switches into the hardware instead of using them externally."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing depends on varying life cycles."
"We were able to afford two tiers of flash storage at a price where the competition was giving us one tier or just a handful of discs."
"Compared to other solutions out there, it's affordable."
"The maintenance is usually pretty good. It's not like some of the others where they increase it in the fourth, fifth, or sixth years."
"This product is too expensive compared to others, and I don't see any value in using it."
"We have the basic license for the use of this solution and it is a permanent license. The overall cost could be less, it is expensive."
"It is one of the most cost effective systems for us. We have been able to run it longer than most, getting the most benefit and money out of it."
"We have reviewed many platforms over the years. It is probably the best solution for its value."
"The license is very expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
University
9%
Performing Arts
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
No data available
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business26
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise20
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell SC Series?
In our case, we received favorable pricing with Dell because of our strong partnership. While I acknowledge that Dell SC Series can be expensive for many companies, we received good discounts. The ...
What needs improvement with Dell SC Series?
For us, it is a great product. The deduplication and compression could potentially be improved, though they are already good. We cannot identify any significant areas that need improvement.
What is your primary use case for Dell SC Series?
We use Dell SC Series in a VMware environment.
Ask a question
Earn 20 points
 

Also Known As

SC Series Storage, Compellent
System Storage DS8000
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

TGen, Frost Science, Gerrie Electric
Renfe, Park Nicollet Health Services, Ricoh Americas Corporation, SK Energy, SWK STADTWERKE KREFELD AG
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell SC Series vs. IBM System Storage DS8000 Series and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.
881,515 professionals have used our research since 2012.