FlexPod XCS vs IBM VersaStack comparison

NetApp and IBM are both solutions in the Converged Infrastructure category. NetApp is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.3, while IBM is ranked #11. NetApp holds a 10.1% mindshare in CI, compared to IBM’s 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of NetApp users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of IBM users who would recommend it.

FlexPod XCS

Read 295 FlexPod XCS reviews

2,048 Views
799 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

IBM VersaStack

Read 3 IBM VersaStack reviews

132 Views
117 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

FlexPod XCS

IBM VersaStack

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 2, 2025

FlexPod XCS and IBM VersaStack are competing products in the converged infrastructure space. FlexPod XCS often has the upper hand due to its customer support and competitive pricing, whereas IBM VersaStack appeals to those seeking advanced features and are willing to invest more for quality.

Features: FlexPod XCS offers flexibility and a scalable architecture that integrates with Cisco and NetApp technologies. IBM VersaStack provides comprehensive data management and robust security features. Notably, IBM VersaStack includes advanced analytics tools adding significant value.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: FlexPod XCS provides a straightforward deployment process with dedicated support, making installation and configuration easier. IBM VersaStack requires a complex setup but includes automation features to streamline deployment. FlexPod XCS offers more personalized customer service, beneficial for newer users.

Pricing and ROI: FlexPod XCS presents cost-effective setup options, leading to quicker ROI while maintaining high performance. IBM VersaStack, with a higher upfront cost, offers long-term value through infrastructure efficiency and resource optimization, justifying investment through its enhanced capability and potential ROI over time.

To learn more, read our detailed FlexPod XCS vs. IBM VersaStack Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

FlexPod XCS vs. IBM VersaStack

September 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

FlexPod XCS

Ranking in Converged Infrastructure

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

295

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

IBM VersaStack

Ranking in Converged Infrastructure

11th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Converged Infrastructure category, the mindshare of FlexPod XCS is 10.1%, up from 10.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM VersaStack is 1.7%, down from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Converged Infrastructure Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
FlexPod XCS	10.1%
IBM VersaStack	1.7%
Other	88.2%

Converged Infrastructure

Featured Reviews

John Kevin

Deputy IT Manager at MBBank

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.

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reviewer2058714

Infrastructure Head at a program development consultancy with 11-50 employees

A very high IOPS that gives more I/O transactions per second

Scalability used to be an issue so at that time it was rated an eight out of ten. We have become OPEX-based and rent storage from them. Physical storage is about 200% of our requirements but we only pay for what we use. This resolved all of our scalability issues. When we reach a certain threshold like 100%, OPEX calls us and asks if we want to add more storage. Our total capacity right now is 300 terabytes but we are only using around 200 terabytes. We bought the storage two years ago and our projections are on par. We don't need more capacity now but have plans to increase in another two years. With our OPEX storage, scalability is rated a nine out of ten.

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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

"Our time from customer interest to time of deployment has shrunk a lot."

"I see the most value in the UCS portion. I love Cisco UCS."

"It simplifies everything. It gives you a single place to go if you need support or if you need to expand."

"A valuable feature of the FlexPod solution is that it is all one architecture and I can call one number and get support for Cisco and NetApp without having to jump through open TAC (Technical Assistance Center) cases and do multiple things to get issues addressed."

"It provides us with a lot of agility, on-demand or through orchestrations. We deliver hundreds of servers."

"It simplifies the management of our entire system."

"Our downtime has significantly been reduced."

"Performance-wise, it is actually doing quite well. The end users are very happy with it."

More FlexPod XCS pros

"Replication and DR implementation became faster."

"The solution has high IOPS and the I/O is important because it gives us more transactions per second."

"The combination of Cisco's architecture and IBM's flash technology. Cisco provides FI technology which provides one simple architecture. IBM's flash technology is fast."

Cons

"I would like them to scale more to rack unit servers instead of blade servers."

"It could be more innovative."

"FlexPod was born to be used like building-block elements, to create large EDP premises. If used to create a single FlexPod CED, optional operational collaterals (backup, management, etc.) are missing, both in docs and in design."

"Not a perfect ten because it could use better integration on the network side between UCS and the switching layer. The fact that LACP is not supported on UCS blades isn't so great. It would be nice if it was."

"NetApp has some tools that you can purchase to do performance management, or you can go with another vendor and buy a product which does the same thing. It would be nice if there was more of these features with the product, not add-ons."

"We would like to see a new design that comes with more productivity or graphics. Currently, the vendors, like HPE and Dell EMC along with NetApp, all have very similar products. We want more diversification."

"On the NetApp side, there are definitely things to improve in terms of software updates."

"The continued simplification will be a continued battle and evolution for both Cisco and NetApp, especially on the FlexPod product."

More FlexPod XCS cons

"Raw data mapping for storage should be a given option."

"The solution should improve deduplication to get a lot of savings."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Sometimes you may end up spending a little more to get it in the first place, but you gain it back in terms of infrastructure upgrade costs and troubleshooting costs. The solution also lasts a surprisingly long time."

"The investment has been great. We put our money into it and it has given us something that we have been able to rely on for years."

"We immediately saw a return on investment due to the fact that replacing our legacy storage arrays with the new AFFs reduced the footprint and maintenance costs. Overall, we saw an almost immediate ROI."

"We purchased from CDW•G. They are great partners on the government side."

"The scalability is very expensive."

"We can just swap in new equipment or hardware as we need, which has probably saved us several weeks."

"You get better management and orchestration, but it still costs you money."

"Storage is very expensive. To buy MIC cards and additional storage either on-prem or in the cloud, the IT department does not have money for it, so you need a more niche product or a more flexible way to store your data. That is the benefit that you get from this product."

More FlexPod XCS pricing and cost advice

"The solution is enterprise level so it is expensive."

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Comparison Review

it_user244362

Managing Consultant with 51-200 employees

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

20%

Educational Organization

15%

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	34
Midsize Enterprise	66
Large Enterprise	182

No data available

Questions from the Community

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

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Comparisons

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Compared 31% of the time

Oracle Private Cloud Appliance vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 18% of the time

Dell VxBlock System vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 14% of the time

HPE Hyper Converged vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 13% of the time

HPE ConvergedSystem vs FlexPod XCS

Compared 12% of the time

More FlexPod XCS Competitors

No data available

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

FlexPod XCS

September 2025

Download FlexPod XCS product report

Buyer's Guide

Converged Infrastructure

August 2025

Download IBM VersaStack product report

Overview

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

VersaStack is a converged infrastructure solution of network, compute and storage designed for quick deployment and rapid time to value. The solution includes Cisco UCS integrated infrastructure together with IBM software- defined storage solutions to deliver extraordinary levels of agility and efficiency. VersaStack is backed by Cisco Validated Designs and IBM Redbooks application guides for faster infrastructure delivery as well as workload/ application deployment.

Designed for dynamic organizations that want to accelerate business growth while reducing costs, VersaStack incorporates IBM all-flash as well as hybrid storage technologies into the “single pane of glass” management environment provided by Cisco UCS Director. The solution offers quick deployment and execution of business applications—with the versatility to adapt as business priorities change. Providing an IT infrastructure that is easy, efficient and versatile, VersaStack helps accelerate data center infrastructure deployment and helps efficiently manage information and resources amid business change.

IBM

Sample Customers

University of Sao Paulo, WD-40, The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group

Newhall Hospital, Medicat, JJ Haines, Sigmax

Buyer's Guide

FlexPod XCS vs. IBM VersaStack

September 2025

Free Report: FlexPod XCS vs. IBM VersaStack

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