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SigfridCecillon - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at Arsium
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Ensures strong availability, enhancing the reliability of storage for our clients
Pros and Cons
  • "It is a very stable solution."
  • "If you're dealing with big databases or transactional databases, it might not be the best-suited solution. The design of DataCore's solution isn't oriented towards this type of data."

What is our primary use case?

We use it to ensure the availability and reliability of our clients' storage. It's deployed in environments with VMware, tech servers, and other equipment to establish a highly available infrastructure for our clients.

What is most valuable?

I find its high performance, total cost of ownership, strong availability, and simplicity to be the most valuable features.

What needs improvement?

The pricing could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 15 years.  Initially, we started with version 4.0, and now we're on version 10, PSP 16.

Buyer's Guide
DataCore SANsymphony
July 2025
Learn what your peers think about DataCore SANsymphony. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a very stable solution. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable and works well in that aspect. We have around 20 customers using this solution. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support are quite fast. However, it is not a ten on ten because the support was unable to help with a functional program of the solution. The functionality was there, we struggled with it, but the support was unable to help us. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The setup process is okay. Training is required for deployment, which is standard. It's not overly complicated.

What about the implementation team?

The deployment process involves analysis, configuration, reception of configuration, and testing with the client.

Analyzing the installation is a very important step. It is important to analyze the installation, the infrastructure, the target, and after that configuration.

We require a team of engineers for deployment and maintenance of the solution. We have ten in-house staff members, along with some freelancers. Globally, we have eight professionals dedicated to DataCore services.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The licensing cost is reasonable, a bit on the expensive side but manageable.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.

My advice is to define the solution before deploying it because DataCore is indeed a good solution, but it's not the only one available. There are various other solutions in the market. 

Additionally, DataCore might not be suitable for all projects. Therefore, conducting a comprehensive analysis and careful consideration of the project's needs is crucial. Choosing this solution and deploying it should be approached with utmost importance. For instance, if you're dealing with big databases or transactional databases, it might not be the best-suited solution. The design of DataCore's solution isn't oriented towards this type of data. It's important to recognize this aspect.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Christian Baldauf - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior IT Consultant / Architect at Mightycare Solutions GmbH
Real User
Top 10Leaderboard
Great support with excellent auto-tiering and good ROI
Pros and Cons
  • "The synchronous mirror allows us to operate a fully redundant storage solution that is distributed across two sites."
  • "Management could be improved. The management console sometimes reacts very slowly."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is the provisioning of high-performance and redundant storage for our VMware platform. With the help of auto-tiering, the data lands on the optimal storage tier for it. Furthermore, integration into the backup system is very important to us. We use Veeam B&R, which, with SANsymphony integration, is able to work much more efficiently via storage snapshots. 

We use SANsymphony within a data center distributed over two locations. This was very easy to implement. This also includes settings that optimize the data traffic between the locations.

How has it helped my organization?

With SANsymphony, we were able to set up fully redundant storage across two locations. We use SANsymphony as the main storage for our cloud and dedicated customer environments. 

We were impressed by the integration into virtualization and the backup system. SANsymphony integrates seamlessly into our VMware platforms. Auto-tiering enables us to keep the storage content on the optimal storage tier easily. 

Synchronous mirroring ensures very high availability for us and our customers. In the event of maintenance or failure, an automatic failover takes place. The automatic failback is the cherry on top of the cake.

Integration with Veeam Backup & Replication has enabled us to improve our backup infrastructure significantly. 

The use of storage snapshots and backup via Fibre Channel reduces the load on the productive infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

It is the sum of the many, often outstanding, individual functions that help us to ensure economical and safe operation for us and our customers. The most important functions for us are

The synchronous mirror allows us to operate a fully redundant storage solution that is distributed across two sites. It can even cover the failure of an entire site. This also benefits us during complex maintenance work, as no downtime is required.

Auto-tiering enables us to store the data on the storage tier that is optimal for it. This also works within a vDisk, so old or cold data ends up on cheaper data carriers than the new or hot data accessed more frequently.

SANsymphony is being continuously developed. This makes it easier for us to respond to new challenges.

What needs improvement?

I see potential here in the support of NVMeoF, both as a target and in the backend. In addition, there should be new ways to improve the redundancy of the pools created with it - e.g. through extended RAID functionality (RAID5 or RAID6) or erasure coding.

Management could be improved. The management console sometimes reacts very slowly.

In the area of the HCI solution, I could imagine a different mode of operation. For example, a group of servers form a pool in which the data can be stored. 

Protection could also be guaranteed here via replication and erasure coding.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Datacore SANsymphony since 2007.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The systems are very stable. No great administrative effort is required to keep the system in good condition. Provided it is well-sized, it optimizes itself.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

SANsymphony is very adaptable. Increasing the storage capacity and/or improving performance through faster systems in the backend are no problem.

How are customer service and support?

Datacore support is one of the best in the industry. They offer a fast response and competent answers or even remote sessions. Support is always available 24/7/365.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used StoreAge SVM with Dothill storage systems. 

SANsymphony has more and better functions. The TCO is also better.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is quite simple if you are familiar with the storage environment. Certification as a DCIE is required. This ensures that you are sufficiently familiar with the system to install and administer it.

What about the implementation team?

We did implement it in-house.

What was our ROI?

I can't give an exact ROI. The stability, availability, and performance pay for themselves immediately.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Good sizing is the basis for a stable and high-performance environment. It is important to plan in sufficient reserves.

It can make sense to license a higher number of TB if this puts you in a better price category.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options.

What other advice do I have?

SANsymphony is best in class. It's flexible, like a Swiss army knife.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. We use SANsymphony as block storage for our own cloud. We also offer consulting, implementation and operation of SANsymphony environments. We are a partner of DataCore.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
DataCore SANsymphony
July 2025
Learn what your peers think about DataCore SANsymphony. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.
reviewer1762257 - PeerSpot reviewer
Sales representative for A customers / key accounts at a comms service provider with 501-1,000 employees
Reseller
Top 20Leaderboard
A good solution with fine stability, but it should integrate file servers at a good price into the solution
Pros and Cons
  • "DataCore SANsymphony's stability is okay."
  • "DataCore SANsymphony should integrate file servers at a good price into the solution."

What is our primary use case?

Usually, our clients want to replace some storage units from NetApp. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't because NetApp still has some features that DataCore SANsymphony would like to have.

What is most valuable?

DataCore SANsymphony's stability is okay.

What needs improvement?

DataCore SANsymphony should integrate file servers at a good price into the solution. The licensing is expensive, and you cannot manage a big file server with DataCore SANsymphony without paying a lot of money. NetApp is easier to sell, and we have had projects where NetApp was a lot cheaper than DataCore.

Our customers want their block storage to be fast, redundant, and highly available. You also might have a large fire storage for data that the customer does not need to access urgently. When you want to enclose this in the DataCore architecture, you have to pay the full amount of money as with block storage, which can be very expensive. Sometimes, it is very expensive to use DataCore SANsymphony.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using DataCore SANsymphony for about one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I didn't notice any problems with the solution's stability. DataCore SANsymphony's stability is okay.

The first installation of DataCore SANsymphony took a long time. I am not sure if that was due to a lack of experience or software issues, as I was part of the sales team. I am not mounting DataCore SANsymphony. I am just selling the solution to the customers.

I rate DataCore SANsymphony a seven out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

You can scale DataCore SANsymphony as much as you want if you are willing to pay the price. The solution’s scalability is high and theoretically has no limit.

We won three or four projects last year but also lost some. In some cases, the decision was to go back to maintaining NetApp. Our clients are enterprise businesses.

I rate DataCore SANsymphony a six out of ten for scalability.

How are customer service and support?

I have to contact the sales team and system engineers. I'm quite content with DataCore SANsymphony's system engineers.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I am not completely satisfied with the initial setup. I rate DataCore SANsymphony a five out of ten for its initial setup.

DataCore SANsymphony’s deployment takes around eight weeks.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

DataCore SANsymphony's pricing is very high and should be much cheaper. You buy a license of DataCore SANsymphony, and then you have to add three or four times the price in hardware.

You have several SLAs. You have to buy the hardware equipment because DataCore SANsymphony doesn't run independently but on server hardware.

On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate DataCore SANsymphony's pricing a seven or eight out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

We sell DataCore with the package that permits to use the latest version. We wouldn’t install another version.

NetApp is very good compared to DataCore SANsymphony in terms of flexibility and licensing.

I don’t know. I would ask them to compare.

DataCore SANsymphony is a good product, but there's room for improvement.

Overall, I rate DataCore SANsymphony a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
SigfridCecillon - PeerSpot reviewer
Director at Arsium
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Fluent; easy to administer and use
Pros and Cons
  • "I am very happy with this product's ability to adapt, increase, and modify existing infrastructures."
  • "There is room for improvement in the graphical interface."

What is our primary use case?

My primary use case for DataCore SANsymphony is SAN rapid storage for virtual machines and the high availability for infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

The feature I found most valuable was the high availability with mirroring.

What needs improvement?

There is room for improvement in the graphical interface. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the DataCore solution for about 12 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

My impression is that it is a very stable solution. However, I did have one encounter with this solution's crash as the result of a wrong action taken by a user. The crash resulted in some data being lost. We had to restore some data.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

My opinion is that it's a very easy solution and that it's very scalable. I am very happy with this product's ability to adapt, increase, and modify existing infrastructures.

We have about 20 clients who are using this solution.

How are customer service and support?

I would rate DataCore's technical support a nine, on a scale from one to 10, with one being the worst and 10 being the best. Each time I requested help, they would call me back in 20 minutes or less.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I think that the initial setup is quite simple.

The deployment of DataCore depends on many factors, but for us, it took about one day for each server.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The license is paid twice per year.

What other advice do I have?

This solution is quite fluent and stable and very easy to administer and use. I would recommend it to other people.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
Technical Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
User
Fast support, good software-defined storage, and good reliability
Pros and Cons
  • "I found the solution to be very stable."
  • "We'd like to manage the raid on the disk directly in SanSymphony."

What is our primary use case?

We have two VMware servers attached to two DataCore SanSymphony servers. The two SanSymphony servers are in high availability. Each server has two NVMe cards and some SAS disk in RAID5. 

We use the auto-tiering function to manage the two kinds of storage and place the dormant blocks on the SAS disks. 

We also use the Continuous Data Protection function to protect our volumes against crypto lockers, for example. 

The solution allows us to have real Business Continuity Planning on our storage system.

How has it helped my organization?

DataCore SanSymphony helps us to have a real performant and secure storage system. We can use the storage technology of our choice because SanSymphony can manage any storage that Windows accept.

The solution helps us to protect the data with the high availability function, which synchronizes in real-time the block between the servers. The continuous data protection function can log all the changes on the storage to allow us to go back in time within the last 72 hours.

We thought about replacing our two VMware servers and the two DataCore servers with the hyper-converged DataCore solution. 

What is most valuable?

The first valuable aspect is the software-defined storage. We like the fact that we are not dependent on a constructor. We can mix them as we wish. We can also mix the storage class as we want. 

The second thing we like is the cache which is the RAM of the server so we can choose the cache we need and we want. It provides us with a real performance for the writers but also for the readers.

Next, today, Continuous Data protection is mandatory for us. These days, with the multiplication of crypto lockers, we are more confident in the protection of our data.

What needs improvement?

It's difficult to say if something is missing in this solution. Maybe we'd like to manage the raid on the disk directly in SanSymphony. 

We essentially use RAID5 for our SAS disk and SSD, and now we need to create this RAID on the raid card. If we could bypass this card, we could really manage all the storage from the solution, which would be ideal.

The graphical interface needs to be improved. We have noticed some bugs in it.

A vCenter integration just appeared in the last version. However, we have only some functions within it. I am confident that many new things will arrive in the next few months to make it more robust.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for 14 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I found the solution to be very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is very good; we can add a disk or RAM if we need it.

How are customer service and support?

The support is very good. They are fast and efficient.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used EMC SAN. We switch due to the fact that, at the time, there was not high availability on the EMC side and the management of the storage was simpler.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very simple; there is a wizard to help you deploy the solution. 

What about the implementation team?

I implemented the solution myself.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated EMC's MirrorView and recently Huawei with Dorado Hypermetro.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. User and Partner
PeerSpot user
Laurent Pressigout - PeerSpot reviewer
Cloud and Security Engineer at Integra Systems
User
Top 20
Intuitive dashboard, great support, and useful rollback capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The dashboard is very intuitive, and there are many counters to diagnose what happens during a short period (like when a backup is in progress)."
  • "For customers or technicians who don't speak and understand English, it would be great to have other language support, all the more so given the number of countries in which SanSymphony is used."

What is our primary use case?

I'm working on a SanSymphony infrastructure. I use it for my company, and this is also what we install for our clients.

All of the clients have to do maintenance operations during business hours, and they have to schedule it never to disturb their users. Thanks to San Symphony, they can do whatever they want, whenever they want.

I really like to dissociate virtual volumes from any virtual machines. It allows you to manage granularly the storage of your virtual machines. I separated VMs and files on different volumes in my case

How has it helped my organization?

Before using San Symphony, I had to work late to improve my IT infrastructure. Now, I can do it at any time of day.

We also won on availability. When one of the servers crashes, there is no effect on our production. It rarely happens; however, we would have been out of production with our previous infrastructure.

We do things differently now. We use our backup solution to backup storage rather than to backup machines, and I find it has less impact on the performance of our virtual infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

I really like the Rollback option, which is like a video of my storage. Administrators benefit from being able to return to a single previous point as precisely as they want.

I also find that the support team is a real quality of the Datacore SanSymphony environment. Opening a case is very simple, and the answers of support are always detailed with precision.

The dashboard is very intuitive, and there are many counters to diagnose what happens during a short period (like when a backup is in progress).

What needs improvement?

The product can be improved by making better filters to search event logs. When everybody shows the last event at the top of their board, San Symphony does it at the bottom, and sometimes, we don't see an alert that needs to be checked.

The service is still available every day and at every time of the day, yet only in English. For customers or technicians who don't speak and understand English, it would be great to have other language support, all the more so given the number of countries in which SanSymphony is used.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for three years.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Joé Biava - PeerSpot reviewer
Ingénieur Cloud & Sécurité at INTEGRA SYSTEMS
User
Top 20
Intuitive dashboard with excellent support and good rollback capabilities
Pros and Cons
  • "The dashboard is very intuitive, and there are a lot of counters to diagnose what happens during a short period (like when a backup is in progress)."
  • "For customers or technicians that don't speak and understand English, it could be great to have other languages support, all the more so given the number of countries in which SanSymphony is used."

What is our primary use case?

I'm working on a San Symphony Infrastructure. I use it for my company, and this is also what we install for our clients. 

All of the clients have to do maintenance operations during business hours, and they have to schedule it never to disturb their users. Thanks to San Symphony, they can do whatever they want, whenever they want. 

I really like to dissociate virtual volumes from any virtual machines. It allows you to manage granularly the storage of your virtual machines. I separated VMs and files on different volumes in my case

How has it helped my organization?

Before using San Symphony, I had to work late to improve my IT infrastructure. Now, I can do it at any time of day. 

We also won on availability. When one of the servers crashes, there is no effect on our production. It rarely happens, but we would have been out of production with our previous infrastructure.

We do things differently now. We use our backup solution to backup storage rather than to backup machines, and I find it has less impact on the performance of our virtual infrastructure.

What is most valuable?

I really like the Rollback option, which is like a video of my storage. The benefit is for administrators because they can return at a single previous point, as precisely as they want.

I also find that the support team is a real quality of the Datacore SanSymphony environment. Opening a case is very simple, and the answers of support are always detailed with precision.

The dashboard is very intuitive, and there are a lot of counters to diagnose what happens during a short period (like when a backup is in progress).

What needs improvement?

The product can be improved by making better filters to search event logs. When everybody shows the last event at the top of their board, San Symphony does it at the bottom, and sometimes, we don't see an alert that needs to be checked.

The service is still available every day and at every time of the day, but only in English. For customers or technicians that don't speak and understand English, it could be great to have other languages support, all the more so given the number of countries in which SanSymphony is used.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have never heard one of my customers complain about the stability of San Symphony.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I knew about San Symphony six months ago, and this is the second update that I can see. Developers are working in line with what customers are asking for.

How are customer service and support?

Every time I needed support, they gave me a solution.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I did not use a different solution previously.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very simple. There are documents to send to Datacore Support, and these were a little bit difficult to fill.

What about the implementation team?

We are the vendor team, so for our use, we did it ourselves

What was our ROI?

The ROI is difficult to estimate.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I did not evaluate other options; my company already has a partnership with Datacore.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. My company is a partner of the vendor. We install for our client this solution.
PeerSpot user
Systems engineer at Monaco Digital | Avangarde
User
Top 20
Excellent support, good auto-tiering, and very easy to increase storage
Pros and Cons
  • "Auto-tiering to obtain performance at a lower cost without the customer having to purchase ultra-fast storage is great."
  • "I would like to see SMPA (Shared Multi-Port Array) technology developed with the aim of allowing a configuration identical to other storage arrays."

What is our primary use case?

I am an infrastructure engineer for a partner and 95% of the infrastructure that I recommend and/or install and maintain for my clients are based on the triptych: SANsymphony/vSphere/Veeam.

I have often succeeded in convincing clients to add security to their storage by replacing an old single-site infrastructure while providing a Business Continuity Plan solution.

Of all the customers where I installed the DataCore solution, only one decided not to keep it; however, it was for reasons of political strategy following a change of CIO.

How has it helped my organization?

The main feedback from my customers concerns the performance of the DataCore SANsymphony - thanks to the embedded Auto-tiering technology which avoids users purchasing an expensive physical storage when the majority of their data is no longer active beyond a few weeks and do not need to be stored.

They have a quality support team, which offers assistance in French when necessary (particularly for Public Service customers who do not speak English fluently). They respond very quickly to engage with any serious problems encountered.

What is most valuable?

Auto-tiering to obtain performance at a lower cost without the customer having to purchase ultra-fast storage is great. The ease of increasing the volume of storage without interruption of services and without impact on users is helpful. At the same time, they are leaving the choice to adapt storage technology according to a user’s needs. The abstraction of the hardware layer, especially when it is necessary to change the brand and/or model of equipment during infrastructure renewal is good. The possibility of installing the solution in HCI mode for small structures makes it possible to address large accounts as well as small businesses.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see SMPA (Shared Multi-Port Array) technology developed with the aim of allowing a configuration identical to other storage arrays: instead of having a single storage controller per site, competing arrays all have 2 controllers for redundancy and securing data access (3Par, Unity, MSA, etc.) It would be necessary to automate the operation of two nodes managing the same storage per site and no longer be obliged to manage it by a system of scripts which must be revalidated each time the product is updated.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution since 2002.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There will always be problems with a software solution; the responsiveness of the support and developers allows them to be corrected very quickly, and even sometimes individually, in relation to a specific problem for a particular client.

In the majority of cases, the failures that I encountered with my clients had their origin in one of the other components of the infrastructure (hypervisors or switches).

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is one of the many advantages, as the evolution of the solution is simple and does not interrupt services.

How are customer service and support?

Of all the software that I use in my job, it is the one that has the best support. When the problem is not with DataCore, they often help me and sometimes even directly provide the solution to modify the settings on the other components of the infrastructure causing the problem.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Sometimes some customers use other storage solutions, but whenever possible; I advise them to switch to DataCore

How was the initial setup?

The initial training and accompanying certification made it simple and practical to implement the solution.

What was our ROI?

I am not able to answer for my clients; however, as long as they do not move to another solution, their ROI should correspond to their expectations.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Most of the time, it is easy to prove that in the long term, this solution is the most advantageous for the client cost-wise; both in terms of equipment renewal and ease of handling.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

When I started proposing and installing, I only knew about traditional infrastructures that did not provide security at the data level.

What other advice do I have?

My professional career will end soon; however, as long as the product is available, I will continue to recommend it to more and more new customers and maintain it among those who continue to use it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. My company is a former partner of DataCore, and would like to remain so for a long time
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free DataCore SANsymphony Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: July 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free DataCore SANsymphony Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.