Western Digital through its IntelliFlash arrays delivers high-performance storage with a complete range of features and connectivity options, including inline compression and deduplication, application and VM consistent snapshots, replication, RAID, data encryption, VMware vCenter integration, and multi-protocol support for SAN (FC, iSCSI) and NAS (NFS, SMBv3). IntelliFlash arrays deliver high availability through dualredundant and hot-swappable components, active/active or active/passive controllers, non-disruptive software upgrades, eMLC flash, and proactive cloud-based monitoring, analytics, and intelligence. A RESTful API provides scripted or programmatic control.
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DDN IntelliFlash is the #12 ranked solution in best NVMe All-Flash Arrays and #30 ranked solution in best All-Flash Storage Arrays. PeerSpot users give DDN IntelliFlash an average rating of 7.6 out of 10. DDN IntelliFlash is most commonly compared to Dell PowerStore:
DDN IntelliFlash vs Dell PowerStore. DDN IntelliFlash is popular among the large enterprise segment,
accounting for 70% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a
computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.
It is very easy to install. Users don't need to remember anything while deploying IntelliFlash because everything will be taken care of by tech support. They can easily modify the installation or change the password with the help of the tech support. It is very easy to integrate IntelliFlash with other solutions. We have plugins that can be integrated with other solutions. It will require maintenance. It is the same as any other storage solution: updates and upgrades, firmware upgrades, and drive upgrades.
IT Manager at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
Once you started pushing it, it would start to not respond properly and then we would have to reach out to support, to try to figure out where these issues came from. They couldn't tell us where the problems were. Their advice was simply to take some load off and then it would work fine. Sometimes there was imprecise information. If there's an issue with the system, to kind of pinpoint where the issue was coming from, for example, if it was network latency or a load link to a VM or load link to some kind of switch, it would have been helpful to know. I know they can't look at all the networks, however, as the solution is connected to VMware and the SAN and the switch, there should be more information on the system. I can't pinpoint anything, which is a problem. Their reporting needs to be much better.
Lead Systems Engineer at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
I wouldn't say I like anything about this solution. We are looking for a replacement with Dell EMC and Pure Storage. Tegile's performance, support, and features are horrible. It's going down. Multiple companies have bought it. It looked okay at one point in time, like four years ago. Even though it wasn't one of the best, it still looked okay. Since the management has changed several times, it looks like it's going down the drain. Performance is horrible now. Our original intent was to buy new storage in about two years. But since it became a critical urgency for us, we decided to purchase a new one in two or three months. It would be better if they improved the codebase. We have issues very often with their code, and I think that is the main pain point. The hardware is also horrible because we have either a controller failure or a SATADOM failure very often. Now and then, we also have a disc failure. They have to get their act together. They have to make sure their hardware is robust, they have to make sure their code is good, and then we can think about new features and functionality. First, make the unit run properly, and then we can think about additions. Obviously, their support has to be knowledgeable. Because when I told them, "we have latency issues, come troubleshoot it for us," nobody came. But if we tell them that "we need to do a firmware upgrade," then they are like, "okay. Let's do a firmware upgrade." They will come to do the firmware upgrade, and then they will go. But with the firmware upgrades, you might never know when it works properly and when it doesn't work properly. If there is a disc that needs to be replaced, and we ask them to replace it, they'll say, "okay, just share the remote station with us, and we'll run some commands, and we'll validate which disc is faulty. If it's really faulty, we will send the disc. We do that, and then they find the faulty disc and send a replacement. They will do these minor things. But that's not what we are looking for. We are looking for more features and more functionality. Like if there is latency, try to help us out and help the customer find where the latency is. It doesn't necessarily have to be only with SAN storage. It might be a configuration issue, or it might be something else. So, you should help the customer find where the issue is. Unfortunately, that is not what we are getting from them. So they have to improve that a lot.
As of May 2025, the mindshare of DDN IntelliFlash in the NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays category
stands at 1.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
NVMe All-Flash Storage Arrays
PeerResearch reports based on DDN IntelliFlash reviews
Users appreciate DDN IntelliFlash for its high performance, ease of scalability, efficient storage management, and robust data protection features. It boasts fast data access, seamless integration with existing infrastructure, and intuitive management tools. High reliability and minimal downtime also stand out, as well as efficient deduplication and compression capabilities, contributing to lower storage costs. Users also highlight the exceptional customer support provided by the company.
"We use IntelliFlash products for larger environments, like Qatar Airways."
"It performed great originally, and when it performed great, it was awesome."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
Room for Improvement
Users have pointed out that DDN IntelliFlash could benefit from better documentation, enhanced support services, and improved integration with third-party tools. Some users have mentioned issues with stability and performance under certain conditions, indicating a need for more consistent reliability. Additionally, enhancements in scalability options and expanded features for data management could better address various organizational requirements.
"In future releases, I look forward to more AI features."
"Technical support is bad. It'd grade them at 30% or 40%. The response time is terrible."
"Performance is horrible now. Our original intent was to buy new storage in about two years. But since it became a critical urgency for us, we decided to purchase a new one in two or three months."
ROI
Users indicated that their ROI from DDN IntelliFlash was significant. They noted rapid data access and improved storage efficiency, leading to reduced downtime. Cost savings were highlighted due to lower power consumption and minimal management efforts. DDN IntelliFlash's performance enhancements resulted in increased productivity and scalability, offering more value for investment. Additionally, the integration simplicity and reliable performance were repeatedly appreciated, making it a critical component for their data management strategies.
Pricing
DDN IntelliFlash pricing varies based on configuration and capacity. Average costs range from $20,000 to $100,000. Users appreciate its performance and flexibility but note that higher-end configurations can be expensive. Pricing includes hardware and software, making it a comprehensive storage solution. Additional costs may arise for support and maintenance services. Enterprise buyers should consider their specific needs and budget when evaluating IntelliFlash.
"I think we pay around 100 grand per year for three arrays or four arrays."
"I recommend the full bundle software in order to have all the functionality. It is more expensive to purchase it one by one."
Popular Use Cases
User feedback indicates DDN IntelliFlash is primarily used for high-performance data storage and management, particularly in environments requiring efficient data transfer and retrieval. It benefits organizations handling large-scale data analytics, virtualization, and high-demand applications. DDN IntelliFlash is noted for easy integration, speed, reliability, and scalability, making it well-suited for enterprises looking to optimize their storage infrastructure. Its intuitive features and robust performance assist in managing complex data environments effectively.
Service and Support
Users find DDN IntelliFlash's customer service responsive, knowledgeable, and helpful. Support team efficiently addresses queries and resolves issues promptly. Clients appreciate the availability and professionalism of the support staff. Many users report satisfaction with the overall experience, noting timely assistance and clear communication. Clients also value the expertise provided during technical challenges and maintenance tasks, with several mentioning the ease of obtaining support and the quality of guidance received.
Deployment
Users mention that setting up DDN IntelliFlash is straightforward and quick. They appreciate the intuitive setup process which simplifies deployment. Some users find the configuration options very flexible, allowing customization to fit specific requirements. Installation documentation is detailed and helps mitigate potential issues. Users also commend the reliable support provided by DDN during the initial setup phase.
Scalability
Users appreciate DDN IntelliFlash's scalability, noting its support for numerous nodes and seamless scaling without significant performance drops. They mention its ability to handle growing data volumes efficiently and provide consistent high performance. Customers highlight the flexible and expandable architecture, which allows easy upgrades and integration. They also value DDN IntelliFlash's responsiveness during high-demand periods, making it suitable for diverse environments and large-scale deployments.
Stability
Users find DDN IntelliFlash stable and reliable. They appreciate its consistent performance and efficient data management. They note it handles high workloads seamlessly and experiences minimal downtime. Users often highlight its robust architecture, which ensures data integrity and smooth operations. It efficiently supports various applications and environments, making it versatile. Many commend its resilience under heavy use, ensuring uninterrupted service and optimal performance.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
"It performed great originally, and when it performed great, it was awesome. "
Cons
"Technical support is bad. It'd grade them at 30% or 40%. The response time is terrible."
What is our primary use case?
We used the solution basically for all operations. We got our ERP, Citrix, email (there was about a two wall to 18 terabytes with email), et cetera, that we had on the hybrid and we had our ERP system, which demands performance. We had that on the solution's all-flash.
How has it helped my organization?
It improved a lot of our processes and especially our ERP. Our reports were taking from six to eight hours to do. Once we got this solution in there, we were able to get the reporting down from eight hours to under 20 minutes. Ultimately, we were able to deploy to get the reports in under five minutes, which was a huge accomplishment.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
"Performance is horrible now. Our original intent was to buy new storage in about two years. But since it became a critical urgency for us, we decided to purchase a new one in two or three months."
What is our primary use case?
We use IntelliFlash for our virtualization environment. We use VMware, and it's used to show the virtual machines.
What is most valuable?
The initial setup is straightforward.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
"It provides a combination of all the protocols that you need, without losing deduplication and compression."
Cons
"In the proxy section you can’t choose a user account and password, so it is not allowed at the moment to go out, if customer has such constellation."
How has it helped my organization?
Moving over from NetApp to Tegile was easy because of the software completion. It was less complex to install. It takes around twenty minutes to activate storage.
What is most valuable?
It provides a combination of all the protocols that you need, without losing deduplication and compression. It is easy to manage and control.
*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We are partners, but not on a reselling level, only for getting all the technical information of these systems. Use our expertise and call us (www.holistic3.com), for a complete vendor independent ROI.
"EasyTier/hotcaching: Valuable because it allows greater performance than standard SAS disks"
Cons
"We had just one small stability problem with power flapping and it did not start up again automatically. We had to access service ports and manually restart the storage processors."
How has it helped my organization?
Being able to add additional disks to a volume to expand. For example, for RAID-5 mdisk/volume, add three additional disks in RAID-5 and expand the existing data.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are multipathing and Easy Tier.
EasyTier/hotcaching: Valuable because it allows greater performance than standard SAS disks
Cheaper than pure solid state without needing to actively manage where the data is located.
Multipathing: Provides redundancy by allowing each host to have multiple paths to storage, protecting against NIC/drive/storage processor failure
*Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: We are a reseller.
"It's very fast. We were seeing read latencies of less than one millisecond. It is robust."
Cons
"It's somewhat scalable, but maybe not so much as some of the competition."
What is our primary use case?
It is our primary shared storage. Primary uses are to support virtual machines and SQL database.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved throughput throughout the organization. Our entire server stack runs on this. It has cut batch job runtime in half, so we're seeing performance improvement throughout the organization.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Tegile is a storage company with interesting products declared to be “one flash (hybrid or all flash) for any workload”. For sure they are a strong company, with more than 1800 systems deployed with Tegileproducts, including interesting names including Ferrari, McLaren, Tesla, … More than 1100 customers, doesn’t sound bad, at all!
And around 360 employees worldwide and good investors (one, for example, is HGST!).
During the last IT Press Tour #17 I’ve got the opportunity to learn more about this company and their solutions. Rohit Kshetrapal (CEO at Tegile) has introded the company with strong updates on their unique products optimized both for Hybrid and All-Flash.
After the introduction, Rajesh Nair (CTO at Tegile) has give a product deep dive and an interesting roadmap.
Their solutions are available in two different approach: Intelligent Flash Arrays (in hybrid or all-flash configuration both powered by IntelliFlash) or prebuilded IntelliStack converged infrastructure solutions. IntelliStack combined the storage features of Tegile and the computing power of Cisco UCS to offer pre-validated, pre-sized, and certified configurations to fit a wide range of deployment requirements.
Tegile All-Flash Storage Arrays deliver maximum performance, high density, compelling economics and it is ideal for latency-sensitive, business-critical workloads such as online transaction processing, real-time analytics, decision support, and data warehousing. It’s available in three different models:
Model
T3600
T3700
T3800
Controller Memory
192GB
192GB
192GB
Raw Capacity (min/max)
12TB/300TB
24TB/312TB
48TB/336TB
The hybrid storage array models leverage the performance of flash, the density of hard disks and the rich features of IntelliFlash™ operating system to deliver a compelling storage platform that accelerates a wide variety of workloads in the enterprise. In this case there are four different models:
Model
T3100
T3200
T3300
T3400
Controller Memory
96GB
192GB
192GB
192GB
Raw Capacity (min/max)
26TB/170TB
36TB/180TB
18TB/162TB
26TB/314TB
All T3xxx series are a scale-in system with dual controller and PCIe3 x8 NTB across controllers for inter-controller data transfer and configuration sync. Disks are shared with a SAS2 backbone. Each controller has 8-12 cores and 48-96GB DRAM and different type of front-end connectivity (1G, 10G & 8/16G FC).
The new T4xxx series (ETA – Feb ‘16) will provide on-board SAS3 for in-box disks and on-board NVMe (4x 2.5” SSDs), a new PCIe shared bus and controllers with 8-20 cores and 64-256GB DRAM.
All models shares the same “intelligence” called IntelliFlash. Tegile’s IntelliFlash software architecture is a fast and flexible operating environment designed to leverage different grades of storage media—hard disk, high-performance flash, high-density flash, etc.—in a single storage array. IntelliFlash understands the inherent characteristics of different storage media and intelligently manages the placement of data to deliver optimal performance (speed and latency) with the best possible economics. It also includes advanced data services, multi-protocol support, and flexible management capabilities, enabling you to significantly shrink your storage footprint, maximize uptime, consolidate workloads, and simplify storage administration.
The capability to adapt the software and the features to the new media (using a patent metadata acceleration) will permit to move to new media easy and fast when they will become interesting. But is not only capable to adapt to the right media, the software can also adapting and aligning the user workload to the right array.
The product and features philosophy is quite simple and effective: all in one, no options, everything is delivered and shipped.
But more interesting is the cloud analytics & support part. IntelliCare is a comprehensive support platform that’s driven by cloud analytics and backed by Tegile’s team of storage experts. Maybe nothing new compared to similar “pro supports”.
But the IntelliCare Flash “5” Guarantee is quite unique and make customers more confident in their purchase:
5x faster performance compared to traditional storage
5 years of flat support pricing with fresh flash and free controller upgrades
5:1 data reduction in well-virtualized environments
5$ per gigabyte of high-endurance eMLC flash
5 nines availability — that’s 99.999% uptime
Analytics are actually an “internal” service oriented to improve the support team, but should be possible that more services user oriented could be added. For the future, also if the storage actually is a scale-in architecture, some kind of scale-out models will be implemented, to arrive also to block scale-out (1H 2016) and file scale-out (2H 2016).
Of course Tegile is a storage designed for flash and virtualization is a natural user case. ActualTech Media and Tegile recently teamed up to get a deeper understanding of what’s happening at the intersection of virtualization and storage. ActualTech polled over 1,000 IT professionals to learn about the top challenges they’re facing within their organization, and how they plan to use solutions like flash storage, cloud storage, and VMware Virtual Volumes (VVols) to solve those challenges. Learn more downloading the paper.
But other typical user cases are database and there are partnership with Microsoft and Oracle. And also VDI is another great user cases, with partnership with Citrix, VMware and Microsoft.
*Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
