Dell PowerEdge M Reviews

Our facility relies heavily on PowerEdge, spanning multiple generations. It is the foundation of our entire infrastructure, supporting a wide array of workloads, ranging from administrative tasks to private cloud and scientific computing. PowerEdge is a versatile and reliable platform that we can depend on.

PowerEdge has been a foundational part of our IT infrastructure, and its Fresh Air configuration saved us from disasters on multiple occasions. The solution's ability to survive extreme conditions has been invaluable, and its reliability has been astounding. We currently run three generations of PowerEdge in our data centers.

The solution offers remarkable flexibility, reliability, and extensive software support. PowerEdge is capable of running Microsoft private cloud, VMware private cloud, OpenStack, Linux distributions, and scientific workloads. The infrastructure is truly remarkable.

We can typically expect a 20 percent improvement in performance from Intel processors with each new generation, depending on the workload.

Utilizing the OpenManage capabilities of the platform is essential for us since we have a limited number of personnel to manage the PowerEdge that we possess. Thus, OpenManage's console productivity is invaluable for our IT staff.

The PowerEdge servers have proven to be invaluable in preventing up to 90 percent of unplanned production downtime. When other servers were failing due to extreme heat, PowerEdge was able to withstand the conditions and keep running. This made the solution an invaluable part of our operations.

The introduction of PowerEdge servers drastically increased the flexibility of our operations. We are leveraging the solution's capabilities for a wide range of applications and it is certainly the most versatile platform available to us. We deployed a variety of server models in different sizes, ranging from 1U to 2U and beyond, providing us with the flexibility to handle almost any task.

We are testing the latest PowerEdge from Dell for scientific workloads such as machine learning, deep learning, data analysis, and engineering simulation. We see excellent performance improvement and power consumption control. This is part of our Green Data Center project, where we take into account the “green” capabilities of the hardware we buy.

We are beginning to employ cyber-resilient architecture features. It is no longer just the platform security of the past that we take into consideration when making a new acquisition, but now we are also bearing in mind the security features on the server side due to the ever-evolving environment.

We found that the power consumption inside the BIOS of the latest PowerEdge has been significantly improved. The power control capabilities are now much more precise and the iDRAC tool that allows external programs to control the system's power consumption is also much more detailed than its predecessor.

We have been utilizing OpenManage for many years as beta testers, and our experience with OpenManage has been overwhelmingly positive. Dell OpenManage console is incredibly user-friendly and has made our lives significantly easier.

I would like to have additional HPC and AI capabilities on general Dell PowerEdge servers. To optimize the PowerEdge for HPC and AI, modified designs may be necessary.

I have been using Dell PowerEdge .Next for two months.

The stability and power consumption of Dell PowerEdge .Next are incredibly impressive. We have been running a single unit 24 hours a day for a month, primarily to test its stability and understand the power consumption control capabilities, and it exceeded expectations. Compared to the previous PowerEdge models, the stability and power management of .Next are remarkable.

There are no issues with the scalability. Up to now, I haven't been able to identify any drawbacks of the platform I'm using.

Dell's technical support is perfect and one of the reasons we buy their solutions.

Positive

We see a return on investment. The performance of the platform, which we tested on virtualization platforms such as VMware, is very impressive. PCIe 5 has made great improvements in communication and storage. Depending on what we can afford, Intel Scalable Architecture CPUs are more powerful than ever before.

The pricing of Dell PowerEdge .Next has changed drastically due to the introduction of the latest technologies such as PCIe 5, DDR5, and the next generation of CPUs. This caused the prices of CPUs, DRAM, and PCIe cards to skyrocket. Consequently, it is difficult to compare the new pricing to what it was two years ago since the market has evolved significantly. The pricing of PowerEdge .Next is higher than it was before.

Our university is similar to a hardware supermarket, offering almost all brands of hardware, including Lenovo and HP. Although I have not had the opportunity to experience the newest HPE ProLiant 11 machines, I can say that PowerEdge is more reliable, more customizable, and has better management compared to other brands. The iDRAC capabilities, with its easy-to-use remote management, integrate seamlessly with OpenManage. When we purchase a PowerEdge server, we don't need to worry about hidden or additional costs for the management. As for the future, this remains to be seen.

I give Dell PowerEdge .Next a ten out of ten.

We have been testing the latest generation of Dell PowerEdge systems in our data center for the past couple of months, in addition to the generations already in production.

Since 2016, our data center experience has been excellent, with very few hardware issues, including machines that still run from that year.

In our PowerEdge servers, we predominantly use Intel Xeon scalable processors of various generations, with AMD processors making up the remaining 10 percent.

We see a lot of improvement over the generations of PowerEdge. I must admit that while there is plenty of competition, the difference is remarkable. Enhancing PowerEdge is no easy task, yet Dell Technologies took great strides to incorporate customer feedback. The platform grew in flexibility, such as the range of disks available, the evolving iDRAC features to meet customer needs, and so much more.

We host a substantial infrastructure at the University. While we utilize public cloud services such as Microsoft 365 and Google Meets, we do not use them for computing, engineering simulations, or any internal services. All of our services are kept in-house.

The PowerEdge .Next platform is more than just its CPU, it encompasses all the solution's features, from the iDRAC to the next-generation RAID controller, which is 20 to 30 percent faster than the previous generation. Furthermore, Dell PowerEdge .Next's new architecture helps to drive the entire platform, making its performance even more impressive.

We use the solution for hyper-converged infrastructures with VMware and physical/virtual SQL solutions. 

Both Dell and Cisco would be data center modernization. We're modernizing from a three-tier to a single infrastructure. 

The enterprise manager feature sets are great. It's great for managing overall infrastructure. 

It is scalable. 

The setup is fine if you have some expertise.

It offers average pricing.

They are pretty much all the same in terms of what this solution versus competitors offers. Cisco is number one, HP Synergy is number two, and this solution would be number three.

I'm more into PowerEdge R-600, 700, and 800 series instead of blades. 

Technical support is not good. 

I've used the solution for a couple of years from a presales perspective.

I'd rate the stability at a five or six out of ten. 

The scalability is fine. It's blade infrastructure. You just basically plug into converged switches. It isn't a single pane of glass for management. You don't have the feature set that HPE and Cisco have with the fabric interconnects and everything. You still can scale up, however.

I've never had a good experience with technical support. 

Negative

I've used Cisco and HP as well.

The initial setup is a bit more complex unless you are really savvy with Dell. I'm more used to HP and Cisco. Other engineers handle Dell-centric blade solutions. We've been migrating off Dell blades to HPE and Cisco. 

It is possible to get an ROI from this solution. I probably wouldn't say you'd get an ROI from Cisco or HPE.

I'd rate the pricing as average. It's not terrible. The lead times over Cisco and HPE are weeks as opposed to months. 

I'd advise potential new users that they need to have experience with PowerEdge and management to understand all of the features on offer.

I'd rate the solution six out of ten.

We primarily use the solution for web services.

Dell PowerEdge M has a centralized administration for networks; instead of working with standalone servers, you have a centralized administration console. So you can administrate all servers from one location.

The networking features for administration and working with the server are valuable.

There is currently a new generation of Dell Blade Systems, so it requires time to transition to the new generation. However, the current version of the solution we are working with meets our requirements.

We have been using the solution for approximately twelve years and are currently using series 620.

The solution is stable and works on customized sites and virtual classes.

The solution is scalable, and you can scale the resources up and down, which was very important for us in the COVID-19 situation. The servers work to verify, and the resources are raised up and handle all the web applications that are working and installed on it.

Our first contact is our partner Dell, who provides us with customer support directly.

We previously used HPE standalone and Lenovo standalone servers, either rack or tower servers. However, we prefer Dell servers because the pre-installation and preparation process is easy, and the user interface is more friendly for the administrators.

The initial setup was straightforward for our team because we have years of experience and complete documentation in case we face any issues during deployment.

We implemented the solution in-house.

We have seen a return on investment.

The price of the solution is reasonable.

I rate the solution as ten out of ten. The solution is good, and I recommend it to users considering implementing it depending on their business needs, as some businesses require standalone servers and some require central servers.

Our customers only have light use cases of this solution, deploying one or two applications because they do not want to spend too much money.

The most valuable feature of Dell PowerEdge M is iDRAC.

The product is very solid, never fails, and runs forever.

Dell PowerEdge M needs to run AMD CPUs on it. 

For future releases, I would like to see the Ethernet connectivity updated. It is a very old technology. Dell has alliances with other companies that make their networking components, like Cisco and Brocade, but the choice is very slim. Dell also has their own networking products which are good however, there needs to be a better selection of networking components.

I have been using Dell products and platforms for 20 years.

This solution is outstanding when it comes to stability.

Dell PowerEdge M has its limits. There are only so many blades that you can put in a chassis. As far as blade service goes, it's good, but it has limits with scalability.

Technical support from Dell is not good. I rate it a zero out of five.

Negative

The initial setup of Dell PowerEdge M is easy. The applied servers are very easy, making it one of the most straightforward products to deploy.

Deployment and maintenance of this product require two engineers.

You will see the return on investment of Dell PowerEdge M in about two months.

Anyone looking to implement Dell PowerEdge M into their organization should make sure that they have a channel partner that knows the product inside and out.

I would rate this solution a nine out of 10. 

We are using Dell PowerEdge M for application and database servers.

The solution is made with high-quality hardware.

I have been using Dell PowerEdge M for approximately seven years.

Dell PowerEdge M is stable.

The solution is scalable.

We have had some issues with the vendor's support that we have received. When you open up a support case with Dell they send a partner to assist you and in our experience, they are lacking knowledge about the solution. There are times when you need professional support from the vendor that knows the solution well. 

Here in my country, it has been a problem for Dell to keep offices here. This has been a problem for other vendors too, such as HP.

Dell PowerEdge M price is comparable to other solutions but cheaper than IBM. However, the IBM solution is a higher grade solution whereas Dell PowerEdge M is a medium-level solution.

I have evaluated HPE solutions.

I would recommend this solution to others.

I rate Dell PowerEdge M an eight out of ten.

Our primary use case for the solution is store virtualization, and it is deployed on-premises via blade servers.

The most valuable features of the solution are its price and performance.

The solution could be improved by continuously looking for ways to make it better.

We have been using the solution for about six years.

The solution is scalable, and approximately 200 employees utilize the solution.

We have had a great experience with customer service and support. I rate them ten out of ten.

Positive

The initial setup is straightforward. Two people are required for maintenance.

Purchasing the solution outright costs approximately 12,000.

I rate the solution a ten out of ten. However, the solution is good and can be improved by being proactive in making changes that could improve the solution.