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Storage Architect at a educational organization with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 20
Scalable and reliable data management enables seamless growth across extensive storage
Pros and Cons
  • "My advice to other companies considering Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is that it takes a little time to understand the product, but once you have it set up and running, it will run stable for all its lifetime."
  • "Dell PowerScale (Isilon) could improve in terms of having some problems with using IPv6 and IPv4 on the same namespace at the same time, which is one of our biggest problems as you have to do some really bad workarounds to get that working."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is that it's the central storage platform for the whole university.

What is most valuable?

One of the most valuable features I find in Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is the scalability, as you can extend, extend, extend over time without having to move the file system. 

Also, the separation between different access zones is a tenant system that really allows me to completely separate data streams, ensuring that one group of tenants is not allowed to touch or see any of the other tenants' data.

What needs improvement?

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) could improve in terms of having some problems with using IPv6 and IPv4 on the same namespace at the same time, which is one of our biggest problems as you have to do some really bad workarounds to get that working.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) for around about 17 years.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

A specific example of where Dell PowerScale (Isilon) made a noticeable improvement or impact on my business operations is that we had a performance impact for around about one week in the whole 17 years, which wasn't really downtime.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The benefit I have realized from using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is first of all the scalability; we started on PowerScale with around about 300 terabytes and are now two and a half petabytes, still on the same file system.

How are customer service and support?

I would evaluate Dell's support as mostly outstanding because, at least for me, I always find a way to find someone who has enough experience to help me with my problem. For easy problems, I have been through several times, but for complicated problems, I will find someone who can truly help me.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

Prior to adopting Dell PowerScale (Isilon), I was using another solution called Isilon, and I had the first Isilon outside of the labs ever delivered to the customer.

How was the initial setup?

My experience with deploying Dell PowerScale (Isilon) spans 17 years, and I think I have faced every type of problem. In every situation, I have found someone who could help me come out of the situation before anybody would recognize that there was a problem.

What about the implementation team?

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) has features that specifically cater to my needs, such as the separation between different access zones. It's a tenant system that really allows me to completely separate data streams to have legal aspects realized, ensuring that one group of tenants are not allowed to touch or see any of the other tenants' data.

What was our ROI?

I have realized a return on my investment with Dell PowerScale (Isilon). It's worth the money because of the total cost where you only pay one person to run the whole environment instead of paying 15 people to run the same on cheap hardware.

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

My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) shows it's a premium platform, so it's a big amount of money. Not too many universities in Germany are willing to spend, but I'm a one-man shop, so I'm driving and running the whole platform, which is much cheaper compared to a cheap platform where you need many people to operate it.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Before choosing Dell PowerScale (Isilon), I considered different vendors like NetApp and others as competitors. They had their advantages, but the overall package was better suited for our requests with Dell PowerScale (Isilon), so that was the reason for our choice.

What other advice do I have?

My advice to other companies considering Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is that it takes a little time to understand the product, but once you have it set up and running, it will run stable for all its lifetime. I rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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reviewer2706753 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Engineer at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 5
Accessibility and configurability expand capabilities for unstructured data solution
Pros and Cons
  • "Certainly, we have seen return on investment and peace of mind, especially with our two clusters that are linked together, where one is a disaster recovery solution for the other."
  • "The reliability and stability of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is good, with no downtime."
  • "If I could improve one thing on Dell PowerScale (Isilon), it would be better object storage as it recently breached into S3, and that capability could be broadened."
  • "If I could improve one thing on Dell PowerScale (Isilon), it would be better object storage as it recently breached into S3, and that capability could be broadened."

What is our primary use case?

Our company's use case for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is unstructured data as it's our general file share for everything.

How has it helped my organization?

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) benefits my organization by making it easier to connect and work on files. It's also been a great solution for storing our larger modalities and all the pictures and images from that, along with the videos, since we are a healthcare organization. It's been a good use.

What is most valuable?

The accessibility and the configurability of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is really nice and it expands well. 

The reliability and stability of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is good, with no downtime. 

What needs improvement?

If I could improve one thing on Dell PowerScale (Isilon), it would be better object storage as it recently breached into S3, and that capability could be broadened. They won't do it as they have ObjectScale, however, the capabilities on Dell PowerScale (Isilon) could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) for eight years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I haven't had any downtime, crashes, or performance issues with Dell PowerScale (Isilon) recently, however, we have experienced them in the past; however, it has been a long time. I don't know that any downtimes were a hardware issue with Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We utilize 70,000 terabytes on Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

How are customer service and support?

Generally, when we put in a ticket on something regarding Dell PowerScale (Isilon), it takes a while to get to the right person as we wade through first-level support. 

Once we reach the second level person or the right level, the support is great and awesome.

I would rate the support for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) as probably an eight.

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

We switched from NetApp before I joined my team, and while we were using Dell PowerScale (Isilon), we merged with other organizations that were using different solutions and sunset those uses into Dell PowerScale (Isilon). They were using Pure Storage in some other places.

How was the initial setup?

I would describe my experience deploying Dell PowerScale (Isilon) as easy. 

It's a very quick, seamless product, and once we get it in, it's just a matter of setting up some policies to copy data over, whether for an LCR or standing up a completely fresh new one. 

With Dell support always there to help, it remains pretty straightforward since the software is intuitive.

Maintenance and upgrades for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) are also pretty straightforward; sometimes they're a little slow due to the size of our cluster, however, overall, the support is good and maintenance is easy. 

What was our ROI?

Certainly, we have seen return on investment and peace of mind, especially with our two clusters that are linked together, where one is a disaster recovery solution for the other. We get a lot of peace of mind from that, and it's worth every penny.

The second cluster of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) gives us flexibility for small things like code upgrades, all the way to scenarios where we have lost this data center or data, allowing us to check if data is still intact on the other side; we can flip easily.

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

I don't get involved in the pricing, TCO costs, and licensing of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) since I'm more involved in engineering what we need, so the prices are hammered out elsewhere.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We haven't considered any other solutions besides Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

What other advice do I have?

My role using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) involves overseeing the hardware and the software, and managing some of the permissions and access to the data on the array. 

Overall, I would rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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.
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Senior Engineer at Continental Tire
Reseller
Top 20
Efficiently manages data across locations with seamless cost-saving features
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution allows me to use SSMDS to store data for end users and share it within different locations."
  • "Dell PowerScale helps in saving costs related to power and rack space, reducing physical hardware from over one hundred to twenty-nine chassis."
  • "Dell's customer service needs improvement."
  • "Dell's customer service needs improvement. Specifically, hardware failures under warranty should be addressed within the promised timeline."

What is our primary use case?

I am an administrator for Isilon in India. It provides storage to end users who develop their tasks and use it for simulation purposes, keeping their data isolated.

How has it helped my organization?

I use Dell PowerScale (Isilon) to store and share data across different locations according to project-wise needs, which helps in cost savings related to power and in-house rack space.

What is most valuable?

The solution allows me to use SSMDS to store data for end users and share it within different locations. The feature of data shuffling between locations is notably useful. Dell PowerScale helps in saving costs related to power and rack space, reducing physical hardware from over one hundred to twenty-nine chassis.

What needs improvement?

Dell's customer service needs improvement. Specifically, hardware failures under warranty should be addressed within the promised timeline. I face difficulty in tracing and finding the right support team due to time zone differences, which is problematic.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Dell PowerScale Isilon for eight years now.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Dell PowerScale is highly scalable, as evidenced by the reduced physical hardware and the efficient use of rack space.

How are customer service and support?

I rate customer service as five. The service, particularly about hardware issues and support ticket handling, is an area that needs significant improvement.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The setup is easy because of previous configurations and knowledge in this area. I would rate it nine on a scale of one to ten, with ten being very easy.

What other advice do I have?

Dell PowerScale is user-friendly and beneficial for businesses, provided they understand the enabled features and subscriptions. I would give it an overall rating of nine 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.
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reviewer2708322 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Manager at a government with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Top 10
Integration with advanced data management enables effective and reliable operations
Pros and Cons
  • "On a scale of one to ten, with one being worst and ten being best, I would rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) a ten."
  • "I would make Dell PowerScale (Isilon) better by improving SmartSync in the graphical user interface. Currently, everything has to be done through the command line, and I prefer having a graphical interface."

What is our primary use case?

The use case for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is for most applications, including policy management, end user needs, file management, forensics extraction, analysis, smartphones, and media applications.

How has it helped my organization?

The benefit to our organization from using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is that we can execute our jobs and activities effectively because we have the necessary capacity. With this latest technology, we can execute our activities in a better form.

What is most valuable?

The most helpful feature of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is the integration with ECS, now called ObjectScale, because we can implement Tier functionality. This allows us to move data between hot areas and cold storage areas, which is a very good resource for us.

What needs improvement?

I would make Dell PowerScale (Isilon) better by improving SmartSync in the graphical user interface. Currently, everything has to be done through the command line, and I prefer having a graphical interface.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) for six months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I find Dell PowerScale (Isilon) to be very stable and reliable. We have not had any problems in six months.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Dell PowerScale (Isilon) does grow with our business needs. We currently have Isilon, and with the purchase of Dell PowerScale (Isilon), we can expand our environment significantly. It is very scalable.

How are customer service and support?

I have not used customer service and support for Dell PowerScale (Isilon) yet, but I don't anticipate that we will have any problems.

What other advice do I have?

On a scale of one to ten, with one being worst and ten being best, I would rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) a ten. It is perfect.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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.
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Atif Pervaiz - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior System Engineer at Atlas Security
MSP
Top 10
Maximizing data management with seamless integration and intuitive design
Pros and Cons
  • "It is stable and very user-friendly."
  • "Always, there is room for improvement in terms of cybersecurity, as new challenges are continually emerging in the market."

What is our primary use case?

We are using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) for CCTV storage purposes.

What is most valuable?

In our scenarios, we haven't encountered difficulties. It is stable and very user-friendly. It's easy to monitor everything, and the interface is user-friendly. Additionally, it integrates easily with other systems. Dell PowerScale offers high scalability and stability as well, making it a valuable solution for enterprises.

What needs improvement?

Always, there is room for improvement in terms of cybersecurity, as new challenges are continually emerging in the market. However, in our current usage, we find it satisfactory.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have around ten years of experience working with Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Dell PowerScale is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Dell PowerScale has high scalability.

How are customer service and support?

Dell provides support within four hours, and they always fulfill their promises.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy.

What was our ROI?

Most enterprises prefer to go with Dell. Despite being more expensive than Huawei, it is stable and most enterprises accept the price due to its stability.

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

The pricing of Dell solutions is higher than that of Huawei.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We are using another Dell model for data replication, the SC5020.

What other advice do I have?

Dell PowerScale is stable, user-friendly, and easily integrates with other systems. On a scale of one to ten, I would rate it an eight out of ten. Better solutions are available, however, they tend to be more expensive.

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
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Jack Vo - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior IT Manager at ams OSRAM
Real User
Top 20
Ensures that data is safely stored and easily accessible, providing peace of mind with robust security measures
Pros and Cons
  • "Dell has the AI to protect the EMA."
  • "The solution can be integrated with an automation system. Dell uses another framework developed in-house. They can integrate it with machines."

How has it helped my organization?

Dell has the AI to protect the EMA.

What is most valuable?

We must write a script tailored to our specific use case whenever we upload an item, such as a file or an application, due to the demand for storing data for longer periods in cases of broken or corrupted files. With Dell PowerScale, data storage is reliable and secure. The system ensures that data is safely stored and easily accessible, providing peace of mind with robust security measures.

What needs improvement?

The solution can be integrated with an automation system. Dell uses another framework developed in-house. They can integrate it with machines. 

Sometimes, Dell PowerScale can have issues with ID, window, or mapping errors. For example, a shareholder or user might not fully understand what they're doing, which can cause problems. Occasionally, we experience connection issues, requiring us to remap the folder.

Dell PowerScale might need to remap or update the credentials in such cases. For instance, if you have many shared folders already mapped, it might take time to remap or redo the credentials.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is pretty scalable.

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

We used the traditional way, which made it challenging to expand storage and caused more issues.

What other advice do I have?

If you have people working with MMC, Dell PowerScale is a solid option. It's a good choice for a company prioritizing decent pricing and reliable service. Dell PowerScale provides an effective solution for data storage needs, making it a valuable option.

Overall, I rate the solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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reviewer2403468 - PeerSpot reviewer
Division of Administration at a government with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 20
Helps reduce costs, protect data, and scale seamlessly
Pros and Cons
  • "Dell PowerScale overall is easy to use."
  • "The price always has room for improvement."

What is our primary use case?

We are migrating all of the state agencies' data into one environment, onto Dell PowerScale, and doing the cluster environment to have redundancy with backups to restore and move data faster. Some of the agencies were using old equipment and since the change, they have seen a huge uplift in performance related to retrieving data, security, and locking data down. 

How has it helped my organization?

Dell PowerScale has helped reduce our costs. Most state agencies were using old equipment that cost a lot of money. With Dell PowerScale they can migrate their data and pay per gig pennies on the dollar compared to their old systems. Dell PowerScale has saved the state money.

PowerScale allows us to get granular with users' access and protection of their data. I have not gone through all the features but everything is protected as far as the permission we give through the PowerScale app that enhances the internal audit features that we need for compliance with the state.

PowerScale has helped reduce our overall risk. I review the audit reports annually and since we have been using PowerScale, the reports come back almost clean because PowerScale passes all the vulnerability and security tests.  

What is most valuable?

Scaling up with Dell PowerScale is easy. We can add more nodes when needed. Dell PowerScale overall is easy to use. 

What needs improvement?

The price always has room for improvement.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerScale for two years.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We replaced the Dell PowerScale H500 with the F900 almost seamlessly. We brought a new rack and migrated the data to the new cluster. I was amazed at how fast it was completed. We migrated 12 agencies over from the old cluster in under 15 hours. With the older platforms, it would take us days to migrate that volume of data.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is good. I had a few minor difficulties understanding some of the advice being offered because of the support person's accent but my concerns were addressed immediately. They are responsive. When we submit an SR, we get a callback or email immediately. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What was our ROI?

Some of our agencies used old equipment and saw a great upside to migrating to PowerScale. It saved them money. 

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

Dell PowerScale is expensive on the start-up side but we can recoup those costs quickly by not having to reapply the savings to other equipment.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate Dell PowerScale nine out of ten for its ease of use.

We only have one cluster in one location but our users are all over the state.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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reviewer2689287 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Technologist at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Top 20
AI initiatives receive a boost with fast and efficient data analysis infrastructure
Pros and Cons
  • "I would rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) as a product a ten out of ten."
  • "We see room for improvement in Dell PowerScale (Isilon) because we need personnel to effectively utilize all our infrastructure; it's not easy to find skilled people to work on AI and data analysis."

What is our primary use case?

Our organization uses Dell PowerScale (Isilon) specifically for use cases in the nanotechnology field.

What is most valuable?

What I find most valuable about Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is that we are currently focusing on AI applications, for which we need fast storage, faster GPU, faster nodes, and so on. In our AI initiatives, Dell PowerScale (Isilon) plays a significant role in data analysis, data fusion; principally, it is involved in data analysis, data extraction, and statistical analysis.

What needs improvement?

We see room for improvement in Dell PowerScale (Isilon) because we need personnel to effectively utilize all our infrastructure; it's not easy to find skilled people to work on AI and data analysis.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Dell PowerScale (Isilon) for seven years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product has been stable since the implementation of Dell PowerScale (Isilon).

How are customer service and support?

I would rate the technical support by Dell as excellent; I'm very happy with Dell support.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

Before choosing Dell PowerScale (Isilon), we generally evaluate instrumentation that we already have skills to manage. Before Dell PowerScale (Isilon), we used the same product; generally, every five years, we try to change something because it's important for us to have the skill to manage all our infrastructure, which is not easy.

How was the initial setup?

We considered performance and cost when selecting Dell PowerScale (Isilon) over other solutions.

What about the implementation team?

We got help from consultants; typically, we place a bid where we request both infrastructure and consultants together.

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

The cost of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is important, but we have public projects that allow us to apply for funding to update our infrastructure.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have very satisfactory experiences with Dell products, and we can also evaluate other products for integration. For example, for backup, we can evaluate options such as the Veeam solution.

What other advice do I have?

I think the pricing of Dell PowerScale (Isilon) is reasonable, but I don't clearly understand the full details. 

I would rate Dell PowerScale (Isilon) as a product a ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises

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.
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Updated: July 2025
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerScale (Isilon) Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.