Dell PowerVault is our main storage and is responsible for storing all productive data of the company in Latin America. Since Dell PowerVault is responsible for all productive data, that includes information from our ERP, SQL databases, and file servers. All that data is stored on Dell PowerVault platform.
IT Team Leader Latam at MC Bauchemie
Centralized storage has supported long-term growth while simplifying regional data management
Pros and Cons
- "My advice to others who are considering using Dell PowerVault is that it is definitely a reliable, stable platform and an extremely robust player to be considered in any type of project, whether in those where the storage or even performance demand is lower, as well as in projects where the amount of available space is huge and the need for performance is extremely high."
- "Something that could be improved or enhanced by Dell is more exchange of new information about the technology itself, a broader exchange of suggestions, new contributions, and new insights that we could be implementing in our environment."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
Dell PowerVault's scalability and simplicity have positively impacted daily operations in management times, error reduction, and ease for the technical team in managing the whole administration part, which takes much less time. The fact that it is not necessary to maintain a group of employees who are experts in this platform, since it is an extremely simple platform to administer and manage, is also beneficial. Since it is a strategic partner and a major brand, having the reassurance that we are using an extremely secure and robust platform gives us the perception that as the company grows, we can keep adding new elements to this platform and be able to respond better to the needs of the business area.
What is most valuable?
I consider the best features offered by Dell PowerVault to be that it is a platform that is easy to manage and does not require very broad technical expertise or advanced specialization, but at the same time it is a highly scalable platform. If the organization continues to grow over the coming years, we could add other elements to this same storage pool on the same platform. That gives us predictability and the assurance that we can continue relying on the same platform, even as the company continues to grow and develop over the coming years.
Dell PowerVault is a super easy platform to manage and that is indeed something that stands out for us.
When we went through the process of updating and upgrading from the previous platform we were using, which was also a platform based on Dell EMC technology, the big gain from moving this whole structure to Dell PowerVault is directly related to working with a cutting-edge platform, an extremely simple platform, and one that allows us all this scalability looking toward the future.
I do not see managing advanced data management functions such as snapshots, replication, and provisioning with Dell PowerVault as something complex; it is something extremely simple and interactive, and the interface is quite easy to handle. Everything can be done through the interface itself, which is a very favorable point for this platform.
I have used the HTML5 PowerVault Manager interface for ME5 and found it to be an extremely modern, simple, and stable interface, not only for doing all the initial configuration of the platform but also for day-to-day operation and management. It is an extremely robust and high-performance interface.
What needs improvement?
Something that could be improved or enhanced by Dell is more exchange of new information about the technology itself, a broader exchange of suggestions, new contributions, and new insights that we could be implementing in our environment. It would not be so much something related to the platform itself, but rather in the area of after-sales and Dell's account management. They could try to have a closer relationship with their customers.
Buyer's Guide
Dell PowerVault
November 2026
Learn what your peers think about Dell PowerVault. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2026.
921,338 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Dell PowerVault in my organization for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I consider Dell PowerVault to be a super stable platform.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the scalability of Dell PowerVault as definitely excellent. It is a platform that allows us to grow in a very significant way without having to replace this technology with a newer one. It is extremely scalable.
How are customer service and support?
I find Dell PowerVault's customer support to be fully satisfactory. I rate customer support a 10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were also using solutions based on Dell equipment, both EqualLogic and Compellent.
How was the initial setup?
Dell PowerVault is deployed in an on-premises installation within a private cloud concept, where through this own infrastructure and on-premise infrastructure, we support and deliver resources to different units in Latin America. Everything is within an environment that is 100% managed and administered by us.
What was our ROI?
Since we already have a very simple environment and a quite resource-optimized environment, I think the major return on investment with Dell PowerVault was above all being on a super stable, reliable platform that gives us the confidence to continue growing using the same platform. This is not an investment right now with an almost immediate return, but rather a longer-term investment when we standardize and maintain the same platform in our environment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I think the price, implementation cost, and licensing of Dell PowerVault is reasonable. Considering the resources it delivers, the security, and the reliability the platform gives us, all the costs involved, both acquisition and the cost of operation, setup, and so on, remain quite attractive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated other options such as IBM, Lenovo, and HP. In the end we decided to stick with Dell precisely because it seemed more economically viable to us, especially when we think from a longer-term perspective.
What other advice do I have?
Both Dell as a brand and Dell PowerVault platform are infrastructures and platforms, and a business partner that is extremely robust and without doubt could be a key player in any project of any size.
My advice to others who are considering using Dell PowerVault is that it is definitely a reliable, stable platform and an extremely robust player to be considered in any type of project, whether in those where the storage or even performance demand is lower, as well as in projects where the amount of available space is huge and the need for performance is extremely high. At both extremes, whether for smaller, simpler projects or for more complex projects that demand higher performance, in both scenarios Dell PowerVault is definitely an extremely robust and reliable platform.
I would highlight that both Dell as a brand and Dell PowerVault platform are infrastructures and platforms that represent an extremely robust business partner that could be a key player in any project of any size. I rate Dell PowerVault a 10 because it is a reliable brand, because it is a robust platform, and because it makes us confident that we chose the best partner for the storage strategy of our productive environment, within a concept of scalability and predictability of future growth.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Last updated: Mar 2, 2026
Flag as inappropriateCybersecurity Engineer at Gigabit Technologies Pvt Ltd
Centralized storage has improved backup reliability and simplifies daily data management
Pros and Cons
- "Dell PowerVault has helped us improve the reliability and organization of our storage environment, with centralized storage management reducing administrative effort while its scalability makes it easier to accommodate growing data and backup requirements, leading to more consistent backup operations, easier data access, and improved confidence in daily availability."
- "Dell PowerVault is reliable, but there are a few areas that could be improved. The initial setup and configuration can be somewhat complex for new users, and some advanced management features could be made more intuitive."
What is our primary use case?
I mainly use Dell PowerVault for enterprise data storage backup and managing critical business data, which is typical for reliable, centralized, and scalable storage with good performance and availability.
Recently, I used Dell PowerVault as a centralized storage solution for backing up critical business data and application files, providing reliable storage, easy data management, and quick access to backups when needed.
Dell PowerVault is primarily deployed on-premises in my organization, using centralized storage for business data backups and recovery.
How has it helped my organization?
Dell PowerVault has helped us improve the reliability and organization of our storage environment. Centralized storage management has reduced administrative effort while its scalability has made it easier to accommodate growing data and backup requirements, leading to more consistent backup operations, easier data access, and improved confidence in daily availability.
I have noticed improvements in storage management and backup efficiency since implementing Dell PowerVault. Day-to-day administration takes less time and backup and recovery operations are more consistent. It has also helped reduce storage-related interruptions and made it easier to scale capacity as data grows. While I do not track a single fixed percentage for these improvements, the overall management effort and operational complexity have been noticeably reduced.
Dell PowerVault has helped streamline our workflows by centralizing storage and backup operations. For example, scheduled backups and snapshots reduce manual tasks, while centralized management makes it easier to monitor capacity and handle recovery requests, saving administrative time and making day-to-day storage operations more efficient.
What is most valuable?
The best features of Dell PowerVault in my experience are its reliable performance, scalability, and centralized storage management, along with data protection capabilities, providing good storage capacity, supporting backups and recovery requirements, and being relatively easy to manage. I also appreciate its stability and ability to handle growing business data needs without major complexity.
Scalability helps us easily increase storage capacity as business data grows without needing to redesign the entire storage environment. This is especially useful for handling increasing backup and archive requirements. Centralized storage management makes day-to-day administration easier because I can manage storage resources, monitor capacity, and organize business data from a single platform, reducing administrative effort, making troubleshooting easier, and helping us respond quickly when storage or backup requirements change.
Another feature I appreciate about Dell PowerVault is its overall reliability and stability for critical business workloads. The monitoring and management capabilities make it easier to keep track of storage health, capacity, and performance, while its flexibility for different storage and backup requirements is another advantage.
I would rate it as fairly easy to manage Dell PowerVault's comprehensive storage data management features. Snapshots, replication, and provisioning are well-supported, although some advanced configurations can require technical expertise.
I use both on-demand and scheduled snapshots with Dell PowerVault. Scheduled snapshots help with regular data protection, while on-demand snapshots are useful before major changes or when I need to immediately recover a point if needed.
What needs improvement?
Dell PowerVault is reliable, but there are a few areas that could be improved. The initial setup and configuration can be somewhat complex for new users, and some advanced management features could be made more intuitive. Better monitoring dashboards, simpler automation, and more detailed real-time performance insights would improve the user experience.
One area that could be improved is making the management interface more user-friendly, especially for monitoring performance and troubleshooting issues.
The management interface could be more user-friendly, automation could be improved, and advanced monitoring features could be more intuitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Dell PowerVault for a good period of time, with two years of experience in Dell PowerVault.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is stable and reliable, providing consistent performance, good availability, and dependable storage for business data and backup workflows.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault has good scalability, allowing us to expand storage capacity as data grows without major changes to the existing environment.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support was good. I would rate the customer support at eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I previously used a traditional storage solution with more manual administration and limited scalability. I moved to Dell PowerVault for better reliability, centralized management, scalability, and strong backup and data protection capabilities.
What was our ROI?
Dell PowerVault has helped me manage storage costs by providing scalable capacity and reducing the need for frequent infrastructure changes. Centralized management and efficient backup operations have also helped lower administrative overhead.
I have seen a positive return on investment, mainly through time savings and reduced administrative effort. Centralized management and automated backups have reduced manual storage tasks and made recovery faster.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing for Dell PowerVault was reasonable for an enterprise storage solution. The initial setup required some planning and technical effort, but the deployment was manageable, and the licensing was straightforward. More flexible pricing options would be helpful for organizations with changing storage requirements.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated other enterprise storage options, including HP and NetApp, but Dell PowerVault stood out because of its reliability, stability, and ease of management, providing overall value for my storage and backup requirements.
What other advice do I have?
Dell PowerVault has a strong focus on security and governance, particularly around access control, data protection, and centralized management. For AI-related workloads, I would value stronger visibility, auditing, and policy control to ensure data is handled securely and complies with organizational requirements.
Accuracy and reliability are overall good. For AI-related workloads, consistent performance and reliable access to stored data are important, and Dell PowerVault provides a stable infrastructure foundation, although AI output accuracy ultimately depends more on the AI applications, models, and data quality than the storage system itself.
I would recommend Dell PowerVault for organizations looking for reliable, scalable, and easy-to-manage storage. Before purchasing, assess your capacity, data performance, and future growth requirements. I rate Dell PowerVault an eight out of ten overall.
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
Last updated: Oct 9, 2026
Flag as inappropriateBuyer's Guide
Dell PowerVault
November 2026
Learn what your peers think about Dell PowerVault. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2026.
921,338 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Representante comercial at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
Flexible storage has reduced staffing needs and supports mixed flash and HDD backups
Pros and Cons
- "Dell PowerVault has a positive impact on my organization because of the cost-benefit and ease of use."
- "I believe Dell PowerVault could be improved by adding the possibility of expansion with more modules and expanding its management to support a larger volume of disks."
What is our primary use case?
My main use case for Dell PowerVault is data storage. I use Dell PowerVault as our storage for documentation and backup. Essentially, storage is its main function.
What is most valuable?
The best features that Dell PowerVault offers are flexibility of disks and cost-benefit. The disk flexibility and cost-benefit impact my day-to-day work, as the price allows me to expand easily, along with the availability of parts on the market.
The flexibility includes being able to mix flash storage and HDD storage.
Dell PowerVault has a positive impact on my organization because of the cost-benefit and ease of use. It is a machine that is easy to handle. A practical example of how this ease of use has helped my team is in the flexibility of installation. Since they are interchangeable parts with servers, there is ease of replacement and swapping.
What needs improvement?
I believe Dell PowerVault could be improved by adding the possibility of expansion with more modules and expanding its management to support a larger volume of disks.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Dell PowerVault for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault has expansion flexibility with easy addition of components, and that is a differentiator in terms of scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I have never needed customer support, but I know from other products that they are very competent and easy to access.
What was our ROI?
I have already obtained a return on investment, with staff reduction because the same team that manages our servers can manage Dell PowerVault without needing a specialist for that.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing is that they are very low. The internal team has no difficulty using it due to its simplicity and adaptability.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from 1 to 10, I would rate Dell PowerVault overall as eight. I chose that number because of the flexibility.
Regarding the AI features of Dell PowerVault, I do not use it for that function, but I know the latest Dell updates already allow for greater control when applied. I believe the accuracy and reliability of the results in Dell PowerVault is something reliable, and in the future, I intend to use it in my company for security and flexibility.
My advice to other people considering using Dell PowerVault is to evaluate it for its flexibility and cost-benefit. It is a machine that mainly serves the local network without the need for a lot of spending on services or a team to support it.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Last updated: Nov 6, 2026
Flag as inappropriateAdministrateur systèmes et support IT at OGER INTERNATIONAL CORP
Scheduled backups have protected legacy servers and now streamline weekly data protection
Pros and Cons
- "Dell PowerVault guarantees that I have a backup of my data."
- "There is another solution called Veeam Backup that I believe is better than Dell PowerVault."
What is our primary use case?
I was using Dell PowerVault as a backup solution. I use Backup Exec, which is an application to manage Dell PowerVault, rather than the HTML5 PowerVault Manager for ME5.
Currently, I am using Dell PowerVault to perform backups for a physical server, not a data center. I cannot use it for snapshots and other comprehensive storage features because I am working with a physical server rather than a data center environment.
What is most valuable?
The new technology in Dell PowerVault is better than the older version I am currently using, which works with LTO-5 tape. Dell PowerVault guarantees that I have a backup of my data.
The programmable task feature helps streamline my workflows. I have created tasks with scheduled dates, where I perform incremental backups on Monday and Tuesday, and a full backup on the last day of the week. All tasks are programmable.
What needs improvement?
There is another solution called Veeam Backup that I believe is better than Dell PowerVault. It is an international solution that many large companies use, and it offers many more capabilities. For example, I can link it with a NAS and perform many additional functions with it.
Dell PowerVault would benefit from more integrations with other technologies.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerVault for one year and am currently using it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have experienced some problems with the old version of Dell PowerVault, which sometimes crashes.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scaling up and scaling down Dell PowerVault takes too much time. It is not easy and requires a significant amount of time.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before using Dell PowerVault, I used some simple applications that I programmed myself, including a simple application for backup solutions on a hard disk directly.
How was the initial setup?
I believe Dell PowerVault is somewhat complicated for installation. I am currently using a Dell PowerVault with eight tapes and an application to manage it on a Windows Server. The application is called Backup Exec and is a 2003 version, which is very old.
Although I did not install Dell PowerVault myself, I am capable of doing so.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I do not have detailed information about the cost of Dell PowerVault. However, I believe that Dell PowerVault is much more expensive than other solutions, such as Veeam Backup, which offers better pricing.
What other advice do I have?
I use Dell PowerVault on-premises. I purchased it from a partner with HP because in Morocco, special products like this cannot be purchased anywhere else.
If recommending Dell PowerVault to others, I would advise that I am obligated to use it because my entire infrastructure is old, with Windows Servers from 2003 and 2008. However, if considering the new generation of solutions, I would not recommend it. I would rate this product an 8 out of 10.
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.
Last updated: Sep 30, 2026
Flag as inappropriateIT at Insurance Management Services
Centralized file storage has improved reliability and simplified snapshot-based recovery
Pros and Cons
- "Dell PowerVault offers amazing snapshots and uptime; it simply works."
What is our primary use case?
Dell PowerVault serves as our main file server for the company. We have it set up as a main storage array, and all 200 people in the company access it on a daily basis.
What is most valuable?
Dell PowerVault offers amazing snapshots and uptime; it simply works. The snapshots have helped my team significantly, as we had to rely on them once during a power outage when we had to revert back to a previous snapshot, which was a simple process.
Dell PowerVault is highly reliable, and it has contributed to staying within budget parameters by being highly reliable; we have not had to replace a drive on it yet, which keeps maintenance costs down. It delivers data at great speed, which is a significant improvement over our previous EqualLogic storage.
What needs improvement?
Dell PowerVault could be improved by having more storage slots, but other than that, it is a great device that fits all of our needs. All aspects of Dell PowerVault are amazing concerning needed improvements, software, interface, or integration with other tools.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been in this position for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is highly stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have not had to scale up yet, but from everything I have experienced with it, it should be extremely easy to do so.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support for Dell PowerVault is as close to perfect as one can expect. I would rate the customer support on a scale of one to 10 as a 10.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We had a Dell EqualLogic prior to switching to Dell PowerVault, and the only reason we switched was because Dell would not offer pro support any longer on the EqualLogic.
How was the initial setup?
It was easy to set up and get running with Dell PowerVault, and the Dell Pro Support was amazing on that one instance we had to use it; it is an overall great storage device. We are using the HTML5 PowerVault Manager GUI for ME5, and it was very easy to understand, allowing us to configure and begin using the system quickly; it was also very easy to revert back to a snapshot when needed.
What was our ROI?
We have seen ROI based on just the uptime that Dell PowerVault has, the reliability, and the lack of needing to do much maintenance; it has been a set and forget type situation.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Dell PowerVault is amazing, as our Dell rep got us exactly what we needed after a short conversation.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other options before choosing Dell PowerVault.
What other advice do I have?
I would assess the ease of managing comprehensive storage data management features such as snapshots, replication, and provisioning with Dell PowerVault as very easy.
We do have scheduled snapshots with Dell PowerVault, and we use them only for backup purposes, which is exactly what we want.
I am not certain whether Dell PowerVault has helped our organization streamline workflows.
My advice for others looking into using Dell PowerVault is to ask questions to your Dell account team, as they will help get the right people involved and answer any questions you might have. I would rate this product a 9 overall.
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Last updated: Aug 19, 2026
Flag as inappropriateAg. Systems & Networks Head at UNBS
Hybrid storage has optimized capacity and simplified browser-based data protection management
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features in Dell PowerVault are a hybrid of SSD and HDD, the FC connection to the servers, the ease of updating firmware, and its overall stability and resilience."
- "Dell's technical support will guide you through the steps, but there are certain steps they are not able to do for you, so you might need a local service provider."
What is our primary use case?
I have been working with Dell PowerVault for about 10 years. I am a user of Dell PowerVault. We are currently using the ME5024.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features in Dell PowerVault are a hybrid of SSD and HDD, the FC connection to the servers, the ease of updating firmware, and its overall stability and resilience.
Managing comprehensive storage data management features such as snapshots, replication, and provisioning is very easy; we all do it in the browser, so it is quite straightforward.
Our snapshots with Dell PowerVault are scheduled. Snapshots exist, and although we have never encountered an incident where we needed them, we also have a replication of the server itself to another secondary, which is working well.
Dell PowerVault has mostly helped us to efficiently utilize the space and the server, allowing us to concentrate on compute while it handles the storage side.
What needs improvement?
I have difficulty recalling what should be improved about Dell PowerVault.
Dell PowerVault works well and is budget-friendly, but I think there could be something else that can do immutability. I think what we could have done is to buy separate hardware for backup specifically to provide immutability protection against data being overwritten or affected by ransomware.
I cannot think of any additional features I would like to see from them in the next release.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerVault for about 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Dell PowerVault satisfies me; it is quite stable with no issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is scalable; it has slots, and we can always increase the capacity.
How are customer service and support?
Dell's technical support will guide you through the steps, but there are certain steps they are not able to do for you, so you might need a local service provider. I would rate their technical support as an eight. The issue is on response time, but that could be because of the support package you buy.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Dell PowerVault was acceptable, but there was fine-tuning along the way since we were not so conversant with the system.
What about the implementation team?
We needed help from the provider who set it up; we had the company contracted to install and configure Dell PowerVault.
What was our ROI?
Dell PowerVault has helped us stay within budget, reducing expenditure on mainly storage. We have seen return on investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Their pricing is reasonable and acceptable.
What other advice do I have?
I have some experience with Dell PowerVault, but I am not familiar with the HTML5 PowerVault Manager GUI for ME5. I have not utilized the bidirectional asynchronous replication feature. With the product, we are only two users; it is only the administrator. To configure it took us about a month and a half. I would give Dell PowerVault an overall rating of eight.
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.
Last updated: Jul 30, 2026
Flag as inappropriateMoe Infrastructure Data Center at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
Video surveillance storage has met critical retention needs and supports rapid capacity growth
Pros and Cons
- "For the video use case where expansion is sometimes required quickly, Dell PowerVault proves to be an excellent solution due to its significant capacity and scalability over time."
- "Inter-site replication needs enhancement, particularly in Fibre Channel."
What is our primary use case?
Dell PowerVault is being used primarily for the video surveillance use case. The choice of Dell PowerVault was made specifically to store data for video surveillance applications. For the video use case where expansion is sometimes required quickly, Dell PowerVault proves to be an excellent solution due to its significant capacity and scalability over time.
What is most valuable?
The most useful feature in Dell PowerVault is that it is a performant array that suits the video surveillance storage use case well. What differentiates Dell PowerVault from other storage solutions is the performance combined with the ability to meet significant bandwidth consumption needs. Dell PowerVault simplifies operations in two key areas: from an operations point of view and the expansion of the solution, allowing extension as needed. The system also meets the requirement to store massive amounts of data, particularly for video surveillance.
What needs improvement?
Inter-site replication needs enhancement, particularly in Fibre Channel. There are two aspects to consider: replication, meaning replicating data from one site to another concerning Dell PowerVault, and another very important area where significant improvement is needed—everything related to expansion rules. There are many constraints that require respecting a minimum step size, so in terms of granularity, there is room for improvement.
The graphical interface of Dell PowerVault is good and easy to use. An area for improvement would be to unify it, allowing management of several Dell PowerVault arrays through the same graphical interface.
For how long have I used the solution?
Dell PowerVault has been in use for a few months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is a system that is quite stable and reliable. This was especially important given the choice to store video that is extremely critical both from a general point of view and from a legal point of view, where data must be kept and secured. It is a reliable system that allows data to be secured without any problem.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault adapts well to the growth of the company. It is a system that was chosen specifically for this capability, allowing extension as needed and providing scalability on demand.
How are customer service and support?
Customer support from Dell has been used and it is efficient support that responds instantly. The system can send alerts directly from the arrays to Dell, providing proactivity. Dell sometimes opens cases automatically for alerts, which is very effective. I would rate this support around eight.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Dell PowerStore solution was considered before, which is much more performant and also much more expensive than Dell PowerVault. Another solution was not chosen primarily because it is related to the use case. There is no point in going for a much more powerful system if Dell PowerVault already meets the needs.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment experience with Dell PowerVault is fairly easy to deploy and does not require a huge amount of time. The simplified globalization and the possibility of using high-capacity disks allows reduction in the number of U. In terms of CSR, this is an array that is quite acceptable. Power consumption and air conditioning are increasingly considered, and Dell PowerVault performs well in these aspects.
What was our ROI?
Dell PowerVault provides a return on investment over time. As the system evolves, the TCO and the price per terabyte is reduced compared to other solutions available on the market.
What other advice do I have?
Dell PowerVault helps configure the system without any problem. It is fairly easy to use Dell PowerVault to manage the features. Snapshot features exist in Dell PowerVault and the array offers this possibility. In general, once Dell PowerVault is set up, monitoring of the KPIs and capacity planning is required to anticipate future evolutions. Otherwise, it is fairly easy to use.
Dell PowerVault is a solution that meets financial requirements as it is cheaper than Dell PowerStore. The cost requirements are perfectly met with no issues. CSR with Dell PowerVault is managed at the data center level by the data center teams. Consumption data is provided by Dell as theoretical consumption, usually the maximum. The data center teams then manage the actual consumption, which is inevitably lower than what is indicated by Dell.
I can recommend Dell PowerVault and would give it a rating of eight.
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.
Senior Cloud Solution Architect at Oracle
Storage has simplified data protection and has supported efficient backups and cloning
Pros and Cons
- "Dell is the vendor that gives the most trustworthy product, despite any other vendor."
- "I would rate Dell PowerVault as eight out of ten; it does not receive a ten because it comes as volume storage and not as unified storage."
What is our primary use case?
Our customers are using on-demand and scheduled snapshots with Dell PowerVault; this is a default function for any storage.
How has it helped my organization?
These features help our customers with their data management strategy by being very efficient; they maintain the backup, cloning, provisioning, and load balancing as well. This makes it very easy and effective. Moreover, these are essential functions and features in any storage, so it's not an edge to be considered in Dell PowerVault.
What is most valuable?
When it comes to Dell PowerVault, I find its affordability very valuable; it acts as an active-active controller. Although it's not a real active-active, it fulfills the task whenever the controller fails, and another one is going to take the ownership.
I assess the ease of managing comprehensive storage data management features such as snapshots, replication, and provisioning with Dell PowerVault as very easy. I have been using it before; it is very straightforward and seamless, with intuitive steps.
I find it very easy to use. When you have any storage, you provision the storage, provision the volume, and the configuration is complete; you never need to touch it again.
What needs improvement?
I would rate Dell PowerVault as eight out of ten; it does not receive a ten because it comes as volume storage and not as unified storage. It only provides volume storage such as block storage, not NAS, and not object storage.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerVault for more than ten years, so I have considerable experience with it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I find Dell PowerVault scalable; it is scalable up to a certain limit, but it is pretty sufficient. This is because it is designed for small and medium businesses.
How are customer service and support?
Regarding technical support by Dell, I find it to be one of the best. I would rate the job done by Dell as nine out of ten; it does not receive a ten because they do not always provide native language support. Here in Egypt, our native language is Arabic; however, we always receive support in English, which is acceptable. If I were to ask for an additional improvement, it would be having native language support.
How was the initial setup?
I find the initial setup of Dell PowerVault to be straightforward; I can say it is plug-and-play and almost zero-touch provisioning. It is not zero-touch provisioning, but it is almost zero-touch provisioning.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation details come down to the professional who is going to implement Dell PowerVault system.
What was our ROI?
Dell PowerVault has contributed to staying within budget for our customers; it is very effective and very cost-effective. It remains one of the best solutions.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Regarding the licensing model for Dell PowerVault, there is no license; it comes with all licenses included.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I do not see any good competition for Dell PowerVault as it targets small and medium businesses only. There is good competition for Dell PowerVault from third-party competitors; the nearest competitor, as I remember, is Lenovo PowerStore. Although I cannot recall the exact name from HP, there is competition, especially when it comes to financials. Lenovo is the most cost-effective and has the most affordable pricing in the industry. However, it does not provide reliable support, a reliable presence, a success story, or a product roadmap. Dell is the vendor that gives the most trustworthy product, despite any other vendor. If it is going to be against Lenovo, I do not think this small differentiation in price will allow it to compete.
What other advice do I have?
I see Dell PowerVault as a solution specifically for small and medium businesses. This is the only portfolio that Dell has for small and medium businesses, and I do not think they are going to offload and discontinue such a solution. Especially since the rest of the products that Dell offers are for enterprise and high-scale enterprise customers, I trust this is going to be a long-lasting solution. Dell PowerVault is the smallest storage in Dell's portfolio, so it is a very good solution for small and medium businesses.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
Last updated: Oct 24, 2026
Flag as inappropriateSimple storage has delivered fast setup, reliable archiving, and efficient data migration
Pros and Cons
- "I would rate the technical support and customer service team always at 100%."
- "Customers are very satisfied with it, especially for archiving or for primary storage, but these days, they follow storages with much more performance than Dell PowerVault."
What is our primary use case?
Dell PowerVault has many use cases in private projects and auctions. It is an entry storage that anybody knows and wants. I do not have a particular project currently.
How has it helped my organization?
It is very simple to configure Dell PowerVault. From start to finish, it takes maybe 10-15 minutes to complete. The performance is also good for that kind of equipment. Customers are very satisfied with it, especially for archiving or for primary storage, but these days, they follow storages with much more performance than Dell PowerVault.
What is most valuable?
Dell PowerVault has features that many medium storages have, but the price is very good. It is not something special about it, but it is resilient and stable.
The HTML5 PowerVault Manager is very useful for management purposes.
I did not use the bi-directional asynchronous replication feature to replicate one to one in both directions.
There is nothing special about managing comprehensive storage data management features such as snapshots, replication, and provisioning with Dell PowerVault. It is very simple. You can create a group of replication and also a group of hosts that you can maintain by the type of application running on that host and so on.
I am using on-demand and scheduled snapshots with Dell PowerVault.
These features are much more important when we have to migrate data from one storage to another, and we must prepare different stages for that replication. Maybe not all replication can be done one time, and we need some fractions of data to be saved until the total replication is done.
What needs improvement?
Dell PowerVault already has all features and performance needed in this spectrum of storages.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Dell PowerVault for more than 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault is a very stable equipment with nothing to do in time to maintain. You must administrate it correctly, but there is nothing to do to improve these features.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Dell PowerVault usually is a SAN storage with only two controllers, so scalability is only vertical. Adding storage is not the same as PowerScale or having more nodes to have different sites and so on.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the technical support and customer service team always at 100%.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment of Dell PowerVault is very straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is very good with Dell PowerVault.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
From the platform perspective, Dell PowerStore is something special because it runs virtual machines on it from the start, and the management of virtual machines is inside the storage. Other aspects are not something special. Storages are always in some way the same and not so different, but the support may be better. The support is better on Dell's side than other vendors. After-sale support includes training to enable you to have enough knowledge to implement in different situations. Training and support, I think, are better on Dell than the other vendors.
What other advice do I have?
I have a piece of advice that is not a secret. I would rate this product a 9 out of 10.
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
Last updated: Oct 20, 2026
Flag as inappropriateSystem Advisor at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Backup storage has met my needs and provides reliable, low‑maintenance data protection
Pros and Cons
- "The biggest advantage of the product that really stands out for me is its price and the comparison of price with performance; its price is very good, and the performance according to this price is sufficient based on backup requirements, so it is perfect."
- "The negative aspect I mentioned is regarding the support; sometimes I spend a lot of time explaining issues and it is not time-effective."
What is our primary use case?
I work with Dell PowerStore, PowerEdge, and PowerVault, but not PowerProtect. I have been dealing with Dell PowerVault for one year. I use Dell PowerVault for backup storage, as this is the major use case and medium for backup. For Dell PowerVault, I do not work with the bidirectional asynchronous replication of ME5 because we use the medium for its standalone node, so we don't have the options to synchronize to another.
What is most valuable?
The biggest advantage of the product that really stands out for me is its price and the comparison of price with performance; its price is very good, and the performance according to this price is sufficient based on backup requirements, so it is perfect. My experience with the HTML5 Dell PowerVault Manager GUI for ME5 is good; it is easy to manage, clear, and very easy to find what we need. The configuration is very friendly, so I configured it, and for one year, it works without any activities from my side. It is also connected to cloud monitoring from Dell, so we receive all information and alerts in one point, integrating with this monitoring tool from the vendor, where I have all information from Dell PowerVault and PowerStore, and it is easy to configure alarms and notifications. I do not find anything that is missing or wrong with the product; it is suitable for my needs.
What needs improvement?
I do not see the option for scheduled snapshots in Dell PowerVault because I did not find the information. However, I do use the snapshot option on Dell PowerVault to protect against cyber-attacks. The negative aspect I mentioned is regarding the support; sometimes I spend a lot of time explaining issues and it is not time-effective. I prefer waiting for support from another country, depending on time zones, as I often waste time before switching to a proper engineer when necessary. Generally, I am happy with the product, but sometimes I wait too long to switch to a higher-level engineer when I have a major issue that requires more expertise.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I do not see any disadvantages or areas for improvement; it is the solution I expect. I bought, configured, installed, and that is all I need. It does not require many activities from my side after configuration; it is stable, performance is acceptable, and has good integration with backup, with interfaces like Fibre Channel and SMB to expose to the client, so I do not find anything missing. I save time managing it because it does not require daily, weekly, or monthly activities from my side. I am happy that it works without activity; it has been operational for over a year without issues. The solution provides good integration tools for monitoring from my side, and the disks are working without any errors, although I do not know how it will be in the future since I have used it just over a year.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is not a problem, and I know that there is the possibility to scale out.
How are customer service and support?
I have never purchased anything from AWS Marketplace, including Dell PowerVault. I do not have the occasion to discuss technical support for Dell PowerVault, as it works without any issues, so it is acceptable. The Dell support is good, but I recommend that the engineer should be from our area, as I have observed that support from Dell provided from Asia is not as good as when I have experience with support from Europe or America.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Before, I used two devices from another solution; one was too old and very expensive, while the second often had stability issues, requiring activities like patching the protocols over iSCSI. The first one was expensive in comparison, but stability was worse, requiring monthly maintenance, so I looked for something new. The second was stable with the same performance, but its price was twice as much, so I found a proper solution within our budget.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process for Dell PowerVault is easy; it does not require much experience or the assistance of an engineer. Using only the GUI, it takes me about one to two hours to configure and expose it to the backup system.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I used QNAP and Data Domain before. I stopped using Data Domain from Dell because it is very expensive and has issues with data deduplication; the main functionality of Data Domain is its deduplication, but if the data is encrypted, deduplication does not work. Since current regulations require all data, including backups, to be encrypted, the deduplication feature becomes unusable, so I need something cost-effective that can handle our data backup needs.
What other advice do I have?
My data management strategy helps to protect my data, ensuring that it is protected against cyber attacks. I use Dell PowerVault because the requirement for backup is to have three copies: two copies on disk and one on tape. This is a continuous process in my backup strategy, where one copy is to disk and the second is to tape. I give this review a rating 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.
Last updated: Apr 24, 2026
Flag as inappropriateBuyer's Guide
Download our free Dell PowerVault Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2026
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Buyer's Guide
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