Dell SC Series Reviews

Name: Dell SC Series
Brand: Dell Technologies
Rating: 4.2 (54 reviews)

4.2 out of 5

54 reviews
94% willing to recommend

What is Dell SC Series?

Dell EMC SC Series arrays provide a unified platform for the ultimate in performance, adaptability and machine-driven efficiency. SC Series software delivers modern features that help you meet aggressive workload demands using the fewest drives necessary. With an open, future-ready design, SC Series storage integrates seamlessly with applications and infrastructure, enabling you to scale on a single platform and add capabilities without forklift upgrades.

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Dell SC Series is the #2 ranked solution in top Frame-Based Disk Arrays and #17 ranked solution in best All-Flash Storage Arrays. PeerSpot users give Dell SC Series an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Dell SC Series is most commonly compared to Dell PowerStore: Dell SC Series vs Dell PowerStore. Dell SC Series is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 54% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 22% of all views.

Helped 858,945 peers since 2012

Featured Dell SC Series reviews

Steven McClendon

Data Center Server & Storage Administrator at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees

I'm a big fan of the SC Series platform. Its feature set is superior to some of the other platforms. The snapshots on SC are excellent, allowing for multiple snapshot schedules for any one system. The auto-tiering functionality intelligently moves new data to the highest performance tier and then progresses it down to less expensive tiers over time, providing cost savings for customers.

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Whitney Gray

Storage Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees

They have a feature called Live Migrate; it's been very, very useful. It allows us to move storage from one SC series array to another, with no downtime. That's a very useful feature. The other useful features are, of course, high availability architecture that's built into it. That's very useful.

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Evans Chitando

Chief Business Technology Consultant at ITech Associates (Pty) Ltd

I used IBM earlier in my career, but I have primarily been a Dell reseller for the last 14 years. We also flirt with other technologies like Lenovo and NetApp, but we are primarily a Dell shop. The main difference between Dell and the other products is the simplicity, cost, and support services.

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Dell SC Series mindshare

As of June 2025, the mindshare of Dell SC Series in the Frame-Based Disk Arrays category stands at 8.9%, down from 15.1% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Frame-Based Disk Arrays

PeerResearch reports based on Dell SC Series reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Frame-Based Disk Arrays	Jun 26, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jun 26, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell SC Series vs Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform	Jun 26, 2025	Download
Comparison	Dell SC Series vs IBM System Storage DS8000 Series	Jun 26, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Dell PowerStore	4.4	N/A	97%	114 interviews Add to research
Pure Storage FlashArray	4.6	N/A	99%	199 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Dell SC Series' valuable features include auto-tiering for efficient data management, high performance, and speed. Users like its reliability, flexibility with multiple storage tiers, seamless integration, and ease of management. It offers cost-effective data progression, excellent replication capabilities, and supportive customer service. With functionality such as compression, deduplication, and live migration, it enhances enterprise storage. Its scalability, high availability, and manageability, along with budget-friendly pricing, make Dell SC Series a popular choice for businesses.

"I can mix and match the drives, using older mechanical devices and the latest SFP drives in a single solution with different enclosures."
"Dell SC Series offers a lot of performance, being one of the best performing storages Dell ever made."
"It was very easy to install, maintain, and provides excellent manageability."

Room for Improvement

Dell SC Series needs enhanced customer support, simplified configuration, and improved integration with popular backup systems like Veeam. Users desire better performance, including higher compression and deduplication, NVMe support, and faster I/O. The interface should be more user-friendly, while costs should be reduced. Users also seek integrated cloud features, built-in key management, and better migration strategies. The lack of scalability and outdated architecture are additional concerns as Dell shifts focus to PowerStore.

"In the future, I want any box that comes on-premises to have the provision to integrate with cloud storage."
"In the future, I want any box that comes on-premises to have the provision to integrate with cloud storage."
"If Dell SC Series could have supported the protocol NVMe over TCP, that would have been great. It does not."

ROI

ROI from Dell SC Series involves notable cost reduction through virtualization over physical servers. Users observe its cost-effectiveness and longevity, allowing extensive usage and benefits. Despite less focus on ROI due to scale, the investment profited through densification and performance enhancements thanks to flash technology. Storage optimization leads to savings in power, cooling, and maintenance. Reliability without major performance issues, high availability, and improved response times are key indicators of a favorable ROI observed by users.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers generally find Dell SC Series pricing to be affordable and competitive. Many users note that despite some costs associated with scaling or upgrading, the initial setup and ongoing costs are reasonable. Licensing could be simplified, but the package's value, especially with features and bundled software, is often viewed positively. Discounts for long-term users and corporate-level customers enhance affordability, making it a viable solution for those with varying budget constraints.

"There are costs involving the solution, vendor fees and product safety which are additional."
"The pricing is reasonable, but it is expensive."
"This solution could be better priced in comparison with other vendors."

Popular Use Cases

Organizations primarily use Dell SC Series for virtual environments, VM storage, and as storage backbones in data centers. They implement it for hosting services like SharePoint and domain controllers and use it for various workloads, including SAP HANA and SQL databases. It's favored for its performance in VMware environments, disaster recovery, and business applications. Dell SC Series supports both private and public clouds, providing effective storage solutions across mid-range clients.

Service and Support

Customers express high satisfaction with Dell SC Series customer service and support, praising responsiveness, expertise, and proactive troubleshooting. Many find Copilot service exceptional, highlighting its ease of use and knowledgeable staff. Some mention quick response times and reliable assistance in problem resolution, though a few note a high turnaround time and occasional wrong answers. Despite some minor issues, most rate the support as excellent and reliable, contributing to a positive customer experience.

Deployment

Dell SC Series setup is generally perceived as straightforward, though it varies by experience and familiarity with its interface. Engineers often manage setup, with some suggesting it's easier for lower models. A few note challenges with understanding certain technological intricacies, while others highlight the ease of deployment and useful guidance from tools like Dell Storage Manager. Certified installers often handle complex implementations, while users appreciate its intuitive GUI over command-line interfaces.

Scalability

Dell SC Series is praised for its strong scalability, allowing users to expand storage capacity with ease. It supports various models and configurations. Federation capabilities enhance scalability, though some note limitations with the number of controllers and potential cost implications. Users find it suitable for small and medium businesses with the ability to scale as needed. While some encounter specific limits, most users express confidence in its ability to accommodate growth requirements.

Stability

Users report that Dell SC Series is largely stable, with minimal issues. There are no significant problems with downtime or reliability. Patching and firmware updates present occasional challenges, but these are addressed promptly. Performance is generally strong, and components can be seamlessly upgraded. Initial difficulties were resolved through upgrades, resulting in improved satisfaction. Some reports note latency concerns in rare extreme cases, but misconfiguration is often the cause. Dell SC Series is praised for its maintenance and support responsiveness.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Dell SC Series Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.