Dell EMC Unity XT reviews

We were able to consolidate from multiple types of disks into a single group of disks of the same speed. Now, we do not have to worry about preparing pools of disks for each server application. Instead, they are all using the same disks but getting a faster response due to the nature of the solid-state drives.

I like the fact that you can use a solid-state array (all-flash array) for your servers. It has a very intuitive web console that runs in HTML5 and makes navigation and administration fairly easy.

This product lacks deduplication and compression at the current version 4.1.0. LACP is not available for iSCSI either.

The previous version to 4.1.0 caused the array to stop responding during the code upgrade.

We have had no scalability issues so far.

The merger between Dell and EMC caused some issues with support tickets not getting assigned properly. The last few months the support has improved.

Although, we cannot compare them one to one, we were using Celerra NS-480 and now we are using EMC Unity. The main reason, we switched platforms was due to EMC end-of-life support for the Celerra NS-480 as December 31, 2016.

The initial configuration was quick since we took time to prepare the project plan that states what we need to start the installation. We had some challenges when connecting the ESRS gateways to monitor and manage these arrays.

This unit is one of the cheapest storage all-flash arrays in the market and it does well for what it is intended. It can be combined for both file and block storage.

I looked into EMC VNX, NetApp, Isilon, Qumulo, Pure Storage, Nimble Storage, and Tegile.

Learn about the product and its capabilities. If you are unsure whether this will handle your workload, my suggestion is to get a proof-of-concept with your preferred value added reseller. Move some workload to it and test the performance. There is nothing worse than buying a unit that won’t perform as you expect it.

It decreased the amount of time to deploy and we recognized the ROI quicker. The ability to use a single piece of hardware simplifies the overall administration.

Unified block and file storage without the need of control stations and data movers. This simplifies administration and deployment and requires less rack space.

• Increased flexibility in the GUI to provision storage easier
• Include cloud-based replication for blocks

We didn’t encounter any stability issues.

We didn’t encounter any scalability issues.

Technical support was pretty good. However, the Dell/EMC merger has been challenging across the board.

We were using EMC VNX. We switched because this was a newer version of an aging technology.

The initial setup was straightforward and easy. It is simple with a single IP. It recognizes arrays without pre-populating with IP addresses.

The price is good for commercial grade storage arrays. Licensing has changed to be more advantageous for users.

We didn’t have any alternatives in mind.

If you are looking for a unified solution for block and file and to be competitive in the all-flash market, this is the product to choose.

• Inline compression
• Auto-shrink
• Data in-place upgrades

Definitely the biggest requirement is deduplication. The EMC Unity Platform doesn’t have this feature, yet it was a part of the predecessor VNX series. Customers cannot afford to keep duplicates of data on such a tier.

We have used it for about six months with multiple deployments during this period.

The operating environment is very stable. I have no complaints and no bugs were noticed so far.

All the models in the series/family have a specific range of scalability. I believe there never was an issue on this, its predecessors, or with the Unity.

SAN is a scale-up technology. Usually when a system needs to be upgraded to handle more workloads or requires to scale up more than the existing systems’ capability, you do not need to do a traditional "fork-lift" upgrade. You do not need to get a bigger SAN and then do the traditional migration from the old SAN to the new one.

You can simply replace the existing storage processors one at a time with a higher model SP and voila, you’re done! Now you’re upgraded from model A to model B with higher scalability and better configurations.

I would give them a rating of "11/10".

I have worked with NetApp, Dell Compellent, Dell EqualLogic, and HPE EVA systems.

• Dell: Too complicated for configuration and management utilization
• NetApp: A very good product when it comes to a file environment. However, they are quite restrictive with their block protocols.
• HPE EVA: Not as reliable as a NetApp or EMC.

The initial setup was simple and straightforward with a friendly interface, wizard driven, and no extra utilities required.

Unity is a good product since all the software required is already bundled.

We previously evaluated Compellent, EqualLogic, MD series, NetApp FAS, Nimble and HPE EVA.

Go for it!

I have a few customers who are using Dell EMC products for storage, backup, and other different purposes. 

On the Data Domain side, the most attractive feature is the compression ratio, which none of the other products in the market are currently able to provide. On the Unity side, what customers mostly like is the availability guarantee. 

I have been working with Dell EMC Unity XT for three years. 

This product has been stable. 

Dell EMC Unity is scalable. 

This product does bring a ROI. As I have seen, it helps them to protect their investment since it is future-proof and scalable, so they don't have to change products every year or so. Because of those things, I have seen customers using the EMC product for more than three years. 

When I see other products—like HP, Huawei, and Lenovo—from competitors, I have seen a lot of disadvantages with EMC, price-wise. Huawei and Lenovo are very price competitive. 

Looking at the price point for a country like Sri Lanka, where we have a very low economy, I think you need to look at a pricing mechanism that is a bit more flexible. 

I rate Dell EMC Unity an eight out of ten because, economically, there are a few things that Dell needs to improve. 

We use this solution mainly with our clients in the education sector, in order to consolidate their data into a single, unified storage setup.

This solution has allowed us a high level of visualizations.

We particularly like the user interface on cloud IQ with this product.

We would like to see more advanced integration capability added to this solution.

We have been using this solution for the last six months.

We have found this solution to be quite stable.

We have had no problems scaling up this solution.

The setup of this solution is very user-friendly and, as long as the prerequisites are met, then deployment should not take more than two to three days.

Before setting up this solution we would advise that organizations prepare the physical equipment that will be required for on-premises deployment, as well as gathering information on the data to be migrated.

This will allow for an average deployment time of one to two days.

We would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

We prioritize performance-driven systems. The Dell Unity XT delivers excellent performance and offers support services.

I always look at performance and quality. When we deploy solutions that work well, we directly help our customers improve their business operations. The only thing that might change my mind about the Unity XT is a product with comparable quality and performance at a lower cost.

I like its performance and support. 

There is room for improvement in manufacturing. 

I have been working with this solution for three years. My support contract is for five years.

It works fine for me. I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

It is highly scalable. There are around 200 end users. 

I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. 

The customer service and support are good. 

Positive

The initial setup is not complex. I would rate my experience with the initial setup an eight out of ten, with ten being easy. 

It took a day to deploy the solution. This Dell Unity XT system is deployed directly for a primary customer of my company. So, our company works directly with Dell.

The deployment was done with the help of the integrator. One person was enough. 

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