Technical Manager at a manufacturing company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Fast, easy to use, and offers good performance
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is quite scalable."
  • "The solution should allow for easier configurations."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution to connect to the HCI. We try to connect to HCI and share the storage space to a VM farm.

What is most valuable?

The solution is very fast. It has a replication from Nimble A to Nimble B, which is a high-speed connection.

The solution is quite scalable.

The stability is very good.

It's quite easy to use and the performance is quite good.

What needs improvement?

The solution should allow for easier configurations.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for around two years or so at this point. 

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is very good. We don't have to deal with bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable and the performance is good. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is there if a company needs to expand. It's not a problem to grow it out.

We have three or four users on the product right now.

We might increase usage in the future.

How are customer service and support?

I haven't really connected with technical support for issues with the product.

I remember one time I requested help from HPE for their info site. They did help and I was satisfied with the level of service I got. 

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

Previous to this product we just used normal three-tier storage, for example, HPE, MSA, Lenovo, and so on.

How was the initial setup?

In terms of the initial setup, while it is quite easy for the fiber connection, I recall for the ISS connection it was quite complex.

The initial setup itself only took about one day. It didn't take too long. 

What about the implementation team?

The first time we implemented it, we had the help of the HPE team. the second time we did it, we were able to handle the process internally on our own.

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

We pay a monthly licensing fee.

What other advice do I have?

We are on the latest version of the solution. I can't speak to the exact version number.

I'd recommend it to others as it is quite easy to use and does offer very good performance. However, if you do not have experience with the product, you'll find the configuration process difficult. 

I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten. We've been pretty happy with its capabilities.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Team Leader at PT.Helios Informatika Nusantara
Reseller
Top 20
Easy to update with simple end-user management
Pros and Cons
  • "Updates are very easy to do when the customer is connected to the internet."
  • "HPE does not have suffficient storage."

What needs improvement?

Competitors, such as Dell EMC, make use of NVMe storage. They also use the STM storage module. Primera only has a maximum of eight. In contrast, HPE Nimble Storage does not use NVMe and this makes it challenging for us to convince the customer, who is sometimes aware of this technology, to go with it.

HPE does not have sufficient storage. Overall, the customers in need of the solution have sufficient network data storage. There is also SAN storage in one solution, in a single product. I have made three requests that the storage be capable of being samples in a single bundle. We have the protocol as an example when it comes to the product. Yet, if the customer needs to configure NAS storage, this necessitates the purchase of separate software. As the competitors have already launched the solution with NVMe or STM storage, we have also done so with Primera. The same holds true in respect of Dell EMC. In Indonesia we encounter customers who are knowledgeable about the storage and infrastructure and enquire about the solution as it concerns HPE storage. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been working with HPE Nimble Storage for two years, since the time of its release. With HPE Primera we have been working for at least one year. 

How are customer service and technical support?

Technical support is good. Their responses are interactive and they work with us. We try to keep open communication with our customers and I know that in internal support the issue has arisen of how long it takes to be escalated from L2 to L3 support. 

I feel that it takes too long. When it comes to performing integration with InfoSight, it is helpful that we can then segment the issue or possibly check the connection. 

How was the initial setup?

Updates are very easy to do when the customer is connected to the internet. This is also the case with InfoSight if the customer is connected. 

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

HPE Nimble Storage has a simple management end-user. The customer will generally provide us with feedback about performance upon installation of the solution, including in respect of VMware. Our customers are helpful when our performance involves configuring integration such as that of vCenter with InfoSight. I am aware of the tech problem we encounter. The VM we have with high-class latency is, surprisingly, very helpful to manage. 

What other advice do I have?

I'm working with one of the distributors here in Indonesia, Helios Informatika Nusantara. Mainly I'm involved with managing the SMB company. 

I rate HPE Nimble Storage as a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: reseller
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
HPE Nimble Storage
May 2023
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Chris Childerhose - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead Infrastructure Architect at ThinkON
Real User
ExpertTop 5
It has allowed us to upgrade our DMS to the latest version

What is our primary use case?

The AF5000 array is the primary storage for our iManage DMS 10 document management systems.  It allows the best performance for users using the system.

How has it helped my organization?

It has allowed us to upgrade our DMS to the latest version and reuse the older array as the DR storage for VMware SRM.  The entire DMS system performance has improved compared to the old which was on a previous generation CS260G.

What is most valuable?

Having all-flash with two banks of disk for population is great for expansion. InfoSight is always one of the best out there for array reporting and troubleshooting.

What needs improvement?

The product is great.  When sizing the array based on requirements the option to add more network cards for throughput would be something to help clients.  Product Support is best in class as always.

For how long have I used the solution?

Three to five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

No stability issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No issues here and we have a full bank for disk expansion.

How are customer service and support?

Customer Service:

Customer service is great and they go above and beyond to help.

Technical Support:

Technical support is second to none out there combined with Infosight. Also having technicians assigned directly to you when needed is great!

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

No, we are a Nimble shop with nine arrays now.

How was the initial setup?

Straightforward and very easy, as always.

What about the implementation team?

Implementation was in-house, done by myself.

What was our ROI?

ROI will be determined over the next year, after we go-live.

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

When selecting a vendor make sure to validate with the vendor that the throughput is enough. With the AF5000, it is 2GB/s write and 4GB/s read, which we are maxing out. Also, ensure to get the right amount of network cards.

Also, make sure that the specifications meet the application domain and ensure the right amount of network cards are in the array.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Nothing else was evaluated.

What other advice do I have?

Nimble AF is a great platform and is only getting better. On top of that, InfoSight's great technical support makes it an easy choice.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Private Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Assistant Circuit Executive for Information Technology at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Competitive, integrates well with VMware, functional, and has good technical support
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are its cost-effectiveness, performance, and its deduplication deficiencies."
  • "You could argue that it would be preferable if everything were cheaper in order to save taxpayer money."

What is our primary use case?

It's a fairly standard nimble storage array.

We use HPE Nimble Storage as our typical SAN for virtual environment storage and shared storage.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are its cost-effectiveness, performance, and its deduplication deficiencies.

What needs improvement?

You could argue that it would be preferable if everything were cheaper in order to save taxpayer money. While that would be nice, they are comparable to what else is available on the market and they are competitive.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been working with HPE Nimble Storage for 18 months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

HPE Nimble Storage is a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

HPE Nimble Storage is a scalable solution.

We currently serve up to 375 users. There is also one primary administrator and two secondary administrators.

How are customer service and support?

My recollection is that there was a question in the beginning, and we contacted technical support; everything was fine. Excellent.

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

Previously, we were using Dell EqualLogic's PS series. We have since removed that from our environment and moved to another storage platform. We switched to the other platform in late 2020. We switched to HPE Nimble Storage.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup wasn't particularly difficult.

We simply migrated storage volumes from the EqualLogic's, had new ones built in the nimble array, and shifted everything over. There was nothing out of the ordinary.

It does not require a lot of maintenance.

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

I believe the array, maintenance, and everything totaled around $140,000 dollars.

Certainly, in comparison to what we would have had to consider in order to achieve an equivalent storage capacity with the EqualLogic's end of life, we would have had to migrate to EMC or another platform. It was going to be at least $200,000, and most likely closer to $300,000.

What other advice do I have?

We don't have any extraordinary requirements. We simply require a large amount of shared storage. It's perfectly functional. 

It integrates well with VMware, as do the majority of the products. We are not doing anything exceptional.

I would rate HPE Nimble Storage a ten out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Sidney Wong - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Architecture & Technology at BAI Communications
Real User
It's a simple solution that is relatively easy to deploy, but it could be cheaper and more flexible
Pros and Cons
  • "Nimble's phone-home capability is decent. The compression, dedupe, and caching are also solid. Generally, I like the simplicity. It's almost a set-and-forget solution."
  • "Nimble Storage could increase its flexibility by adding more protocol options. Nimble mainly uses fibre channel protocols, whereas many other storage arrays support fibre channel, iCSI, and NFS protocols."

What is our primary use case?

We use Nimble Storage to virtualize several specialized workloads. 

What is most valuable?

Nimble's phone-home capability is decent. The compression, dedupe, and caching are also solid. Generally, I like the simplicity. It's almost a set-and-forget solution.

What needs improvement?

Nimble Storage could increase its flexibility by adding more protocol options. Nimble mainly uses fibre channel protocols, whereas many other storage arrays support fibre channel, iCSI, and NFS protocols.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have used Nimble Storage for more than eight years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate Nimble Storage eight out of 10 for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate Nimble Storage seven out of 10 for scalability. I have used it for organizations with user bases ranging from 500 to 3,000.

How are customer service and support?

I rate HPE customer service eight out of 10.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

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

The other product we used was no longer available, so we switched to the next-best solution. 

How was the initial setup?

I rate Nimble Storage seven out of 10 for ease of setup. It's relatively straightforward. We've deployed it ourselves, but we had professional services do it a few times. It went smoothly both ways. Deployment takes about a week. 

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

I rate Nimble Storage seven out of 10 for affordability. The price could be improved. We aren't using the subscription-based version, so we are fully on-prem with a five-year support license. 

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated a few vendors, including Dell EMC, NetApp, and IBM. Nimble Storage delivered the most bang for our buck. It was also relatively simple to deploy. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate HPE Nimble Storage seven out of 10. It's a good solution, but there are other options. I would recommend it, depending on your workloads. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Director at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Reseller
Top 10
Great performance and a fast deployment but can be expensive
Pros and Cons
  • "The deployment is fast."
  • "It would be ideal if all these enterprise-class high-performance products would come at a cheaper price."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for ERP.

What is most valuable?

The performance of the solution is excellent. It's the most valuable aspect of the product. The stability is great.

The scalability of the solution is great.

The deployment is fast.

Technical support is helpful. 

What needs improvement?

It would be ideal if all these enterprise-class high-performance products would come at a cheaper price.

The initial setup could be simplified a bit. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been dealing with the solution for a few years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and reliable. The performance is great. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is good with this product. If a company wants to expand it, it's not a problem.

We have two or three clients on the product right now. 

How are customer service and support?

I've had no issues with technical support. They are helpful and responsive. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is always complex, however, it is manageable. Of course, it could always be a bit easier in the future. 

The initial deployment is pretty fast and takes less than a week.

A company would typically need one or two engineers for deployment and maintenance tasks. 

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

The solution is quite expensive. We'd like them to lower the cost of the product.

You can buy the solution outright to avoid ongoing licensing costs.

What other advice do I have?

We are resellers of the solution.

As resellers, sometimes how easy or hard the solution is to deal with and set up depends on the customer requirements. It's really subject to what a customer wants in their environment.

I'd rate the solution at a six 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:
PeerSpot user
Rouben Amirthasawmy - PeerSpot reviewer
System Administrator at Sun Resorts
Real User
Top 5
Is stable, fast, and saves a lot of storage space
Pros and Cons
  • "It's very stable and fast, and I am very happy with the deduplication. It saves a lot of space, which is great."
  • "We are doing a hybrid and are moving some machines to Microsoft Azure to run in hybrid mode. We are checking the availability of extra software-defined storage so that we can configure it."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it for our high availability cluster.

What is most valuable?

It's very stable and fast, and I am very happy with the deduplication. It saves a lot of space, which is great.

What needs improvement?

We are doing a hybrid and are moving some machines to Microsoft Azure to run in hybrid mode. We are checking the availability of extra software-defined storage so that we can configure it.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using this solution for four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is scalable, and we have 600 active users.

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

We have Lenovo SAN Storage, but it's very slow and is not recommended. The deduplication is not smooth as well. Nimble is the best solution.

How was the initial setup?

The set up is very straightforward, and everything was smooth. Our cluster was managed, and we didn't have any issues.

We have never done any maintenance for the last four years, and even the power supply has been working fine. Everything has been in good condition for four years.

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

We don't require a license. If we used HPE InfoSight, then we would require a license, but for our needs, we don't need one.

What other advice do I have?

If you want deduplication storage, HPE Nimble Storage is the solution for you, and if you want to run a unit for storage, then Nimble is the best. For deduplication, it is very nice because it dedupes every file you create. You will save storage space. I would give this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Infrastructure Specialist at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Top 20
Simple to scale, helpful support, and stable
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the NVMe flash storage."
  • "We would like there to be more enhanced features."

What is our primary use case?

We use HPE Nimble Storage as a storage solution.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the NVMe flash storage.

What needs improvement?

We would like there to be more enhanced features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution HPE Nimble Storage for approximately one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability and performance are very good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is easy to scale, but there are some limitations. We would like to add more storage but there are certain limitations.

We have a small environment, and six people are using this solution in my organization on a daily basis.

How are customer service and support?

We had some issues with the configuration and we contacted support. We were satisfied.

What about the implementation team?

HPE did the implementation of the solution for us with their certified engineers and it took approximately one week.

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

HPE Nimble Storage is more expensive than some of the other solutions, such as Pure Storage. They charge more for every feature than other vendors.

What other advice do I have?

We are not utilizing the maximum functions. We are utilizing the protect facilities. 

HPE Nimble Storage is a good solution. it is useable in a production environment. However, the useability all depends on the environment. After a year if you want to renew the support, or have enhancements it is going to cost you more. Planning is very important.

We have switched from HPE Nimble Storage and we now use Pure Storage. 

I rate HPE Nimble Storage an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
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Updated: May 2023
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