We are using it for serving the VMware environment and creating all of our virtual servers and desktops.
Director of Information Services at a import and exporter with 51-200 employees
Good support for desktop video conferencing, good performance, and fantastic support
Pros and Cons
- "The GPU units, processor speed, and capabilities are most valuable. Desktop video conferencing is also valuable. It supports desktop video conferencing much better for graphics."
- "They should work with Microsoft to make licensing costs better. That's because the physical servers have processors with all these cores, and Microsoft now licenses Windows virtual server desktops based on the number of cores and the serving servers. So, if you got to build 10 or 20 servers on that desktop, you got to license them all with Microsoft. They should have a partnership with Microsoft to decrease the virtual licensing of servers in partnerships so that when you purchase the servers, you also get licensing for Microsoft on top of them. That's because it gets very expensive to license virtual operating systems to run on physical servers."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The GPU units, processor speed, and capabilities are most valuable. Desktop video conferencing is also valuable. It supports desktop video conferencing much better for graphics.
What needs improvement?
They should work with Microsoft to make licensing costs better. That's because the physical servers have processors with all these cores, and Microsoft now licenses Windows virtual server desktops based on the number of cores and the serving servers. So, if you got to build 10 or 20 servers on that desktop, you got to license them all with Microsoft. They should have a partnership with Microsoft to decrease the virtual licensing of servers in partnerships so that when you purchase the servers, you also get licensing for Microsoft on top of them. That's because it gets very expensive to license virtual operating systems to run on physical servers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for 10 years, but these are refreshed. So, they're new. We have hardly used them.
Buyer's Guide
HPE ProLiant DL Servers
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about HPE ProLiant DL Servers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is solid. We didn't face any issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Its scalability is great. We have 150 users, and it is being used heavily. We are taking every bit of life out of it we can. We don't have any plans to increase its usage.
How are customer service and support?
Their technical support is great. It is fantastic.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have only used HPE.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy. Getting them up and running is a piece of cake, but getting the VMware environment operation on them is very complicated.
It has been a couple of months so far, and we're still working on it.
What about the implementation team?
We are implementing it in-house. We are growing that skill internally. I got a rockstar guy doing all that. I don't do it on my own.
For its maintenance, we have one network administrator.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
They need to work with Microsoft to make the licensing costs better and more efficient.
What other advice do I have?
It is a good product. I would rate it a nine out of 10 because it has good support and good performance.
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.

System Administrator at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Robust, easy to use, and user friendly
Pros and Cons
- "The robustness of the design of the server is the most valuable. HP servers are easy to use and user-friendly. The server is not complicated, and it is easy to use ILO systems."
- "In DL 500 systems, the flow of air is not good enough, and some components get overheated. IBM systems have better airflow and scalability. We have a data center that has limited physical space. Therefore, we need to maximize the processing or compute systems that we use. In HP servers, such as DL 500, there are only four processors, whereas IBM servers, such as SR 916, have eight processors. We don't get any support from HP because of our geographical location. We solve all problems ourselves by doing research on the internet. It would be good to get HP support."
What is most valuable?
The robustness of the design of the server is the most valuable. HP servers are easy to use and user-friendly. The server is not complicated, and it is easy to use ILO systems.
What needs improvement?
In DL 500 systems, the flow of air is not good enough, and some components get overheated. IBM systems have better airflow and scalability.
We have a data center that has limited physical space. Therefore, we need to maximize the processing or compute systems that we use. In HP servers, such as DL 500, there are only four processors, whereas IBM servers, such as SR 916, have eight processors.
We don't get any support from HP because of our geographical location. We solve all problems ourselves by doing research on the internet. It would be good to get HP support.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using HP products for six or seven years. We use HP Proliant DL 300 family and DL 500 family and blade servers like Enclosure C7000.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It works fine for general use or specific use of most enterprises, but for mission-critical servers, I don't think it is the best fit.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
IBM systems have better scalability.
In our company, we have about 4,000 users. We also have a lot of outside users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We haven't had any technical support yet because our country is not in the technical support area.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have been using HP products from the beginning.
How was the initial setup?
In the latest versions, such as G9 or G10, we have a very user-friendly installation. It took about 30 minutes to 1 hour. RAID is easy to install, and so is the server, but in earlier products or versions, it was somehow challenging.
What about the implementation team?
I deployed it myself. We have about six persons for the deployment and maintenance of the servers. They are system administrators for physical servers. For virtual environments, we have different teams to administer the use of our environment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have ILO licenses. We use this feature.
What other advice do I have?
HPE ProLiant DL Servers are easy to use and suitable for mid-range users. HP has other products for enterprise users. I don't compare them with this family. We had the physical servers for all services, but now we are migrating to virtual servers using VMware.
I would rate HPE ProLiant DL Servers an eight 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.
Buyer's Guide
HPE ProLiant DL Servers
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about HPE ProLiant DL Servers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
860,825 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Service manager at Crescent Technologies
Scalable solution, but its customer support service needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's initial setup is straightforward."
- "They should improve the solution's built-in quality."
What needs improvement?
They should improve the solution's built-in quality.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for two decades.
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?
The solution is very much scalable. It is possible to deploy and merge more servers to it. But the scalability varies depending on the particular model requirements.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's customer support service needs improvement. The team responds immediately but could be more knowledgeable about various issues.
There are different warranty models available for technical support with the vendors. However, it affects the business workflow because the response gets scheduled according to the subscription plan.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The solution's initial setup is straightforward. We need to follow the basic steps.
What other advice do I have?
HP has come up with the GreenLake model. Wherein they set up private clouds using CapEx and OpEx models for customers. They also provide integration with other networking and security components.
I advise others to follow the basic instructions for deployment. Also, they should learn about the solution's framework and features while making a purchase decision. I rate the solution as a seven.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
IT Engineer at KBS LLP
Scalable, high quality, and good technical support
Pros and Cons
- "The quality and the technical support are the most valuable features."
- "The cost of the solution has room for improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We have several HPE ProLiant DL Server models in use, DL360, 380, and 580.
We use the servers for multiple business services.
What is most valuable?
The quality and the technical support are the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The cost of the solution has room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am currently using HPE ProLiant DL Servers.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a ten 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.
Business application analyst at CFI
It's a robust, scalable solution
Pros and Cons
- "I recommend HP ProLiant. It's a robust and scalable product."
- "We have had issues with ProLiant's intelligent provisioning. Sometimes, the drivers do not come up, so we have to install them manually."
What is our primary use case?
We use ProLiant servers to host our solution. We have around 150 users.
What needs improvement?
We have had issues with ProLiant's intelligent provisioning. Sometimes, the drivers do not come up, so we have to install them manually.
For how long have I used the solution?
We started using ProLiant a few months ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE ProLiant is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
HPE ProLiant is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The setup can be complex or straightforward, depending on the server model. One person can complete the deployment in about four days.
What other advice do I have?
I rate HP ProLiant DL servers eight out of 10. I recommend HP ProLiant. It's a robust and scalable product. If you're having problems with the drivers, you can go to the HP forums and get some help.
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.
IT Consultant at SPE
Easy to deploy, stable, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Compatibility is the best feature of the solution."
- "The technical support response time has room for improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as a second node backup.
What is most valuable?
Compatibility is the best feature of the solution.
What needs improvement?
The technical support response time has room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for 13 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I give the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I give the scalability an eight out of ten.
We have 8,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support sometimes takes time to resolve the issue.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used IBM servers and switched to HPE ProLiant DL Servers because of the better price.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy. I give the initial setup a ten out of ten. The deployment took between one and two days.
Three people were used for the deployment.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was completed in-house with the help of an external consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I give the cost a ten out of ten. We pay an annual licensing fee.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution a nine out of ten.
We require two people for the maintenance.
I recommend the solution to others.
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.
Software Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
It has a fast IO, which we need for the database supporting our monitoring tools
Pros and Cons
- "Our monitoring tool has a database, so we need a server with a fast IO."
- "In Qatar, HPE doesn't have as much support as Dell. I would recommend Dell if given the option because it has a solid local presence."
What is our primary use case?
The ProLiant server is where we install our monitoring tools. We are only utilizing about half of its total capacity. We need to install more memory and other hardware to maximize our usage. We're close to the minimum. We have around 20 users for this project across two departments.
What is most valuable?
Our monitoring tool has a database, so we need a server with a fast IO.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using ProLiant servers for three years
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The server hasn't failed in three years. Typically, it takes about five years before the power supply or hardware fails.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We configure the server as a standalone. It's not clustered to scale out. We are only just scaling up by installing additional RAM and other hardware as necessary.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
At my old company, we used HPE's Blade server.
How was the initial setup?
It's straightforward but requires a little more configuration than Dell because this HPE has an ILO where you can run an independent operating system. A system integrator deployed the server, which took less than a day. Our deployment and maintenance team consists of four engineers and one manager. We followed the installation guide and the standard steps for installing a Windows operating system.
Configuring the ILO operating system added some additional steps that weren't required with Dell. It's running Windows 7 ILO, a step higher than Dell's operating system.
What was our ROI?
I believe we have seen a return. However, the software accounts for the large cost, so ROI is difficult to calculate from a hardware perspective.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
HPE ProLiant servers are priced about the same as Dell's, maybe a little more.
What other advice do I have?
I rate HPE ProLiant servers nine out of 10. I would recommend them if you live in an area where HPE has a strong support presence. In Qatar, HPE doesn't have as much support as Dell. I would recommend Dell if given the option because it has a solid local presence.
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.
Technical Consultant at Inflow Technologies
High quality hardware, helpful support, and reliable
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of HPE ProLiant DL Servers are very high quality."
- "The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers could improve."
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of HPE ProLiant DL Servers are very high quality.
What needs improvement?
The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using HPE ProLiant DL Servers for approximately one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have found the HPE ProLiant DL Servers to be stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
HPE ProLiant DL Servers are scalable.
We have more than 50 clients using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
The support from HPE ProLiant DL Servers is very good, they are helpful.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is reasonable, but because of covid and other factors, the price could be reduced. The license is paid annually.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate HPE ProLiant DL Servers a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

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