The FlashSystem is currently hosting all of our applications and services.
IT manager at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Good performance, easy to manage, and remains stable even during maintenance
Pros and Cons
- "I would like to have replication functionality built directly in the product, rather than having to use a separate device for this."
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
The performance of each server was improved when we implemented this product. The IOPS rate is high with flash storage, compared to other types of disks.
What is most valuable?
The administration is easy and very straightforward. It is the same software for managing both flash and non-flash storage. It can be managed using either the GUI or the command-line interface.
It is a high-performance product that serves our requests well.
The IBM Professional Services give us technical support that is both timely and of high quality.
What needs improvement?
I would like to have replication functionality built directly in the product, rather than having to use a separate device for this.
Buyer's Guide
IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the IBM FlashSystem A9000 for nearly eight months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable product during daily operation, maintenance, and even while upgrading the firmware. It comes configured from IBM with one controller and after testing it for perhaps an hour, the firmware will be updated and the other controller will take over. Then, the next phase begins.
At this point, it again tests the system for about an hour, and then the other controller is updated. There is no downtime, availability is not affected, and it remains stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is possible to both scale-up and scale-out, and it depends on the needs of the business. If I need more capacity then it's easy, and this is true even if I need more performance.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is very good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Prior to using the A9000, we were using the V9000 for nearly two years.
Before moving to IBM, were work working with the EMC VMAX storage array. I was not the decision-maker who decided to switch, although it may have been related to cost.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is easy and not complicated.
From scratch, the Rack and Stack take perhaps two days, and the configuration of the system takes an additional day.
What about the implementation team?
The setup is completed by IBM, although we are involved in the post-installation knowledge transfer.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are pricing options from the mid-rand to the high-range, of which the suitability depends upon the requirements.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I think that this is a good product and I recommend it.
I would rate this solution a nine 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.

General Manager at SinergyHard Ecuador
Scalable with good visualization and flash copy capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The high performance and high availability improved our overall processes."
- "Other vendors have included a block and file system. IBM doesn't include a file system. And yet, it's very necessary for all organizations' networks to have file systems. We have other systems for the file system, however, ideally, we would like to have one system with these features."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for the database.
How has it helped my organization?
The high performance and high availability improved our overall processes.
What is most valuable?
The visualization, flash copy, and HyperSwap are the solution's most valuable features. The visualization in particular is stellar. It's very, very easy to use.
What needs improvement?
Other vendors have included a block and file system. IBM doesn't include a file system. And yet, it's very necessary for all organizations' networks to have file systems. We have other systems for the file system, however, ideally, we would like to have one system with all the features we need instead of having different solutions for certain aspects.
For how long have I used the solution?
Although I had been using the solution previously, I stopped using the solution about six months ago.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. It's reliable. We never had a problem with bugs or glitches. It never froze on us.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The system is very scalable. It's actually too much for our entire organization. We don't need the level of scalability offered.
At the time of the implementation, the FlashSystem had over 5,000 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is very good. Overall, I'd rate it nine out of ten. They could guarantee the time it would take to provide answers, however, so that we know when to expect results and aren't waiting on them to respond.
In terms of replacing parts, it would be nice if they could say something like "this will take us two days or two hours". It would help us manage expectations for turnaround.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy and very quick. It's not too complex. We found it to be rather straightforward.
The advantage of FlashSystem is the stellar visualization of data integration. We deployed the solution very quickly due to the fact that, when the system was implemented, the migration was transparent. The tools make everything very clear for the user.
What other advice do I have?
IBM FlashSystem is an excellent product. That said, I don't recommend it to vendors due to the fact that IBM doesn't have a file system. For the operator, it's difficult to work with different types of storage. Again, we need to have one solution, one software that encapsulates everything, and right now, IBM is missing the file system.
On a scale from one to ten, I would rate the solution at a nine.
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
Buyer's Guide
IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe
June 2025

Learn what your peers think about IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Client Specialist at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
High performance, stable, and the technical support is good
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the speed."
- "The pricing should be more competitive."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and this is one of the storage systems that we resell to our clients.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the speed.
What needs improvement?
The pricing should be more competitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this product for about five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think that this FlashSystem is scalable. Our customers for this product are usually medium-sized companies with between 200 and 300 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and it usually takes about a day to deploy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution an eight 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: reseller
Executive IT at GBEL
Useful for databases and web applications but costly
Pros and Cons
- "What I like about the product are its high availability, maximum efficiency in performance, and its ability to handle a high level of I/O operations."
- "I would like to see IBM products become more affordable because they can be quite expensive, which limits their accessibility to a broader customer base."
What is our primary use case?
I use it for a wide range of use cases such as databases and web applications.
What is most valuable?
What I like about the product are its high availability, maximum efficiency in performance, and its ability to handle a high level of I/O operations. This makes it very effective in reducing operational issues and ensuring smooth, reliable data processing.
What needs improvement?
I would like to see IBM products become more affordable because they can be quite expensive, which limits their accessibility to a broader customer base.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe for a couple of years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe is fairly scalable. Approximately 25 people use it at my company.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good.
How was the initial setup?
The setup can be complex, but with training and experience in the technology, it becomes easier to manage. Overall, it is considered complex for newcomers. The maintenance is done by our engineers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is very expensive.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to new users is to be aware that the product can be slow for general purposes. It is designed with specific use cases in mind, so ensure it aligns with your specific needs and purpose before using it. Overall, I would rate IBM FlashSystem 9100 NVMe as a seven 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: Partner
Pre-Sales Consultant - Infrastructure at InfoTech Group
An easy-to-setup solution with user-friendly technology
Pros and Cons
- "It is a very stable solution."
- "The solution's compression feature could be better."
What is most valuable?
The solution provides unique and user-friendly technology.
What needs improvement?
The solution's compression or deduplication features over volume need improvement. Also, the scalability of its box setup could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution since 2012.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. I rate its scalability a nine out of ten. It is suitable for medium to enterprise customers.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support team is proactive, although their services are costly.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The solution is easy to install. It took us around two to five hours to complete the initial configuration. Afterwards, it took us three days to migrate the data.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation team for the solution involved three executives from the vendor's support team, along with me as an architect for POC.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution's price is competitive with other products like Dell and Huawei. Also, the customers have to pay one time cost for it.
What other advice do I have?
I advise others to use the solution if they require good system performance and scalability. The product is excellent; I rate it a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator

Buyer's Guide
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Updated: June 2025
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