Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs IBM Power Systems comparison

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22,390 views|15,422 comparisons
98% willing to recommend
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7,236 views|5,199 comparisons
97% willing to recommend
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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers and IBM Power Systems based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Rack Servers solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.
To learn more, read our detailed Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems Report (Updated: March 2024).
772,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution is easy to use and very stable, and we are happy with it.""Our customers do not ask for any service for the Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers because they are very durable.""The management portal is essential because it gives you a lot of flexibility. You don't have to be at the location to manage the server. You can power it on and off remotely or start an installation remotely. All you need to do is connect it to the network and you can do things from thousands of miles away.""When it comes to energy consumption they're also very good. They don't use power because they're power-hungry, but because we use them very hard.""We were running out of memory, and that was the first time we heard of a solution that supports a terabyte of core memory. That was the primary reason we got the first box. We've stayed with it since then because we have so many Dell workstations.""It is quite stable. We didn't have a single downtime of failure. Nor have we ever experienced any downtime in electrical components or the hardware. In this way, the server is reliable.""The maintenance and remote monitoring are valuable.""I like the reliability and ease of swapping out failed equipment. It is very easy to replace power supplies and drives."

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"Power Systems' best features include its user-friendliness and self-checking/self-healing abilities.""We found working with IBM Power Systems that LPM is the most valuable feature.""We've been using it for a long time, and it's stable.""The best features of the solution are its robustness and service level.""The main feature that I have found most valuable is PowerVM - its virtualization feature which is the most powerful.""It is a very scalable solution.""From a software developer standpoint, virtualization is really the key, as we can more easily spin up a new partition, virtual instance of IBM i.""Power Systems is like a dream solution for every IT person because it has redundancy, and it doesn't stop. It doesn't get affected easily. I don't see any weaknesses in this solution. At the moment, we have Power8. It is stable and runs smoothly. We have a big load, and it is working very well. It can be customized based on our needs. Flash copy is helping us amazingly. We have virtualization for vDisks, which is again very helpful. We are working on this virtualization technology, and we have a team that is working on redundancy and architecture."

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Cons
"They should improve the centralized management interface. When you are going to deploy something, for example, VMware or RedHat, it should be easier to deploy a lot of servers. Now you have to do one at a time.""Considering from a hardware perspective, some areas of concern were network cards on the models we had in our organization, which were fairly inaccessible, so we had to remove the whole motherboard and, basically, the whole system to get rid of or swap a network card.""I would like to see the pricing improved.""We have storage and would like to manage more backups without adding extra storage devices. Maybe it's already there. I need to look at it more.""Their support can be better. The speed of their support is not always great because the access to the data centers is sometimes complicated, so there is back and forth.""Capacity and performance could always be improved.""The maintenance for this solution could be improved.""It takes a long time to deliver the hardware. The riser cards can be better. The riser cards are where the PCI cards connect. They need to have more than two riser cards in the server because it can be difficult to connect sometimes."

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"Its management can be made easier because it is not easy to manage. They should also find a new way for migrating from an old Power Systems to a new one. The migration process is currently very complicated. It should be made easier to scale. Currently, its scalability depends on the initial sizing, whereas in Nutanix HCI, you can add whatever you need and whenever you need it.""Its pricing could be better.""The number of times IBM refreshes its operating system appears to be very slow.""I would like to see the scaling model improved so it's not just either tiny or huge.""I would like to see firmware available to all of the systems.""The price is a bit high and could be improved.""I think IBM needs a little more work on managing the overall environment with eliminating Systems Director.""It would be ideal if the solution was more simple to work with."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Dell's solution was cheaper than HP's solution."
  • "It's not a very expensive solution."
  • "It is expensive. The price needs to be more competitive. Additional licenses are required to enable some of the features for scalability."
  • "The price of this solution is reasonable. It's very comparable to similar solutions."
  • "The server is a one-time purchase, but the support is on a subscription basis."
  • "It's a one-time licensing fee for the device and we pay a quota per year for the support."
  • "The licensing comes with a warranty."
  • "Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers are very expensive."
  • More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Why should I be charged for that use rather than a single CPU, a single socket?"
  • "The cost model is great. There is so much built in to the technology, that if you know how to use it you can save yourself a lot of money."
  • "It is designed for a large workload, as opposed to a small workload. For our circumstances, and even as an independent, I can't buy a Power system to experiment on. It can't happen. You cannot buy them."
  • "The pricing is reasonable."
  • "Its price is too high."
  • "Its price depends on the sizing."
  • "The pricing of the solution is very good because we can beat any other competitor with the pricing. Lately, they have offered good pricing for their customer."
  • "The price of the solution could be somewhat better and this is what lowers my rating of it to a seven or eight out of ten."
  • More IBM Power Systems Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Leonel Simões
    Md. Shohel Rawshan Sarker - PeerSpot reviewerMd. Shohel Rawshan Sarker
    Real User

    IBM Power Systems vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Server



    IBM Power Systems is a RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) system that contains 8 threads or over per core. This processor performs super-fast due to the RISC algorithm technology than any other Intel-based hardware (e.g., Dell, HPE, Cisco). 


    In Intel, there are only 2 or 4 threads per core and it performs according to CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer). 

    IBM Power system is a sustainable, reliable and obviously costly solution compared to any other Intel-based solution.  

    Generally, IBM Power system is used in mission-critical systems. 

    Asghar Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewerAsghar Ahmed
    User

    Hi, simple and short if you want to learn more and more about computing then go with IBM and if you want to just deploy and move on then use Dell. 


    Dell has its own technologies and IBM has its own. All VM (Hana and other technologies) come after computing. If you know how computers compute technology you will do your best in this computing world and it's also good for your career. 


    thank me later :)

    Nicolae - PeerSpot reviewerNicolae
    Real User

    IBM Power comes with virtualization integrated (PowerVM), highly optimized (practically with no performance impact) - no need for VMWare, HyperV etc. 


    For database it is the recomended platform - even is Hana, Oracle (best combination with AIX) or DB2 (DB2 for me is the most autonomous database that you can have). 


    The downside of IBM Power could be the lack of support for Windows and the initial cost. 

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether the Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem rack servers were the better fit for us. We ultimately decided to go with Dell EMC Poweredge… more »
    Top Answer:It has helped us reduce unplanned downtime by 20% to 30%.
    Top Answer:We are quite satisfied with our latest configurations. We don't have big complaints at the moment. The response time could be better. Everyone is very busy nowadays. It's important to get issues… more »
    Top Answer:IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors.
    Top Answer:IBM should provide a platform where users can learn about the storage and security of IBM Power Systems.
    Top Answer:In my company, we use the system for the data center and our IBM Cloud Pak System.
    Ranking
    1st
    out of 22 in Rack Servers
    Views
    22,390
    Comparisons
    15,422
    Reviews
    100
    Average Words per Review
    764
    Rating
    8.9
    4th
    out of 22 in Rack Servers
    Views
    7,236
    Comparisons
    5,199
    Reviews
    19
    Average Words per Review
    367
    Rating
    8.7
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    PowerEdge R
    IBM OpenPOWER LC
    Learn More
    IBM
    Video Not Available
    Overview

    Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are designed to optimize performance and efficiency in a data center environment, supporting various applications. Based on user reviews, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers supporting tasks from basic web hosting to more demanding applications like data analytics and virtualization. They are engineered to offer high performance, reliability, and scalability. With a focus on automation and integrated security, these servers simplify operations and protect against threats, making them a smart choice for businesses of all sizes.

    Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are a robust, secure, and scalable solution that can meet the diverse needs of businesses, backed by comprehensive support. Benefits to look for in reviews include performance, reliability, scalability, and customer support.

    Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers key features include:

    • Scalability: These servers can easily scale to meet growing business needs, supporting more workloads and processing power.
    • Integrated Security: From hardware to firmware to the operating system, Dell PowerEdge servers are designed with security in mind, offering layers of protection.
    • Energy Efficiency: Advanced thermal design and energy-smart technology help reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
    • Automation: With Dell EMC OpenManage, the management of servers is streamlined, allowing for automated deployment, monitoring, and updates.

    In terms of implementation, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are used across various industries, from small businesses to large enterprises. They serve as the foundation for IT infrastructure, powering critical applications in healthcare, finance, education, and more. The adaptability of these servers means they can be tailored to specific industry needs, from handling large datasets in research institutions to supporting high-transaction databases in financial services.

    IBM Power Systems are built to crush the most advanced data applications - from the mission-critical workloads you run today to the next generation of AI.
    Sample Customers
    NxtGen Datacenter, Medien-Service Untermain (MSU), Exasol, IndigoVision, Dayco
    Cipher
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Manufacturing Company20%
    Computer Software Company11%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Financial Services Firm6%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company20%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government8%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm32%
    Retailer16%
    Educational Organization11%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Financial Services Firm16%
    Computer Software Company15%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government7%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business38%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise39%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business32%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise52%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business24%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise56%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business21%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise63%
    Buyer's Guide
    Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    772,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is ranked 1st in Rack Servers with 138 reviews while IBM Power Systems is ranked 4th in Rack Servers with 69 reviews. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is rated 8.8, while IBM Power Systems is rated 8.8. The top reviewer of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers writes "We get centralization, remote management, and good customer service with these servers". On the other hand, the top reviewer of IBM Power Systems writes "A solution with minimal downtime and quick recovery time in the event of a sudden or unexpected crash". Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is most compared with HPE ProLiant DL Servers, Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers, Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers, HPE Apollo and Huawei FusionServer RH Series Rack Servers, whereas IBM Power Systems is most compared with Intel Server System, Oracle SPARC Servers, HPE ProLiant DL Servers, Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers and HPE Apollo. See our Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs. IBM Power Systems report.

    See our list of best Rack Servers vendors.

    We monitor all Rack Servers reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.