Dell EMC Mid-Range VMAX or Other 1 PB Storage System?

Last year was an eventful one at what is now Dell EMC, with merger happenings, Data Domain product expansions, a transition from VNX to Unity, and then a change to the flagship VMAX series.

The first Dell EMC all-flash VMAX, the 250F, brought the respected storage system to the mid-range market with a 1 PB array priced at less than $100,000. Keeping the starting cost out of six figures is a benefit, but even so, it remains a hefty price tag. Various government agencies, charitable organizations, educational institutions, and small and mid-sized businesses simply can’t afford to shell out that kind of cash.

Fortunately, there are alternatives. Older (likely non-flash or hybrid flash) storage arrays with similar capacity—think any early VMAX—may fit the bill. Whether already in the environment, transitioned from a mission-critical workload, or found on the refurbished market, these systems can last for many years, as long as they have good support.

Third-Party Maintenance is Affordable Support

Sticking with support from the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is expensive, and it’s only an option for a little while before end of support life (EOSL) strikes. A better choice for older systems s to seek out a third-party maintenance provider.

There are many advantages in turning to a company like Park Place Technologies:

• 40% to 70% savings when compared with OEM support;
• Reduced operational risk compared with in-house, do-it-yourself support;
• Full access to high-quality spare parts (and with Park Place, a lower dead-on-arrival record than Dell EMC!);
• Extensive engineering expertise and immediate escalation to Level 3 support;
• A bevy of proactive maintenance and comprehensive support measures to help minimize downtime and maximize performance;
• No EOSL date, plus upgrade options to extend hardware lifespans even further.

This type of support makes older 1 PB VMAX, VNX, or other storage arrays just as robust and reliable as a newer VMAX250F, but much more affordable. So if there aren’t “must have,” all-flash features in the new mid-range VMAX, it’s warranted to give that system a pass.

Give It a Try, says Gartner

Organizations that have been tempted by third-party maintenance but not sure how it would work for their environment can use this opportunity to give it a try. In fact, that’s precisely the recommendation the respected research organization Gartner made in a recent paper. They say targeting non-mission critical systems for a first foray into third party maintenance is a good strategic approach that carries many benefits.