HPE Synergy Interconnect Link - expansion module - 10Gb Ethernet x 12
Mfg # 779218-B21
CDW # 4305399
| UNSPSC 26121607
Know your gear
The HPE Synergy 20 GB Interconnect Link Module part of the HPE Synergy composable fabric extends satellite frame connectivity back to the master frame. Based on disaggregated, rack-scale design, it uses a master/satellite architecture to consolidate data
Enhance your purchase
HPE Synergy 20GB Interconnect Link Module is rated
4.50 out of
5 by
26.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sheroz Ali from
Stable with good virtualization and excellent technical support
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for VM virtualization and Oracle standardization.
What is most valuable?
The virtualization is very good.
We find it quite useful for the Oracle Database.
The solution is stable.
We've found the scalability to be reasonable if you are ready to invest in it.
Technical support is excellent.
What needs improvement?
The connectivity needs to be improved. The compatibility with old infrastructure and networking should be better than what it is now. The networking part is very complex. It should be simplified.
The setup was a bit complex.
They need to make it easier for firmware upgrades. The virtual connection is very complex and they need to make it easier.
The storage configuration should be improved. When we are connecting the 3PAR storage to Synergy, I have to manually add the values again when what should be happening is, when I'm connecting, when I'm assigning, the storage should be automatically allocated.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product offers good stability. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable and the performance is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have had some issues regarding scalability. It's scalable, however, the thing is we need to purchase hardware. You need to be ready for an investment when scaling.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been great. We're quite satisfied with the level of support we get. The assistance they offer is perfect.
How was the initial setup?
We found the initial setup to be a bit complex. It wasn't exactly straightforward and simple. It would be ideal if they could simplify the process in the future to make it easier.
The deployment took about one business day.
What other advice do I have?
We're just a customer and an end-user.
We are using the HPE Synergy Composable Solution.
I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-11-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer294312 from
A stable and scalable software-defined infrastructure for hybrid cloud environments
What is our primary use case?
It's useful for virtualization, and we run all our applications in HPE Synergy.
What is most valuable?
I like that it's suitable for virtualization. It's also stable and scalable. The newer version has a lot of memory, and you don't have to worry about updates.
What needs improvement?
The performance could be better. The converged network cards initially didn't work. However, later on in the newer version, they came up with 50 GB network cards to replace the 20 GB ones, and it's perfectly fine now. At times, it could also be more stable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using HPE Synergy since 2018.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is a scalable composable infrastructure. We have 12 networks and about 1,500 users on the networks.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted technical support whenever it was required.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was very easy. I installed and deployed this solution within a day. We have one engineer managing and maintaining this solution.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented this solution by myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We don't have to pay for Synergy because it's part of our plan.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated a lot of options like Dell, Nutanix, and more before choosing HPE Synergy.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to potential users.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give HPE Synergy a ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-09-29T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Petr Student from
The composable infrastructure allows you to build and stack shared capacity
What is our primary use case?
Our use cases depend on each customer's needs which might include running standalone services or creating orchestration for VMware or Hyper-V clouds.
Our team looks at each use case to determine needs, the environment, and strategies for achieving goals. We then match hardware and software to goals and cooperate across teams to implement solutions.
We have 50 staff members across various teams who manage implementations and maintenance.
What is most valuable?
The composable infrastructure allows you to build and stack a lot of shared capacity to create a package solution. Bandwidth possibilities for connecting are great and composability allows you to work with the compute nodes to choose phone panels and devices.
Orchestrating automations is easy because you can connect to other tools with the REST API and automate components.
The solution is written in simple nodes so it can be used for many things.
The blade server has great performance.
What needs improvement?
The hardware is fine but OneView needs additional event management and filtering options.
Documentation could better describe the solution's configuration possibilities.
Sometimes there are firmware or software difficulties when connecting between networks or with storage. The solution is a hardware that is defined by its software so management issues can occur on servers or within the software running the hardware. For example, an electric car depends on its software. If the software is bad, then you can expect issues and problems that might not allow you to start the car. A technician might have uploaded the wrong code into firmware or a software developer might have make code mistakes and these things cause issues. The solution can only be as reliable as the software used to run it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
From a hardware point of view, the solution's memory discs and connectivity are quite stable.
The solution's stability is dependent on the software used. HPE partners with vendors to provide memory modules and Hynix disks from Seagate or Western Digital and they are quite stable. If you have stability issues, they are likely caused by a software problem.
Past firmware issues have been fixed with a package release.
On very rare occasion you might have a broken CPU or defective memory modules but I have only experienced that a few times in my entire career that spans many solutions.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution's signature feature is its scalability.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is fine and resolves ticket issues.
We know how to manage or implement the solution so we do not really need support. We also take advantage of training courses.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our company uses multiple vendors including the solution, Cisco, and Lenovo. Enterprise architects make vendor decisions for each use case.
How was the initial setup?
The setup requires some knowledge of infra or it might be complex. Once you are used to the solution, it is quite simple to cable, connect, and implement.
Training courses, guides, and instructions are comprehensive and included on the solution's support page.
What about the implementation team?
Our company implements the solution for customers. Deployments are based on use cases or management strategies and are mixed between on-premises and the cloud.
An implementation might include twelve compute nodes in one chassis and one frame. This might connect to a master module that provides connectivity for three frames. If you set it up correctly, all you have to do is add the compute node, create the server profile in OneView, and connect to the proper adapters. A server team then takes over to implement the operating system.
Testing and implementation takes one day because you cooperate with teams to set up ports, switches, and internal or external storage. Implementation might take longer if there are many blades, frames, or tools connected to the environment for reporting, monitoring, and backup. A very complex implementation that requires cabling in a data center might take one week.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution can be expensive because it requires both hardware and software purchases. It is difficult to determine if the solution is less expensive than other vendors because pricing depends on the system's design, use, and network speeds. Competitor products such as Cisco are similarly expensive.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is really good, works well, and has passed all internal tests.
Before using the solution, it is important to contact an experienced technician to ensure proper setup. Learn best practices so you don't become unsatisfied with the solution instead of realizing that there is something wrong with the setup or design.
I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-11-20T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mohd Shadab from
Flexible and easy to set up but analyzing logs takes time
What is our primary use case?
I'm using the solution for managing cloud infrastructure for data centers. We are using it to manage the center. We manage and store data over there. We use it for RMCV and RMCVO.
What is most valuable?
It connects with VMware and helps us manage VMware data storage.
It's cloud-based.
It gives a lot of flexibility for managing data storage. There are a lot of options and places where we can manage the entire infrastructure, from virtual machines to storage devices.
OneView is also a part of the product, which is useful. It's part of the infrastructure.
It's very useful in the process of restoring data.
The initial setup is fine.
It has plug-ins with VMware and vCenter infrastructure. It's easy to manage the VMware cloud-based infrastructure and VMware.
What needs improvement?
There is an HP plugin we need to enable in vCenter for RMCV backups. Sometimes we observe that the data storing is not happening correctly. It's like that data store, whatever we have added in Synergy, takes a backup in a day. Sometimes we observe that the backup is not happening properly. We used to get alert emails that the backup was failing for the particular storage. In that case, we needed to do a restoration during that time. It would give us a lot of trouble to restore the VM from a particular backup.
There is no expertise. There is a lack of expertise at an acceptable level from the technical teams. We need very senior higher-level technical teams to come in in the future.
It takes a lot of time to analyze the logs.
In the Generation 10 modules, we have observed that very often the server has hardware issues. We have to frequently contact the vendors.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a stable, reliable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is fine. We can increase the sizes of the test stores.
I'd rate the solution 6.5 out of ten in terms of scalability.
We have hundreds of people on the product right now.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support could be better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to set up the solution.
The deployment did not take very long. It just takes a couple of days to set up the infrastructure.
The installation may take some time. You have to plug in all of these things and do fail testing, et cetera. We did use Oracle databases and sometimes they might fail. The snapshot and remote snapshot, for example, were not happening on time. That takes time in terms of resolving those issues if they come up. You might have to run a script for contact support.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the initial setup process ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay about £500 for the solution. I'm not aware of the exact licensing terms.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
I would advise people to try the solution. It is easy to manage. That said, in order to manage HPE Synergy Servers, you'll want to install OneView.
I'd rate the product seven out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-12-21T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Gopalakrishnan S from
Local hard drives are not needed for the i3S module that boots to any operating system
What is our primary use case?
Our company has 2,000 developers who use the solution for integration with OneView to manage servers and enclosures.
We have multiple racks set up with different platform servers like DL, C7K, and Synergy. At least three enclosures are linked together in Synergy which is a prerequisite.
We set up multiple blade servers, install ESXi hosts, and add the blade servers to VMware as a host. We manage our 30-40 ESXi hosts through vCenter which is private. From there, we test and develop products that will be used in the vCenter application. OneView integrates with vCenter to manage resources.
What is most valuable?
The i3S module can be configured to provision storage to all blade servers and boot to any operating system without needing local hard drives. The module handles configuration for repositories and bootable iOS images so costs are minimized. The module is quite good and very cost effective for production.
The solution has great architecture and functionality.
What needs improvement?
The solution should support Cisco or other vendor interconnect models. Our previous platform supported extenders and interconnects.
A lower price model should be offered so customers at every level can use the solution. This would allow businesses to grow their data centers and be more competitive with Dell and Cisco.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is highly scalable. We can connect multiple enclosures together and increase the number of hosts or blade servers with no issues.
How are customer service and support?
We contacted support with issues connecting to the internet and updating features. They were very helpful and provided solutions. A chat option is also available and useful.
Support is rated an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The setup is easy and everything you need is preloaded. Deployment takes a two or three hours and includes configurations.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the solution in-house. A system administrator can repair any items that go bad during setup. The solution is not hard to manage with some experience.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost is high or a big investment and that is a drawback for some customers.
A one-time investment of $80,000 to $100,000 is needed for high-end servers that are very stable. If these are your needs, the investment is worth it.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend using the solution and rate it an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-11-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ayub Mohammed from
Agile, cloud-enabled, and easy to manage
What is our primary use case?
We are providing solutions to our end customers. So I work in a distributor company, so we are still using this product and providing solutions to the store.
What is most valuable?
It's Blade Service, and this is a very agile product. It is for enterprise customers, not SMBs. Our Hyperconverged and Nimble are more suitable for SMBs or mid-market customers. Synergy is mostly for an enterprise-level business that has big requirements.
This is cloud-enabled. For example, data can be migrated from the cloud to these products. Synergy data from the public cloud can be migrated to Synergy and from Synergy to the public cloud.
The composability is great. This infrastructure is more composable. For example, programmers are not dependent on the infrastructure team to provide service. The infrastructure is more programmable in the Synergy system. Any programmer can just run a single line of code, and a virtual machine will be ready.
It allows for easy management. It is very simple. With a single user interface, we can manage all of Synergy.
What needs improvement?
This is a product more suited to enterprises. It's not for small companies.
The cost is quite high.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for the last five years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have between 500 and 1,000 users. They are in different regions and different areas, and therefore it is hard to estimate how many people are on the product.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation was pretty fast. It's easy to manage and integrates well with everything. Sometimes integrating storage with other vendors can be a bit tricky. However, it can be done.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is an expensive solution. While they offer lifetime licensing, subscription options are also available.
What other advice do I have?
This is an on-premises solution that is cloud-enabled.
If the customer requirement is more than 100 virtual machines and they are looking for virtualization and bare metal servers, then they should go for Synergy virtualization plus bare metals.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-09-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Getachew Zeleke from
Scalable, reliable, and good support
What needs improvement?
HPE Synergy could improve its remote support.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been familiar with HPE Synergy for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of HPE Synergy is good.
How are customer service and support?
The support is good they have helped us.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Lenovo and they have large servers and are easy to support.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment of HPE Synergy is easy and takes approximately three to four hours.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to others is this solution is easy to deploy.
I rate HPE Synergy an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-10-20T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ahmed Aboauf from
Great features and very flexible including configuring the interconnects on chassis use
What is our primary use case?
I'm a system integrator and service delivery manager dealing with strategy. We are an HPE partner company.
What is most valuable?
The interfusion and administration are great features that all HPE products have. I also like the flexibility including configuring the interconnects on the use of the chassis.
What needs improvement?
I find the product documentation to be disorganized; it's not intuitive and the info required for checking a specific step-by-step configuration is buried under too much literature. This could be a more robust solution with an effective internal storage portfolio for the servers. If they were to provide an end-to-end NDM product, that would be much better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for over a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is quite stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable for our customers' requirements.
How are customer service and support?
In general, the technical support is pretty good but it's not the best here in India. There is a lack of knowledge, especially in the storage area. We had implementations that required some workarounds and support wasn't able to help because they were working with a specific scripted plan and didn't have enough information to deal with all aspects of the deployment.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very easy and straightforward.
What other advice do I have?
Our customers are generally medium to enterprise size clients and mainly in the banking sector. HPE is currently running neck and neck with Dell but if I had to make a choice, I'd recommend HPE. If all your requirements are well-defined, pre-deployment and implementation is easy.
I rate it nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-10-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Strahil Peev from
A reasonably priced composable, software-defined infrastructure for hybrid cloud environments, but the user interface could be more user-friendly
What is our primary use case?
We use HPE Synergy for digitization and containers.
What is most valuable?
The price is reasonable, and the stability and scalability are okay. We bought the solution because it suits our needs.
What needs improvement?
The user interface could be more user-friendly. It's for admins, and you should have the knowledge to use it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I think I have been using HPE Synergy for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of HPE Synergy is okay.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of HPE Synergy is okay. All our departments with about 300 users are using this solution.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is okay. I really didn't need them until now.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I'm mainly using HP. So, that was the choice after blade servers.
How was the initial setup?
It took about a day to implement this solution.
What about the implementation team?
HP implemented this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The hardware licensing cost is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten, I would give HPE Synergy a seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Marziyeh Bahrami from
A top rated solution with an easy to integrate software
What is most valuable?
The insert RAM feature is the most valuable. It is a simple software to integrate with others like service desk applications and engine management.
What needs improvement?
In terms of additional features, there is nothing that I would add. However, the pricing can be improved as it is a costly solution due to sanctions in Iran. When we buy an HP service or system, we need a company in China to purchase it and send it to Iran. This gets very expensive as it takes time to complete this, and by the time we receive the product, the HP or Cisco company says it's the end of the sale, and there is a new version. The limitations and sanctions are very harmful to Iranian IT specialists.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for five years. It is deployed on a hybrid cloud.
How are customer service and support?
There are limitations to the technical support due to the sanctions in Iran.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
DEVINDRA SINGH CHAUHAN from
A legacy system that has been dependable but has not changed enough over the years
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case of HPE Synergy is for invoicing. Our Brazil office uses the solution as we do not have Oracle ERP there. It is a legacy system.
What is most valuable?
HPE Synergy has been dependable for the past 15 years. Our offices in Brazil do not want to change.
What needs improvement?
There really isn't any valuable feature. Our team in Brazil does not want to change, and that is why it's still running there. They have not improved their product since it was purchased. I would like to see the product be compatible with Oracle invoicing or Salesforce invoicing.
HPE Synergy should be easier to use and integrate with other databases like Tableau and with the cloud. It is difficult to integrate with cloud-based data sets. I also would like to see better customization ability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using HPE Synergy for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. It has been running for 15 years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is not scalable. If you have a bigger workload or have more invoices, it is not scalable. You need to stay within a certain capacity. We have over 150 users from payroll and accounting using this product.
How are customer service and support?
HPE Synergy supports the product, but not in terms of enhancing the product. I would rate customer service and support a four out of five.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I worked with Oracle and Salesforce. Both of those solutions are easy to customize to the needs of each of our organization's structures. They each have some unique needs. Oracle and Salesforce are ready to provide those types of customizations quickly. HPE Synergy does not accommodate these types of customizations.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a six out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-07-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Vinoth Bala from
Useful dual composers, good support, and scalable
What is our primary use case?
We have deployed HPE Synergy in a data center. Customers are using HPE Synergy for production running VMware Hypervisor, Microsoft Hyper-V, and standalone servers. However, the customers are mostly using it for the VR solution.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of HPE Synergy are the two composers.
What needs improvement?
Over the two years of using HPE Synergy, we have found some hardware failures that are frequent in the SOP models, CNA cards, and converged network adapters. These failures are frequently happening for a lot of the customers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using HPE Synergy for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of HPE Synergy is good.
How are customer service and support?
The support from HPE Synergy is very good.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of HPE Synergy for us is straightforward. We provide the knowledge to our customers if they choose to deploy it themselves. However, when the customers do the process it takes time and is technically demanding.
What about the implementation team?
HPE Synergy is not difficult to maintain.
We have worked with the HPE technical team for Synergy cases. For example, for firmware upgrades, security purposes, and vulnerabilities.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a perpetual license given when you purchase HPE Synergy.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate HPE Synergy a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-08-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JuanDuque from
Reliable with good performance and more capacity
What is our primary use case?
The use case is related to the platform Binware. We grade the platform of Binware, the old version of Bingware to the new version of Binware since the old version has an obsolescence issue. We've been successfully migrating all Bingware options and the Bingware version to the new one in this new Blade Synergy.
What is most valuable?
The performance is very good.
It has good stability.
The scalability is great.
There is this new centralized tool for managing the whole platform. Its name is OneView. It has been great.
What needs improvement?
They must improve the OneView tools. They could put in more tools and improve options to help better manage more things and so we can integrate more platforms with OneView. Right now, Binware is integrated with some licenses to OneView, and you can integrate, Citrix licenses with OneView or RedHat, for example, with OneView. The improvement has to be introduced in order to activate more license options for other plots so you can control it with the OneView tools.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have about ten users on the solution currently. They are specialists.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also use HPE Blades. However, we are migrating over to Synergy.
We are moving as the Blade system is practically at the end of life. It is going to be end of life in 2025. Right now, if you going to try to buy a new Blade system, HPE doesn't sell it. The option that HPE gives you is Synergy. In addition to that, Synergy has better performance. It's newer with a better processor, more capacity for memory, more capacity for CPU, and all of that.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not so easy. It has a medium level of difficulty. On a scale from one to five, the difficulty could be three.
Depending on the operating system, however, it could be 20 to 25 minutes. We need less than ten people for deployment and maintenance. Likely, within a year, we'll be buying as we migrate over from Blade to Synergy.
What about the implementation team?
Usually, we handle the deployments in-house, without the help of outside support from consultants or integrators.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't have details in regards to the actual cost.
What other advice do I have?
We are a customer and end-user.
We going to move the platform of the Blade system to Synergy system.
I'm not sure which model we're using.
I would advise new users to implement all the tools Synergy has and use all the licenses and options that OneView has. It's useful for managing your Intel platform.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Manjunath V from
Composable infrastructure solution that offers valuable converged network adapters
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are the converged network adapters.
What needs improvement?
This solution could be improved by increasing the speed on the conversion adapters. It should be 100 gigs. I would like to have bandwidth conversion on SBAs and ethernets to understand how much each physical server is consuming.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable solution. There are a lot of server updates which require down time on each machine and each blade. The release cycle should be more frequent and offer additional features.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have experienced bottlenecks and set backs related to the speed of conversion adapters. There may be some limitations on scalability related to these adapters.
How are customer service and support?
The customer service for this solution is very good. We have a very good account manager and have not had any problems.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also use Dell. I have found Dell's performance is better following the latest configurations. However, if we experience problems, HP support makes us feel more comfortable while Dell do not offer the same level of support.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very simple.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-08-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Alexander Lavrinovich from
Knowledgable support, an easy implementation, and can expand as needed
What is our primary use case?
I don't remember the models. However, there are Synergy nodes built in the cloud infrastructure with a design utilization. Some of the project was within two Synergy baskets with a full load installed.
What is most valuable?
The solution is stable.
We didn't have any problems handling the initial setup.
You can scale the product.
Support is very helpful.
What needs improvement?
Maybe two years before, there were issues with drivers. However, the issues were always fixed quickly.
They were not so deep into integration with VMware. As a partner of VMware, I'm focused more on VMware products and I don't remember many details about HPE now that time has passed. However, there should be more integration.
For how long have I used the solution?
I used the solution for a while. I worked as a partner in a big integrated company, and we did some projects for this technology with this recruitment.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable. There were no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale. We started one project from one basket and we added a second basket without any problems.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been knowledgeable. Everybody is excellent.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
I don't remember any problems handling the initial setup. Everything was described and really detailed in the documentation.
We work with a really small team. Two guys handled the deployment and maintenance. It's not necessary to have a huge team to deploy and run the production.
What about the implementation team?
We had help from the local HPE office. If we had any questions, we were able to ask the technical guys from the local HPE office. I don't remember if we had any really big issues.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I worked with the technology and never handled the licensing aspect. I'm not sure of the exact costs.
What other advice do I have?
Whether or not this is the right solution for a company depends on the use case. It's not really for everyone. I don't really want to recommend it to everyone. For some cases, it's a really good solution. For other cases with a high-density environment, it's not ideal.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-09-18T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ali Balandy from
Lots of valuable features and very expandable but is quite complex
What is our primary use case?
It's a little bit more complex than Blade Enclosure. It's like any virtual environment, probably. If you have virtualization on the top of the Synergy Frame, it works well.
What is most valuable?
I didn't see a lot of valuable features with Synergy. The Blade Enclosure was easier to use. They have complicated things with Synergy. The only good thing is that they have some powerful machines that you can use, such as the latest generations of HPE Compute that you can use. That's the only advantage.
What needs improvement?
It's a pretty complex solution.
The continuous update of the firmware and the patch updates and security updates for the hardware make it continuously complex. It all comes back to complexity. I don't have any other concerns. It's all about how complex the component is.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for a couple of years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There is no problem with the scalability. We haven't had issues. It can scale as needed.
How are customer service and support?
The HPE tech support is okay. It's only that you need to push them a bit so that you can get the right person. Sometimes they just give you someone that really is learning with you, which is not good. However, if you push it a little bit, then you get the right person.
What other advice do I have?
We're customers and end-users.
We are an HPE shop in terms of blade technology. In terms of the computer, we are an HPE shop. So, we are with the Blade Enclosure and with the Synergy Frame. We use both.
We're just using HPE OneView with the Blade Enclosure and with the Synergy Frame. We are a very small shop. We are moving mainly to the cloud. So, everything we do is more in the cloud. On-prem we are a very small shop.
If you are okay to keep going with the Blade Enclosure (as the Blade Enclosure is not going to expire for quite a while) I would advise a user to compare a few other things before going with Synergy. For me, it wasn't a good experience.
I'd rate the solution a six out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1204020 from
Scales easy with good technical support and a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution in order to deploy an on-prem client.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature within the solution is the main management offering. They call it the GreenLake offering. It's the OPEX model. They manage that for the client.
The stability is very good so far. The performance has been reliable.
The solution is easily scalable. You can expand it if you want to.
If you have the right team in place, the initial setup is pretty straightforward.
Technical support is excellent. They are very helpful.
They're way ahead of the game. The software-defined fabric they have is very good.
What needs improvement?
They actually have a different offering with Nutanix. That's more generic. The Synergy platform is HPE-specific and more for on-premises. You're kind of locked in with VMware and the HPE with the VMs. The Nutanix offering is a bit more flexible.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for about a year and a half. That was when it was installed by a client. It hasn't been too long.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have the stability to be reliable. The performance is good. There aren't bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is extremely scalable. It's one of the highlights of the product for us. If a company needs to expand, it can do so with ease.
It's a data center offering. Whatever applications are installed on there, and, in our case, there are hundreds of applications installed, services all the users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have been in touch with their technical support and they assisted us in the implementation process. Their assistance is top-of-the-line. The team is helpful and responsive. We're quite satisfied with the level of support provided.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have experience with Nutanix. I would say with Nutanix, the sky's the limit there. It's very comprehensive and it integrates with all the clouds - and you have the on-prem as well if you need it.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup isn't too complex. It's straightforward. With the team we had, it was fairly easy. We also had assistance from HPE throughout the process, and having their insights were helpful.
In general, the maintenance is handled by HPE. We don't have to worry about it.
What about the implementation team?
HPE was there all along the way. It was very good. They're very good to work with.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I can't discuss the exact amount of money we pay for licensing. The amount is confidential.
It's my understanding that the deal we arrived at was very competitive.
What other advice do I have?
We are consultants. HPE is simply a service provider for us.
I don't recall which version of the solution we are using.
I would advise others considering the solution to consider the Nutanix HPE with the GreenLake as an alternate. There is just a little bit more flexibility in a product like Nutanix, although they are all good.
I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-02-23T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1474212 from
Best frame server technology, best support, robust, and easy to deploy
What is our primary use case?
We have built our on-premises private cloud on top of HPE Synergy connected to 3PAR SAN storage. Our cloud was built above Hyper-V hypervisor, and that's the computing node of it.
What is most valuable?
For me, this is the best frame server technology available in the market. We can compare it to Cisco UCS.
It is robust and stable, and it is also easy to deploy and scale. Their support is the best.
What needs improvement?
ICMs could be better in this model. When you look at its competitors, the most critical point is the throughput. HPE is the best with the ICM module, which is an interconnect module that connects the servers of the frames to the LAN and SAN.
HPE Synergy should also support the latest processors provided by Intel.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We didn't run it on a massive scale. We have 60 computing nodes on an eight-blades enclosure. We didn't face any issue so far.
I am not sure about the number of users, but in terms of frames, it is 200K or 200,000. We are happy with this solution. When we need more computing nodes, we will add them as HPE Synergy.
How are customer service and technical support?
Their support is one of the best ones currently available.
How was the initial setup?
Its initial setup is very easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are satisfied with its price.
What other advice do I have?
My experience with them is on-premises, and it has been an outstanding experience. We are happy with HPE Synergy, and we will keep on using it.
I would rate HPE Synergy an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-01-25T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Michael KAPNANG from
Enables centralization of all administrative tasks
What is our primary use case?
We are primarily using this product to build a private cloud infrastructure.
How has it helped my organization?
While it is difficult for me to state how the product has improved my organization without making use of a comparative frame of reference, I can state that it has enabled us to centralize all administrative tasks.
What is most valuable?
What I find most valuable about this product are the number of interface combinations made possible with a single computer node. Secondly, I would rate the ease of configuration.
What needs improvement?
As concerns room for improvement, the number of levers in the system should be addressed. Technical solutions should be made easier. The advice I would give is that HPE Synergy increase the availability of the deployment.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the product for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I have not been using high speed for long enough to give an adequate rating of the product's stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I consider this product extremely scalable. A single view allows for tremendous management capabilities.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have had to make use of technical support for one or two problems concerning product deployment. I had to instruct them to use their headphones. Only at this point did they give me results and they were not good. I had to request to be escalated and this was time consuming. The last issue for which I had to turn to technical support involved the apparent loss of a compute node on one of the computers.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we used an IBM Blade Server and, subsequently, the IBM system.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was complex and this can take around three weeks to a month.
What about the implementation team?
I do integration on behalf of the customer.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I cannot properly advise on setup, pricing or licensing costs.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other options before settling on HPE Synergy and, besides, this decision was not in my purview to make.
What other advice do I have?
The entire company and all its customers are utilizing this product. Plans are in place for future upgrades.
I would rate HPE Synergy an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-05-04T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1136874 from
Stable and well-built with a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
Most of our use cases are under NDA. I can't speak to how specific clients use it.
Use cases can vary by quite a bit. Generally, companies can use it as a computing system, as a database, or for virtualization. There are very different use cases that can be covered by this product.
What is most valuable?
The product is mostly stable.
The solution is built very well. It's very robust and durable.
The installation is straightforward.
If a customer would like to, they have the opportunity to buy technical support licenses.
What needs improvement?
In the past, I have had issues with configurations.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been doing installations for a while at this point. Likely, it's been about a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is mostly stable. It doesn't crash or freeze. There are no bugs or glitches. It's reliable. I haven't had any issues with the hardware. It's a well-built product and it's durable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I wouldn't describe this solution as scalable as it is hardware. It's scalable inside the chassis. However, I have not tried to scale it yet. I don't really have experience in this aspect.
We have four clients that are currently using the solution.
How are customer service and technical support?
I don't have any experience with technical support. That's handled on the customer side. If they have issues with the solution, they would contact HPE directly. I'm just an installer.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is pretty straightforward. An organization probably wouldn't have too many issues. I have struggled with the configuration aspect, however. That can be a bit difficult.
I cannot remember exactly how long the deployment takes in its entirety. It's maybe an hour or so, for the physical installation. After that, the deployment and configuration depend on the organization and its requirements. Sometimes it's a couple of hours. Sometimes it takes two days.
You only really need two people for deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
I handle the installations for clients. I'm an integrator.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You can purchase support licenses for this product. Those would need to be paid on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
I'm an integrator and I mostly deal with solution hardware. I also use HPE Rack.
I install the latest versions of the solution.
I would recommend the solution as it is very well built. As a chassis, I would rate it at a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Integrator
Date published: 2021-03-02T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1517220 from
Good versatility, performance, scalability, and size
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use it for virtualization. We are using Generation 10 model.
What is most valuable?
Its versatility, performance, and size are most valuable. It is very decent for its size. It has very good performance and very good specifications.
What needs improvement?
Its management needs some work. It is not the best in terms of management. It has decent management. Its user interface can also be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for around three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is definitely scalable. We have about 2,000 users.
How are customer service and technical support?
For Synergy, we haven't required support from HPE.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using DL ProLiant servers, and we still use them but not as our main servers. They are not blade servers. They are rack-mounted.
What about the implementation team?
It was deployed by a contractor. We have a technical team of about 20 people for its maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We have already paid once. It is just the price for the permit and its use. It seems you don't have to keep paying for it, but I am not sure.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others. We definitely plan to keep using it. It has just been around three years. We should be using it for at least six years.
I would rate HPE Synergy an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-03-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1633284 from
Easy to set up and scale, but should be more user-friendly
What is most valuable?
The stability of the solution is very reliable.
The solution can scale up if a company needs it to.
The initial setup is very easy and quite straightforward.
What needs improvement?
I've found the user experience to not be that great. It's something that they could really improve on. They need to make it more user-friendly.
The profiles aren't so easy to work with.
We find the agility to be lacking.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for the past few years. I've used it for a while and have some time to get to know the product.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It does not crash or freeze. It's reliable. The performance is great.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution scales very well. If a company can expand it, it can do so.
Few people are using it now. Previously, we had many more users. Right now, we may have a few hundred users.
How are customer service and technical support?
We've never used technical support. We've never really had a need to reach out to the technical team. Therefore, I can't speak to how helpful or responsive they are.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I also have experience working on Cisco products. While HPE is a good solution, I do find Cisco to be a bit better.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very simple and straightforward. It's not complex or overly difficult. A company shouldn't have any issues.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and an end-user. I don't have a business relationship with HPE.
My understanding is that we are on the latest version of the solution at this time. I can't speak to the exact version number.
I would advise if you need to choose between this solution and Cisco, that Cisco might be a better option.
I'd rate the solution at a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2021-07-27T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sandeep TK from
Provides an all-in-one single pane of glass
What is our primary use case?
We work with the Synergy OneView 5.4 version.
We use the solution for hypervisor infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
We like that the solution can be arranged for an all-in-one single pane of glass, something our customers find important.
What needs improvement?
It would be nice if the updates were not accompanied by downtime. We have encountered this issue at times over the years.
The solution should come with external storage connectivity.
Owing to these minor issues, I choose to rate the solution as a nine out of ten.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Synergy's newest product for the past three years. I have made use of it over the past 12 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
What other advice do I have?
I have no specific advice to offer others who are contemplating implementing the solution.
I rate HPE Synergy as a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-01-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
TJ1 from
The deployment process is straightforward, and the support provided is far better than any other company
What is our primary use case?
Our standalone servers and Windows hypervisors are running on the product.
What is most valuable?
It is a good product for hypervisors. The performance is fine.
What needs improvement?
The firmware, software, and driver levels must be improved. The product should be stabilized as soon as possible. Some hardware of the product was not in good condition. We faced some issues within six months. We requested HPE to replace them. The solution must concentrate on improving the product quality.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for more than two to three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable. I rate the product’s stability a seven or eight out of ten. We faced a few hardware failures.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable. I rate the scalability an eight out of ten. There were some limitations on some hardware. Around 8000 people use the product in my organization.
How are customer service and support?
The solution provides good support. The support team will be available on-site for any new installation or configuration needs. In middle-east, HPE’s support team is far better than any other company. Support is important.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were using a different solution before. We switched to HPE because of the support provided by them.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
The deployment took one or two hours. A consultant from HPE helped us deploy the product. We needed one or two people to deploy the tool.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license comes with the solution.
What other advice do I have?
The solution is periodically making improvements. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-07-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
JohnDeavers from
An HCI solution with support for stateless computing
What is our primary use case?
It's an HCI solution. I've also used it for on-prem and GreenLake solutions for consumption model requirements.
It's typically for enterprise solutions that are multi-data centers and multi-sites. There are several Synergy frames.
What is most valuable?
The hyper-converged infrastructure where everything is stateless is valuable. Basically, you have your compute storage and networking management.
What needs improvement?
Gen 11 is being released. That's going to have a lot of advantages over Gen 10 and previous generations in terms of the cooling modules in the servers to keep them cooler and run with more efficiency and better performance. There are more management features with iLO 6 and the latest OneView management.
In terms of additional features, I've been requesting SimpliVity to be running on a compute module versus a 1U and 2U.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using it since the C7000 in 2019.
What was our ROI?
We've seen an ROI.
What other advice do I have?
It's easier to consolidate standard tier-three infrastructure into an HCI solution.
Overall, I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-01-22T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Laith Aljawamis from
Flexible, robust, and simple to install
What is our primary use case?
We use HPE Synergy for infrastructure virtualization.
How has it helped my organization?
It is better to build the virtualization environment in this manner. To be honest, it is flexible and powerful.
What is most valuable?
The solution's greatest strengths lie in its ability to maintain a high availability and combine networking with hyper channel connectivity into a single component.
What needs improvement?
There is always room for improvement.
Based on our use cases, I don't believe there are any additional features required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with HPE Synergy for three years.
There are two versions of HPE Synergy, both known as Gen10. One is available only in hardware form, while the other is the Gen10 Plus, which has been recently released. However, we are currently using the 480 Gen10 version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
HPE Synergy is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate the scalability a nine out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The implementation process is straightforward. It is not complex.
What about the implementation team?
We had assistance from the vendor to deploy it.
What other advice do I have?
The design and the physical setup are identical. As long as the configuration is done correctly, there should be no issues with operations such as patching and firmware updates.
I would rate HPE Synergy a ten out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-03-14T00:00:00-04:00