TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Google Drive

    Score8.7 out of 10
    N/AGoogle Drive is a cloud file storage, synchronization, and collaboration platform and service, that features Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides for document editing and presentation.

    $6

    per month

    IBM Storage FlashSystem

    Score8.9 out of 10
    N/AIBM Storage FlashSystem, an all-flash storage array, delivers ~2 PB of effective capacity per single rack unit. Engineered with unique FlashCore Modules, it offloads data services including compression, encryption, deduplication, and ransomware threat detection ensuring optimum performance and resiliency.N/A
    Pricing
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Editions & Modules
    Basic
    $6.00
    per month
    Business
    $12.00
    per month
    Enterprise
    Contact Vendor for Quote
    per month
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Free Trial
    YesYes
    Free/Freemium Version
    YesNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    NoNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
    Additional DetailsDiscounts are available for students, educators, and non profit organizations.—
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Considered Both Products
    Google
    No answer on this topic
    IBM
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    99%
    Would buy again
    120 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    54 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    99%
    Delivers good value for the price
    114 Answers
    98%
    Delivers good value for the price
    51 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    97%
    Happy with the feature set
    117 Answers
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    54 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    95%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    81 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    45 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    99%
    Implementation went as expected
    93 Answers
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    46 Answers
    Features
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    File Sharing & Management
    Comparison of File Sharing & Management features of Google Drive and IBM Storage FlashSystem
    Feature
    Google Drive
    8.4
    221 Ratings
    0% above category average
    IBM Storage FlashSystem
    -
    Ratings
    Versioning8.7195 Ratings00 Ratings
    Video files7.8190 Ratings00 Ratings
    Audio files8.3184 Ratings00 Ratings
    Document collaboration9.0218 Ratings00 Ratings
    Access control8.0216 Ratings00 Ratings
    File search8.1220 Ratings00 Ratings
    Device sync8.9205 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cloud Storage Security & Administration
    Comparison of Cloud Storage Security & Administration features of Google Drive and IBM Storage FlashSystem
    Feature
    Google Drive
    8.6
    215 Ratings
    1% below category average
    IBM Storage FlashSystem
    -
    Ratings
    User and role management9.0202 Ratings00 Ratings
    File organization8.0213 Ratings00 Ratings
    Device management8.799 Ratings00 Ratings
    Cloud Storage Platform
    Comparison of Cloud Storage Platform features of Google Drive and IBM Storage FlashSystem
    Feature
    Google Drive
    8.9
    214 Ratings
    3% above category average
    IBM Storage FlashSystem
    -
    Ratings
    Performance9.2212 Ratings00 Ratings
    Reliability9.0214 Ratings00 Ratings
    Storage Reports8.587 Ratings00 Ratings
    Enterprise Flash Array Storage
    Comparison of Enterprise Flash Array Storage features of Google Drive and IBM Storage FlashSystem
    Feature
    Google Drive
    -
    Ratings
    IBM Storage FlashSystem
    8.1
    157 Ratings
    9% below category average
    Flash Array Performance00 Ratings9.0152 Ratings
    Flash Array Integration00 Ratings8.1148 Ratings
    Data Compression00 Ratings7.7152 Ratings
    Non-Intrusive Upgrades00 Ratings9.1144 Ratings
    Simplicity00 Ratings8.4154 Ratings
    Power Savings00 Ratings6.2147 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Small Businesses
    IDrive Online Backup and Object Storage e2
    Score9.1 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    Apple iCloud
    Score8.4 out of 10
    Dell Compellent (discontinued)
    Score8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    ownCloud
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Everpure FlashArray
    Score8.2 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Likelihood to Recommend
    8.5
    (224 ratings)
    8.5
    (157 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    10.0
    (6 ratings)
    7.6
    (6 ratings)
    Usability
    8.8
    (54 ratings)
    8.8
    (23 ratings)
    Availability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    9.0
    (7 ratings)
    9.3
    (21 ratings)
    Support Rating
    1.0
    (49 ratings)
    9.1
    (6 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Online Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    8.0
    (3 ratings)
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    Configurability
    6.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.1
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    5.0
    (1 ratings)
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    5.1
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    8.8
    (2 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    -
    (0 ratings)
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Google DriveIBM Storage FlashSystem
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Google
    It is possible to share files and folders with up to 200 email addresses, as well as with persons outside the company.Use the drop-down arrow to select who may see, comment on, or change the file or folder before sending out an invitation.I am very much impressed with this feature
    Read full review
    IBM
    IBM Storage FlashSystem is the only good option. It is possible to do with other brands but not with the same compatibility and support. So in the IBM i world, there is not that much options if you want reliable products, performance and compatibility with overall system: IBM Storage FlashSystem product is the one. You may need to adjust performance to your needs and IBM has a complete range of systems for entry (FS5X00), mid-range (FS7X00) or high-end (FS9X00). In IBM i world, IBM Storage FlashSystem is the best, but knowing the product, I would probably recommend it for other platforms. And many of my customers are using it as a cross-technology platform (mainly virtualization on x86 like VMWare).
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Google
    • Any user with access can store a file using different platforms like Android, IOS, Windows, or Ubuntu (Desktop version)
    • You can share files with any number of different users with different access rights or you can even keep it public by providing the access link and assign different rights for public access
    • You can open Excel/Word files using google software Sheets/Docs in the browser environment without having to install software like Microsoft Office etc on your Windows OS
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    • Extremely fast storage
    • Scales up as needed. Add flash core modules easily and increase volumes very quickly.
    • Applying firmware updates to IBM Storage FlashSystem is very easy to do and can be done without any downtime.
    • Replication policies are very versatile and also easy to setup.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Google
    • Having a little bit more control and clarity over what is shared and how it is shared would be a useful improvement.
    • Could be more robust and flexible as far as assigning restrictions.
    • Google Sheets could be enhanced because Excel really is not there yet as a product with equal capabilities as there are still quite a few limitations to the functionality.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    • Definitely we need to be able to extend a volume that is part of a mirror pair or Policy-Based Replication(PBO) on the fly.
    • Expansion of mirrored volumes/volume groups should resynchronise only the changed data (Almost like making use of change-volumes) and not trigger a full resync.
    • Please allow us to select downloading drive microcode also from Fix Central directly onto the flashsystem like with updates.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Likelihood to Renew
    Google
    It's perfect for me. It keeps things saved and is easy to remove items if needed. Also, I very much enjoy the formatting options. Along with the integrations it has for SSO. Overall, this is the most user friendly system I have ever come across.
    Read full review
    IBM
    As flash technology evolves rapidly, vendors should [adapt] to the changes and onboard them in their products. IBM is a bit slow in adopting advanced technology in [its] portfolio. Even though the current product is good, my decision is purely based on how the transformation of the product [is] being produced and supplied to [the] end-user.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Usability
    Google
    It's easy enough to use for computer users of all ages and skill levels. I am an advanced user, and I think the hardest part might be showing someone how to download and set up the app on their device if they weren't too familiar with computers, but overall it is very easy to understand.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    The integration into our SVC and the midrange systems are very well working. We do use cross site replication and global mirror which in turn is easy setup and the consistency groups are well maintained. The storage does global mirroring but also internal cross room replication as well. The integration of cloud object storage also helps in tiering the overall system.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Reliability and Availability
    Google
    Always available
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    Yes. The last really issues I've seen in the environments of my customers were back in the "Storwize" era of systems. Issues with code updates or sometimes rarely failing critical components. BUT: since every component is at least dual redundant even back in that day real outages were very rare. And today in the "FlashSystem Era" the systems are so reliable and available even during code updates there are no complaints. I think the 5 or 6 9s are completely achieved.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Performance
    Google
    The documents load fairly quickly and also update in real time, especially given the fact that multiple people can be using it at once. The "Offline" feature works great to allow the user to make edits and access the document without access to the internet, and then sync changes later once they're back.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    Latency and throughput have been excellent. The compression is done natively on the NVME modules so we do not see an impact there. the distributed parity does not seem to impact write speeds at all. We have found database performace has increased quite a bit over our old hybrid storage solution.
    Having a single tier of performance makes it easy to set up SLAs for workloads.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Support Rating
    Google
    It takes a few days for customer support to get back to you. Although, I have not had to use support too often. Once you get an email back, they are very thorough and work hard to fix the problem quickly. It is a really great resource and a great way to get the help you need if you're stuck. A phone call also works quickly but you have to call during specific times.
    Read full review
    IBM
    I would rate the overall support for IBM Storage FlashSystem with a 10. The response times have consistently been fast, and the support engineers always come prepared with relevant questions and practical solutions. They demonstrate a deep understanding of the product and our use case, which means issues are typically resolved quickly and without unnecessary back-and-forth. This level of support has been especially valuable for our SAP environment, where uptime and quick resolution are critical.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    In-Person Training
    Google
    The effective google workspace using training that my organization received and was conducted by me (as a team lead of the ICT team) was mind-blowing and as a result, our staff is performing well in terms of using the application for their daily jobs than before. Now, in my institution, all teachers and all the administrative personnel are very much interested in cloud storage facilities, in previous my institution was afraid of losing all important documents in the cloud storage. But, after having received the training they are now realized that if anyone has only one google account then he or she can use 15GB of cloud storage freely and they are now happy because now it is not necessary for anyone to carry the traditional pen drive.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    Very good traning by experienced personnel. I attend instructor led sessions on IBM TechExchange and STUs before as well as IBM workshops for FlashSystems at IBM Böblingen which I helped to prepare and improve after piloting them. Absolutely nothing to complain about FlashSystem training in Germany or USA. So: all good here!
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Online Training
    Google
    No answers on this topic
    IBM
    THe training is often selfpaced and easy to follow if you have worked previously with other storage products. The content is clear and contains all the information needed for an admin to learn. However the troubleshooting part is not always included and this is dependent on forums or other sources where the information is not accessible very easily.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Implementation Rating
    Google
    It's an extremely easy software to implement, once you sign up for a google account you automatically have access to google drive with a set amount of storage space. The business or Google Suite accounts have more storage space than a regular free account, but setting up and accessing google drive is very easy in both cases
    Read full review
    IBM
    I was amazed by the way IBM Flash storage provides a huge amount of storage within the limited footprint, it helped us to replace big fat storage arrays, which aided in the process of moving towards lower hardware, carbon, and energy consumption footprint. We can comfortably say that Flash helped us to host applications fast with a blazing speed and user transactions are quite quick.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Alternatives Considered
    Google
    In short, Google Drive is better for independent users who store a normal amount of stuff. OneDrive makes more sense for businesses and teams that are doing heavy-duty storage or large-scale syncing. Realistically, though, most users will fall somewhere in between the two, where either platform would meet their needs.
    Read full review
    IBM
    For the past six months, we have been utilizing this technology in our projects to manage a massive workload and produce swift business outcomes on a crucial production database. The IBM FlashSystem 7200, which offers high performance and compression, has so far been a great experience for us. The results and functionality of this product have delighted our consumers.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Scalability
    Google
    I have always been able to access
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    IBM
    I'm using cognos - especially cognos reports - as a part of IBMs Storage Intelligence software to manage datacenters and report storage and overall resource consumption to my customers. The software is reliable and - my customers who are using cognos in their businesses - say that they are very satisfied about the scalability of cognos. I can give it only an 8 rating because of the quite heavy resource footprint...
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Google
    • It has given our operation remote capabilities
    • Easier to access and understand client's need through collaborative enviroment
    • availability to digital resources fast and easy
    • saved our operation hundreds of dollars in physical storage (both investment and maintenance)
    • our operation became easier for new staff to get onboard: small learning curve to use it
    Read full review
    IBM
    • Easy of use is a key aspect, as we do not have dedicated storage staff.
    • Our RPO has lowered near to Zero, using PBR as replication and this is key for us.
    • DR plan testing has become easier and less time-consuming, allowing us to conduct tests more frequently.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots

    Google Drive Screenshots

    Screenshot of Google Drive PriorityScreenshot of Comment on Microsoft Files in Google DriveScreenshot of Shared drives

    IBM Storage FlashSystem Screenshots

    Screenshot of Flash Core Module 5th GenScreenshot of IBM FlashSystem 5600Screenshot of IBM FlashSystem 5600 (rear)Screenshot of IBM FlashSystem 7600 and 9600Screenshot of IBM FlashSystem 7600 and 9600 (rear)