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    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    IBM Power Virtual Server

    Score9.4 out of 10
    N/AIBM presents their Power Systems Virtual Server as a scalable, cost-effective way to run IBM AIX, IBM i and Linux workloads​.N/A

    XenServer

    Score8.1 out of 10
    N/AXenServer (formerly Citrix Hypervisor) is a virtualization management platform optimized for application, desktop and server virtualization infrastructures.N/A
    Pricing
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Free Trial
    NoNo
    Free/Freemium Version
    NoNo
    Premium Consulting/Integration Services
    YesNo
    Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
    Additional Details——
    More Pricing Information
    Community Pulse
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Considered Both Products
    IBM
    Chose IBM Power Virtual Server
    It is a very dependable, stable, and versatile operating system. It gives better performance than Linux servers. It does not require many reboots while vice-versa in Linux servers case.
    Incentivized
    Cloud Software Group
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    98%
    Would buy again
    193 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Delivers good value for the price
    99%
    Delivers good value for the price
    187 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Happy with the feature set
    99%
    Happy with the feature set
    194 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    99%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    165 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Implementation went as expected
    96%
    Implementation went as expected
    177 Answers
    No answers on this topic
    Features
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS)
    Comparison of Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) features of IBM Power Virtual Server and XenServer
    Feature
    IBM Power Virtual Server
    8.6
    197 Ratings
    4% above category average
    XenServer
    -
    Ratings
    Service-level Agreement (SLA) uptime8.9195 Ratings00 Ratings
    Dynamic scaling8.8195 Ratings00 Ratings
    Elastic load balancing9.8189 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pre-configured templates9.7190 Ratings00 Ratings
    Monitoring tools7.0194 Ratings00 Ratings
    Pre-defined machine images9.7191 Ratings00 Ratings
    Operating system support8.9193 Ratings00 Ratings
    Security controls8.0192 Ratings00 Ratings
    Automation7.0168 Ratings00 Ratings
    Server Virtualization
    Comparison of Server Virtualization features of IBM Power Virtual Server and XenServer
    Feature
    IBM Power Virtual Server
    -
    Ratings
    XenServer
    7.6
    12 Ratings
    6% below category average
    Virtual machine automated provisioning00 Ratings7.011 Ratings
    Management console00 Ratings7.012 Ratings
    Live virtual machine backup00 Ratings8.010 Ratings
    Live virtual machine migration00 Ratings8.012 Ratings
    Hypervisor-level security00 Ratings8.011 Ratings
    Best Alternatives
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Small Businesses
    IBM Cloud Object Storage
    Score9 out of 10
    Proxmox VE
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Medium-sized Companies
    IBM Cloud Bare Metal Servers
    Score8.7 out of 10
    VMware vSOM (discontinued)
    Score10 out of 10
    Enterprises
    SAP on IBM Cloud
    Score9 out of 10
    IBM PowerVM
    Score9.6 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.8
    (195 ratings)
    7.0
    (12 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.0
    (5 ratings)
    10.0
    (3 ratings)
    Usability
    8.5
    (4 ratings)
    7.0
    (3 ratings)
    Availability
    9.1
    (2 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Performance
    8.2
    (2 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.1
    (3 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    In-Person Training
    -
    (0 ratings)
    2.7
    (1 ratings)
    Implementation Rating
    7.0
    (1 ratings)
    7.3
    (1 ratings)
    Configurability
    9.0
    (1 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Ease of integration
    7.5
    (3 ratings)
    5.5
    (1 ratings)
    Product Scalability
    9.0
    (3 ratings)
    6.4
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor post-sale
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    Vendor pre-sale
    8.0
    (1 ratings)
    8.2
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    IBM Power Virtual ServerXenServer
    Likelihood to Recommend
    IBM
    It is really impactful in terms of scenarios like ERP systems and Data Analytics where heavy data needs to be analysed in terms of volume and their needs to be high scalability offering so in that scenario it is a great asset and features like distribution of workload using AI capabilities by leveraging modern IBM offerings like Watson is really helpful the area in which it could improve is native development of application in terms of adoption of New cloud Technologies
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    It can be really helpful & useful if we are using Citrix Hypervisor with other provisioning tools. Here are some specific scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor (formerly Citrix XenServer) is well-suited: Server Consolidation, Virtual Desktops, Disaster Recovery, Development & Testing Environments. On the other hand, there are some scenarios where Citrix Hypervisor may be less appropriate: Small-scale Deployments, Highly Heterogeneous Environments, and Limited Virtualization Requirements.
    Incentivized
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    Pros
    IBM
    • It is good in managing our documents in a precise manner.
    • It is a comprehensive tool and supports other languages like JAVA and Python and it is useful for us.
    • It is quite a valuable tool available at a reasonable price in the market and it is a scalable tool.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    • Citrix hypervisor does price very well for small organizations. It is free.
    • Since this product is open source it does not have any type of vendor lockdown issues.
    • Allows live migration of VM's so you can keep systems up and running when changes are needed to the hardware in the background.
    • The GUI management tools are quite easy to learn.
    • Has Snapshot capability which is a great way to protect against malware as well as do risk-free upgrades.
    Incentivized
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    Cons
    IBM
    • The software appears to be geared for a no-programming approach, which implies that making changes is more difficult.
    • The user base is small making it monotonous and difficult to come up with new methods.
    • The number of rankings is not as large as competitors.
    • The admin end is poorly designed, as they are unable to receive and respond to client feedback.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    • Adding or presenting additional storage to the host can often be a task that is far more involved than competitive products.
    • The product can require reboots more frequently than competitors due to the DOM kernel getting "hung up".
    • Sometimes when a virtual machine is deleted it still leaves behind orphaned vdisks.
    • Recovering from the loss of a host can sometimes cause virtual machines to require lengthy command prompt scripting to fix so they can be powered back on from another host.
    Incentivized
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    Likelihood to Renew
    IBM
    Easy to understand the architecture, easy of implementation and support with perfect documentation. Results driven performance in terms of latency and speed. Able to perform heavy workloads and huge transformations, also integrated SAP systems and Oracle robust deployments. But looking more in terms of AI capabilities to achieve more innovation.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    With the knowledge and usage of solutions from VMware and Microsoft offering more compelling cloud integrated options it makes it more compelling in many environments which I consult. XenServer is a good product and fits the bill in many smaller environments but as clients look to the cloud or a hybrid cloud it can in some cases make it a bit more difficult.
    Incentivized
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    Usability
    IBM
    It provides strong support for Terraform, Ansible, and API-based management gives power users flexibility and efficiency and IBM Cloud UI is modern and relatively easy to navigate. Interfaces and workflows are consistent with on-prem Power Systems management tools. Areas to be improved - Compared to AWS or Azure, the UI could be more streamlined in how it presents all related services (e.g., networking, logging, storage) that tie into PowerVS
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    XenServer is a good product in its use and probably free if you have the right Citrix licenses already. However, it does require specific knowledge to manage, which makes it harder to manage if you don't have that knowledge in house.
    Incentivized
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    Reliability and Availability
    IBM
    Very easy to use.
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    Cloud Software Group
    It's been a little problematic in the past at larger VDI deployments requiring a bit more care and feeding than other vendors. But the latest releases (6.5.x) have brought about huge improvements in the stability and availability.
    Incentivized
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    Performance
    IBM
    While there’s room for improvement, it generally works very well.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    When running like a top XenServer is a fantastic hypervisor. There is relatively low overhead on the Dom0 so workloads get the most of the resources.
    Incentivized
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    Support Rating
    IBM
    As with most IBM products the ongoing support for IBM Power Virtual Server is solid and consistent. IBM provides a clear roadmap for receiving support of their products. Both voice and online response is offered. It is obvious that IBM has the internal systems and culture to maintain support functions. This starts from the initial support call to the problem analysis and continues through the problem resolution. Documentation and communication are consistent within this process.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    The staff I've worked with are very knowledgeable or able to get a very well articulated and capable support team member on the phone or helping them if necessary and they always want to ensure the best experience possible for you on the platform. The ability for the support team to reach out to hardware vendors for assistance is a nice plus too.
    Incentivized
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    In-Person Training
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    Part of a training for certification to become a trainer for Citrix included an in-person training with a Master CCI. The XenServer training at this time was pretty simplified due to the product primarily being installed however you did have to work with it and mildly configure the system.
    Incentivized
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    Online Training
    IBM
    No answers on this topic
    Cloud Software Group
    Haven't given it a real go with any online training however there are some options out there. I have taught a course following Citrix material for XenDesktop which leverages XenServer and it is pre-built so not the best for XenServer specifically for installation but configuration is mildly touched on
    Incentivized
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    Implementation Rating
    IBM
    It is economic.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    Ensure you review the HCL (hardware compatibility list) and reach out to the hardware vendors to ensure they support the platform and in case they have documentation that can be followed for the implementation. Also ensure the prerequisites are completed prior to implementation so that as few unexpected delays occur as you can control.
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    Alternatives Considered
    IBM
    They both have their own ups and downs and it totally depends on the team which suits them best. IBM Power Virtual Server has Performance, Scalability, Reliability and Availability, Compatibility, and Good Vendor Support. The specific use case and workload requirements played a significant role. Some workloads may benefit from IBM Power Systems' architecture, while others may perform equally well on alternative platforms.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    Feature for feature they are neck and neck. I have used Hyper-V 2012 and 2016, VMware ESXi and XenServer evenly. XenServer is a fast install, good documentation, with enterprise features out the box that compare or exceed what VMWare offered with a higher cost of entry.
    Incentivized
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    Scalability
    IBM
    Built to handle thousands of concurrent users, high query loads, and massive datasets especially in data-heavy industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. In-memory processing, dynamic query optimization, and intelligent caching mechanisms help it scale efficiently under load. You can configure clusters of Cognos servers to distribute workload and ensure high availability, even during peak usage
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    The servers latest versions have made massive improvements to scalability. But from past experience there have been issues when running workloads for extended periods of time without reboot on the hosts. I would need to run similar workloads on the 6.5 release which has changed much of the bottlenecks or issues so I'd imagine its far more capable now, Perhaps able to stand near the best in the market.
    Incentivized
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    Return on Investment
    IBM
    • We have had a return on investment of 30%.
    • There have also been 80% fewer application crashes due to a lack of resources that previously ran on the X86 platform.
    • Administration management has been simplified and staff can dedicate themselves to the development of applications, instead of providing support to users when the applications do not respond efficiently, this made staff 45% more productive.
    Incentivized
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    Cloud Software Group
    • Xenserver is easy to learn. We paid for support only for installation and deployment in the first three years, and now our team has the knowledge to solve most problems.
    • Low CAPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
    • But paid support is necessary to solve critical problems. The open source community is not enough. Actually, we have difficulty solving some bugs without paying for support.
    • Medium OPEX if you have a team that uses open source software day by day.
    Incentivized
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    ScreenShots