The IBM FlashSystem 5000: Performance, easy to implement and without compromising budget
January 15, 2022

The IBM FlashSystem 5000: Performance, easy to implement and without compromising budget

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Modules Used

  • IBM Flashsystem 5000

Overall Satisfaction with IBM FlashSystem

The IBM FlashSystem 5000 is a storage subsystem, so, its main purpose is to store data and keep it secure while it is accessed by end-users. Knowing that, it is important to note that IBM has made great efforts to show the ease of use for a piece of hardware that has such importance within an organization. If you need to provide space for new applications or projects, IBM FlashSystem 5000 is easy while providing good performance for daily operations. During benchmarks we have had made while migrating data to this subsystem, many customers had shown good impressions for the response times of their internal processes after they reside inside IBM FlashSystem 5000. Like I said, for the variety of options the IBM FlashSystem 5000 possesses, like Data Migration, Data Replication, or integration with other technologies (like VMware through VVOL/VASA), it is easy and fast to learn and manage by a Storage Admin. Also, because IBM FlashSystem 5000 is located and categorized as an Entry-Level, it is a good candidate for small-medium organizations that need a robust solution to protect their data against issues, like accidental deletion or cyberattacks.
  • Ease of use
  • Good Performance
  • Scalable
  • Improved Cloud integration
  • Improved internal Dashboard (it is better to use other alternatives, like Storage Insights)
  • Activate Safeguard Copy from the box, without the necessity of IBM Copy Services Manager (CSM). CSM could be later added, for restore purposes, but backup could easily be initiated from the framework itself
  • Reduced batch operations time for around 30%
  • ROI could be achieved within the first year (12 months)
  • Great data availability, even when a component fails. Almost 100% (several nines of availability)
The IBM FlashSystem 5000 is the continuity of IBM Spectrum Virtualize
models from early IBM FlashSystem 840 or 900, and later, IBM FlashSystem V9000 or 9100 while
also adding IBM Storwize family.

It is very clear that IBM took the best of these first models,
like putting Flash technologies inside IBM Storwize enclosures, to deliver a very
good subsystem that offers great performance in only 2U rack space (single enclosure,
no expansion). This means, that you can consolidate all vintage storage
solutions inside enhanced equipment without the need to learn something new
or add complexity. It is the traditional “hardware” and “software” but more
powerful.

If there are old storage subsystems and the budget is short, the IBM FlashSystem 5000 could easily help to consolidate all data inside it while giving much
more performance.
Like I mentioned before, IBM FlashSystem 5000 is great for small-medium
companies who which to have good hardware to store their data and have it accessible
and secure. But there are several models within the IBM FlashSystem 5000 family so it could
be reduced for a maximum of 2 models (right now are 3). This could simplify the
decision-making process to choose a model.

Once the IBM FlashSystem 5000 is in place, it will greatly help during the data migration process, so customers will see there are no “headaches” in this
critical step of the project. Later, to take great advantage of the solution, replicate
it to another IBM FlashSystem 5000 for high availability; the implementation is also
easy and can be either fiber channel or iSCSI (TCP/IP) which reduce cost significantly
and without impacting performance.

Although the IBM FlashSystem 5000 could be used in an AS400 environment,
I will recommend used it better for Windows/Linux environments, including Hypervisors
(like VMware). The reason is, AS400 will benefit much more from a storage
subsystem with more resources (remember that IBM IBM FlashSystem 50000 is Entry-Level) so, even
working with Flash Drives technologies, maybe another model like IBM FlashSystem 7200 or IBM FlashSystem 9200 are more according to it.

IBM Storage FlashSystem Feature Ratings

Flash Array Performance
9
Flash Array Integration
9
Data Compression
7
Non-Intrusive Upgrades
10
Simplicity
10
Power Savings
8