💾 HPE Alletra MP B10000 vs Dell PowerMax 8000 vs NetApp AFF A1K
AI-powered analysis across 27 matched specifications
Performance Overview
Scores based on quantifiable specification values (1-10 scale)
Detailed Specifications
| Specification | HPE Alletra Storage MP B10000 HPE | Dell PowerMax 8000 Dell Storage | AFF A1K NetApp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Metrics | |||
| Maximum Effective Capacity | 5.8 PB (switched) | Not specified | NAS: 176.3 PB (24-node); SAN: 88.1 PB (6-node) |
| Maximum IOPS | Not specified | 7.5 million per rack | Not specified |
| Maximum Bandwidth | Not specified | 350 GB/s sustained | Not specified |
| Read Latency | Not specified | Under 100μs | Not specified |
| Availability | 100% data availability guarantee | 99.9999% (6-nines) | 99.9999% (government-grade) |
| Data Reduction Ratio | 4:1 (deduplication + compression) | 3.5:1 average (dedup + compression) | Inline dedup, compression (ONTAP) |
| Compute | |||
| Processor | AMD EPYC 3rd Gen: 32-core / 16-core / 8-core | Not specified | Not specified |
| Controller Nodes | 2, 3, or 4 controller nodes per solution | Not specified | Dual 2U chassis HA pair; NAS: up to 24 nodes; SAN: up to 6 nodes |
| Controller Memory | 32-core: 512 GB per node; 16-core/8-core: 256 GB per node | Not specified | 2048 GB per controller |
| Memory | |||
| Cache | 32-core: 512 GB per controller node; 16-core/8-core: 256 GB per controller node | Not specified | Not specified |
| Storage | |||
| Drive Description | NVMe SSD: 1.92 TB, 3.84 TB, 7.68 TB, 15.36 TB, 30.72 TB (TLC & QLC) | End-to-end NVMe (eMLC + QLC SSD) | Not specified |
| Maximum Raw Capacity | Up to 5.8 PB effective (switched); Up to 1.1 PB per solution (switchless) | Not specified | 14.7 PB per HA pair |
| Drives per Enclosure | 24 NVMe SSDs per 2U enclosure | Not specified | Not specified |
| Media Type | NVMe SSD (TLC & QLC) | End-to-end NVMe (eMLC + QLC SSD) | Not specified |
| Cloud Tiering | Not specified | AWS S3, Azure Blob, Dell ECS, S3-compatible | FabricPool (ONTAP) |
| Networking | |||
| Host Interface / Connectivity | 32Gb/s Fibre Channel; 10/25GbE iSCSI; NVMe-over-TCP | FC 32Gb, NVMe-oF, iSCSI 25G, FICON | 24× 200Gbps, 36× 100GbE, 56× 25GbE Ethernet; 56× 64Gbps NVMe/FC, FC |
| Protocols Supported | Block (iSCSI, FC), File (NFS, SMB), Object (S3) | FC, NVMe-oF, iSCSI, FICON | NVMe/FC, NVMe/TCP, NFSv3/RDMA, NFSv4/RDMA, FC, iSCSI, NFS, SMB/CIFS, S3 |
| GPU / Accelerators | |||
| GPU Support | -- | -- | -- |
| Expansion / PCIe | |||
| PCIe Expansion | Not specified | Not specified | 18 slots per controller |
| I/O & Ports | |||
| Host Ports | 32Gb FC, 10/25GbE iSCSI, NVMe-over-TCP | 32Gb FC, 25Gb iSCSI, NVMe-oF, FICON | 24× 200Gbps, 36× 100GbE, 56× 25GbE Ethernet; 56× 64Gbps NVMe/FC, FC |
| Management | |||
| Management Platform | HPE GreenLake Cloud (AI-driven, SaaS-based) | AI-driven data placement | NetApp ONTAP 9.16.1 (min. 9.15.1RC2) |
| Power | |||
| Power Specifications | -- | -- | -- |
| Physical / Environmental | |||
| Form Factor | 2U per enclosure | Rack-mounted (multiple enclosures) | Dual 2U chassis HA pair (modular); 1 HA controller per 2U chassis |
| Security | |||
| Security Features | Not specified | Not specified | AES-256, FIPS 140-2, SnapLock, ARP, Ransomware Recovery Guarantee |
| Software & OS Compatibility | |||
| Operating System / Software | HPE GreenLake Cloud | Open systems + IBM z/OS mainframe + IBM i | NetApp ONTAP 9.16.1 (min. 9.15.1RC2) |
| vVol Support | Not specified | Up to 64,000 VMware vVols | Not specified |
| Warranty & Support | |||
| Warranty | 1-year parts-only (hardware); support contract required | Not specified | Flex hardware support — 3 or 5 year options |
Expert Analysis
These three enterprise storage arrays represent distinct approaches to high-performance data management, each excelling in different scenarios. The HPE Alletra Storage MP B10000 offers a compelling unified platform with block, file, and object support on a single system, making it particularly suitable for organisations seeking to consolidate diverse workloads. Its 100% data availability guarantee and flexible scaling through disaggregated architecture provide strong value for mixed-use environments, though its 1-year hardware warranty requires careful support planning.
The Dell PowerMax 8000 stands out for extreme performance metrics, delivering 7.5 million IOPS per rack with sub-100μs latency—ideal for mission-critical transactional workloads requiring maximum throughput. Its 6-nines availability and SRDF/Metro active/active disaster recovery make it a strong contender for financial services and high-frequency trading applications, though its 3.5:1 data reduction ratio trails slightly behind competitors.
NetApp's AFF A1K demonstrates exceptional scalability and networking capabilities, supporting up to 176.3 PB in NAS configurations with 24×200Gbps Ethernet ports. Its government-grade 6-nines availability, comprehensive security features including ransomware recovery guarantee, and flexible 3-5 year warranty options make it particularly suitable for regulated industries and large-scale data lakes. The 2,048 GB controller memory provides substantial headroom for demanding workloads, though organisations should consider the complexity of managing its extensive protocol support.
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