Dell Storage NX430: Product Overview and Insight

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Bottom line:

There is no doubt that the Dell Storage NX430 is a workhorse NAS machine. Available at a reasonable price, its choice of SAS or SATA HDDs only (no flash) means its performance pales compared to others in this guide.

It appear that after the Dell EMC merger, the company is placing far more emphasis on its Isilon line of all-flash NAS.It’s possible that this may mean a lack of investment dollars in the NX line going forward. It is also tied to Windows Storage Server 2016, which may not suit all users.

Still, for a customer looking for a unit that gets the job done at a price that doesn’t break the bank, the NX430 is a potential choice.

Company description:

As a member of the Dell Technologies family of businesses, Dell EMC is a private company providing infrastructure for organizations protect information. This includes hybrid cloud and big data solutions incorporating converged infrastructure, servers, storage, and cybersecurity technologies. Dell EMC was formed in 2016, bringing together Dell (founded 1984) and EMC (founded 1979).

Product description:

The NX430 is Dell’s entry-level appliance in its NX Storage family. Designed for use with Windows Storage Server 2016, it comes with the operating system pre-installed for easy deployment.

It’s built on Dell’s PowerEdge server platform featuring Intel Xeon processors, so it’s has a solid professional build.

Key Features:

• Intel Xeon processor E3-1220 v5

• Up to four hot-swap 3.5”

• NL-SAS or SATA drives for data and OS

• Built on the Dell R330 PowerEdge Server

• OS pre-installed for easy deployment

• Optimized for file serving with Windows Storage Server 2016

• Up to 64 GB of memory

RAID/Data Protection features:

Continuous Availability and failover clustering RAID 5 DFS-R synchronization capabilities

Storage Saving Features:

Deduplication and thin provisioning

Data Management features:

• Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) for SMB file shares that allows backup operations using snapshots of remote file shares supporting SMB-based server applications

• Optimized for file serving with Windows Storage Server 2016 Clustering capabilities when using the NX3340 or NX3330

Implementation:

This rack mounted appliance can be up and running in less than 1 hour.

Technical support:

Support services have been integrated under the Dell EMC ProSupport brand to deliver more consistent support services. There are several layers of support:

ProSupport:

• Remote 24×7 technical support — phone, chat and online

• Automated issue detection and case creation

• Self-service case initiation and management

• Operating Environment Software and OS support

ProSupport Plus:

Proactive and predictive support that improves the performance and stability of your critical systems. It includes everything in ProSupport, plus the addition of:

• A designated Technology Service Manager (TSM) who knows the customer environment

• Priority access to ProSupport Plus engineers for faster resolution

• Personalized assessments and recommendations

• On-demand support and utilization reports

• Systems Maintenance guidance

• Predictive analysis for issue prevention and optimization

• Proactive monitoring, issue detection, notification and automated case creation

User comments on Dell EMC support are generally good, although there are a few concerns about how the merger with Dell has impacted service. “Support was good until the acquisition by Dell,” said a system administrator in the healthcare industry.

Capacity:

Maximum Capacity: 40 TB

Performance

Given that this Dell unit runs on HDDs, IOPS and GB/s and latency will be far higher than the other products in this guide.

Markets and Use Cases:

• Small to medium-sized enterprise

• Business focused on Windows Server

• Cost conscious businesses

• Firms that don’t require flash for fast processing

Delivery:

Delivery: Appliance Form factor: 1U rack-mount Media: SAS or SATA HDD.

Pricing:

Price: $2,849.00 and up