VSAN - StarWind virtual SAN solution
Almost always, storage virtualization has been associated with complex and expensive projects. Usually when we bring up the topic of virtualization, we think of investments in virtualization hardware and disk arrays. Endless training courses for IT administrators also come to mind. StarWind is proving that this is a thing of the past.
Storage virtualization conducted in the traditional way is practically not used by small companies. Also, large, distributed companies with many branches do not benefit from such virtualization. The scale of such deployments is simply too large, and their costs far exceed the financial capabilities of small and medium-sized companies. Therefore, an alternative solution in the software-defined storage model was needed. Such an alternative is hardware-independent and therefore much cheaper. It also provides greater flexibility when designing and expanding storage. The solution has the ability to simply integrate with the infrastructure in use and can grow with it.
StarWind has been on the market since 2003 and offers a wide range of solutions dedicated to storage virtualization. Its portfolio includes software for creating virtual SANs (StarWind Virtual SAN) , as well as virtual tape libraries (StarWind Virtual Tape Library). The growing trend for hyperconverged technologies has prompted the manufacturer to develop its own appliances with StarWind VSAN and VTL software pre-installed. Starwind also provides free versions of its software and a number of free tools (including a virtual machine converter, a deduplication ratio analyzer, and an application to create a virtual disk using RAM).
Virtual SAN (VSAN)
StarWind Virtual SAN (VSAN) is software that eliminates the need for a physical, shared disk array by simply mirroring internal traditional hard drives and flash drives between servers acting as hypervisors. It is compatible with many virtualizers such as Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware vSphere/ ESXi, Linux KVM, or Xen.
StarWind VSAN is designed for Enterprise, remote locations and branch offices, small and medium business and Edge environments thanks to:
- the ability to work in a scenario with only 2 nodes, without the need for any witness node
- transparent licensing
- excellent user support
Similar functionality is offered by competitors, but the following comparison clearly indicates that StarWind VSAN is the best choice.
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 VMWare vSAN |
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| Price |
Core Licensing. Available only with a Windows Server Datacenter license. |
High initial price, processor and core licensing. | Node licensing with a special reasonably priced ROBO licensing plan, depending on the number of locations where VSAN will be installed. |
| Performance |
60% of the performance achievable by the drives. The solution was initially developed only for traditional drives. |
15% of the performance achievable by the drives. The solution used mainly with traditional drives in mind. | 90% of the performance possible from the drives. Designed for environments with high-speed SAS and NVMe SSDs (link to our record-breaking achievement) |
| Features |
All offered functionalities available at no extra charge. |
Higher level licenses unlock better functionality. |
Access to all functionality at the time of purchase. |
| Support |
Offered on a case-by-case basis. Available with an Enterprise contract. |
Offered for a specific case. Available with an Enterprise contract or in public forums. |
Includes fast 24/7/365 support, customers also have the option to choose ProActive Premium support guaranteeing immediate response and care for the environment. |
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Management |
Complex operations requiring skilled and experienced personnel. | Implementation and management requires trained personnel. The management tool is sold separately. |
It can be easily managed by existing virtualization administrators, who can monitor and manage the whole thing from Starwind's built-in management console. |
Source: StarWind