Navigating the Software-Defined Storage Market

Published On: 3rd February 2023//6.9 min read//Tags: , , , , //

Today, IT professionals have many choices on how to solve server, storage, and networking requirements in the datacenter, and at the edge. Hyperconverged (HCI) appliances and software-defined storage (SDS) solutions have emerged as an excellent alternative to traditional three-tiered architecture.

In this blog, we’ll be giving you a background on the software-defined storage market and technologies available from vendors. We’ll be tackling the two primary deployment models, identifying examples of solutions IT pros are likely to be migrating from, and challenging you, the reader, to think about your needs today and in the future. We’ll also offer key considerations for you to factor in to help you figure out which direction to go.

The software-defined storage market

Many people will be surprised to know that the software-defined storage market and hyperconverged infrastructure have been around for over 15 years now. The market has moved on significantly over those 15 years, with end users having a broad choice today, typically segmented into 2 areas: build-your-own and pre-built appliances.

software-defined storage vendorsPre-built appliances are an option for customers that prefer a simple “drop-in” approach and don’t want to spend time configuring and testing their new hyperconverged solutions. If customers have the in-house capability or a trusted partner to build their own solution, they can typically lower their costs through the deployment of commodity servers and the repurposing of spare server and storage assets.

The build-your-own and pre-built approaches are equally valid – in fact, both these options are available with StorMagic. However, it’s still suggested that you take the time to consider each one before making any decision, to ensure you spend your organization’s hard-earned cash wisely.
software-defined storage solution

Typically, refresh cycles for these types of systems are 3 to 5 years, and many of you may be up against the wall to make a platform decision for the replacement. In some cases, you may wish to stick with your existing software-defined storage vendor(s) and do a like-for-like upgrade, allowing you to take advantage of the improvements in server/storage and software technology that have occurred. But, it may also be a good time to look around and see what else might be available – doing so could enable you to find a solution that fits your current needs more closely, and even save you money. End-of-support for some products in the market (think HPE StoreVirtual or Dell VRTX, for example) are a further consideration when making your decision. The last thing anyone needs is for support to end right in the middle of your next refresh cycle!

Could today’s technology give you greater performance for less?

Some of the key changes that have occurred since the time you originally deployed your existing hyperconverged or software-defined storage solution are the ever-increasing speed of processors and memory, increasing speed and capacity of storage, and the ever-decreasing cost of both. Put simply, today you can do a great deal more with less.

Many organizations are not keeping up with the pace of change and at the point of refresh, massively over-provision their compute and storage. They don’t carry out detailed analysis of their performance requirements, don’t consider whether they’ll actually use some of the high-end scale-out and management features, and instead, make the hasty decision to just deploy. The reality is their performance requirements have typically only mildly increased by perhaps 25%, while the new system they purchase delivers 5-10x the performance of the previous system.

Overprovisioned compute and storage hyperconverged infrastructure

StorMagic has seen example after example of spending 2-4x on a system that has 10x the performance required. As a real-world example, we entered too late into a project at a 7-site law firm that spent $40,000 per site on a hyperconverged appliance cluster that could have been configured for less than $15,000 with StorMagic and two industry-standard servers. We were too late to win the deal, but it brought home how prevalent the issue of over-provisioning is.

Which software-defined storage vendor and solution is best? Key considerations to keep in mind

Are you considering migrating from an existing software-defined or hyperconverged appliance solution, but have no idea where and to which vendor to go next? Here are some points to keep in mind to allow you to understand your actual needs with more clarity, and ultimately help make that final decision easier.

1) Analyze today’s performance needs and the needs over the lifecycle of the solution

Decide what you need the solution for; meeting your expected needs today and in the future or scaling over time as required. It’s important to create requirements that align with your actual needs. It’s easy to fall into the trap of the ‘new shiny toy’ syndrome. However, architecting your system based on fact, not guesswork will enable you to select a solution that fits your current needs, and significantly reduces your chances of over-provisioning. Either do a performance analysis yourself or ask one of your technology partners to help.

Many software-defined storage vendors have created solutions with the capability to very easily and simply scale by adding compute and/or storage nodes but can be expensive and over-provisioned. In most cases, you’ll be forced to add more storage or compute than you really need since they come as a “bundle” as part of an appliance. Look for options that allow you to scale most flexibly at the lowest possible cost.

2) Consider your deployment locations and remote IT support capabilities:

Supporting IT in the datacenter with resources close at hand is very different to supporting IT at remote sites, and the edge. If at the edge, ensure the solution is designed and tuned for these environments – ask about ease of installation, remote manageability, and the requirements needed for the remote witness server (it should monitor data quorum and avoid split-brain).

3) Understand whether you need a server-based SAN, hyperconverged infrastructure or both

Though not all vendors on the market offer both, there could be advantages for you if one solution does handle both types. Having the flexibility to deploy a server SAN today (one that doesn’t run applications, but is just a big storage pool) and migrate over to a hyperconverged solution later could save you a lot of money as well as unnecessary headaches.

4) Figure out if you can squeeze more life out of your existing hardware

Software-defined storage solutions typically run as software appliances on a virtual machine. High-performance servers that are 3 to 5 years old can likely be repurposed if you’re willing to build your own solution. In recent years, with chip shortages and hardware delays, this strategy has become increasingly attractive for organizations needing to make changes and carry out refreshes quickly.

We are entering a brave new world of disruption as the market moves away from legacy 3-tiered architecture to hyperconverged infrastructure, software-defined storage solutions, and networking. There is a tremendous choice from a wide range of software-defined storage vendors for IT professionals, and we know that you have a hard job deciphering all the information out there and making the right choice for your organization.

However, with the right approach, it is possible to enter the market with your eyes wide open, and avoid that all-too-pesky buyer’s regret.

Upgrade your edge sites for at least 33% less with StorMagic SvSAN

StorMagic SvSAN is a hyperconverged, software-defined storage solution that is purpose-built for organizations operating at the edge, or in areas with limited bandwidth. Capable of running on any x86 server, it allows users to reuse their existing infrastructure, saving them from vendor lock-ins, steep hardware costs and the now-common delays in new hardware shipments.

SvSAN is flexible, allowing its users to tailor the solution to their performance needs, scaling up, or out existing architecture as needed (so you’re always ready for tomorrow’s demands) Relying on just two servers per site to run, SvSAN can also spare users the sting that comes with over-provisioning, allowing them to save precious budgets for more pressing business needs.

To learn more about SvSAN and how it can allow you to upgrade your edge sites while helping your organization save precious time and resources, visit the SvSAN product page.

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