Item: StarWind Virtual SAN
Rating: 10
Author: Dan Hoffmann

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

StarWind [Virtual SAN] is installed as my vmware vSAN storage. We have all our vms on this storage.

Pros and Cons

Uses local host storage
Easy to swap out HDD for SSD as needed
Scalability to add new clusters to expand storage.

vMotion speeds could be increased.

Return on Investment

ROI is fantastic over a new physical SAN
Less/No hardware to replace every X-years

Hypervisor Agnostic Benefits

I was forced to replace my traditional physical SAN when I was unable to get additional service parts. StarWind has no equipment to stress about or maintain.

Ease of Management

I had difficulty access the admin portal using various browsers. FireFox seems to be the browser that works 100% with the web portal. Other than that, the admin portal is clear and easy to use.

Support Rating

Support is top-notch and quick to respond. They like the time to answer every one of my questions. They won't close out the request until I am satisifed.

Alternatives Considered

HPE 3PAR StoreServ Storage and Dell PowerVault

Cost was the ultimate driving factor. I couldn't justify 3+ times the cost for the same feature set I would get with StarWind [Virtual SAN].

Other Software Used

Eset Endpoint Antivirus, Eset Endpoint Encryption, Ivanti Patch

Likelihood to Recommend

I believe StarWind [Virtual SAN] is a perfect fit for mall to med sized storage needs. I have not explored their offerings for much larger storage requirements.

StarWinds vSAN is a welcomed additional to my network

Overall Satisfaction with StarWind Virtual SAN