CCSI Enhances IT Services with VergeIO and Inuvika
How a compliance-focused cloud provider replaced VMware ESXi and Horizon to scale DaaS, IaaS and DRaaS
Summary
CCSI delivers cloud IT and compliance services that help clients reduce operational and audit costs. As demand grew, VMware licensing costs, third-party storage components and multi-tenancy limits held the business back, and the Broadcom acquisition added uncertainty about Horizon. CCSI replaced VMware ESXi and Horizon with VergeOS and Inuvika OVD. Desktops now boot six times faster, CCSI buys fewer servers, licensing is per server and each customer runs in an isolated virtual data center.
A lower cost per desktop and a platform that scales with the business.
About CCSI
Founded in 2017, Cloud Compliance Solutions, Inc. (CCSI) provides a complete suite of cloud IT and compliance services that help clients reduce operational and audit costs. Through Desktop as a Service (DaaS), Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), CCSI helps organizations streamline IT operations and meet stringent compliance requirements.
As customer demand grew, VMware licensing costs, infrastructure inefficiencies and performance limits became significant problems. Even before Broadcom acquired VMware, CCSI’s growth had outpaced what the platform could deliver. CCSI needed a high-performance, cost-effective way to deliver scalable, multi-tenant services without the complexity of VMware Horizon.
Outgrowing VMware ESXi and Horizon
For years, VMware was the default choice for virtualization and VDI. As CCSI scaled its services, the licensing model, hardware requirements and complex infrastructure stopped making sense for the business.
- Rising licensing costs increased operating expenses and made competitive customer pricing difficult to maintain.
- Infrastructure inefficiencies from third-party components such as vSAN and external storage created performance bottlenecks and raised hardware requirements.
- Multi-tenancy limits made it hard to isolate customer environments securely and still get full use of the hardware.
- The Broadcom acquisition brought licensing changes and support concerns, adding uncertainty about the long-term future of Horizon.
CCSI needed a next-generation platform that was cost-effective, highly scalable and easy to manage.
Why VergeIO and Inuvika
CCSI CEO Kelley Allen searched extensively for alternatives to VMware ESXi and Horizon. His priorities were clear: reduce costs, improve performance and remove unnecessary complexity.
VergeOS: a new approach to virtualization
CCSI selected VergeOS, an ultraconverged infrastructure platform that combines virtualization, storage and networking in a single software-defined solution. It removes the need for vSAN, RAID-based storage and complex multi-component environments.
Inuvika OVD for virtual desktops
After testing multiple VDI options, CCSI chose Inuvika OVD, a lightweight, Linux-based virtual desktop and application delivery solution. Inuvika delivers Windows and Linux applications without expensive Microsoft licensing or complex infrastructure dependencies.
Key Benefits of VergeIO and Inuvika
- Higher density and performance. More virtual machines run on each server, and desktops and applications respond faster.
- Lower costs. VMware vSAN, external licensing fees and expensive hypervisor pricing are gone. VergeOS charges per physical server, not per core or CPU.
- Simplified multi-tenancy. VergeOS isolates each customer in its own virtual data center, so independent workloads run securely on shared hardware.
- Streamlined management. A single, intuitive interface simplifies infrastructure and VDI administration.
Immediate and Long-Term Cost Savings
CCSI saw savings as soon as it migrated to VergeOS and Inuvika. The reductions go beyond licensing fees and reach hardware efficiency, scalability and operational overhead.
Hardware optimization
VergeOS and Inuvika fit more desktops on each physical server, which reduces server purchases and slows the need for new hardware. The built-in VergeOS storage layer also removes the vSAN module, external RAID-based storage and the cost of SAN hardware and RAID controllers.
Lower licensing and subscription fees
There is no per-VM or per-core licensing. VergeIO charges per server, which keeps long-term costs down as CCSI grows. Inuvika’s Linux-based design avoids costs for Microsoft SQL Server and Windows Server.
By moving to VergeIO and Inuvika, CCSI has significantly reduced its cost per virtual desktop and improved service delivery.
Responsive, Hands-On Support
One of CCSI’s biggest frustrations with VMware was an inconsistent and costly support model. VergeIO and Inuvika have provided responsive, hands-on support that keeps operations running smoothly. According to Kelley Allen, both support teams have been highly responsive and willing to work through any issue, even those outside their own software stack.
Operational Benefits
- Faster boot times. A sixfold improvement over VMware cut desktop startup from minutes to seconds.
- Fewer support tickets. Better system stability reduced troubleshooting and administrative intervention.
- Simplified administration. A single management interface lets IT teams focus on service delivery over infrastructure maintenance.
Expanding CCSI Services in Three Phases
CCSI is rolling out VergeIO and Inuvika in three phases, each designed for efficiency and scale.
Phase I: Desktop as a Service
With VergeIO and Inuvika, CCSI competes directly with Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure on price and performance. Boot times have dropped from minutes to seconds, per-desktop operating costs are lower than they were on VMware Horizon, and users get faster desktops.
Phase II: Infrastructure as a Service
VergeOS multi-tenant virtual data centers let CCSI expand its IaaS offerings and keep customer data isolated and secure. Customers can manage their own virtual data centers or rely on CCSI’s IT support, and they get cloud-like flexibility without the cost of VMware-based IaaS platforms.
Phase III: Disaster Recovery as a Service
Built-in VergeOS disaster recovery lets customers replicate and recover workloads across CCSI’s infrastructure. Customers can also move from VMware to VergeOS on premises and drop expensive VMware licensing, with CCSI’s infrastructure serving as a fully isolated failover environment.
A More Competitive Cloud Provider
Moving from VMware to VergeIO and Inuvika transformed CCSI’s ability to deliver cost-effective, high-performance IT services. By removing VMware’s high costs, inefficient storage and complex licensing, CCSI reduced operating expenses, improved performance and simplified IT management. With VergeOS and Inuvika, CCSI can scale its services without restrictions and stay competitive in the cloud services market.
| Area | Before: VMware | After: VergeOS + Inuvika |
|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor | VMware ESXi | VergeOS |
| Storage | vSAN module and external RAID arrays | Built-in VergeOS storage |
| VDI | VMware Horizon | Inuvika OVD |
| Licensing | Per core and per CPU | Per physical server |
| Desktop boot | Minutes | Seconds, six times faster |
| Tenant isolation | Difficult to achieve securely | Virtual data center per customer |
| Management | Multiple components | One interface |
Build Your Cloud Services on VergeOS
CCSI replaced VMware ESXi and Horizon, cut its cost per desktop and now runs DaaS, IaaS and DRaaS on one platform. Talk with a VergeIO engineer about your service offerings.