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Alternative

January 7, 2025 by George Crump

For Immediate Release

Ann Arbor, Michigan, Tuesday, January 7th — VergeIO, a leader in ultraconverged infrastructure (UCI), is proud to announce that InterBel Telephone, a trusted telecommunications provider in northwest Montana, has successfully modernized its IT infrastructure with VergeIO’s groundbreaking platform. This transformative upgrade streamlined operations and came in significantly under budget, saving nearly 45% compared to revised projections.

Faced with aging infrastructure and skyrocketing software licensing fees, InterBel sought a flexible, cost-effective solution to replace its Cisco UCS and NetApp environment. With hardware reaching end-of-life and escalating costs from traditional virtualization platforms such as VMware, the telecom provider needed a modern solution to ensure reliable, efficient customer service.

Tom Rasmussen, Manager of Information Technology at InterBel Telephone, explained, “The Broadcom acquisition of VMware hit us hard, with licensing costs jumping by 30%. It was a punch in the gut. VergeIO stood out with its simplicity, flexibility, and ability to run on the hardware we already trusted.”

The project was built on Lenovo ThinkSystem SR650 servers, leveraging VergeIO’s VergeOS platform—a powerful ultraconverged infrastructure solution—for an all-flash production environment. Another node was configured using VergeIO’s ioGuardian feature for disaster recovery, providing a robust backup and failover solution that can mix SSD and hard disk drives seamlessly. This configuration maximized performance while ensuring scalability and cost-efficiency for the future.

Rasmussen highlighted the straightforward implementation process: “VergeIO was like reading an open book. It took under two hours to deploy in our lab, and adding nodes was seamless. Compared to the complexity of Cisco UCS and NetApp, VergeIO made the process remarkably simple.”

The VergeIO deployment delivered immediate benefits, including:

  • Cost Savings: Instead of exceeding their budget by 30% with VMware, InterBel completed the project using VergeIO at just 28% of their original budget—achieving an impressive 45% savings compared to VMware.
  • Performance Improvements: An all-flash environment enhanced speed and reliability beyond what the legacy systems could offer.
  • Streamlined Management: A single-pane-of-glass interface simplified operations for InterBel’s one-person IT team.
  • Scalability: VergeOS allowed the addition of compute-only nodes and flexible storage options for future growth.

Yan Ness, CEO of VergeIO, commented, “We are thrilled to support InterBel in achieving their infrastructure goals. Our ultraconverged platform is designed to simplify IT operations and deliver exceptional value, enabling organizations like InterBel to focus on delivering superior services to their customers.”

Today, InterBel is poised for continued growth and operational excellence. VergeIO’s UCI ensures that their IT environment remains scalable, cost-effective, and ready to meet the evolving demands of their telecom services.

About VergeIO

VergeIO delivers the future of virtualization via an ultraconverged infrastructure (UCI) solution that collapses the entire IT stack—virtualization, storage, and networking—into a single platform, VergeOS. This approach improves efficiency, enhances data resiliency, and reduces costs while simplifying IT operations. VergeIO empowers organizations to achieve unmatched scalability and performance.

About InterBel Telephone

Founded in 1962, InterBel Telephone is a telecommunications cooperative dedicated to providing advanced connectivity solutions to the communities of northwest Montana. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and a community-focused approach, InterBel continues to deliver high-quality service and innovative solutions to its customers.

Media Contact

Judy Smith
JPR
[email protected]
818-522-9673

For more information about VergeIO and its solutions, visit www.verge.io.
For more information about InterBel Telephone, visit www.interbel.com.

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: Alternative, VMware, VMware-Alternatives

November 12, 2024 by George Crump

Enterprise VMware alternative lessons drawn from service providers like NETdepot—who recently transitioned from VMware to VergeIO—offer valuable insights that enterprises can apply to their data centers. In today’s environment, finding a suitable VMware alternative can be challenging, especially for enterprises looking to gain cost savings, flexibility, and improved support. By observing NETdepot’s successful migration, enterprise data centers can better understand how to address common VMware pain points and achieve an infrastructure that aligns with long-term goals.

Enterprise VMware Alternative Lessons from NETdepot’s Transition

1. Simplified Licensing and Hardware Flexibility

For many organizations, VMware’s per-core licensing structure presents significant challenges. This model limits hardware choices, dictating processor configurations based on licensing costs rather than performance needs. The per-core structure can quickly escalate costs as enterprises adopt higher-core processors to meet increased workloads. NETdepot found that VergeIO’s per-server pricing model provided much-needed flexibility, allowing them to select hardware based on performance requirements instead of adjusting for licensing constraints.

Additionally, enterprises should be aware of the hidden costs that can accumulate under per-core licensing. These hidden costs are overlooked initially but can lead to significant budget overruns as organizations scale their infrastructure.

By choosing a VMware alternative like VergeIO, which avoids these licensing complexities, enterprises can make cost-effective hardware decisions that allow longer equipment lifespans and invest in more dense server configurations without fear of rising per-core expenses.

2. Streamlined Migration Process

Moving from VMware can seem daunting, but NETdepot’s migration experience was seamless thanks to VergeIO’s built-in VMware migration service, which allowed for rapid VM transitions with almost no downtime. One of the enterprise VMware alternative lessons is considering platforms that offer simple migration paths, helping them minimize disruptions and maintain service continuity.

3. Integrated Networking and Security

With VergeIO’s built-in routing and firewall capabilities, NETdepot was able to reduce reliance on additional appliances and VMs, lowering costs and streamlining operations. A VMware alternative with integrated Layer 2/3 networking functions for enterprise data centers can enhance security and simplify network management.

4. Strong Data Protection and Resiliency

VergeIO’s ioGuardian feature provides NETdepot with robust protection against hardware failures, adding another layer of resiliency. Enterprises should prioritize alternatives that offer integrated data protection features, enabling seamless recovery and ensuring continued operations even during unexpected events.

5. Responsive, High-Quality Support

For NETdepot, fast, reliable support was crucial. VergeIO’s responsive support team helped NETdepot avoid lengthy downtime and quickly resolved critical issues. Another of the enterprise VMware alternative lessons is to prioritize support quality and responsiveness when evaluating VMware alternatives to ensure seamless day-to-day operations.

Enterprise VMware Alternative Lessons: VergeIO is a Solution that Delivers Value, Stability, and Security

For NETdepot, VergeIO provided a combination of features and support that addressed their concerns with VMware. The move to VergeIO helped NETdepot reduce costs, improve service quality, and enhance security. As enterprises explore VMware alternatives, NETdepot’s experience illustrates the importance of choosing a platform that integrates well with existing processes, provides a straightforward migration experience, and offers operational efficiencies that benefit both the data center and end users.

NETdepot’s Key Benefits with VergeIO:

enterprise VMware alternative lessons
  • Lower Total Cost of Ownership: Transparent pricing and licensing flexibility enable NETdepot to make cost-effective hardware choices.
  • Enhanced Performance and Stability: A stable and resilient platform that avoids the performance pitfalls of legacy solutions like vSAN.
  • Integrated Security and Networking: Built-in Layer 2/3 networking capabilities streamline network operations, reduce appliance requirements, and enhance security.
  • Rapid, High-Quality Support: VergeIO’s support team provides NETdepot with responsive, mission-critical support, ensuring they can resolve issues quickly.
  • Data Protection and Recovery: VergeIO’s ioGuardian offers resilient data protection, keeping NETdepot’s customers secure and operational in the face of hardware failures.

Want to learn more? Access the detailed NETdepot case study and other recent VergeIO customer success stories. Register for access to all of our case studies.

Enterprise VMware Alternative Lessons: Leveraging Service Providers

NETdepot’s transition to VergeIO illustrates that service providers not only adopt powerful VMware alternatives but can offer a valuable extension of enterprise IT. By leveraging organizations like NETdepot, enterprises can address compute or storage demand spikes, facilitate disaster recovery, and offload infrastructure management to a trusted partner. This approach provides enterprises with additional capacity and increases their resiliency to unexpected events.

Join our webinar on November 14th to hear directly from NETdepot’s VP of Solutions Architecture, Ben Beasley, about the transition process and benefits of using VergeIO. Register Here to see how NETdepot’s experience can inform your VMware exit strategy.

Filed Under: VMwareExit Tagged With: Alternative, Case Study, Customer Success, VMware

November 11, 2024 by George Crump

Many organizations are searching for ways to eliminate server refreshes and stretch the lifespan of their IT infrastructure.—essentially replace only what’s necessary, when it’s necessary. A benefit of this approach is the reduction in e-waste.

Eliminate Server Refreshes

Server refreshes are often seen as unavoidable, driven by technological advances that lead IT teams to replace aging servers with new models. Software companies force upgrades by decommissioning older servers even if they are still useful. VergeIO’s ioOptimize makes the elimination of server refreshes achievable. By balancing workloads across servers of different generations, ioOptimize enables organizations to keep older hardware running as long as it’s operational, integrating new servers gradually and avoiding disruptive, costly refreshes.

Extending the Life of Existing Servers

An obvious way to eliminate server refreshes is to extend the life of existing servers. Traditional infrastructure software often fails to effectively leverage older servers alongside new, more advanced hardware, turning aging machines into liabilities as they struggle to handle modern workloads. VergeOS’s efficiency and low overhead breathe new life into aging server hardware. With ioOptimize, these older servers can safely serve valuable roles within the infrastructure as long as they remain functional.

To help eliminate server refreshes, ioOptimize uses machine learning (ML) and narrow artificial intelligence (AI) to allocate workloads and resources across mixed-generation environments. By continuously monitoring each server’s health, capacity, and performance, ioOptimize ensures that even aging servers are utilized optimally without compromising stability. If an older server shows signs of potential failure, ioOptimize can migrate workloads to healthier servers, maintaining uptime without immediate replacements.

This approach enables companies to extend their hardware investments, deferring the need for new hardware until absolutely necessary, ultimately reducing costs and increasing return on investment.

Eliminate Server Refreshes by Balancing Workloads

Integrating powerful new servers into an environment with aging hardware can create workload-balancing challenges. Traditional virtualization and management software often struggle to distribute workloads across servers with varying performance capabilities effectively.

ioOptimize resolves this challenge by balancing workloads across servers, taking advantage of older and newer resources. ML algorithms within ioOptimize assess each server’s unique characteristics—such as processing power, storage capacity, and network speed—distributing tasks accordingly. This allows IT to eliminate server refreshes by assigning older servers to handle lighter workloads. In contrast, more demanding tasks are assigned to newer hardware, optimizing the efficiency of the entire infrastructure.

For a more detailed understanding of how ioOptimize enables seamless integration of aging hardware and newer servers, access VergeIO’s white paper on ioOptimize. This comprehensive guide explains how ioOptimize supports extended hardware lifecycles and introduces VergeIO’s per-server licensing model, which offers a cost-effective alternative to restrictive per-core licenses. Additionally, it covers ioOptimize’s automated “scale-down” feature, which helps reduce data center footprints by consolidating servers, saving on power, cooling, and space.

Seamlessly Integrating New Hardware

One of the key advantages of ioOptimize is its ability to integrate new servers into existing environments easily. When new hardware is added, ioOptimize’s intelligent algorithms detect and adjust to the capabilities of the new servers, leveraging these resources to improve performance.

For example, if new servers offer enhanced network capabilities or increased processing power, ioOptimize automatically incorporates these upgrades into its workload distribution, maximizing efficiency without the need for manual reconfiguration. This process minimizes downtime, allowing the data center to evolve smoothly over time instead of undergoing disruptive overhauls.

Eliminate Server Refreshes with Incremental Upgrades

ioOptimize allows older servers to operate alongside new hardware, supporting a continuous, incremental upgrade strategy. Instead of undergoing frequent, large-scale hardware replacements, organizations can introduce new servers as needed, reducing both capital expenditures and the operational impact of major upgrades.

With ioOptimize, IT teams can manage server refreshes at their own pace based on specific operational needs and budget considerations. Older hardware can continue in use until fully depreciated, while new servers are added to the infrastructure gradually. This approach reduces the total cost of ownership (TCO)erm and eliminates the financial strain of routine refresh cycles. Instead of IT having to deal with the hidden costs of per core models, VergeIO’s licensing model is per server. It doesn’t punish customers for buying fewer quad-processor servers than dual over the long processor servers. Also, ioOptimize can automate the shrinking of a VergeOS instance in case you want to move to fewer, more powerful servers.

Eliminate Server Refreshes for A Sustainable IT Infrastructure

As sustainability becomes a priority, reducing hardware waste is increasingly important. ioOptimize maximizes the useful life of each server, contributing directly to sustainability goals. Extending the lifespan of aging servers not only saves on costs but also reduces e-waste and environmental impact.

For more on how virtualization strategies like ioOptimize can support sustainable, high-performance data centers, register for VergeIO’s on-demand webinar, “Can Virtualization Enhance Sustainability?” Hosted by TruthInIT, this webinar includes insights from VergeIO experts and SmallWorldBigData analysts on extending server life, adopting energy-efficient hardware, and building sustainable IT operations.

Efficient resource management and gradual upgrades with ioOptimize can lower power usage, reduce cooling demands, and minimize environmental impact, all while meeting performance needs and budget constraints.

Server and data availability is another criticla requirment to safely leverage aging server hardware. VergeOS these capabilities built in. Watch our on-demand demsonstration to see these capabilites in action.

Conclusion

ioOptimize presents a practical solution to the limitations of traditional server refresh cycles. By balancing workloads across mixed-generation hardware and integrating new servers seamlessly, ioOptimize eliminates the need for disruptive refreshes. Organizations can extend the life of their existing hardware, reduce capital costs, and meet sustainability goals by using a gradual, incremental upgrade strategy.

If you’re looking to maximize the value of your hardware investments and build a sustainable, scalable infrastructure, ioOptimize can help. Learn more about how ioOptimize supports extended hardware life and enhanced efficiency on our ioOptimize landing page.

Filed Under: Virtualization Tagged With: Alternative, VMware

October 22, 2024 by George Crump

Data centers have come a long way since the early days of server infrastructure, but one question remains: Why do most data centers still rely on dual-processor servers with 16 or 32 cores despite the availability of quad-processor servers? Quad-processor systems, after all, offer significant advantages like reduced server count, lower total costs, and decreased power and cooling requirements. Yet, many organizations must forgo these benefits.

This article explores the historical context of quad-processor servers, the real reasons behind their limited adoption, and why modern virtualization solutions are required to help organizations fully unlock the potential of these powerful machines.

The History of Quad-Processor Servers

Quad-processor servers have existed for over twenty years. Intel first offered quad-processor server support with its Xeon MP processors in the early 2000s. Designed for high-performance workloads, these servers provide notable benefits in computing power, minimized server footprint, and efficiency. Theoretically, they should have represented a straightforward option for data centers looking to streamline their infrastructure and lower operating costs.

However, despite these early promises, the adoption of quad-processor servers has remained limited.

Why Haven’t Quad-Processor Servers Taken Off?

At first glance, the main reason organizations might avoid quad-processor servers seems to be cost. However, a closer look reveals that hardware cost is not the primary barrier. In fact, when you account for fewer servers, reduced energy consumption, and lower cooling requirements, quad-processor systems result in a lower total cost of ownership compared to the cost of delivering the same compute capacity using dual-processor servers.

So, why do data centers still rely on dual processor servers? The answer lies in inefficient virtualization software and licensing models.

1. Inability to Fully Utilize Additional Compute and Storage Capacity

A key challenge lies in virtualization solutions’ storage and compute utilization capabilities. Even when quad-processor servers are deployed, many virtualization platforms struggle to effectively distribute workloads across the increased number of cores and more densely packed storage.

Virtualization solutions were initially designed around smaller dual-processor servers. These architectures are not inherently optimized to take full advantage of the increased computing power and memory that quad-processor systems offer. As a result, these systems often bog down, forcing IT teams to reconfigure environments to extract performance gains manually.

2. Virtualization Solutions Aren’t Optimized for Scaling Down

Why Do Data Centers Still Rely on Dual Processor Servers
Lack of Affordable Quad-Processor Support = Server Sprawl

If the virtualization software can efficiently use them, quad-processor servers should lead to fewer physical servers, and the data center should actually shrink in size. Another reason why data centers still rely on dual-processor servers is that traditional virtualization solutions don’t have an easy way to scale down, making refreshing to fewer, more powerful servers very complex. The result is server sprawl, which is the opposite of sustainability.

3. The Licensing Problem: Software Costs Outpacing Hardware Savings

Perhaps the most significant reason why data centers still rely on dual-processor servers is how most virtualization software is licensed. Most major virtualization platforms, including VMware, have adopted licensing models based on the number of CPU cores. This strategy effectively makes the software cost significantly more expensive than the hardware costs when moving from dual-processor to quad-processor servers.

As a result, the software cost cancels out any potential savings from reduced hardware, power, and cooling expenses. This dynamic leaves many organizations feeling trapped, unable to justify the transition to quad-processor systems despite their clear benefits.

Part of the issue is that legacy virtualization solutions often hide their inefficiencies by requiring customers to maintain more physical servers in a cluster than their compute demands truly justify. These platforms spread workloads across an unnecessarily large number of servers, compensating for their inefficiencies. When introducing a quad-processor server, which should theoretically allow for fewer servers, these inefficiencies become even more exposed.

Traditional licensing strategies often hide these inefficiencies behind twice as many servers as the customer needs. In this scenario, virtualization vendors profit from increased server counts and core-based licensing, while customers are left with an infrastructure that is neither fully optimized nor cost-efficient.

VergeIO and ioOptimize: A Common-Sense Approach to Virtualization

To truly take advantage of today’s powerful servers, organizations need a virtualization solution designed to optimize performance across dual—and quad-processor environments. This is especially important for environments in transition, where a mix of dual—and quad-processor servers may exist.

Server Based Licensing

VergeIO offers a server-based licensing model, meaning organizations are not penalized for using more powerful hardware. Whether your infrastructure includes dual or quad-processor systems, VergeIO scales seamlessly across both, helping you maximize your resources without the bloated costs associated with core-based licensing.

Optimize Your Infrastructure

What sets VergeIO apart is ioOptimize, which uses AI and machine learning to dynamically manage workloads, ensuring that your environment operates at peak efficiency. VergeIO’s built-in intelligence can adjust resource allocation in real-time, optimizing both computing and storage for the hardware available, whether running dual-processor or quad-processor servers. This adaptability helps organizations achieve better performance while keeping infrastructure streamlined. It also enables you to “sweat the asset” instead of replacing it, creating a situation that may make you less inclined to go to the cloud.

Scale-Down

Why Do Data Centers Still Rely on Dual Processor Servers

One of the most powerful capabilities of ioOptimize is its autonomous scale-down feature. For instance, a customer operating 12 dual-processor servers can replace them with quad-processor servers simultaneously or incrementally. ioOptimize will intelligently consolidate both VMs and storage, migrating them to the denser, more robust architecture. This process occurs automatically, requiring minimal administrative oversight. The system continuously reallocates workloads and resources, ensuring that the transition maximizes performance while reducing the number of servers. As a result, customers can reduce power consumption, cooling requirements, and data center space without interrupting operations.

The Common-Sense Solution for Modern Data Centers

With a practical focus on eliminating inefficiencies and leveraging modern hardware, VergeIO provides a clear path for data centers looking to optimize their infrastructure. The ability to fully take advantage of dual and quad-processor servers simultaneously—along with AI-driven management through ioOptimize and intelligent storage optimization—enables a scalable, cost-efficient solution that grows with your infrastructure needs.

Whether you’re looking to reduce your server count, lower your energy costs, or simply get more out of your existing hardware, VergeIO provides the flexibility, intelligence, and efficiency that today’s data centers need.

Conclusion

While quad-processor servers have been available for years, the natural barriers to their adoption have not been hardware costs but rather the inefficiencies and licensing models of legacy virtualization solutions. By leveraging AI, machine learning, and flexible, server-based licensing, VergeIO enables organizations to manage dual and quad-processor environments efficiently, taking full advantage of today’s most robust hardware.

Don’t settle for just a VMware alternative—uplevel your infrastructure with VergeIO, where common sense and advanced technology converge to optimize your entire data center.

Next Steps

  • Live Demonstration: Join VergeIO and analyst firm SmallWorldBigData as we explore how a VMware alternative, armed with the right capabilities, can help you extend server lifespans, affordably integrate power-efficient servers, and reduce energy consumption—all without sacrificing performance.
  • White Paper: Read how VergeIO employs machine learning and AI with ioOptimize to enhance hardware lifecycles, maximize performance, and decrease power and cooling expenses.
Why Do Data Centers Still Rely on Dual Processor Servers

Filed Under: Virtualization Tagged With: Alternative, HCI, VMware

October 15, 2024 by George Crump

The StorageReview VergeIO lab results show that VergeOS meets the demands of IT professionals looking for a VMware Alternative. StorageReview’s evaluation revealed that VergeIO not only matches VMware’s performance; it surpasses it. Their testing shows that VergeIO is a viable choice for those seeking a more efficient, high-performance solution at a lower cost.

The VergeIO Review Process

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results:

StorageReview’s in-depth evaluation used an advanced hardware setup that included Solidigm SSDs, AMD EPYC processors, and Giga Computing’s dense liquid-cooled nodes. The lab environment was designed to replicate the real-world demands of enterprise IT infrastructure, emphasizing high-performance workloads like virtualization, VDI, and database management.

The goal was to assess VergeIO’s ability to deliver seamless performance while evaluating its built-in disaster recovery features and ease of use.

Highlights: StorageReview VergeIO lab results

  1. 1000 VM Bootstorm in 71 Seconds
    VergeIO was able to boot 1,000 VMs in just over a minute—an impressive feat that highlights its ability to handle high-demand workloads efficiently. This benefits enterprises deploying large VDI environments or managing dynamic workloads where quick spin-up times are critical.

  2. 6.9 GB/s Write Performance
    VergeIO’s platform achieved 6.9 GB/s write speeds during testing. For organizations dealing with large data volumes, this means more efficient data transfers and reduced latency for write-intensive applications. Solidigm’s SSDs were crucial in achieving these results, demonstrating the synergy between VergeIO’s software and modern hardware.

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results: Scalability and Cost Efficiency:

IT professionals need a high-performance alternative to VMware that offers speed, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. VMware’s licensing can be intricate and expensive, particularly for large organizations. In comparison, VergeIO’s per-node licensing is more straightforward and predictable. VergeIO’s base license encompasses all advanced features, including storage tiering and disaster recovery, without incurring extra costs for add-ons.

VergeIO’s model is at least 50% cheaper than VMware’s, providing enterprises a straightforward way to lower infrastructure costs without sacrificing performance. This pricing transparency is a significant advantage for companies looking to scale efficiently.

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results: vSAN with Storage Tiering

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results:

VergeIO offers storage tiering as part of its base package, allowing IT teams to optimize data placement based on performance needs. Solidigm SSDs were used in the lab to create two distinct storage pools—Tier 1 with high-performance TLC SSDs and Tier 2 with larger, more cost-effective QLC SSDs. VergeIO’s ability to seamlessly manage different storage types within the same platform simplifies operations while ensuring that performance-critical applications can access the fastest available storage.

VergeIO’s vSAN includes no additional licensing fees for consumed capacity, setting it apart from competitors like VMware, which requires higher-tier licenses for high-capacity environments.

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results: Migration

One of the biggest concerns for organizations migrating away from VMware is the complexity of the migration process. However, StorageReview found that VergeIO makes this transition seamless. The platform includes native integration with vCenter and ESXi APIs, allowing IT teams to sync and migrate VMs with minimal disruption. The ability to retain critical settings like MAC addresses and storage tiers ensures a smooth and efficient transition to VergeIO. Enroll in our hands-on lab to perform a VMware Migration in real life.

StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results: Data Protection and Recovery

Beyond performance, IT professionals require solutions that ensure a critical workload’s protection and recoverability. VergeIO’s built-in disaster recovery capabilities provide a clear advantage. During testing, the platform’s high availability feature demonstrated quick recovery, with VMs becoming available again on another node in 138 seconds after a node failure. When coupled with IOGuardian, even this short time can be potentially eliminated thanks to its ability to provide real-time recovery from multiple simultaneous drive or server failures.

For data protection IOClone, based snapshots enable independent snapshots that aren’t reliant on previous clones, improving recovery times. This independence means that IT can have thousands of active snapshots and retain them indefinitely without impacting performance. VergeOS provides a robust scheduling capability for managing snapshot retention. Enroll in our hands-on lab to learn the full potential of VergeOS Snapshots.

By incorporating disaster recovery directly into the platform, VergeIO eliminates the need for separate solutions, reducing complexity and cost. VergeIO can replicate an entire data center in minutes. This replication includes data and the complete configuration (VM, network settings), enabling fast and comprehensive recovery even on different hardware.

VergeIO simplifies backup and recovery processes with native snapshot and replication features. Its disaster recovery integration within the central platform ensures that backups can be completed quickly, minimizing the risk of data loss and reducing downtime.

For organizations where uptime and data protection are paramount, VergeIO’s ability to seamlessly integrate these capabilities into its core offering—without additional licensing fees—offers significant operational advantages.

The Bottom Line: A VMware Alternative That’s Easier, Faster, and More Affordable

VergeIO’s performance, scalability, and built-in disaster recovery features make it a compelling alternative to VMware. The StorageReview VergeIO Lab Results show that VergeIO performs exceptionally well under real-world conditions, simplifies operations, and reduces costs.

With 50% lower licensing costs, simplified management, and a platform built to handle complex enterprise workloads, VergeIO offers a solution that meets the needs of IT professionals looking to reduce overhead without compromising on performance or protection.

If you’re exploring VMware alternatives, VergeIO is worth serious consideration. To learn more about how VergeIO performed in the lab, register for our webinar on October 23rd with StorageReview and Solidigm. We’ll demonstrate these results firsthand.

For the full StorageReview report, visit StorageReview’s Lab Evaluation.

Filed Under: Storage Tagged With: Alternative, Performance, Storage, VMware

October 15, 2024 by George Crump

Lab Tests Reveal Boot Storm Performance of 1,000 VMs in 71 Seconds

Ann Arbor, Michigan — October 15, 2024 — VergeIO, a leader in ultraconverged infrastructure solutions, today announced test results by StorageReview indicating its software-defined infrastructure delivers high performance without costly add-ons while simplifying virtualization, making it a compelling alternative for organizations seeking relief from VMware’s expensive licensing model.

According to StorageReview’s findings, VergeIO’s ultraconverged infrastructure, VergeOS, stands out as a serious alternative to VMware for businesses of all sizes. The review highlighted its simpler licensing model, built-in disaster recovery and high performance on modern hardware, positioning VergeIO as a highly efficient option for enterprises looking to move away from VMware.

“Our evaluation of Verge.io revealed a robust, high-performance virtualization platform that challenges the status quo set by VMware, said Brian Beeler, StorageReview’s CEO. “It provides a streamlined, cost-effective alternative that delivers the agility, simplicity, and scalability today’s organizations need, to drive their IT environments forward, especially at the edge where technical resources and budgets are limited.”

StorageReview conducted testing using a cutting-edge hardware configuration at its Cincinnati lab, leveraging AMD EPYC processors, high-performance Solidigm SSDs and liquid-cooled nodes from Giga Computing. Results underscored VergeIO’s ability to efficiently handle demanding workloads, achieving impressive performance metrics in sequential and random I/O operations. VergeIO delivered up to 6.9GB/s in write operations, providing a solid foundation for enterprise virtualization and data center environments.

During StorageReview’s test drive, VergeIO was able to handle a massive boot storm of 1,000 virtual machines (VMs) within just 71 seconds. This extreme scenario, where all 1,000 VMs booted simultaneously, showcased VergeIO’s robust storage IO infrastructure, which is designed to handle even the most demanding virtualization environments. The test used a mix of TLC and QLC SSDs, demonstrating that VergeIO can deliver fast, reliable performance while maintaining cost efficiency.

Additional highlights from StorageReview’s review include:

  • VM migration capabilities, which allow enterprises to transition seamlessly from VMware environments to VergeOS.
  • Built-in tools that enable efficient syncing and updating of VMs, reducing downtime, and ensuring smooth transitions to the VergeOS platform.
  • Disaster recovery capabilities and advanced security features, such as WireGuard integration for secure remote access, that further enhance the platform’s value proposition for enterprises looking to protect their data and maintain high availability.
  • A single-code-based platform, which integrates virtualization, storage and networking, offering a simpler, more cost-effective solution for enterprises looking to streamline their IT infrastructure.
  • Per-node licensing model, which was noted for its transparency and affordability over the complex and costly licensing models of VMware, Nutanix and Windows Server.
  • VergeIO’s storage tiering capability that assigns data to different storage media based on performance and recovery needs, enables organizations to maximize performance and cost efficiency.

“Having an independent storage authority like StorageReview evaluate your platform thoroughly and confirm what you’ve been saying to the world – that VergeOS is a better and more cost-effective alternative to VMware – is particularly gratifying,” said Yan Ness, CEO of VergeIO. “With our platform’s ability to reduce costs, streamline IT operations, simplify compliance, protect from ransomware, simplify moving workloads, and provide scalability using only the resources you need, VergeIO is more than a VMware alternative. It is a powerful data operating system software that can replace disparate vendors and orchestration challenges for organizations of all sizes.”

To see the full report click here

Those interested in learning more about the results of StorageReview’s findings can join representatives of VergeIO and StorageReview on a special webinar on Wednesday, October 23rd, at 1:00 pm ET: https://www.verge.io/storagereview-live-lab-analysis-of-vergeio/

About VergeIO

VergeIO is the future of virtualization. The VergeOS software provides a highly integrated single-code-base data center operating system that simplifies IT infrastructure by combining virtualization, storage, and networking into a single unified platform. VergeIO enables enterprises to reduce costs, streamline operations, and scale their IT environments effortlessly.

Media Contact

Judy Smith
JPR Communications
Email: [email protected]

Filed Under: Press Release Tagged With: Alternative, VMware

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