DCIG Initiating Researching into 20+ SDS Block-based Solutions

The time for software-defined storage (SDS) to command a larger percentage of enterprise storage budgets has arrived. Traditional block-based storage appliances can, and certainly will, remain a fixture in enterprise data centers for the foreseeable future. However, SDS block-based solutions better address new and emerging enterprise use cases than many current storage appliances.

Source: StorMagic

New Enterprise SDS Use Cases

Enterprises increasingly encounter new use cases that demand the use of storage solutions other than storage hardware appliances. These include edge locations, hybrid cloud adoption, and high availability at lower costs, among others. Some use cases, such as edge and cloud deployments, may not have a storage array option.

Broadcom has further added to the argument to explore new SDS options. In December 2023, Broadcom announced that vSAN has become part of VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF). Enterprises may no longer acquire vSAN as a standalone solution, which may prompt existing vSAN enterprise clients to identify an alternative SDS block-based solution.

In these instances, and others, SDS block-based solutions often make more sense to deploy than appliance-based storage arrays.

DCIG Initiating Research Into SDS Block-based Solutions

To help enterprises make more informed choices about available SDS block-based solutions, DCIG has initiated research into this area. DCIG currently only plans to include solutions in its SDS block-based research that meet the following four (4) criteria.

Each solution must:

1. 1. Support front-end block-based storage networking protocols such as Fibre Channel (FC), iSCSI, or both.
   2. Be commercially available on or before July 1, 2024,
   3. Make sufficient information available for DCIG analysts to make informed decisions about the product’s technical capabilities.
   4. Can be licensed and deployed on:
      1. Provider’s server hardware on-premises;
      2. VM in virtualized environments; OR,
      3. One or more general-purpose clouds (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.)

      Heightened Focus on Cybersecurity Capabilities

      Every enterprise now expresses increased concerns about cybersecurity attacks in general and ransomware attacks specifically. To address these concerns, DCIG will evaluate various cybersecurity capabilities of each SDS solution as part of its research.

      DCIG used the National Institute of Science and Technology’s (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework to focus its research. Using these guidelines, DCIG looks to evaluate how well each SDS block-based solution delivers on the following five cybersecurity functions:

      1. 1. Identify. The features the product offers to assist organizations in managing risk in their IT environment.
         2. Protect. The safeguard features the product offers to protect itself and the data hosted on it.
         3. Detect. The features the product offers to detect potential risks to itself and the organization’s broader IT environment.
         4. Respond. Any actions taken by the product once it detects or becomes aware a cybersecurity attack may be occurring.
         5. Recover. The ability of the product to restore capabilities and services impaired by a cybersecurity attack.

      DCIG Launching Its SDS Block-based Research

      DCIG has already created its SDS block-based survey and will launch the survey this week (week of July 15, 2024.) DCIG will contact providers of SDS block-based solutions to request their participation and complete a survey about their product(s).

      DCIG intends to publish one or more DCIG TOP 5 reports based on this research into SDS solutions. DCIG may also create one or more derivative reports specifically focusing on VMware vSAN alternatives.

      Once DCIG finalizes the results, DCIG will make published reports available for licensing by technology providers. Licensing provides opportunities for providers to educate their customers, perform demand generation, and do sales and partner enablement.

      DCIG also plans to make the full published report(s) available for download with registration on DCIG’s website.

      Any technology providers of SDS block-based solutions that wish to participate but were NOT contacted by DCIG may request a survey. You may contact DCIG’s Senior Analyst and Project Manager, Todd Dorsey, at his email address.

      Keep Up to Date with DCIG

      To be notified of new DCIG articles, reports, and webinars, sign up for DCIG’s free weekly Newsletter.

      To learn about DCIG’s future research and publications, see the DCIG Editorial Calendar.

      Technology providers interested in licensing DCIG TOP 5 reports or having DCIG produce custom reports on their behalf, please contact DCIG for more information.