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VMware Unveils vSphere Storage Appliance, Empowering SMBs with Business Continuity and Automation

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

VMware, the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, has introduced the VMware vSphere(R) Storage Appliance(TM), a new software product designed to bring the rich business continuity and automated resource management capabilities of VMware vSphere to small and midsized businesses (SMBs) without the cost and complexity of shared storage. This innovative solution transforms server internal storage into shared pools of storage, eliminating the need for specialized storage skills and enabling SMBs to take full advantage of the unique business continuity and automation capabilities of VMware vSphere. The vSphere Storage Appliance is expected to be generally available in Q3 2011 for $5,995, with a limited-time promotional offering of a bundle with VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Plus and the VMware vSphere Storage Appliance for $7,995, representing a 40 percent discount on the list price.

Key Takeaways:

  • The VMware vSphere Storage Appliance transforms server internal storage into shared pools of storage, removing the shared storage hardware requirement and enabling SMBs to take full advantage of the unique business continuity and automation capabilities of VMware vSphere.
  • The vSphere Storage Appliance is expected to be available in Q3 2011 for $5,995, with a limited-time promotional offering of a bundle with VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Plus and the VMware vSphere Storage Appliance for $7,995, representing a 40 percent discount on the list price.
  • The vSphere Storage Appliance will deliver award-winning virtualization and cloud computing for SMBs, with a simple, cost-effective alternative to shared storage that will enable SMBs to take advantage of the comprehensive features of VMware vSphere, including High Availability, vMotion, and Distributed Resource Scheduler.
  • SMBs represent the fastest-growing segment of VMware's customer base, with the majority of SMBs worldwide choosing VMware as their virtualization provider. In the last two years alone, VMware has tripled the number of customers in the SMB segment by introducing solutions and services aimed specifically at this market.
  • The vSphere Storage Appliance will offer a comprehensive cloud infrastructure suite, including the release of VMware vSphere 5, a significant update to VMware vSphere.
  • According to an October 2010 Gartner survey of midmarket companies, SMBs are adopting virtualization at a very aggressive pace, with more than 75 percent expecting to have server virtualization in wide use by 2012.

Statistics:

  • Over 75% of midmarket companies expect to have server virtualization in wide use by 2012. (1)
  • In the last two years alone, VMware has tripled the number of customers in the SMB segment.
  • The vSphere Storage Appliance is expected to be available in Q3 2011 for $5,995, with a limited-time promotional offering of a bundle with VMware vSphere 5 Essentials Plus and the VMware vSphere Storage Appliance for $7,995, representing a 40 percent discount on the list price.
  • The vSphere Storage Appliance will deliver award-winning virtualization and cloud computing for SMBs, with a simple, cost-effective alternative to shared storage that will enable SMBs to take advantage of the comprehensive features of VMware vSphere.

Sources:

  • (1) Gartner, Inc., "User Survey Analysis: Next Steps for Server Virtualization in the Midmarket," James A. Browning and Alan Dayley, 21 October 2010.
  • VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW) press release, "VMware Unveils vSphere Storage Appliance to Bring Business Continuity and Automation to Small and Midsized Businesses," 12 July 2011.

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