Enhancing Data Efficiency with VMware vSAN Express Storage Architecture

As companies become increasingly digital and depend on IT infrastructure to power their products and services, the demand for robust storage solutions has never been higher. Ensuring that workloads with diverse I/O demands perform adequately to meet end users’ requirements within budget remains a constant challenge.

During any infrastructure refresh, research on the latest innovations in the industry is critical. Many organizations are looking to upgrade outdated compute clusters, storage arrays or hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) clusters, and upgrading both hardware and software simultaneously can significantly boost performance, efficiency, and security. Recent performance updates in vSAN should bring it into the discussion when considering storage requirements for a broad variety of workloads, including mission-critical. VMware vSAN delivers the performance, efficiency, and resilience required for modern storage solutions and seamlessly integrates with VMware vSphere Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation to offer a comprehensive private cloud storage experience.

Underpinning the recent gains in performance and efficiency in vSAN is VMware vSAN Express Storage Architecture (ESA), introduced in vSAN 8. vSAN ESA offers a game-changing approach to data processing and storage that can deliver unprecedented levels of efficiency, scalability, and performance by fully leveraging the potential of modern hardware.

Benchmark Testing Shows Impressive Performance Gains with vSAN ESA

Intel recently performed benchmark testing on previous generation and modern server configurations, and their testing revealed that modern server configurations with 4th Gen Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors outperform setups from five to seven years ago. Testing using vSAN 8 ESA (Express Storage Architecture) on these processors across four nodes, Intel compared the HCI Bench throughput to that of vSAN OSA (Original Storage Architecture), which uses 1st Gen Xeon processors with four nodes. The performance improvements were impressive.

7.4x improvement in 8K block size-70% read data –100% random, simulating a typical noSQL workload running on vSAN
8.3x improvement in 16K block size-70% read data – 80% random, simulating a typical file systems workload
10.6x improvement in 32K block size-50% read data –50% random, simulating a typical SQL database workload running on vSAN

These enhancements mean smoother and more efficient performance, supporting your critical operations without delays.

The Power of Server Consolidation with vSAN ESA

Consider the power of server consolidation: by upgrading from vSAN OSA to vSAN ESA and using the latest hardware, benchmark testing showed that you could dramatically reduce your server count—from 42 first-generation servers to just 4 servers of the latest generation—while achieving the same, if not better, performance. This not only slashes operational costs but also reduces your data center’s footprint and energy consumption.

Adopting this technology translates into immediate and tangible benefits: fewer servers mean less maintenance, energy-efficient technology decreases electricity usage, and compact infrastructure frees up valuable data center space without compromising performance.

For more insights into the testing, explore the following resources:

Duncan Epping in his “Unexplored Territory” podcast #70 – “vSAN Performance,” featuring Patryk Wolsza from Intel. Further details are available on Patryk Wolsza’s blog “Beyond Savings: How Server Consolidation with VMware vSAN 8 Boosts Performance by More Than 7.4x.“

Considering vSAN ESA for Your Next Storage Refresh or New Application Development

If you are planning a storage refresh or need to support new applications, exploring the capabilities of vSAN ESA should be at the top of your list. This innovative architecture not only meets the high demands of modern data processing with exceptional efficiency and scalability, but it also integrates seamlessly into VMware vSphere Foundation and VMware Cloud Foundation. By choosing vSAN ESA, you position your data center to take full advantage of the latest hardware technologies, ensuring optimal performance, and future-proofing your investments. Dive into the world of vSAN ESA and see how it can transform your data storage strategy, reduce IT costs, and enhance system resilience—all crucial factors for maintaining a cutting-edge IT infrastructure.

Looking Ahead:

Join the conversation to explore the transformative effects of vSAN ESA storage technology. Engage with the insights and perspectives shared by industry experts to fully understand how vSAN ESA can benefit your organization.

Video: Extreme Performance Series 2023- vSAN ESA Performance

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Podcast: Analyzing HCI Storage Performance in vSphere Environment

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