VMware vSAN is a global solution, so we can manage all the storage solutions in one place. It's embedded in VCI solutions.
EUC Consultant
It's easy to manage, scale, and deploy but not as efficient as some solutions
Pros and Cons
- "VMware vSAN is a global solution, so we can manage all the storage solutions in one place. It's embedded in VCI solutions."
- "When you upgrade the vSAN, there are some issues like lost data and problems with the log. The log disappears. When you upgrade the solution, you must have several logs, so if you have some problems, you can check the log server to find them."
What is most valuable?
What needs improvement?
When you upgrade the vSAN, there are some issues like lost data and problems with the log. The log disappears. When you upgrade the solution, you must have several logs, so if you have some problems, you can check the log server to find them. But this solution has some improvements, like its snapshot feature. When you have to upgrade the version, vSAN makes a snapshot, and if there is a problem, you can revert to the old version.
For how long have I used the solution?
The company has been using vSAN for about 18 or 19 months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
vSAN isn't very stable.
Buyer's Guide
VMware vSAN
March 2025

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What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's easy to manage and scale vSAN. We can increase the volume as necessary for the VM or the user. We have around 2,000 users. Right now, we're not planning to increase usage yet, but maybe we will take another look in six months to see if we need to scale the solution or not.
How are customer service and support?
I'm satisfied with VMware support.
How was the initial setup?
If you have some networking skills, it's straightforward to install, deploy, and manage vSAN.
We have three engineers maintaining all the VSI and vSAN solutions as well as all the features and management components.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We're looking for another solution like Nutanix to use concurrently with vSAN. Nutanix is more efficient but also more expensive. Nutanix is a little more stable, efficient, and simple to manage. However, I expect VMware and EMC will improve soon. I think in the next year, VMware's solution will become more stable and easier to manage.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Sr. Manager-Data Center and Virtualization at Omgea Exim Ltd
Flexible, reliable, and has easy to scale-out architecture with good security
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features are secure IOPs and LAN security."
- "The price can be reduced. Small businesses cannot afford this solution."
What is our primary use case?
We are service providers. We offer pre-billed services anywhere from three-year or five-year contracts for our customers. We provide the maintenance of the solution during that time, and on the backend, we provide L1 and L2 support.
The primary use case of this solution is for third party storage, and to leverage the local hard disk. This avoids the cost of expensive storage, sandboxes, and SAN switches.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are secure IOPs and LAN security.
Also, we can provide VMware with IOPs assurity from the vSAN policy, vSAN cluster, which is an expensive solution from the storage.
It has the iSCSI feature.
What needs improvement?
The price can be reduced. Small businesses cannot afford this solution.
There are limitations with Kubernetes and vSAN.
In the next release, I would like to have a hybrid flash available with this product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with this solution for more than three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's a very stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very easy to scale. It's out of the box. You can add to it at any time.
You can add any OEM or any hardware with no problem. There is no hardware lockin. For example, if you are working with HP hardware, you can store in DELL, or you can add a fifth node from Huawei.
It's a scale-out architecture.
Our customers are medium and enterprise companies. Small companies cannot afford the services.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very simple.
It is less than five minutes to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We are service providers for our clients. We have a dedicated team in our organization that deploys the products, maintains, and provides support for our customers.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is expensive. This solution is not an option for SBM customers because of the price.
There are limitations because of nodes. There is a minimum purchase requirement of three or four nodes along with two processors, which also increases the price.
The price will go from a small storage box to a higher storage box.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
When comparing, other vendors have their own hardware with vSAN. They have hardware with HCI, for example, Hyperflex is a hardware that is OEM locked. If a customer purchased three nodes, with Hyperflex, the next time they will have to buy from Cisco.
It's the same with HPE; if customers purchase three or four nodes from HPE, the next ones can only be purchased from HPE.
VMware vSAN has the flexibility to buy from anywhere. There is no lock key. They can purchase from any customers and any OEM.
What other advice do I have?
VMware vSAN is a very good product and I would recommend it for other customers.
I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Buyer's Guide
VMware vSAN
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about VMware vSAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
842,767 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Server Analyst at a healthcare company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Video Review
We scale it to see how many VMs that we can host and how long it will take us to add new hosts
Pros and Cons
- "vSAN is one of the easiest implementations of any VMware product. It's almost like click it to enable it, then you're almost done."
- "Technical support has been very good. They respond pretty fast, especially if we have a critical issue. Their responses have been great."
- "We can scale it very easily for a test environment. We were able to segment our DMZ so it wasn't connected to anything, which we really liked."
- "One thing in vSAN that I would like to improve is using vSAN as a repository for files or other things. For example, with Horizon, maybe we can save profiles with UEM on there. That would be a good feature that I would like."
What is our primary use case?
We use it for our DMZ and any test environments that we put into our industry.
It's performing pretty well. We have no issues with vSAN at all.
How has it helped my organization?
It has improved our organization in a way of scaling it.
What is most valuable?
- Cost was big for us.
- Speed
- Scalability
We can scale it very easily for a test environment. We were able to segment our DMZ so it wasn't connected to anything, which we really liked.
What needs improvement?
One thing in vSAN that I would like to improve is using vSAN as a repository for files or other things. For example, with Horizon, maybe we can save profiles with UEM on there. That would be a good feature that I would like.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability has been great with vSAN. We have not yet seen downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We scale it with our test environment. We are looking to do it with Horizon. We are able to scale it to see how many VMs that we can host and how long it will take us to add new hosts, if needed.
How is customer service and technical support?
Technical support has been very good. They respond pretty fast, especially if we have a critical issue. Their responses have been great.
How was the initial setup?
vSAN is one of the easiest implementations of any VMware product. It's almost like click it to enable it, then you're almost done. So, vSAN is very easy to set up.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did consider other hyperconverged solutions. It usually came down to price. vSan was the most cost effective thing. That's why we went with it. Also, we didn't have to get a connected array. We can put it in small places, remote sites, etc.
Nutanix, Cisco HyperFlex Edge, and VxRail were on our shortlist.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. To make it a ten, it needs to be able to scale the amount of data that we can hold so we can put bigger, more data-intensive apps on it.
My advice to a person looking at vSAN is get your hands dirty in the labs. Show how easy it is to set up, because it's not very complicated. It's an easy solution that you can implement at your company.
Most important criteria when selecting a vendor: Since we're a hospital, we have multiple hospitals in the area. We look at local site resiliency, so we're looking to see if we can put it in each of our hospitals.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Head, IS Operations & Infrastructure at IM Medical Centre for Health
Video Review
We doubled the density of desktops per host and demonstrated a lower TCO for VDI
Pros and Cons
- "The most important feature to me, in my role, is cost. In the renewal cycle for storage, it was about a 40 percent saving compared to going to an all-flash array, which is what we first looked at doing. Secondly, performance: we need clinical data access in five seconds and need to do everything we can to retain that metric. Thirdly, I was really pleasantly surprised during the data migration across to vSAN, that it happened almost instantly whereas, in the past, migrating from array to array was an arduous and fraught process."
What is our primary use case?
We recently adopted vSAN. We adopted VDI for our desktop solution about ten years ago and we have a single KPI for delivery which is clinical data accessed in five seconds.
Throughout the last decade, as new back-end technologies have come to market, we have always been investing in the hosting end of VDI. Five years ago, we went to an all-flash array, and two years ago, we went to the vSAN hyperconverged.
How has it helped my organization?
When we went to vSAN, at that point in time, we doubled the density of our desktops per host and, for the first time ever, I could demonstrate a significantly lower TCO for a VDI desktop versus a rich or fat client.
What is most valuable?
For my organization, the most valuable features of vSAN are as follows:
- The most important to me, in my role, is cost. In the renewal cycle for storage, it was about a 40 percent saving compared to going to an all-flash array, which is what we first looked at doing.
- Performance: our clinical data access in five seconds; we need to do everything we can to retain that metric.
- I was really pleasantly surprised during the data migration across to vSAN, that it happened almost instantly. Whereas, in the past, migrating from array to array was an arduous and fraught process.
What needs improvement?
Room for improvement could be in the planning stage of going to hyperconverged. And this is a big ask: some modeling tools or guidance on how to work out the optimal TCO. For example, core size - the amount of RAM that you're running - versus the licensing cost you're up for with, say, Mircrosoft data center, versus the number of hosts you're going to run and have to license for the vSAN. It's quite a complex equation and it's really difficult to work out, in advance of implementing the solution, that you've got it right. That creates some uncertainty around the total cost of ownership.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability on the vSAN has been 100 percent. As part of the implementation process, the VMware customer success team for vSAN assisted us. We actually retrofitted hard disk into our own existing hosts and they went through a process of review and remediation to get all the "green ticks". We went through that process in advance of putting it into production for our data center, which we did this year. So, there have been absolutely no problems from that perspective.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
When talking about scalability, the real value is that, for the first time, I can just build it out one host a time. Over the years, I'm sure everyone has experienced hitting the wall on their array where it's too old or the technology has changed, and they're up for a large sum of money in one hit. The actual, repeatable, non-quantity of the cost to increase the storage, is very valuable.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale of one to ten, I am giving it a nine. It's probably because I can't bring myself to give a ten for anything, in case it could be improved.
Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
Security Specialist at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
As a hyperconverged solution, it simplifies what equipment we have to buy
Pros and Cons
- "Being hyperconverged, it simplifies what equipment we have to buy."
- "I like that we could choose whatever hardware we wanted, rather than having to use one particular vendor."
- "It's very scalable. I like that. Adding a node is easy. Adding a disk group is easy."
- "I'd like to see better integration with the Update Manager, with respect to firmware updates for hardware."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case is production data and the performance has been great.
What is most valuable?
- Cost
- Being hyperconverged, it simplifies what equipment we have to buy
What needs improvement?
I'd like to see better integration with the Update Manager, in terms of firmware updates for hardware.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It has been pretty stable for us.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's very scalable. I like that. Adding a node is easy. Adding a disk group is easy.
How are customer service and technical support?
Tech support has been very knowledgeable for the issues that we've had. They have been able to troubleshoot or determine exactly what is going on and then resolve it in a timely manner.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were end-of-life on our previous storage and looking at replacements. It made sense to look at something that was going to integrate both the servers and the storage.
The most important criteria, for me, when selecting a vendor are
- reputation
- ease of use
- value.
We went with vSAN because of cost and ultimate value. Ease of use and the cost, compared to some of the alternatives, were pretty compelling. I also liked that we could choose whatever hardware we wanted, rather than having to use one particular vendor.
How was the initial setup?
The setup had some complexity, and some of that was figuring out newer releases. Networking, originally, was kind of a pain, with having to have everything talk Multicast. They've gone to Unicast which simplifies things.
What was our ROI?
It has simplified things for us. It was one purchase for servers and storage so that made it easier on us. It's been a good product, it's something that we'll continue to use.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
For our shortlist, we looked at SimpliVity, some Dell EMC solutions, and Nutanix.
What other advice do I have?
Make sure you do a proof of concept. And look at your options for hardware if you're looking at vSAN, compared to some competitors where you have just one option.
I would rate the solution at eight out of ten. To get to a ten they would have to drop the cost. That would get a point right there. Then, going forward, I'd like to see better integration with Update Manager. Some of the manual processes that you still have to do, being able to automate those, have it do them on its own, would be great.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Infrastructure Support Engineer at Sidmach
Provides centralized management capability and has a straightforward setup process
Pros and Cons
- "The product is highly scalable and significantly supports our organization's needs."
- "We have encountered some challenges related to administrative tasks and licensing issues for the product."
What is our primary use case?
I use VMware vSAN for storage management, particularly for managing our data center and virtual machines (VMs). It significantly reduces downtime, especially during maintenance, allowing seamless machine movement.
What is most valuable?
The platform's most valuable features are centralized management capability and vMotion. These features provide a central management point and allow seamless VM movement during maintenance.
What needs improvement?
We have encountered some challenges related to administrative tasks and licensing issues for the product.
I suggest improvements in processing speed, user-friendliness, and resource utilization for the next release. Additionally, making the system more user-friendly and easier to manage would be beneficial.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with VMware vSAN for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product stability a six and a half. We encountered issues related to hardware and vulnerability patches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is highly scalable and significantly supports our organization's needs. Our company has approximately seven to eight users who manage and work with VMware vSAN. We plan to increase the usage in the future.
I rate the scalability an eight out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support team takes time to respond to queries.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have had experience with Hyper-V. We decided to switch to VMware vSAN due to its advantages in management, scalability, and overall performance compared to other solutions like Hyper-V.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the initial setup process an eight out of ten, as it is relatively straightforward. The deployment typically takes up to 30 minutes.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is relatively expensive compared to similar products.
What other advice do I have?
The product has simplified our storage management by reducing downtime during maintenance and allowing for seamless VM migration without disrupting ongoing work.
It was most beneficial during our migration phase when we transitioned from a third-party storage solution to VMware vSAN. The seamless process helped resolve the challenges we faced with the previous solution.
Integrating VMware vSAN into our existing vSphere environment has been smooth. It works seamlessly with our existing hardware platforms, such as those from HP and IBM, thereby increasing operational efficiency and reducing hardware costs.
I recommend it to others and rate it an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Technical Consultant Manager at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Fast performance and well priced, but it should be easier to support and upgrade
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the fast performance."
- "As a software-based product, it requires a lot of system resources."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and I am a consultant that works with products such as VMware vSAN.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the fast performance.
The licensing includes all of the recent features.
What needs improvement?
This solution should be easier to support and upgrade.
As a software-based product, it requires a lot of system resources.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with VMware vSAN for approximately two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is quite good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I would describe it as medium-level when compared to others.
How are customer service and support?
I have been in contact with technical support but I have not needed to ask them a lot of questions. They are not the best but not the worst. Overall, I am satisfied with the support.
I would rate the support a four out of five.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
In addition to VMware vSAN, we have HPE SimpliVity and Nutanix.
VMware vSAN operates at the software level, whereas SimpliVity operates at the hardware level. The price of SimpliVity is higher than a software-based product.
The disadvantage to VMware, operating at the software level, is that you have to have more resources.
The bottom line is that it's cheaper and easier to set up VMware vSAN.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not quite easy but rather, a medium-level difficulty. The installation should be simple but the instructions from the vendor are not quite enough. This means that you have to conduct some trial and error.
On a scale of one to where, where five is the easier, I would rate the initial setup and deployment a three.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is a cost-effective product. It's a bit cheaper than the other solutions.
Price-wise, I would rate vSAN a four out of five.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anybody who is considering this solution is that you need to think about what it's going to be used with. For example, it may be more or less suitable depending on whether it will be used for normal database applications, VDI, or something else. The reason it needs consideration is that the initial hardware purchase depends on it. With respect to the software, there is only one choice, which is the VM license. However, for the hardware, you have to think about the servers, including the storage and other components.
I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CTO & Co-Founder at Servers Australia
Best stability, good price, and useful Stretched Cluster feature
Pros and Cons
- "Stretched Cluster is one of the big features that we use across multiple data centers."
- "I am looking for more of a software-defined storage platform that uses different protocols, such as iSCSI, NFS, and CIS, and maybe also has an object as part of that. They should 100% make it more of a storage-based product where it is not linked just to VMware, and it also has NFS and iSCSI built-in at a scalable level. They should turn it more into a dedicated storage-as-a-service platform instead of just being built into the VMware kernel. Their level one and level two support is not at all good, and it should be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We use it everywhere. We power all of our public cloud with it, and we also power all of our customers' private clouds with it.
What is most valuable?
Stretched Cluster is one of the big features that we use across multiple data centers.
What needs improvement?
I am looking for more of a software-defined storage platform that uses different protocols, such as iSCSI, NFS, and CIS, and maybe also has an object as part of that. They should 100% make it more of a storage-based product where it is not linked just to VMware, and it also has NFS and iSCSI built-in at a scalable level. They should turn it more into a dedicated storage-as-a-service platform instead of just being built into the VMware kernel.
Their level one and level two support is not at all good, and it should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is the best product that we've ever used.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is surely scalable for 64 nodes. We can run petabytes of data if we want.
Our clients are small to medium companies.
How are customer service and technical support?
VMware's level one and level two support is not at all good. Their support is good only when you get to level three.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is cheap. It is $0.02 a gig.
What other advice do I have?
I would advise others to just make sure that latency is brought into the equation because being HCI, network latency determines everything.
I would rate VMware vSAN an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner

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Learn More: Questions:
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What challenges did you have with Kubernetes and vSAN? Disclaimer: I work for the competition. Thanks!