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Hyper-converged architectures consolidate and manage computing, networking, and storage resources via software so they can run on any vendor’s server hardware.

Several years ago they where (apparently) strange approach to storage implementation used mainly for cheap solution (using VSA, that lacks, in much cases, of right scalability), or for special user cases like ROBO or VDI (with solution like NexentaVSA for View).

But starting with Nutanix (probably the first real player in those kind of solution) the idea of simple VSA (Virtual Storage Appliance) has dramatically changed by introducing a large scalability with new scale-out (or web-scale, using Nutanix terms) approach.

VMware is talking about hypervisor-converged storage software with their Virtual SAN solution and it’s becoming another confirm of the validity of this kind of approach of storage.

But before VMware other storage companies has build other hyper-converged storage solution, again, demostrating the interest on this model and good could be this kind of approach.

So interesting that also big companies are looking for it: VMware has its own solution and now Hewlett-Packard is in talks to acquire SimpliVity confirming the right momentum on this technologies.

Now direct news about these rumors from other Big, like, for example Dell: actually they have two choices, or looking for other storage vendor with this kind of technologies or embrace VMware VSAN and propose servers configured and ready for it. I think that some of them will go in the second option that could be easy, or maybe other software only options (like Maxta or Atlantis ILIO USX) because could be simple and faster.

But how can grow the hyper-converged storage and how against the other storage models? With a true scale-out capability it can really become an Enterprise class storage solution comparable (of course with pro and cons) to other solutions.

And from this point of view Nutanix is doing really well, their have a good solution and product, but there also are going to propose it for the best user cases where it could make more sense (for example large VDI environment) and where the advantages on other storage are easy to understand (also from money point view).

Should they look for an acquisition (like SimpliVity with HP, if confirmed) from a Big or they could become big enough to be one of Big? I think that they have the potentially (and the people, considering how they are building a great team) to compete with the Big and this “Hyper-converged Momentum” could make them grow more (and they can grow faster if they play alone). Be acquired from a Big name could make sense if it’s a way to grow in new Countries (for example EqualLogic, was not really know in Europe before the Dell acquisition, after that it has become the first iSCSI storage in this Country).

To make another example (just because they are going really well in this period): should Veeam be acquired by a Big name (one year ago, considering the storage integration, HP was a reasonable name)? Or, in order to change the question, can Veeam grow so fast if they have been acquired by a big? Again, my answer, is no, and the facts actually are confirming this (at least seem so :) ).

Anyway is a nice period for storage with lot of technologies, news and challenges.

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Virtualization, Cloud and Storage Architect. Tech Field delegate. VMUG IT Co-Founder and board member. VMware VMTN Moderator and vExpert 2010-24. Dell TechCenter Rockstar 2014-15. Microsoft MVP 2014-16. Veeam Vanguard 2015-23. Nutanix NTC 2014-20. Several certifications including: VCDX-DCV, VCP-DCV/DT/Cloud, VCAP-DCA/DCD/CIA/CID/DTA/DTD, MCSA, MCSE, MCITP, CCA, NPP.