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vNAS

VNAS

vNAS is virtualized network-attached storage software that allows you to create a virtual SAN using the local storage in hypervisor hosts. It pools resources to create a shared storage platform accessible over a network.
Network & Admin Storage & Backup
virtualized networkattached-storage san shared-storage
vNAS screenshot
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vNAS: Virtualized Network-Attached Storage

Virtualized network-attached storage software, creating a virtual SAN using local storage in hypervisor hosts, pooled resources for shared storage over a network.

What is VNAS?

vNAS (virtual Network Attached Storage) is software that allows you to create a virtual SAN (Storage Area Network) using the local disks and flash storage in hypervisor hosts. It creates a shared storage platform that looks and acts like a physical SAN, providing features like thin provisioning, deduplication, compression, and more.

vNAS works by installing lightweight software on each hypervisor host. This software allows you to pool and aggregate local storage across hosts to create a virtual shared storage device. Blocks of data are distributed across multiple disks and servers, providing redundancy and resilience.

Key benefits of vNAS include:

  • Lower cost since you utilize existing commodity server storage
  • Scalability as you add hosts to the cluster
  • Data protection with replication, erasure coding, and snapshots
  • High performance by leveraging server-side flash storage
  • Thin provisioning to reduce wasted space
  • Data reduction with compression and deduplication

vNAS eliminates the need for a separate physical SAN, enabling software-defined, hyperconverged storage using existing hypervisor infrastructure. Leading vNAS solutions include VMware vSAN, Microsoft Storage Spaces Direct, Nutanix Acropolis, and various open source options.

VNAS Features

Features

  1. Creates a virtual SAN using local storage of hypervisor hosts
  2. Pools storage resources across hosts to create a shared storage platform
  3. Provides block-level storage accessible over IP network
  4. Supports iSCSI and NFS protocols
  5. Built-in deduplication and compression
  6. Thin provisioning support
  7. High availability with automated failover
  8. Centralized management console
  9. Integration with VMware vSphere and Microsoft Hyper-V
  10. Scalable and flexible architecture

Pricing

  • Free
  • Subscription-Based

Pros

Leverages existing storage for virtual SAN

Reduces need for dedicated SAN hardware

Simplified storage management

Improved scalability and flexibility

Cost savings compared to physical SAN

High performance for virtual workloads

Data reduction features like deduplication and compression

Supports mainstream hypervisor platforms

Cons

Performance limited by capacity of underlying local storage

May require storage capacity planning for growth

Limited physical SAN capabilities like multipathing

Does not support physical servers or non-virtualized workloads

Can have complex setup and configuration

Typically lacks support services of SAN vendor

Official Links

Official Website
https://compuverde.com/products/vnas

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The Best VNAS Alternatives

View all vNAS alternatives with detailed comparison →

Top Network & Admin and Storage & Backup and other similar apps like VNAS

Here are some alternatives to VNAS:

TrueNAS icon
TrueNAS
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Western Digital My Cloud
ReadyNAS icon
ReadyNAS
Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO icon
Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO
StorPool icon
StorPool
Suggest an alternative ❐

TrueNAS icon

TrueNAS

TrueNAS is an open-source network-attached storage (NAS) operating system based on FreeBSD. It is developed by iXsystems as a free alternative to proprietary NAS solutions.Some key features and capabilities of TrueNAS include:Supports major file sharing protocols like SMB, NFS, AFP, FTP, and iSCSI for connecting clients and accessing shared storageIncludes...
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Western Digital My Cloud icon

Western Digital My Cloud

Western Digital My Cloud is a network-attached storage (NAS) device that allows you to store your files on a centralized, personal cloud storage system in your home. It connects to your home network via an Ethernet cable or WiFi and provides storage that can be accessed by all devices on...
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ReadyNAS icon

ReadyNAS

ReadyNAS is a network-attached storage (NAS) solution developed by NETGEAR. It provides centralized, shared storage for home and small business users to store, protect, stream and share data.Some key features of ReadyNAS include:Shared storage accessible from all devices on the local networkBackup for PCs, Macs, smartphones and tabletsMedia streaming, transcoding...
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Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO icon

Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO

Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO is a software-defined storage solution designed specifically for small office and home office environments. It consolidates storage resources and provides a unified system for managing data with advanced optimization, data protection, and disaster recovery capabilities.Key features of Open-E Data Storage Software SOHO include:Unified storage supporting...
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StorPool icon

StorPool

StorPool is a software-defined block storage platform optimized for storage performance, efficiency, and high availability. It is designed to deliver predictable low latency, high IOPS, and increased storage efficiency for demanding workloads.StorPool uses a distributed architecture and runs on standard hardware, eliminating proprietary hardware lock-in. It utilizes advanced data placement...
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