For service providers looking to build a business case around the vSAN storage model, a clear assessment of available options is required to compare the total cost of ownership of the solutions available. This can then be used to calculate the improved return on investment on storage hardware, software, and operating costs.

At a high level, CapEx cost reductions derive from the removal of proprietary hardware and from the ability to employ commodity-type server components (within the constraints of the VMware Compatibility Guide), which use local server disks intelligently to maximize performance, efficiency, and availability of customers’ applications.

Additionally, OpEx cost reductions associated with vSAN are derived from the management of the allocation of storage capacity in a more agile manner, the management of utilization of capacity with automation, and the management of multiple infrastructure components in a unified and simplified way. With a vSAN software-defined storage solution, applying the right software services to storage infrastructure is a far simpler process. In short, the implementation of vSAN technology enables the unified management of a large number of moving parts that go to make up the combined vSphere platform and storage infrastructure.

The following is a list of additional items that might find their way onto a service provider's checklist, when a decision maker is evaluating storage offerings. There is, as always, a keen eye on reducing storage costs: