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Storage for Virtualisation & Private Cloud

Virtualisation lives and dies on shared storage: consistent latency, non-disruptive operations, and enough headroom for the next wave of VMs. Here is how to choose — and size — the right platform.

The requirement

What virtualisation asks of storage

A hypervisor cluster needs shared storage every host can see, so VMs can move live and fail over without downtime. The hard part is consistency: hundreds of VMs generate a random, bursty I/O blend, so the platform must hold low latency under mixed load — not just post a big sequential number. Snapshots, clones and per-VM data efficiency matter too, because virtual estates sprawl fast.

Three sensible architectures: a shared all-flash SAN/unified array (the classic, storage and compute scaled independently); hyperconverged (HCI), where storage is distributed across the same nodes that run the VMs; and, increasingly, VMware-alternative private clouds built on Nutanix AHV. The right answer depends on scale, existing skills and whether you are consolidating or re-platforming.

Best-fit platforms — Virtualisation & Private CloudNetApp AFFTop pickTop pickPure FlashArraySimplestStrong fitLenovo DGOne vendorStrong fitNutanixHCI / AHVStrong fit

Indicative best-fit guide for this workload — Servnet confirms the final design and pricing on quote.

Recommended platforms

What we’d put in front of you

How they compare
NetApp AFFPure FANutanixConsistent low latencyVM-aware snaps/clonesNon-disruptive opsCollapses compute+storageVMware-alternative path

Indicative positioning for this workload — not a benchmark. We compare to your exact requirement.

Host connectivity
Host 1Host 2Host 3Host 4FC · iSCSI · NFS/SMB · NVMe — dual-controller, multipathController AactiveController Bactivecache mirror / failoverSSDSASLFFDual-active controllers · no single point of failure · expandable disk enclosures
What to weigh

Key decisions for virtualisation & private cloud

✓Shared array vs HCI: scale storage and compute independently (array) or together (HCI/Nutanix)?
✓Re-platforming off VMware? Nutanix AHV removes hypervisor licensing and unifies the stack.
✓Size for the random IOPS of your busiest hour, not the average — and leave growth headroom.
✓Snapshots + replication for VM-level protection and DR are table stakes; confirm the RPO you need.

Virtualisation & Private Cloud storage — FAQs

SAN array or hyperconverged for virtualisation?

A shared all-flash array (NetApp AFF, Pure FlashArray, Lenovo DG) lets you scale storage and compute independently and suits larger or storage-heavy estates. Hyperconverged (Nutanix) collapses compute and storage onto the same nodes — simpler to grow node-by-node and the natural route if you are also moving off VMware. We size both impartially.

What storage works best with VMware?

All of the above integrate with VMware (VAAI/VVols, vCenter plug-ins). NetApp AFF and Pure FlashArray are the go-to shared-array choices; Nutanix is the leading platform if you are considering AHV as a VMware alternative. The deciding factors are scale, existing skills and your licensing strategy.

How much storage performance (IOPS) do I need?

For virtualisation it is about consistent latency under a random, mixed workload more than a peak number. Size to the IOPS of your busiest period across all VMs, add headroom for growth, and choose all-flash. Our Storage Solution Finder turns your VM count and profile into an indicative sizing.

Size it for your virtualisation & private cloud workload

Set your capacity, performance and protection needs in the Storage Solution Finder for an instant recommendation — or talk to our team for an impartial, vendor-neutral design and quote.