/ / / Product of the Month: StorMagic

Product of the Month: StorMagic

Highly available virtualization for the edge, branch offices, and data centers – offered and implemented by Starline

The Challenges of Modern IT Infrastructure

Today, companies of all sizes are facing increasing complexity in their IT environments. Branch offices, production facilities, and edge locations require highly available storage and computing capacities—often without on-site IT staff, with limited space, and under strict cost constraints. At the same time, Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has shaken up the market for virtualization solutions: licenses have become more expensive, support models have changed, and many companies are looking for powerful alternatives.

Starline, one of the most experienced storage and server specialists in the German-speaking region since 1982, offers a compelling solution to these challenges with StorMagic. As an authorized StorMagic partner, Starline supports its customers from initial consultation and the assembly of custom-fit hardware through to the migration of existing environments and ongoing support during regular operations—all from a single source.

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What is StorMagic?

StorMagic is a British software company founded in 2006 with a clear mission: to simplify the storage landscape and enable businesses to reliably manage their data from any location. At the heart of the portfolio are two closely integrated products:

  • SvSAN (Software-defined Virtual SAN): A virtual storage area network that runs on two or more standard x86 servers and provides highly available shared storage—without the need for expensive physical SAN hardware.
  • SvHCI (Full-Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure): A complete HCI solution that combines a KVM-based hypervisor, virtual networking, and SvSAN as the storage layer—all in a single software package.

More than 50,000 installations worldwide already rely on StorMagic’s proven SvSAN technology. This impressively underscores the platform’s maturity and reliability.

StorMagic SvSAN and SvHCI

StorMagic SvHCI – The Complete HCI Alternative to VMware

A New Era of Hyperconverged Infrastructure

With SvHCI, StorMagic has taken the logical next step in 2024: Building on the proven SvSAN core, a complete hyperconverged infrastructure solution has been developed that combines a hypervisor, networking, and storage into a single software package. SvHCI installs directly on new or existing servers, delivering a turnkey virtualization platform.

Why SvHCI is particularly relevant now

According to the Gartner Market Guide for Full-Stack Hyperconverged Infrastructure Software, the market share of non-market-leading HCI solutions will rise from 30 percent in 2024 to 60 percent by 2029. A key driver of this trend is the cost explosion at VMware following the Broadcom acquisition. SvHCI offers a direct and more affordable alternative: Compared to VMware solutions, software costs can be reduced by up to 62 percent.

 

Key Features of SvHCI 2.0

  • KVM-based hypervisor: Industry-proven open-source technology providing a stable foundation for all virtual machines.
  • VM Snapshots: Point-in-time snapshots of all VMs enable rollbacks after failed updates and provide enhanced data protection—up to 16 snapshots per VM.
  • VM Import: A guided migration tool significantly simplifies the migration of existing VMware VMs to SvHCI and drastically reduces time to productivity.
  • Edge Control Monitoring & Management: Centralized, cloud-based management of all SvHCI systems—from a few to thousands of edge sites.
  • Metro-Distance Stretched Clusters: Highly available 2-node clusters can be distributed across different geographic locations—for maximum reliability at the campus, building, or city level.
  • Enhanced VM Density: Up to 50 HA-protected VMs per cluster maximize resource utilization.
  • Flexible Network Support: Up to 4 virtual NICs per VM and up to 4 virtual disks on Virtio or PV-SCSI controllers enable sophisticated network and storage configurations.
StorMagic_HCI_Solution

StorMagic SvSAN – Virtual SAN for Maximum Availability

How It Works

SvSAN runs as a virtual machine on each of the participating servers and synchronously replicates data across the nodes. If a server fails, the remaining node seamlessly takes over operations—without data loss, without manual intervention, and without downtime. The software supports the most common hypervisor platforms: VMware vSphere ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and KVM.

Key Benefits of SvSAN

  • High availability starting with two servers: Two standard servers are all that’s needed to set up fully redundant shared storage. There’s no need for an expensive SAN fabric or dedicated storage controllers.
  • Synchronous mirroring: Data is written to both nodes in real time. In the event of a hardware failure, all data is immediately available on the remaining system.
  • Metro cluster support: SvSAN supports georedundant stretched clusters—ideal for companies that want to secure two nearby data center locations or buildings.
  • Centralized management: Edge Control enables the centralized administration of hundreds or even thousands of remote locations via a single interface—a decisive advantage for chains and companies with distributed IT.
  • VM load balancing and easy migration: Virtual machines can be moved between nodes with minimal effort, which significantly simplifies maintenance and updates.

Application Scenarios

SvSAN proves its worth wherever high availability is required but space, budget, or specialized personnel are limited: in retail stores that must keep their point-of-sale systems running around the clock; in manufacturing facilities where sensors and control systems cannot fail; in wind farm monitoring centers that remain online even during power outages; or in logistics centers where warehouse management software runs continuously.

Cost-effectiveness: Sustainably reducing CAPEX and OPEX

One of the most compelling aspects of StorMagic is its clear cost-effectiveness. By eliminating the need for dedicated SAN hardware, reducing energy consumption, and simplifying management, capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operating expenses (OPEX) can each be reduced by at least 40 percent—and in some cases significantly more, depending on the initial setup.

Compared to VMware licensing models, SvHCI offers entry-level prices starting at $2,049 for a one-year subscription for a server with up to 2 TB of storage. This makes the solution attractive even for mid-sized companies and SMEs that previously could not keep up with enterprise budgets.

  • No more expensive SAN hardware required
  • Lower costs for maintenance, cooling, and floor space
  • Predictable subscription models instead of unexpected license price increases
  • Up to 62% savings on software costs compared to VMware
CAPEX und OPEX(1)

StorMagic Webinar

Learn how you can implement high availability in a realistic, predictable, and cost-effective manner.

Starline: Your comprehensive partner – from hardware to support

Technology alone does not determine the success of an IT transformation. What matters most is who implements it professionally. This is where Starline comes in—not just as a reseller, but as a full-service implementation partner with over four decades of experience in the server and storage environment.

Custom Hardware Assembly
Starline assembles the appropriate server hardware for SvSAN and SvHCI individually according to each customer’s requirements. Whether it’s two compact rack servers for a branch office or a scalable multi-node environment for the data center: Starline’s technicians configure, test, and deliver the systems ready for operation. Thanks to its large inventory, Starline can respond to requests on short notice and provide replacement parts long after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired.

Migration to the Target System
Migrating existing VMware environments to StorMagic SvHCI is a critical project that requires careful planning and experienced professionals. Starline’s technicians guide you through the entire migration process: from analyzing the existing environment and planning the target architecture to executing the VM migration using the integrated VM import tool. The goal is always to minimize downtime and ensure parallel operation until all systems are successfully running on the target system.

Support During Routine Operations
The partnership with Starline does not end after successful deployment—it is just getting started. Starline’s experienced and certified technicians are available as expert contacts during ongoing operations. In the event of a failure, Starline responds quickly, identifies the cause, and ensures a rapid restoration of normal operations. This comprehensive support offering gives IT managers the assurance that their StorMagic infrastructure is in capable hands—whether it’s a single branch or a company-wide edge network.

Bottom line: Simple, reliable, cost-effective – with Starline as your partner

StorMagic SvSAN and SvHCI offer a compelling combination of technological maturity, ease of use, and cost-effectiveness. With over 50,000 installations worldwide and a feature set that meets even the most demanding enterprise requirements, StorMagic is a serious alternative to significantly more expensive HCI and SAN solutions.

But the key added value lies in the combination of powerful software and an experienced, comprehensive partner. Starline doesn’t just get the software up and running—Starline ensures that the entire infrastructure is set up correctly from the start, migrated smoothly, and professionally maintained during continuous operation.

The Starline approach: technology that works and a team that makes sure it stays that way.

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Please contact us

Together, we’ll develop the ideal StorMagic solution for your needs.

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Tim Heinrichs
Sales

Project managers from the Enterprise Storage Solutions team - our specialists for large-scale projects.