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StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance

Turnkey HCI Experience on Your Own Hardware

Convert your existing servers into an easy-to-use hyperconverged platform powered by a pre-configured software stack that delivers seamless performance and control. Ideal for edge, ROBO, SMBs.

StarWind Hyperconverged Infrastructure

Financial, logistical, and operational constraints often prevent the deployment of a new hardware-based hyperconverged infrastructure. IT teams are forced to work with existing servers, but still need to eliminate complexity, improve resilience, and cut operational costs.

StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance is the fastest route to modern hyperconvergence on the hardware you have just commissioned. It is a pre-packaged software stack that transforms standard x86 servers into a fully redundant HCI cluster powered by StarWind Virtual SAN. With minimal overhead and hypervisor independence, it keeps applications always available while fitting seamlessly into existing hardware strategies.

  • Build a turnkey HCI solution on the hardware of your choice
  • Two-node HCI with synchronous mirroring and enterprise-grade resilience
  • Hypervisor freedom: VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, Proxmox VE
  • Pre-packaged deployment with white-glove setup and fast time to value
  • 24/7 Proactive Support: Issues are automatically detected and fixed before they turn into problems

Use Cases

automatic failover protection

Edge and remote sites needing enterprise-class uptime on existing hardware

Datacore Icon Edge

Remote and branch offices standardizing IT with simple, resilient HCI

Datacore Layers Icon

SMBs consolidating compute, storage, and virtualization at low cost

Datacore Server Icon

Replace costly, complex SAN-based architectures with simple and affordable HCI

Datacore Cog Arrows Icon

IT modernization projects extending the life of current x86 servers

Icon Virtualmachines

Run VM workloads, databases, file servers, VDI, and more with always-on availability

Features

  • Two-node high-availability clustering with synchronous mirroring; no witness required
  • Automatic failover and self-healing rebuild to keep workloads running
  • Multi-protocol connectivity, including iSCSI and NVMe-oF
  • Runs on your existing x86 servers; no proprietary hardware needed
  • Lightweight storage engine with minimal CPU and memory requirements
  • Hypervisor independence: VMware vSphere, Microsoft Hyper-V, Proxmox VE
  • Granular, independent scaling of compute and storage resources
  • Pre-packaged deployment with guided installation assistance

StarWind Virtual SAN Dashboard

Easy-to-use web UI: Monitor uptime, resource usage, and performance at a glance

StarWind Virtual SAN HCI and Storage Management

Manage LUNs, volumes, storage pools, and physical disks from a single interface

StarWind Virtual SAN Multi-Protocol Support - iSCSI and NVMe-o

Easily provision storage with iSCSI and NVMe-oF support for diverse workloads

“StarWind technology provides a highly available storage cluster with minimal server requirements. We were really pleased with the engagement process, support during and after migration, and being a part of successful solution delivery.”

Craig Prosser Head of IT Infrastructure, Rank Group

“By being able to virtualize our environment with StarWind, we were able to retire some old hardware, get our services highly available, reduce power consumption and heat in our server closet.”

David Gardner Information Systems Manager, Cygnus, Inc.

“We got a StarWind up and running on our 2 existing servers, enabling us to create a highly available environment without additional hardware expense.”

Nathan Adams Company Representative, WizNucleus

“StarWind works great, every time I’ve needed help StarWind support has been awesome. All of our future clusters will likely be StarWind.

Shawn Davie System Administrator, Sun Peaks Resort

“Since installing StarWind our virtual machines have come back to life! Everything is now incredibly responsive and reliable. We have a newfound confidence in our infrastructure.”

IT Manager St Peter's Church of England Aided School

Benefits

  • Lower total cost of ownership by reusing existing x86 servers and avoiding new hardware spend
  • Faster time-to-value with pre-packaged deployment and guided setup
  • Enterprise-class availability for critical applications in edge, ROBO, and SMB sites
  • Consistent, repeatable deployments across multiple remote or edge locations
  • Freedom of choice with support for multiple hypervisors; no vendor lock-in
  • Extended hardware lifecycle by modernizing existing infrastructure instead of refreshing it
  • A complete turnkey HCI solution that partners can deliver while honoring customer hardware preferences

Architecture

Two-Node High Availability HCI Architecture
Two-Node High Availability HCI Architecture

Deployment

StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance installs quickly on your existing x86 servers, arriving as a pre-packaged software-defined stack that is ready for production. Setup can be fully guided or completely unattended.

Customers simply provide environment details and access, and StarWind engineers handle the rest. Automation scripts further streamline installation, reducing effort and accelerating time to value.

For added flexibility, the appliance can be staged and configured at a partner or distributor site before delivery. Optional migration assistance helps move workloads seamlessly, making it easy to modernize infrastructure without disruption. This approach delivers the simplicity of a turnkey appliance while preserving the freedom to use your own hardware.

Customers can choose the deployment model that best fits their needs: StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance for a turnkey experience on existing servers, StarWind Virtual SAN for a pure software-defined approach, or the fully integrated StarWind HCI Appliance that combines hardware and software in one end-to-end package.

Licensing

StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance is licensed per node, making it simple to size and quote. Each server in the cluster requires a license, and the model scales predictably as additional nodes are added. Every license includes continuous software updates and ProActive Premium Support, so customers always benefit from the latest features while their systems remain monitored and protected around the clock.

Support

StarWind Virtual HCI Appliance includes 24/7 ProActive Premium Support from the start, ensuring continuous protection for your environment. The environment is continuously is monitored through telemetry and call-home systems, so potential issues are identified and addressed before they impact production. When something unusual arises, DataCore support engineers reach out proactively, often before you notice the problem yourself.

Unlike traditional support models that rely wholly on reactive ticketing, ProActive Premium Support offers a hands-off experience. StarWind experts handle routine monitoring, troubleshooting, and maintenance of the Virtual HCI Appliance software stack, reducing the daily burden on your IT team and allowing them to focus on business priorities instead of infrastructure upkeep.

Learn More

Get personalized guidance on your HCI strategy. Talk to an expert.