For SMB and Enterprises who are looking for high performance primary storage for server virtualization, VDI, database and Big Data scenarios, or inexpensive secondary backup tier, our solution is StarWind Storage Appliance. It unifies commodity servers, disks and flash, and associated software into an easily scalable storage platform.


| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| StarWind Storage Appliance | 1.3% |
| Dell PowerScale (Isilon) | 15.5% |
| NetApp FAS Series | 10.8% |
| Other | 72.4% |
| Type | Title | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | NAS | Mar 29, 2026 | Download |
| Product | Reviews, tips, and advice from real users | Mar 29, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | StarWind Storage Appliance vs Dell PowerStore | Mar 29, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | StarWind Storage Appliance vs Dell PowerScale (Isilon) | Mar 29, 2026 | Download |
| Comparison | StarWind Storage Appliance vs NetApp FAS Series | Mar 29, 2026 | Download |
| Title | Rating | Mindshare | Recommending | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell PowerStore | 4.3 | 9.0% | 96% | 175 interviewsAdd to research |
| HPE Alletra Storage | 4.6 | N/A | 98% | 88 interviewsAdd to research |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 5 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 3 |
| Large Enterprise | 2 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 22 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 10 |
| Large Enterprise | 20 |
Additionally, the appliance features an optional gateway to Azure public cloud, which helps to implement an effective Disaster Recovery plan or meet regulatory requirements. StarWind SA scales up by adding individual disks and flash modules, or JBODs, while adding ready controller nodes allows scaling out.
StarWind SA targets those, who need high-performance primary storage or secondary storage for backup. In case there is a whole virtualization infrastructure to build from scratch, StarWind HCA will come in handy. Otherwise, if all the required hardware is present, StarWind Virtual SAN will be enough to build a high-performance virtualization setup.
Bosch, EC2 IT, Solid Earth Inc., Canon
| Author info | Rating | Review Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Engineering Assistant at Bharat Electronics Limited | 4.5 | We chose StarWind Storage Appliance for its two-node solution, avoiding high VMware costs. Its management console and absence of a heartbeat node were valuable, though initial synchronization is slow. Despite challenges, it provided a good ROI and functionality. |
| Consultant at HCLSoftware | 4.0 | In my company, we use StarWind Storage Appliance at remote sites to support manufacturing units and users without advanced WAN connectivity. The solution offers valuable data protection and easy management, but setup configuration could be simplified. |
| President at EXAG Multimedia | 4.0 | I found StarWind Storage Appliance simpler and more cost-effective compared to Microsoft products due to its need for only one driver. Although its demo version should resemble the paid version, its easy integration with Microsoft made it an ideal choice. |
| IT Specialist & Project Manager at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees | 4.5 | In our testing of the StarWind Storage Appliance, we found it delivers expected performance on various hardware setups, offers affordable pricing, responsive support, and a user-friendly interface, though it lacks flexibility in caching compared to solutions like StorMagic. |
| President at EXAG Multimedia | 4.0 | I use StarWind Storage Appliance with Microsoft services, finding its integration excellent and stability good. My main concerns are the free version's missing dashboard features, the learning curve for setup, and unclear pricing. I rate it 8/10. |
| Network Services Manager at a educational organization with 51-200 employees | 5.0 | I switched from costly, end-of-life FC SANs to StarWind iSCSI, simplifying our infrastructure with excellent ROI and performance. Its stability, scalability, and proactive support are outstanding, allowing hyper-converged deployments. I highly recommend this solution; it has no apparent flaws. |
| Founder at Provectus Networks | 5.0 | I find StarWind Storage Appliance offers excellent performance, instant failover, and incredible 24x7 support. It's the best value for money, making it my top choice, despite them no longer selling HDDs for primary storage. |
| Director of IT at a computer software company with 201-500 employees | 5.0 | I find StarWind VSAN very stable, scalable, and easy to use, dramatically improving uptime with excellent support for my Hyper-V cluster. I only wish for better integration with backup vendors and more detailed reporting. |