HCI is often pitched against VMware licenses, which are expensive. However, Sangfor HCI is more cost-effective and offers more features than VMware. This makes it a strong competitor in the Pakistani market.
The manageability feature is the most important aspect of the solution. Customers have told me that this is the key selling point for them. The manageability and the ability to use it across all platforms using vSAN is what makes the solution so popular.
One question that has come up frequently in the last week is whether or not the renewal cost for Sangfor's HCI solution is too high. Customers are hesitant to renew their contracts because of this cost, but everything else about the solution is good. The features are fine and even better than VMware's. However, the renewal cost is a bit higher.
I have been using the solution for seven months.
I give the stability of the solution a seven out of ten.
The solution is highly scalable.
The response time for technical support is very good in Pakistan. We do not have any issues with their support.
The initial setup of the solution is straightforward.
I give the pricing a five out of ten.
The solution has a good initial cost but a high renewal cost.
We have compared the solution with VMware, and there are no features that are significantly better in VMware. There are some features that are a bit lower. I'm not sure what they are right now. Overall, the Sangfor HCI package is good when compared to VMware. The main difference is the pricing. VMware has a high initial cost and a complex licensing model. Sangfor, on the other hand, has all of the features in just one license. This is a big difference.
I give the solution an eight out of ten.
Most medium-sized companies are using on-premises storage solutions. They might have a limited budget, so they don't need some of the more expensive replication or backup solutions. They just keep their data on-site, using software from Veritas or another provider. I will use a simple backup solution, rather than using a cloud-based storage environment. Sangfor HCI is only necessary for large enterprises.
Sangfor HCI is a one-license package that is packed with features. When looking to replace our existing VMware environment with another good product, I believe Sangfor HCI is the best solution.