StarWind Virtual SAN

StarWind Virtual SAN is a fiercely independent, highly aggressive, and wildly popular software-only HCI platform that specifically targets the "SMB, Edge Computing, and 2-Node Cluster" market. While VMware and Nutanix require a minimum of 3 (or even 4) expensive servers to form a highly available cluster, StarWind engineered a massive breakthrough: True High Availability with only 2 servers. The absolute core differentiator of StarWind VSAN is its "2-Node Switchless Architecture." A small retail store or a remote factory does not have the budget for 3 servers and an expensive 10-Gigabit network switch. StarWind allows an IT admin to buy just two standard servers, connect them directly together with a cheap ethernet cable (no switch required), and the software instantly mirrors the storage between them. If one server catches fire, the other takes over instantly with zero downtime. Furthermore, StarWind is entirely hypervisor-agnostic (working flawlessly with Hyper-V, vSphere, or Proxmox) and is incredibly affordable. For small businesses, massive retail chains with thousands of edge locations, and ROBO (Remote Office/Branch Office) deployments demanding enterprise high availability on a shoestring budget, StarWind is highly revered.