What is our primary use case?
We are running the StarWind HyperConverged Appliances as our Hyper-V Cluster hosts. Our old solution was a three-node Hyper-V Cluster that hosted our VMs. We now have a two-node setup using StarWind HCAs that run/host our Hyper-V VMs in a similar Failover Cluster. This saves room in our Data-Centre and provides a modernized solution compared to what we used. The two hosts each have their own storage bays that host all the VMs and also use the StarWind software to store our VMs in CSVs, allowing us to have even more replication on top of the RAID-5 node runs.
How has it helped my organization?
StarWind's Appliance improved our organization by no longer having a single point of failure. Our previous solution had a separate storage bay where the StarWind HCAs each have their own bay that can hold all our VMs and run replication using the StarWind Software.
Our old solution only supported Gigabit connections, while the StarWind solution also supported 10GB. Each node runs two Mellanox interconnects and came with two 10GB ports for our usage. We now have two cables running from the nodes through to the rest of our network and have set up SET (Switch Independent Teaming) for our Hyper-V Cluster solution.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable thing I have found is the 24/7 Support. Their support team is extremely helpful, and they are pretty friendly and knowledgeable. They monitor your hardware and provide support when you migrate to the new service.
During our migration, we have sent multiple requests for support and made changes that have caused the network connection to flap. Within minutes of the nodes flapping, we would have a new ticket open with StarWind with them requesting information about the downed Node(s) and asking us if we require any support on getting them back up.
The team has benefited us and offered support and documentation for the migration and general inquiries about their Hardware/Software.
What needs improvement?
The only thing that can use improvement is the StarWind Management Console and Command Center.
The management console needs to be restarted each reboot, and you must manually reconnect to each node to see the status. If this could be an automated process or if it auto-connects when you start the program, that would be fantastic.
The Command Center is a great tool, but it stores the ISOs in one of the CSVs, meaning that each ISO uses a lot of storage space compared to one copy. Since each node runs RAID-5 and the two nodes are replicated using the StarWind software, we are essentially using over three times the storage.
Also, it doesn't feel like the Command Center adds anything compared to using the OS's Hyper-V or Failover Cluster managers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for about two months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
So far, we've not had a single live down situation.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is very scalable. Only half the slots for both Memory and SSDs were used when we built our complete solution.
How are customer service and support?
They have the best support I've experienced with any vendor I've worked with up until now. We're still only 2 months into using their hardware so we may see a change.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did use another solution. We switched because our previous solution was getting to EOL and the new solution offered by that company was more expensive than StarWind for similar builds. StarWind could offer more for less money than the other vendors who wanted more for less.
How was the initial setup?
HCAs came pre-configured and only required minimum input on our end to get up and running.
What about the implementation team?
I discussed and negotiated directly with StarWind.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The staff at StarWind are willing to negotiate. They will take a look at your system diagnostics and make a recommendation, and they will also ask if you have any specific needs/wants on top of the requirements and build you a customizable solution.
Once you are at the quote stage, they are willing to negotiate with you if you have another vendor offering you similar products for a lower price. This was one of the major reasons we went with StarWind, as they were very open about it and have been very helpful every step of the way.
Their website support chat will connect you to your assigned sales rep if they are available, and that means the "support" agent is someone who knows your needs well.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We took a look at all the big vendors, including HPE, Dell, Lenovo, and IBM.
What other advice do I have?
Make use of the support and staff at StarWind whenever you need it. They are extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They are staff that feels like they want you as a customer and want to keep you as a customer by offering you great support. For other companies, you must wait on call, whereas StarWind has 24/7 support, and they proectively reach out to you when they detect issues.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.