--- description: Today VMware Inc launched the latest version of their software-defined storage solution, Virtual SAN 6 (VSAN). VMware Virtual SAN 6 has significant... title: VMware Launches Virtual SAN 6 And vSphere Virtual Volumes image: https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/vmware-new1.jpg --- [![Storage Review]()](https://storagereview.com/) --- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [![StorageReview.com](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Storage-Review-2x.png)](https://www.storagereview.com) ≡ Menu - [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) - [Storage Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/review) - [Consumer Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer) - [Enterprise Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise) - [Ubiquiti Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/best/ubiquiti-reviews) - [SR Merch](https://store.storagereview.com) - [Leaderboards](https://www.storagereview.com/best) - [Best Storage Arrays](https://www.storagereview.com/best/storage-arrays) - [Best Enterprise SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-ssds) - [Best Servers](https://www.storagereview.com/best/servers) - [Best Desktops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktops-local-ai) - [Best Laptops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptops-local-ai) - [Best Local LLM Tools](https://www.storagereview.com/best/local-llm-tools) - [Agentic AI Hardware](https://www.storagereview.com/best/agentic-ai-hardware) - [Best SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.storagereview.com/best_drives) - [Best Portable SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/portable-ssds) - [Best Business Laptops](https://www.storagereview.com/best/business-laptops) - [Best Mobile Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mobile-workstations) - [Best Desktop Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktop-workstations) - [Best Mini PCs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mini-pcs) - [Best Laptop Battery Life](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptop-battery-life) - [Storage Reference Guide](https://www.storagereview.com/storage-reference-guide) - [About SR](https://www.storagereview.com/about-storagereview) - [StorageReview.com Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview-com-sweepstakes-rules-and-regulations) Search [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) » [News](https://www.storagereview.com/news) » VMware Launches Virtual SAN 6 And vSphere Virtual Volumes # VMware Launches Virtual SAN 6 And vSphere Virtual Volumes by Adam Armstrong on February 2, 2015 [Software](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise/software) Today VMware Inc launched the latest version of their [software-defined storage solution](https://www.storagereview.com/vmware_virtual_san_vsan_now_generally_available), Virtual SAN 6 (VSAN). VMware Virtual SAN 6 has significant scalability and performance enhancements including new all-flash configuration support. VMware will also introduce the industry’s first solution to enable native Virtual Machine-awareness across a broad range of third-party storage systems, VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVOLS). These two new launches are designed to enable mass adoption of software-defined storage. VMware Virtual SAN 6 has several scalability and performance improvements over Virtual SAN 5.5: twice as many hosts per cluster (now at 64); twice as many VMs per host (now at 200); twice as many IOPS per host (now at 40K for the hybrid and 90K or four and half times for the all-flash) 16 times the snapshot depth per VM (now at 32 per VM); and 31 times the virtual disk size (now at 62TB). Virtual SAN 6 is an enterprise-class storage platform ideal for VM storage, is built for virtual infrastructure, and is ready for business-critical applications. ![](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/whats-new-VSAN6.png) **Virtual SAN 6 Highlights** - New All-Flash architecture – VMware Virtual SAN 6 enables a two-tier all-flash architecture in which flash devices are intelligently used for both caching and data persistence. Tier 1 is used as 100% write buffer while Tier 2 is strictly for caching. This architecture provides more than four-times increase in IO throughput per node compared to VMware Virtual SAN 5.5 while delivering predictable sub-millisecond latency - Scalability increased to 64 nodes / cluster – As mentioned the new release doubles scalability to 64 nodes per cluster enabling customers to exceed 8 petabytes of storage capacity from a cluster - Maximum throughput of 7 million IOPS / cluster –A 64-node VMware Virtual SAN cluster now delivers up seven million input/output operations per second (IOPS) with nearly perfect linear scalability - New enterprise-grade snapshots – The release introduces a high performance and efficient snapshot capability increasing the snapshot depth to 32 per virtual machine while minimizing the performance overhead - New Rack-awareness – Intelligent placement of virtual machine objects across server racks for enhanced application availability even in case of complete rack failures - Expanded support for blades – With new support for direct-attached JBODs, customers can now scale VMware Virtual SAN 6 clusters to large capacity in server blade environments VMware vSphere Virtual Volumes (vVols) is VMware’s attempt to set a new industry standard for software-defined storage that enables storage arrays to become VM-aware. vVols is a set of APIs that enable a granular integration between storage arrays (SAN/NAS) and vSphere at the VM level, in a VM by VM basis. This enables storage arrays, defined by the storage administrators, to provision capacity and data services for each VM giving organizations more agile, cost-efficient, and easy to manage storage infrastructure. vVols will be managed through a common control plane. VMware has worked closely with five design partners (Dell, EMC, HP, IBM, and NetApp) and has a total of 29 partners actively engaged in the Virtual Volumes program.  **vVols benefits include:** - Faster provisioning – Rapid storage provisioning through policy-based framework. Enables self-service provisioning of storage through integration with cloud and datacenter automation tools. - Guarantee service levels at VM-level – Granular control of storage service levels for each VM. Dynamically compose and modify storage services, leveraging native array-level capabilities. Use automation to ensure policy compliance through VM lifecycle (placement, remediation, and monitoring). - Reduce Storage total cost of ownership – Increase capacity utilization by enabling more granular provisioning of storage at VM level. Eliminate wasted storage resources stemming from data service overprovisioning – give applications exactly what is required and no more no less. Reduce management overhead through automation and self-service capabilities. ![]() **Availability and pricing** VMware Virtual SAN 6 and vSphere Virtual Volumes are both expected to be available in the first quarter of 2015. Virtual SAN is $2,495 per CPU and Virtual SAN for Desktop is $50 per user. The all-flash architecture will be available as an add-on to Virtual SAN for $1,495 per CPU and $30 per desktop. [VMware Virtual SAN Page](http://www.vmware.com/products/virtual-san) [VMware Virtual Volumes Page](http://www.vmware.com/products/virtual-volumes) [Discuss This Story](http://forums.storagereview.com/index.php/topic/37389-vmware-launches-virtual-san-6-and-vsphere-virtual-volumes-discussion/) **Engage with StorageReview** [Newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storage_newsletter) |  [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/StorageReview "Opens in a new window") | Podcast  [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/storagereview-com-storage-reviews/id1060681115 "Opens in a new window")/ [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0 "Opens in a new window") |  [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/ "Opens in a new window") |  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/storagereview "Opens in a new window") |  [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview? "Opens in a new window") |  [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) ![]() ### Adam Armstrong Adam is the chief news editor for StorageReview.com, managing our internal and freelance content teams. 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