What the Dell? Big Mike and co join Nexenta for EVO: RAIL file access

Dell is using Nexenta's software to bring file access to VMware's EVO: RAIL virtual SAN.

It is shipping NexentaConnect and NexentaStor software with its EVO: RAIL kit, its pre-configured, fully integrated, hyper-converged appliance.

NexentaStor is Nexenta's ZFS-based storage software which runs on certified server/storage systems. NexentaConnect for VMware Virtual SAN, links NexentaStor to VirtualSAN, adding SMB and NFS file services to VMware’s Virtual SAN offering.

NexentaStor v4.1 includes in-line data de-duplication snapshots and compression. Dell is using this software to give its EVO: RAIL boxes file storage and access facilities. It has two types of EVO: RAIL boxes on offer:

• Virtual Infrastructure Edition - for general purpose virtualised server use-cases
• VMware Horizon View Edition - the VDI one

The second includes NexentaConnect for VMware Horizon to help VDI automation and I/O acceleration.

From Dell's point of view this is a way of differentiating the essentially commoditised EVO: RAIL offerings by adding something extra.

A VMware veep, Mornay Van Der Walt, said in a prepped remark: "This is just a beginning; we anticipate many more great examples of add-on services for EVO: RAIL by our partners."

Nexenta will be hoping Dell's competitors see the utility of quickly adding file access to their EVO: RAIL offerings in the same way as Dell.

Get a Dell Engineered Solution for VMware EVO: RAIL specsheet here. ®