We've just stepped out of our time machine, and we can reveal ... EMC's new kit for early 2016

All-flash re-architected VNX-class system

This is basically a VMAX-style re-architecting for 3D NAND and 3.84TB drives for EMC's dual-controller mid-range array. The resulting all-flash array will arrive in the second quarter. It may not be called VNX, Goulden saying: "We will introduce a new flash-optimized mid-tier storage family which will change the used cases for flash in the mid-tier," not using the VNX name.

But, in the same call, overall EMC CEO Joe Tucci said: "EMC II has also embarked on an important initiative to re-architect their VMAX and VNX product families ... both VMAX and VNX are planning major enhancements and refreshers that will make these systems extremely competitive in the primary all-flash storage market."

Later in the call Goulden said: "[With] the re-architecting we can really come to market with a complete family VNX, VMAX, XtremIO, DSSD leveraging this latest technology and basically use all-flash all the time for primary storage ... DSSD is going to address a whole new class of workloads, XtremIO and VMAX are playing in broadly similar markets but with different attributes and the new mid-tier line cap fits underneath that."

Is the new box going to be called VNX or not? So we will certainly see a new, mid-tier all-flash array line and it may be called VNX but it might not.

This line will compete with HDS all-flash HUS, HPE 3PAR, and NetApp's AFF.

Converged and hyper-converged systems

The converged systems use shared arrays in a rack. The hyper-converged systems use VMware VSAN software in a server-based infrastructure integrating server, storage SW, networking and hypervisor SW in a single, orderable product (SKU).

VCE

Goulden said: "We look forward to continuing strong partnership with Cisco for extending our lead in Vblocks and for networking systems across our CI portfolio."

The thing that is immediately apparent for VCE is that it will have new VMAX and VNX (or whatever it's called) storage platforms to play with. So we should expect new Vblocks using the next generation VMAX and VNX systems.

There is also an existing XtremIO Vblock, the Vblock Specialized System for Extreme Applications which is for up to 7,000 desktops in VMware View or Citrix XenDesktop environments. EMC VCE also offers the Vblock 540 containing XtremIO. Expect straight availability of the new XtremIO product in versions of these products.

We are not expecting a DSSD-based Vblock, as DSSD is a v1.0 product. However the logic of why customers buy converged systems suggests that a DSSD-based Vblock is inevitable.

VSAN and VxRAIL

Goulden said: "For the last several months EMC and VMware partnered very closely to develop a new next-generation hyper-converged appliance family that uniquely leverages technology from EMC, VMware and VCE and will change the game in this part of the converged infrastructure space. Stay tuned for an exciting joint EMC, VMware announcement in a few weeks time."

We now believe that VSAN is going to have dedupe and compression added to it, and that a new VxRAIL offering, using this, will be announced on February 16.

This will up the competitive ante against Nutanix and Simplivity and all the SW-based HCIA vendors. ®