Software-defined storage (SDS) is a new step to boost data storage efficiency. It enables users and companies to extract resources from the underlying hardware platform and achieve better flexibility and faster scalability.

Let’s highlight 6 best Software-Defined Storage vendors in 2018. Each of them provides a high-quality solution to organize your resources in the most optimal way.

1. IBM

IBM Spectrum Storage Suite is a great solution to deploy cost-effective software-defined storage. This suite includes several products aimed to create a comprehensive storage for your business. Let’s take a closer look at IBM® SDS products:

• Control™ was created for advanced data monitoring. It also has an option for reporting requested data.
• Virtualize™ provides the ability to increase data storage capacity and unify separate storage systems into one united system.
• Accelerate™ is a perfect tool to deploy your storage in the fastest way. Due to the official documentation, it takes only 30 minutes to install and run the product.
• Archive™ grants the ability to lower the total cost of data storage.
• Scale™ is an option for big clustered applications and data analytics.
• Cloud Object Storage™ is the ultimate solution for data storage. It’s designed to store unstructured data. The product provides the ability to protect and access data at any time.

2. Dell EMC

Dell EMC represents solutions for different purposes. ECS (Elastic Cloud Storage) is a great option for object and file storage. This storage is well known for its flexible deployment, global access, ability to search through native metadata and the capacity of 7.8 PB (petabytes) per rack. It’s a great decision to use ECS in healthcare, media and entertainment companies, etc.

IsilonSD Edge Storage fits perfectly to remote offices. It’s also suitable for SMBs (Server Message Block). IsilonSD Edge provides multiprotocol support, data protection and advanced software support that stores up to 36 TB (terabytes) per rack.

3. Hedvig

Hedvig Distributed Storage is a high-quality product with such features as compression, provisioning, encryption, replication, etc. It’s a simple and protected solution for everyday data storage, which can maintain up to 1,000 nodes simultaneously. Due to the official information, Hedvig allows you to reduce storage costs by up to 60%.

4. Scality

Company’s storage software is called RING. This solution provides 3 different server configurations that are able to lower your storage cost up to 90% compared to the classical storing methods. One of the RING’s greatest advantages is a convenient and easy-to-use GUI (Graphical User Interface). Other handy features are peer-to-peer routing, advanced protection, and self-healing.

5. Red Hat

The company offers 2 SDS products under the open source license. Ceph Storage is about data durability, enhanced monitoring, features for recovery and flexible storage policies. Gluster Storage represents an advanced option, well-known for its fast and easy deployment. It’s easy to manage due to the agile storage capacity.

6. StarWind

Company’s product is called StarWind Virtual San. The product has a bunch of handy features like multi-tiered RAM, grid architecture, minimalistic I/O path, flash cache, etc. This solution is distributed in 3 paid editions. What is really great is that the company maintains the free product version, as well.

Software-Defined Storages become a great advantage for every business. Best offers embrace principles of automation, scalability, and transparency. Taken together, all these characteristics provide an efficient resource control and high level of data virtualization.