Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

VMware vSAN VS Veeam Backup

Compare VMware vSAN VS Veeam Backup and see what are their differences

VMware vSAN logo VMware vSAN

VMware vSAN is radically simple, enterprise-class software-defined storage powering VMware hyper-converged infrastructure. 

Veeam Backup logo Veeam Backup

Backup and restore VMware and Hyper-V virtual machines with Veeam Backup Free Edition. Unlimited hosts and VMs. Free forever.
  • VMware vSAN Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-28
  • Veeam Backup Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-19

VMware vSAN features and specs

  • Cost Efficiency
    By pooling together the storage resources available on existing servers, it eliminates the need for expensive, dedicated storage arrays.
  • Scalability
    vSAN enables easy scalability by adding more drives or nodes without disruptive downtimes, meeting the dynamic needs of modern businesses.
  • Performance
    Integrates closely with VMware's vSphere ecosystem to deliver optimized performance tailored to enterprise workloads.
  • Simplified Management
    Managed through VMware's vCenter, it offers a unified console for easier monitoring, provisioning, and maintenance.
  • High Availability
    Ensures data redundancy and availability through its robust architecture, minimizing risks of data loss.
  • Integration
    Tightly integrates with the VMware ecosystem, which includes vSphere, NSX, and other VMware products, providing a comprehensive suite for data center management.

Possible disadvantages of VMware vSAN

  • Initial Setup Complexity
    The initial setup can be complicated and may require specific knowledge and expertise in VMware environments.
  • Licensing Costs
    While it reduces hardware costs, vSAN licensing fees can be high, especially for enterprise-grade features.
  • Resource Intensive
    Can be resource-intensive, affecting the overall performance of the servers it runs on, especially in resource-constrained environments.
  • Compatibility
    May have hardware compatibility issues, requiring careful selection of compatible components.
  • Learning Curve
    There is a significant learning curve involved, especially for administrators who are not already familiar with VMware products.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    As a proprietary solution, it can create vendor lock-in, making future migrations or integrations with non-VMware products challenging.

Veeam Backup features and specs

  • Comprehensive Data Protection
    Veeam provides extensive backup and recovery options for virtual, physical, and cloud-based workloads, ensuring comprehensive data protection for a variety of environments.
  • Ease of Use
    The intuitive interface and straightforward setup process make Veeam accessible even for users with limited technical skills, reducing learning curve and deployment time.
  • High Performance
    Veeam’s use of advanced data compression and deduplication techniques leads to efficient storage use and fast backup and recovery processes.
  • Scalability
    Veeam can scale from small-to-medium businesses to large enterprises, offering flexible licensing and deployment options to meet varied business needs.
  • Advanced Features
    Features like Instant VM Recovery, SureBackup, and automatic testing can help ensure data integrity and availability, enhancing reliability and recovery speeds.
  • Strong Community and Support
    With a large user base and active support forums, as well as robust technical support, Veeam users can rely on community and professional help to resolve issues.

Possible disadvantages of Veeam Backup

  • Cost
    While there is a free version, the full suite of features is available only in the paid versions, which might be cost-prohibitive for some smaller businesses.
  • Resource Intensive
    Veeam can be resource-intensive, requiring significant CPU, memory, and storage, especially in large environments, which may necessitate additional infrastructure investments.
  • Complex Licensing
    The licensing model, which includes multiple editions and additional feature packs, can be confusing and might lead to unexpected costs if not properly planned.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic operations are straightforward, some of the advanced features may require a deeper understanding and additional training, potentially complicating deployment.
  • Compatibility Limitations
    Some older or less commonly used systems and applications might not be fully supported, limiting the versatility of Veeam in heterogeneous environments.
  • Maintenance and Updates
    Regular maintenance and updates are required to keep the system secure and optimal, which can involve downtime and administrative overhead.

Analysis of VMware vSAN

Overall verdict

  • Overall, VMware vSAN is considered a good solution for organizations already using VMware infrastructure or those looking for a highly available and scalable storage system. Its ease of use and solid integration make it a compelling choice for modern data centers.

Why this product is good

  • VMware vSAN is a well-regarded software-defined storage solution that integrates directly with VMware's vSphere, allowing for simplified management of storage resources. It offers features like high availability, scalability, and cloud native storage capabilities, which are beneficial for IT environments that require robust storage solutions. Additionally, vSAN's seamless integration into the VMware ecosystem means reduced complexity and improved disaster recovery options.

Recommended for

  • Organizations using VMware vSphere and looking to extend capabilities with a storage solution.
  • Enterprises needing scalable and flexible storage options.
  • IT environments requiring high availability and efficient resource management.
  • Businesses seeking storage solutions that support hybrid or multi-cloud strategies.

VMware vSAN videos

VMware VSAN Review (Real User: Marcus Puckett)

More videos:

  • Review - VMware VSAN Review (Real User: Matt Baltz)
  • Review - VMware VSAN Review (Real User: Ben Gent)

Veeam Backup videos

Veeam Backup & Replication - What Is Data Replication?

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to VMware vSAN and Veeam Backup)
Cloud Storage
47 47%
53% 53
Cloud Computing
100 100%
0% 0
Backup & Restore
0 0%
100% 100
Storage
100 100%
0% 0

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Reviews

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VMware vSAN Reviews

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Veeam Backup Reviews

Veeam vs Zerto: Which Is Better?
Veeam Backup and Replication™ is an all-in-one data backup and recovery solution for all of your environments and workloads: virtual, cloud, physical, applications, and SaaS. With modules for AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Salesforce, Kubernetes, Microsoft 365, and many more, it works for all businesses.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing VMware vSAN and Veeam Backup, you can also consider the following products

Nutanix - Nutanix is a virtualized datacenter platform that provides disruptive datacenter infrastructure solutions for implementing enterprise-class.

NAKIVO Backup & Replication - NAKIVO Backup & Replication offers a complete data protection feature set, including local and offsite VM backup and replication, support for live applications & databases.

AWS Storage Gateway - AWS Storage Gateway is a service connecting an on-premises software appliance with cloud-based storage.

Backblaze - Backblaze's remote backup automatically backs up your data to our secure datacenter.

Azure Storage Explorer - Easily manage your Azure storage accounts in the cloud, from Windows, macOS, or Linux, using Azure Storage Explorer.

Veeam - Veeam develops backup, disaster recovery and virtualization management software for VMware and Hyper-V virtual environments.