Solution

HPE / SANGFOR

The Most Practical Alternative for
the Post-VMware Era
Redesign virtualization and
HCI with HPE or SANGFOR

The Most Practical Alternative for
the Post-VMware Era

Redesign virtualization
and HCI with
HPE or SANGFOR

Virtualization is no longer merely a matter of "keeping operations running."
Changes in licensing policy simultaneously alter cost structures,
technology dependence, and operational risk.

Virtualization is no longer merely a matter of
"keeping operations running."
Changes in licensing policy simultaneously alter cost structures,
technology dependence, and operational risk.

Virtualization is no longer merely a
matter of "keeping operations running."
Changes in licensing policy
simultaneously alter cost structures, technology dependence,
and operational risk.

Leveraging both HPE and SANGFOR partnerships, SimpleKey is an enterprise transition partner that delivers an environment-specific migration roadmap, zero-downtime migration, and operational stabilization.

Leveraging both HPE and SANGFOR partnerships, SimpleKey is an enterprise transition partner that delivers an environment-specific migration roadmap, zero-downtime migration, and operational stabilization.

VMware-alternative virtualization / HCI

VMware-alternative virtualization / HCI

Conversion from core-based billing risk to a socket-based structure

Conversion from core-based billing risk to a socket-based structure

Phased transition (co-existence)

Integrated DR and backup operations design

Integrated DR and backup operations design

Operational standardization and SLA-based support

Request a transition-strategy consultation
Request
a transition-strategy consultation
Request a TCO assessment based on your current environment
Request a TCO assessment
based on your current environment

Why VMware Alternative, Now

The essence of VMware's policy change is not a "price increase."
It is the loss of cost predictability in virtualization infrastructure and
a shift to a structure in which costs rise as you scale.
As a result, IT organizations find their budgets drawn toward
covering maintenance costs rather than investing in innovation.

Why VMware Alternative, Now

Why VMware
Alternative, Now

The essence of VMware's policy change is not a "price increase."
It is the loss of cost predictability in virtualization infrastructure and a shift to a structure in which costs rise as you scale.
As a result, IT organizations find their budgets drawn toward covering maintenance costs rather than investing in innovation.

The essence of VMware's policy change
is not a "price increase." It is the loss of cost
predictability in virtualization infrastructure and
 a shift to a structure in which costs rise as you scale.
As a result, IT organizations find their budgets drawn toward covering maintenance costs
rather than investing in innovation.

Problems
Customers Experience

Problems
Customers Experience

01 | Expansion of Core-Based Billing

  • Licensing rises in proportion to server specifications

  • "Performance scaling" leads to "cost explosion"

  • Licensing rises in proportion to server specifications

  • "Performance scaling" leads to "cost explosion"

02 | Forced Subscription Transition /
Bundle Structure

02 | Forced Subscription Transition
Bundle Structure

  • Costs include features that are not needed

  • Renewal costs are difficult to predict

  • Costs include features that are not needed

  • Renewal costs are difficult to predict

03 | Separate Billing for HCI Configurations

03 | Separate Billing for HCI
Configurations

  • Including storage features (e.g., vSAN) makes the cost structure abruptly more complex

  • Adding nodes means a sharp cost increase

  • Including storage features (e.g., vSAN) makes the cost structure abruptly more complex

  • Adding nodes means a sharp cost increase

  • Including storage features (e.g., vSAN) makes the cost structure abruptly more complex

  • Adding nodes means a sharp cost increase

04 | Rising Long-Term TCO

  • Cumulative costs increase sharply over a three-to-five-year horizon

  • "Maintenance operations" become a financial

  • Cumulative costs increase sharply over a three-to-five-year horizon

  • "Maintenance operations" become a financial

05 | Deepening Vendor Lock-In

  • Moving to other options becomes
    increasingly difficult

  • Negotiating power weakens and choices narrow

  • Moving to other options becomes
    increasingly difficult

  • Negotiating power weakens and choices narrow

What is needed now is not 'product replacement,'
but 'a redesign of the virtualization strategy.'

What is needed now is not 'product replacement,' but 'a redesign of the virtualization strategy.'

Why SANGFOR HCI

Why VMware
Alternative, Now

SANGFOR HCI is not a product that merely “catches up to” VMware’s features.

It is a next-generation platform engineered from the ground up as an integrated All-in-One HCI architecture,
fundamentally simplifying operational complexity and cost structure.

SANGFOR HCI is not a product that merely “catches up to” VMware’s features.

It is a next-generation platform engineered from the ground up as an integrated All-in-One
HCI architecture, fundamentally simplifying operational complexity and cost structure.

SANGFOR HCI is not a product that merely
“catches up to” VMware’s features.

It is a next-generation platform engineered
from the ground up as an integrated All-in-One
HCI architecture, fundamentally simplifying
operational complexity and cost structure.

SANGFOR HCI
Five Differentiators

SANGFOR HCI
Five Differentiators

01 | All-in-One Integrated Architecture

  • Unifies virtualization (aSV) + distributed storage (aSAN) + networking (aNET) + security + DR into a single platform

  • No separate licenses for vSAN, NSX, SRM, etc. — all capabilities included by default

  • A single management console minimizes the burden on operations staff

  • Unifies virtualization (aSV) + distributed storage (aSAN) + networking (aNET) + security + DR into a single platform

  • No separate licenses for vSAN, NSX, SRM, etc. — all capabilities included
    by default

  • A single management console minimizes the burden on
    operations staff

02 | Simple Socket-Based Licensing

  • Billed per CPU socket rather than by core count — ensuring cost predictability

  • License costs do not rise proportionally even as server performance increases

  • Up to 35–45% reduction in cumulative
    3–5 year TCO

  • Billed per CPU socket rather than by core count — ensuring cost predictability

  • License costs do not rise proportionally even as server performance increases

  • Up to 35–45% reduction in cumulative
    3–5 year TCO

03 | Proven Global References

  • Deployed by 100,000+ customers across 175 countries worldwide

  • Listed in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for HCI for 6 consecutive years

  • Numerous deployments across Korea’s public, manufacturing, and financial sectors

  • Deployed by 100,000+ customers across 175 countries worldwide

  • Listed in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for HCI for 6 consecutive years

  • Numerous deployments across Korea’s public, manufacturing, and financial sectors

04 | Rapid Deployment and Simple Operations

04 | Rapid Deployment and Simple
Operations

  • Fast deployment based on standard nodes — templatable across HQ, plants, and branches

  • Built-in backup/DR eliminates the need for separate solutions

  • Automated patching and upgrades, with an intuitive GUI console

  • Fast deployment based on standard nodes — templatable across HQ, plants, and branches

  • Built-in backup/DR eliminates the need for separate solutions

  • Automated patching and upgrades, with an intuitive GUI console

05 | Flexible Scalability

  • Scale out node by node, exactly as needed

  • Run heterogeneous workloads (VDI, DB, general business) within a single cluster

  • Supports hybrid and multi-site configurations

  • Scale out node by node, exactly as needed

  • Run heterogeneous workloads (VDI, DB, general business) within a single cluster

  • Supports hybrid and multi-site configurations

Unified Architecture, Simplified Operations

Unified Architecture,
Simplified Operations

Unified Architecture,
Simplified Operations

Core Components

Component

Description

aSV (Virtualization)

aSAN (Distributed Storage)

aNET (Virtual Network)

Built-in Security

CDP / DR

KVM-based enterprise-grade hypervisor with core features such as live VM migration, HA,

and snapshots built in

A vSAN alternative that pools node-internal disks into distributed storage,

eliminating the need for separate SAN storage

An NSX alternative providing SDN-based virtual switches/routers/firewalls

with micro-segmentation support

Ransomware protection, antivirus, and anomaly detection built in at the platform level

Integrated backup, replication, and DR based on CDP (Continuous Data Protection)

without separate solutions

Sroll

Operational Benefits

Consolidates five legacy licenses (“VMware + vSAN + NSX + Veeam + Zerto”) into a single platform

Consolidates five legacy licenses (“VMware + vSAN + NSX + Veeam + Zerto”)

into a single platform

Consolidates five legacy licenses

(“VMware + vSAN + NSX + Veeam + Zerto”)

into a single platform

Unified into a single management console — reducing the operations team’s learning curve and human error

Unified into a single management console —

reducing the operations team’s learning curve and human error

Unified into a single management console —

reducing the operations team’s learning curve

and human error

Eliminates the burden of validating cross-vendor compatibility

Eliminates the burden of validating

cross-vendor compatibility

VMware to HPE Migration Scenario

VMware to HPE
Migration Scenario

Phase 0

Current-State Assessment

Analysis of the current vSphere/vCenter configuration, cluster

Analysis of the current vSphere/

vCenter configuration, cluster

host specifications, and licensing model

Classification of workloads by criticality, dependency, and likelihood of change

Classification of workloads by criticality, dependency,

and likelihood of change

Review of DR, backup, and operational processes — First quantify "where costs blow up"

Review of DR, backup, and operational processes — First quantify "where costs blow up"

Phase 1

Establishing Co-Existence

Configuration of new HPE-based clusters (virtualization/HCI)

Establishment of a management framework and operational standards

Establishment of a management framework and
operational standards

Test migration starting with some non-critical VMs

The key is "not overhauling everything at once"

The key is "not overhauling everything at once"

Phase 2

Gradual Workload Migration

In the order of Dev/Test → internal operations → non-critical services

Migrating low-impact segments first to ensure stability

Migrating low-impact segments first to ensure stability

Operations-team training and runbook establishment

Phase 3

Core Workload Migration

Migration of mission-critical services

Reinforcement of HA and DR design

Verification against operational performance and availability standards

Verification against operational performance and

availability standards

Phase 4

License Optimization & Stabilization

Reduction and cleanup of VMware licenses

Reduction and cleanup of

VMware licenses

Completion of a long-term operations framework (SLA, response framework, reporting)

Completion of a long-term operations framework

(SLA, response framework, reporting)

Completion of a long-term operations

framework (SLA, response framework, reporting)

Migrating to SANGFOR is the most practical path to achieving
“cost reduction + operational simplification + freedom from vendor lock-in” all at once.

Migrating to SANGFOR is the most practical path to achieving
“cost reduction + operational simplification
+ freedom from vendor lock-in” all at once.

Migrating to SANGFOR is the most practical
path to achieving “cost reduction +
operational simplification + freedom
from vendor lock-in” all at once.

TCO Model: VMware vs SANGFOR

TCO Model:
VMware vs SANGFOR

Actual figures vary by environment (number of cores/nodes, storage, DR).
Below is a standardized example model for easy understanding.

Actual figures vary by environment
(number of cores/nodes, storage, DR).
Below is a standardized example model
for easy understanding.

Assumptions (Example)

  • 3-node HCI (2 CPUs/node), 5-year operation

  • Essential operational elements:
    virtualization + storage + backup/DR + operations tooling

  • 3-node HCI (2 CPUs/node), 5-year operation

  • Essential operational elements:
    virtualization + storage + backup/DR + operations tooling

5-Year TCO Index Comparison (Example)

5-Year TCO Index
Comparison (Example)

Cost Item

VMware (baseline 100)

SANGFOR (example)

Key Difference

Virtualization license

HCI / storage features

Backup / DR setup

Maintenance /
renewal (subscription)

Total (5 years)

45

25

15

15

100

30

Included

Included or 5

5–10

55–65

Effect of moving

from core- to socket-based licensing

Eliminates separate charges

(aSAN built in)

Leverages built-in CDP

Reduced renewal burden

Up to 35–45% savings

Sroll

Industry Fit: Finance · Manufacturing · Public

Industry Fit:
Finance · Manufacturing · Public

Industry Fit:
Finance · Manufacturing · Public

Finance
(Mid-Sized / Distributed
Systems / VDI)

Finance
(Mid-Sized / Distributed
Systems / VDI)

Finance
(Mid-Sized / Distributed
Systems / VDI)

Manufacturing
(Distributed Sites &
Branches / Cost-Sensitive)

Manufacturing
(Distributed Sites &
Branches / Cost-Sensitive)

Manufacturing
(Distributed Sites &
Branches / Cost-Sensitive)

Public Sector
(Budget Constraints / Long-Term Operations / Security)

Public Sector
(Budget Constraints / Long-Term Operations / Security)

Public Sector
(Budget Constraints / Long-Term Operations / Security)

Competitive Positioning

Q1. "Isn't VMware the most stable?"

  • Stability comes from "operational structure," not from "brand"

  • SimpleKey designs HA/DR/standard-operations criteria at the same level even after the transition

Q2. "Migration is difficult and risky."

  • That is why SimpleKey designs co-existence → gradual migration rather than 'all-at-once replacement'

  • Transition risk is eliminated through an operational plan, not technology alone

Q3. "There doesn't seem to be much cost difference."

Q3. "There doesn't seem to be
much cost difference."

  • The key is not the initial cost but the 5-year cumulative cost structure

  • The gap widens as core-based billing, subscriptions, and bundles accumulate

  • SANGFOR reduces external costs through built-in features (backup, DR, operations)

Q4. "Won't operations end up more complex?"

Q4. "Won't operations end up
more complex?"

  • SimpleKey sets the goal of the transition as operational simplification, not "adoption"

  • It lowers operational complexity by including standard processes, monitoring, and an incident-response framework

What SIMPLEKEY Actually Does

SimpleKey is an organization that eliminates transition risk
and establishes operations, not one that "sells solutions."

  • 01

    Assessment (Technical + Financial)

    Analysis of VMware configuration and licensing model
    3-to-5-year TCO simulation
    Classification of workload criticality and dependency
    Maturity assessment of DR, backup, and operational processes

    → Helps the customer understand "why they should change" in numerical terms

  • 02

    Design (Transition Roadmap + Target Architecture)

    Suitability evaluation of HPE or SANGFOR
    Design of the target (To-Be) architecture
    Establishment of a co-existence strategy
    PoC design and definition of success criteria

    Documenting an "executable transition plan"

  • 03

    Migration (Minimizing Downtime)

    Priority-based phased migration
    Verification of data, network, and storage integration
    Cut-over planning
    Inclusion of failure and rollback scenarios

    → Minimizing the risk of disruption during transition

  • 04

    Operational Establishment

    Establishment of operational standards
    (runbooks, change management, approval frameworks)
    Building monitoring and reporting frameworks
    Establishment of incident-response processes
    Operations-team training and role definition

    →Truly realizing "deployment is the end, operations are the beginning"

  • 05

    SLA-Based Long-Term Support

    24×365 operational support
    Regular inspections and performance analysis
    Incident-response and recovery frameworks
    Technology-update and optimization recommendations

    → Helps the customer reduce internal staffing burdens and maintain stability

What SIMPLEKEY Actually Does

What SIMPLEKEY
Actually Does

SimpleKey is an organization that eliminates
transition risk and establishes operations,
not one that "sells solutions."

  • 01

    Assessment (Technical + Financial)

    Analysis of VMware configuration
    and licensing model
    3-to-5-year TCO simulation
    Classification of workload criticality
    and dependency
    Maturity assessment of DR, backup,
    and operational processes

    → Helps the customer understand

    "why they should change" in numerical terms

  • 02

    Design (Transition Roadmap
    + Target Architecture)

    Suitability evaluation of HPE or SANGFOR
    Design of the target (To-Be) architecture
    Establishment of a co-existence strategy
    PoC design and definition of success criteria

    Documenting an "executable transition plan"

  • 03

    Migration (Minimizing Downtime)

    Priority-based phased migration
    Verification of data, network,
    and storage integration
    Cut-over planning
    Inclusion of failure and rollback scenarios

    → Minimizing the risk of disruption during transition

  • 04

    Operational Establishment

    Establishment of operational standards
    (runbooks, change management,
    approval frameworks)
    Building monitoring and reporting frameworks
    Establishment of incident-response processes
    Operations-team training and role definition

    →Truly realizing "deployment is the end,

    operations are the beginning"

  • 05

    SLA-Based Long-Term Support

    24×365 operational support
    Regular inspections and performance analysis
    Incident-response and recovery frameworks
    Technology-update
    and optimization recommendations

    → Helps the customer reduce internal staffing

    burdens and maintain stability

What You Get

Normalized cost structure

Normalized cost structure

Operational simplification

Operational simplification

Secured choice

Secured choice

A secured scaling strategy

A secured scaling strategy

Long-term stability

Long-term stability

Minimized core-billing and subscription risk

Integrated backup, DR, and monitoring

Reduced vendor lock-in

Easier hybrid and branch expansion

Coverage extending to post-transition

operational establishment

Minimized core-billing and subscription risk

Integrated backup, DR, and monitoring

Reduced vendor lock-in

Easier hybrid and branch expansion

Coverage extending to post-transition

operational establishment

A VMware alternative is
not about comparison, but about execution.

Start with a "feasible transition design" together with SimpleKey.

Start with a "feasible transition design"
together with SimpleKey.

Request a VMware-transition assessment
Request a VMware-transition assessment
Consult on an HPE or SANGFOR PoC
Consult on an HPE or SANGFOR PoC

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CEO: Seongcheol Park

406, 407, 408-ho, Hangang G Tree Tower, 738 Yangcheon-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07539, Republic of Korea

Tel : 02-784-5700

Fax: 02-784-5701

Customer Center: 1599-9731

Copyright © 2026 SimpleKey. All Rights Reserved.

Simplyfying Complex Enterprise IT

SERVICES

Integrated Maintenance

ITO

BPO

Rimini Street

SOLUTIONS

AICC

HPE / SANGFOR

QUEUE-IT

SUSE LINUX

FASTLY

LTZERO

MONGODB

INDUSTREIS

Finance

Retail

Public Sector

Manufacturing

COMPANY

ABOUT US

BRAND & CULTURE

MEDIA

BLOG

NEWS

CONTACT

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

CEO: Seongcheol Park

406, 407, 408-ho, Hangang G Tree Tower, 738 Yangcheon-ro, Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07539, Republic of Korea

Tel : 02-784-5700

Fax: 02-784-5701

Customer Center: 1599-9731

Copyright © 2026 SimpleKey. All Rights Reserved.

Simplyfying Complex Enterprise IT

SERVICES

Integrated Maintenance

ITO

BPO

RIMINI STREET

SOLUTIONS

AICC

HPE / SANGFOR

QUEUE-IT

SUSE LINUX

FASTLY

LTZERO

MONGODB

INDUSTREIS

FINANCE

RETAIL

PUBLIC SECTOR

MANUFACTURING

MEDIA

NEWS

BLOG

COMPANY

ABOUT US

BRAND & CULTURE

CONTACT

Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Customer Center: 1599-9731

406, 407, 408-ho, Hangang G Tree Tower, 738 Yangcheon-ro,

Gangseo-gu, Seoul 07539, Republic of Korea

Fax: 02-784-5701

Tel : 02-784-5700

CEO: Seongcheol Park

Copyright © 2026 SimpleKey. All Rights Reserved.