StarWind NVMe-oF Initiator for Windows provides a software-defined solution for connecting Windows-based applications to NVMe-oF storage. It allows applications to leverage the high performance and low latency benefits of NVMe-oF without requiring a forklift upgrade to Fibre Channel (FC) infrastructure or the addition of proprietary remote NICs (rNICs) to every host. This initiator is designed to be compatible with major NVMe-oF storage vendors and is certified with Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10. The solution aims to reduce CPU overhead associated with storage processing, freeing up resources for applications. It delivers nearly 100% of the underlying storage performance and original NVMe latency, while also offering parallelism for applications working with the storage. The initiator supports both TCP and RoCE v2 networks, providing flexibility in deployment options. By optimizing CPU usage, it enables the potential to scale down CPUs in application servers, leading to cost savings in core-bound OS licensing. The free version allows users to test NVMe-oF in non-production environments, while the commercial version is intended for production use and includes full support from StarWind, storage vendors, and Microsoft.

Features & Benefits

• NVMe-oF Connectivity for Windows
  • Connects Windows Server and Windows-based applications to NVMe-oF storage using a 100% software solution.
• Performance Optimization
  • Delivers 100% of the underlying storage performance and close to 100% of the original NVMe latency.
• Cost Savings
  • Reduces CPU cost on IOPS, enabling scaling down of CPUs and saving on OS licensing.
• Compatibility and Certification
  • Certified with Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10, and tested for compatibility with major NVMe-oF storage vendors.
• Network Flexibility
  • Supports NVMe-oF connectivity over TCP and RoCE v2 networks.