Why Software-Defined Storage Is Shaping the Future of Data Infrastructure

Software-defined storage (SDS) is a storage architecture that separates storage software from standardized hardware resources, using distributed and virtualization techniques to flexibly allocate and recombine hardware on demand, thereby improving scalability and utilization.

In the hardware layer, SDS can run on low‑cost commodity storage servers that include disks or SSDs, CPUs, operating systems, and other components. A typical SDS deployment uses a distributed architecture with a minimum of three nodes.

On the software side, the distributed storage software runs on the standard OS of the hardware, managing node configuration, networking, and internal data handling. Depending on data type, SDS provides three service models: file storage, object storage, and block storage.

The core of SDS is the storage software, which drives configuration, management, and service provisioning, giving SDS high flexibility, scalability, and manageability to meet diverse application requirements.

The evolution of storage systems has progressed through four stages: single‑node storage, centralized storage, distributed storage, and finally software‑defined storage, marking a generational shift from hardware‑centric to software‑centric designs.

SDS solutions are typically classified as iSDS (infrastructure‑focused) and mSDS (management‑focused). iSDS reduces capital expenditure by allowing deployment on cheaper hardware, while mSDS lowers operational costs by decreasing management workload.

The Chinese SDS market is highly concentrated, with the top five vendors (Huawei, H3C, Inspur, Sugon, and Starry Sky) consistently holding about 70% of market share (CR5 ≈ 70%). These vendors dominate both comprehensive storage offerings and innovative SDS products.

Domestic companies capture the majority of market share, while foreign vendors have limited penetration in China. Strong brand influence and high customer stickiness make it difficult for new entrants to disrupt the market, although the rise of distributed storage may slightly lower entry barriers.

For further technical details, refer to the 2023 China Software‑Defined Storage Research Report (http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzU1NzQ0NjQ3NA==∣=2247508142&idx=1&sn=c090b39d220c5f3fa467554d0358a0a6) and related articles on storage system fundamentals.