DataSpace
VAST DataSpace is an AI-first storage and database platform built on a Disaggregated Shared-Everything (DASE) architecture that unifies storage, database, and compute into a single software layer.
Publisher review
VAST DataSpace is an AI-first storage and database platform built on a Disaggregated Shared-Everything (DASE) architecture that unifies storage, database, and compute into a single software layer. It targets enterprises running AI workloads, high-performance computing, and data-intensive analytics that need sub-millisecond latency at exabyte scale. The platform supports file, object, and block protocols simultaneously, blurring the line between traditional storage and database infrastructure. It is designed for organizations that require a single global namespace across multiple sites with strong data protection and linear scalability.
DataSpace delivers 8 million IOPS with sub-1 millisecond latency, achieving 99.999% uptime in production. It scales linearly by adding nodes, allowing capacity expansion without disrupting business operations. The platform includes multi-site replication, advanced data protection features, and reduces long-term data backup time by 75%. VAST Data has passed $1 billion in cumulative software bookings, maintains over $200 million in annual recurring revenue (up 3.3x year-over-year), and has been cash-flow positive for 12 consecutive quarters. The company is valued at $9.1 billion after Series E financing and operates with a 90% gross margin.
In the file and object storage market, DataSpace competes directly with Dell PowerScale (4.7 stars, 301 ratings), Cloudian HyperStore (4.7 stars, 280 ratings), and Huawei OceanStor Pacific Series (5 stars, 264 ratings). In the data analytics and database space, it faces competition from Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Azure Synapse Analytics, Apache Spark, Amazon EMR, Dataproc, IBM Cloud Pak for Data, Clickhouse, and Cloudera. It also competes with BetterCloud in the SaaS management category, though DataSpace's focus is on infrastructure rather than SaaS management.
The honest trade-offs: DataSpace has limited support for niche marketing tools and legacy HR portals that lack public APIs. Since Vista Equity Partners' investment, users report declining support quality and rigid pricing structures. Implementation is complex, often taking months to configure fully. For unsupported applications, manual work is still required, and costs are higher compared to some alternatives like Dell PowerScale or Cloudian HyperStore. The platform is purpose-built for AI and modern workloads, so it may not be the best fit for traditional enterprise storage needs or legacy environments.
How it works
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Unified storage, database, compute
Combines file, object, and block protocols with database capabilities in a single software layer, eliminating silos between storage and compute.
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Disaggregated Shared-Everything architecture
DASE architecture separates compute from storage while maintaining a shared global namespace, enabling linear scalability and sub-millisecond latency.
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Sub-millisecond latency at exabyte scale
Delivers 8 million IOPS with sub-1ms latency, supporting AI and HPC workloads that require rapid data access across massive datasets.
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Multi-site replication
Supports synchronous and asynchronous replication across geographically distributed sites for disaster recovery and global data access.
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99.999% uptime
Provides five-nines availability in production environments, ensuring continuous access to data for mission-critical applications.
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Linear scalability by adding nodes
Performance and capacity scale linearly as nodes are added, without requiring re-architecture or downtime for expansion.
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Advanced data protection
Includes erasure coding, snapshots, and replication to protect data against hardware failures and user errors, reducing backup time by 75%.
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths
- Delivers 8 million IOPS with sub-1 millisecond latency, meeting the demands of AI and HPC workloads.
- Achieves 99.999% uptime in production, ensuring continuous data availability for enterprise applications.
- Reduces long-term data backup time by 75% through advanced data protection and multi-site replication.
- Maintains 90% gross margin and has been cash-flow positive for 12 consecutive quarters, indicating financial stability.
Trade-offs
- Limited support for niche marketing tools and legacy HR portals that lack public APIs or SCIM support.
- Declining support quality and rigid pricing structures reported since Vista Equity Partners' majority investment in 2022.
- Complex implementation process that can take months to fully configure, delaying time-to-value for lean IT teams.
- Higher costs compared to alternatives like Dell PowerScale or Cloudian HyperStore, especially for organizations with smaller budgets.
Pricing context
Enterprise custom capacity-based software subscription with hardware provided at manufacturer cost. No public tiered pricing; pricing is negotiated per deployment based on capacity and features.
Getting started with DataSpace
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Sign up for DataSpace
Contact VAST Data sales to initiate an enterprise subscription. Provide your organization's capacity requirements and workload details. The team will negotiate a custom capacity-based software subscription with hardware provided at manufacturer cost.
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Connect your data sources
Configure network access to your existing storage systems and data lakes. Use supported file, object, or block protocols to ingest data into the DataSpace global namespace. Ensure your data sources meet the platform's API and protocol requirements.
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Configure the unified platform
Set up the Disaggregated Shared-Everything architecture by deploying nodes across your sites. Define storage policies, replication rules, and data protection settings such as erasure coding and snapshots to match your workload needs.
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Run a test AI workload
Load a sample AI or HPC dataset into DataSpace and execute a training or analytics job. Monitor IOPS and latency using the platform's performance tools to verify sub-millisecond response times and linear scalability.
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Schedule multi-site replication
Enable synchronous or asynchronous replication between geographically distributed sites for disaster recovery. Set up replication schedules and verify data consistency across the global namespace to ensure continuous availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VAST DataSpace and what does it do?
VAST DataSpace is an AI-first storage and database platform built on a Disaggregated Shared-Everything architecture. It unifies storage, database, and compute into a single software layer, supporting file, object, and block protocols simultaneously for AI and HPC workloads.
How does DataSpace achieve sub-millisecond latency at exabyte scale?
DataSpace uses a Disaggregated Shared-Everything architecture that separates compute from storage while maintaining a shared global namespace. This design enables linear scalability by adding nodes, delivering 8 million IOPS with sub-1 millisecond latency for massive datasets.
Who are DataSpace's main competitors in the storage market?
In file and object storage, DataSpace competes with Dell PowerScale, Cloudian HyperStore, and Huawei OceanStor Pacific Series. In data analytics and databases, it faces competition from Snowflake, Google BigQuery, Amazon Redshift, Azure Synapse Analytics, and Apache Spark.
What are the weaknesses of DataSpace for enterprise use?
DataSpace has limited support for niche marketing tools and legacy HR portals lacking public APIs. Users report declining support quality and rigid pricing since Vista Equity Partners' investment. Implementation is complex, often taking months, and costs are higher than alternatives like Dell PowerScale.
How is DataSpace priced and what does it include?
DataSpace uses an enterprise custom capacity-based software subscription with hardware provided at manufacturer cost. There is no public tiered pricing; pricing is negotiated per deployment based on capacity and features, making it less transparent than some competitors.
What data protection features does DataSpace offer?
DataSpace includes advanced data protection with erasure coding, snapshots, and multi-site replication for disaster recovery. It reduces long-term data backup time by 75% and achieves 99.999% uptime in production, ensuring continuous data availability for mission-critical applications.
Alternatives
How DataSpace compares
Direct head-to-head against 2 competitors. Picked by 7wData.
DataSpace
- Pricing
- Enterprise custom capacity-based software subscription with hardware provided at manufacturer cost. No public tiered pricing; pricing is negotiated per deployment based on capacity and features.
- Target
- VAST DataSpace is an AI-first storage and database platform built on a Disaggregated Shared-Everything (DASE) architecture that unifies storage, database, and compute into a single
- Strength
- Delivers 8 million IOPS with sub-1 millisecond latency, meeting the demands of AI and HPC workloads.
- Watch for
- Limited support for niche marketing tools and legacy HR portals that lack public APIs or SCIM support.
iDeals VDR
- Pricing
- $150/month for small projects
- Target
- M&A due diligence, legal teams
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Strength
- Granular permissions, Q&A workflow
- Watch for
- Enterprise pricing requires contact
FirmSecure VDR
- Pricing
- $1,000/month base
- Target
- Enterprise document sharing
- Deployment
- Cloud
- Strength
- AI-powered redaction
- Watch for
- Pricing opaque beyond base tier
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Sources
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