Modernize Legacy Infrastructure and Protect Your Data from Ransomware
- July 02, 2026
- 6 min read
- Download as PDF
StarWind HCI Appliance + Swarm Appliance:
a 3-node solution that replaces clunky SAN-centric infrastructure with modern hyperconverged compute and immutable S3 object storage.
The Challenge
Traditional ROBO and SMB environments often rely on aging SAN/NAS stacks with separate servers, storage, backup, and archive systems. This increases cost, complexity, and attack surface. Once it breaches the perimeter, backups stored on conventional file shares are easily encrypted alongside production data.
The Solution
Deploy a compact 2-node StarWind HCI Appliance for primary production workloads plus a single Swarm Appliance node as an immutable S3 backup and archive target. Three nodes total replace an entire legacy IT stack: Servers, SAN, NAS, backup appliance, and tape – while guaranteeing protection against ransomware.
Solution architecture
Scale out: Multi-site topology
Every site runs independently on its own 2-node HCI cluster. Backup software at each location streams data over S3 to one shared Swarm hub – consolidated retention, single vendor, one place to enforce Object Lock and compliance policies.
What do you get?
- Replace the entire legacy stack
Two HCI nodes replace separate servers + SAN + NAS. One Swarm node replaces dedicated backup appliance + tape library. Three nodes total instead of 6–8 separate devices.
- Zero-downtime production
HCI Appliance’s synchronous mirroring and transparent failover ensure VMs stay running even if an entire node fails. No shared storage bottleneck, no single point of failure. - 100% Ransomware-proof backups
Swarm’s S3 Object Lock makes backups truly immutable – no admin, no attacker, no malware can modify or delete locked objects. In-line malware scanning adds an extra detection layer. - Compliance built in
Swarm’s WORM retention policies, data integrity validation, object versioning, and audit-ready governance controls satisfy regulatory requirements out of the box (GDPR, HIPAA, SEC 17a-4).
StarWind HCI Appliance
A hyperconverged platform that converges compute, storage, networking, and virtualization into a 2-node HA cluster. Engineered for 7+ years of operation with enterprise-grade all-flash storage and proactive 24/7 monitoring.
| Compute & Storage | Availability & Management |
|---|---|
| Up to 2x Xeon® 6 per node (8C–64C) | Synchronous mirroring (2-way/3-way) |
| Up to 8 TB DDR5 ECC RAM | Transparent failover & failback |
| All-flash NVMe/SATA, up to 100 TB raw per node | ProActive Premium Support 24/7 |
| NVMe-oF (TCP & RDMA) interconnect | AI-powered telemetry & call home |
DataCore Swarm Appliance
A turnkey S3 object storage appliance purpose-built for cyber-resilient backups, active archiving, and long-term data retention at edge, ROBO, and SMB sites. Pre-configured, validated, and supported as a single integrated system.
| Data Protection | Availability & Management | Operations |
|---|---|---|
| S3 Object Lock (WORM) | Retention policies & legal hold | Turnkey deployment |
| In-line malware detection | Object versioning | Self-healing at disk level |
| Data integrity validation | Metadata-driven search | Single-vendor support |
| Erasure coding (4+2) | Self-service content portal | 50/100/150 TB usable |
| Veeam, Commvault, Veritas, Rubrik |
Deployment scenarios
Remote/Branch offices
2-node StarWind HCI cluster runs branch office VMs. Swarm Appliance stores immutable backups off-site. Minimal IT footprint and maximum data resilience.
Complete SMB IT stack
StarWind HCI for production workloads, Swarm Appliance for backup repository and active archive. One vendor, one support contract, one throat to choke.
Compliance-driven Edge
Healthcare clinics, financial branches, retail – where regulatory data retention and ransomware protection are non-negotiable. WORM and audit trail are built in.
What You Replace
| Legacy components | Replaced by |
|---|---|
| 2–4 rack servers + hypervisor licenses | 2-node StarWind HCI Appliance |
| SAN/NAS storage array + FC/iSCSI switch | Built-in mirrored all-flash storage |
| Dedicated backup appliance (Veritas, Dell, etc.) | Swarm Appliance (S3 target) |
| Tape library for offsite/archive | Swarm Object Lock + retention policies |
| Multiple vendor support contracts | Single ProActive Premium Support |
Optional extra: DataCore FileFly (sold separately)
Run file server VMs on HCI Appliance, then let FileFly automatically tier cold files to Swarm according to configured data placement policy – reclaim primary NVMe capacity and archive with immutability, no user intervention needed.
The Result
Getting started
Deploying the StarWind HCI Appliance + Swarm Appliance solution is straightforward. Both appliances arrive fully pre-configured – rack, cable, power on, and connect to your backup software. StarWind ProActive Premium Support handles ongoing monitoring, updates, and issue resolution for the entire stack.
Rack and power
Mount the 3 nodes (2U + 2U + 2U or 1U). Connect power and network cables.
Configure and connect
HCI Appliance forms HA cluster automatically. Point Veeam/Commvault at Swarm’s S3 endpoint.
Protect and forget
Enable Object Lock policies. StarWind’s proactive monitoring takes over – you focus on your business.
Ready to simplify yor infrastructure?
Our team of engineers will help you size the right HCI + Swarm configuration for your workloads, backup policies, and compliance requirements.
