vSphere, vSAN and NSX explained: how they fit together

What are VMware vSphere, vSAN and NSX – and how do they work together? Find out in our accessible guide.



For more than two decades, the American cloud computing and virtualisation firm VMware has been providing enterprises with workable, flexible virtualisation software.

Essentially, this software lets businesses run multiple virtual computers known as "virtual machines" (VMs) on a single physical server. Different operating systems and applications can be run side by side. The end result is a scalable, cost-effective and flexible cloud-based infrastructure.

Acquired by Broadcom in 2023, VMware's product suite is indispensable to businesses across the world. However, we'd be lying if we said it was a piece of cake to navigate.

This is partly, of course, because cloud computing and virtualisation are niche, technical areas of expertise where many people fear to tread. But it's also because of the names VMware gives to its core products.

Sure, a virtualisation expert might be able to glean at a glance the operational differences between vSphere, vSAN and NSX. But if you've clicked on this article, chances are you're still a little confused about what's what.

Here at Ascend Cloud Solutions, we provide tailored cloud migration services to enterprises worldwide. We also provide training labs to VMware Education Delivery Partners (VEDPs). These provide a sandbox environment in which systems administrators can learn the intricacies of these three products (and more).

All that's to say we know the VMware software stack like the backs of our hands. Want to know what vSphere, vSAN and NSX do? You're in the right place.

What is vSphere?

vSphere bundles a couple of pieces of software together: ESXi hypervisor and vCenter Server.

ESXi provides the foundation. It's a bare-metal hypervisor – essentially a type of computer software that creates and runs virtual machines directly on physical servers. vCenter, meanwhile, is the central management console for controlling multiple ESXi hosts.

By bundling these solutions together, vSphere enables a raft of powerful features. These range from resource pooling to workload mobility, from GPU acceleration for AI to integrated Kubernetes.

And because of the presence of vCenter, all these features – along with compute, storage and network resources – can be managed from one place.

Businesses use vSphere to cut costs, ensure high availability and boost security. It's the core virtualisation platform – but without vSAN, it doesn't always work to its full potential. 

What is vSAN?

vSAN stands for "virtual storage area network". It's a software-defined storage solution that pools local discs from multiple servers in a cluster. It combines these local disks into a single, virtual pool (datastore) accessible by all VMs in the cluster.

The key advantage of this is that vSAN is software-defined and runs without the need for discrete physical hardware. This makes management simpler, availability higher and scalability easier.

vSAN is distributed and resilient. This means data can be replicated across different hosts – so, if one server fails, mission-critical VMs remain available.

Together, vSAN and vSphere often create the basis of a hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). They're used together with VMware NSX. vSAN and vSphere combine compute, storage and networking into a single integrated platform, while NSX provides the network virtualisation and security layer.

What is NSX?

Like vSAN and vSphere, NSX is software-defined. This means it creates virtual networks independently of physical hardware for private and hybrid clouds. It's a network virtualisation platform that turns previously physical functions – such as firewalls, switching and routing – into software.

NSX offers services including automation of network provisioning and policy enforcement, micro-segmentation and simplified management. It forms a key part of software-defined data centres (SDDC) and VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF).

At its most basic, NSX creates virtual networks that mirror physical ones. This makes provisioning quick and practically seamless.

Micro-segmentation, meanwhile, delivers granular security right down to individual workloads. This reduces the attack surface, keeping businesses safe from cyber attacks.

Finally, NSX supports a range of environments, including multiple clouds, hypervisors and bare-metal workloads.

How do they fit together?

Perhaps the easiest way to understand the relationship between vSphere, vSAN and NSX is to see each piece of software as serving a one-word function. vSphere virtualises compute, vSAN virtualises storage and NSX virtualises networking.

Scratch the surface and it soon gets more complicated. But if you want to understand their basic functions, these three words are enough.

All three work together under vCenter to create a fully integrated software-defined data centre (SDDC). This enables businesses to retire physical hardware and work with scalable, flexible cloud environments.

How we combine all three in a virtual sandbox

These virtualisation solutions are niche – and if your system administrator is going to deploy, configure and manage them successfully, they'll need training.

One training route consists of VMware's VEDP training labs. These are virtual, hands-on learning environments for VMware products. Essentially, they provide practical experience with real VMware software and solutions in a protected sandbox environment.

The kind of environment provided is important. Learners get to try out essential skills without the risk of causing downtime or other disruption. They can also use software without having to install or manage it in real life.

Here at Ascend Cloud Solutions, we provide lab hosting for VEDP providers. Our lab hosting services are cloud-based, meaning they can be accessed from anywhere in the world and at any time.

This global accessibility means you can provide training for your IT staff without paying for transport, physical lab setups or time off. Instead, learners can train in their own time and on their own devices.

And as well as being cloud-based, our lab hosting services are highly secure. This means learners can practise in safety with no risk of system compromise.

Finally, we provide lab environments that can be used for self-directed or instructor-led training. It all depends on the needs and resources of your company.

Whatever your requirements, our VEDP lab hosting services can help bring training to life, whether you're a provider, a learner or a manager.

Based in Cork, Ireland, Ascend Cloud Solutions provides consultancy and technology solutions to a range of global clients. For more simple cloud computing guides, follow our blog.