Storage as a virtual machine may be the only way you apply data services in the future. With each release of a new processor family the potential for excess processing power increases. Increasing in processing power plus the standardized appearance of virtual machines will lead to storage services being moved to virtual appliances instead of standalone systems. Manufacturers will need to offer both virtual versions of their storage systems as well as standalone hardware versions. A key will be how well the virtual version of the appliance will be able to migrate to the standalone hardware version.”]
Source: https://www.darkreading.com/database-security/the-future-of-storage-as-a-virtual-machine