European virtualization firm StorMagic is teaming up with Mako Networks to bring cloud-managed networking to enterprises working across distributed environments.

The collab will see StorMagic’s hyperconverged SvHCI platform paired with Mako’s secure SD-WAN and cloud-managed offering to provide secure connections at the edge. The pair are targeting what they describe as “distributed businesses” like convenience stores, fuel retailers, quick-service restaurants, places they contend where short connectivity disruptions could massively impact things like payments or store operations.

StorMagic and Mako also want to make deployments simple to actually implement given the size of some potential customers, while also making it remotely manageable. The partnership pairs highly available compute, storage, and virtualization closer to actual workloads, with Mako’s offerings providing centralized network management, security, and failover capabilities.

“Distributed organizations need more than reliable servers or network connectivity alone,” said Susan Odle, CEO of StorMagic. “They need an infrastructure approach that keeps the entire site operational.”

Demand for secure, cloud-managed networking from smaller players comes as the now Broadcom-owned VMware is actively targeting bigger customers, leaving smaller players to pay up or seek alternatives.

StorMagic has sought to take advantage, winning former VMware contracts from such vendors as Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain Sheetz. Following that win, CEO Odle told SDxCentral that Sheetz’s need aligned with that of wider retailers: more streamlined deployments and a focus on cost.

“Our work with Mako Networks brings together two complementary layers of the edge environment, helping customers combine uptime with secure connectivity in a way that can be managed efficiently at scale,” Odle said following its latest partnership.

It's the second edge-related partnership StorMagic has struck as it looks to take advantage of VMware's consternation, pairing up with Supermicro in June to bundle SvHCI with the server giant's compact edge systems.

“Customers managing distributed environments need infrastructure that is resilient by design but also simple enough to manage remotely,” added Mako CEO Jason Kubasak. “Our partnership with StorMagic strengthens the MakoVerse ecosystem by bringing together secure connectivity and highly available local infrastructure, helping organizations build a more reliable foundation for their remote locations.”

For more on the networking needs of the retail edge, read the latest issue of SDxCentral Magazine to learn about networks powering 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan.