One of the main reasons behind the popularity of containers is that they make it much easier to deploy applications than traditional virtualization software. But the technology doesn’t live up to the promise all the time, especially when it comes to enterprise workloads with complex operational requirements. A newly launched startup called Diamanti Inc. is trying to address the challenge with a converged appliance that automates much of the implementation process, starting with the initial hardware configuration.

The system combines speedy flash storage and networking gear in an integrated chassis that removes the need for organizations to piece together their deployment one building block at a time According to Diamanti, its appliance can be quickly hooked up to a company’s existing server infrastructure and set up with its custom choice of software. The startup supports several popular Linux distributions and container management tools, including Kubernetes, to which it’s an active contributor, and Mesosphere Inc.’s newly open-sourced DCOS.

The third party orchestration software handles key tasks like allocating hardware resources to a Docker cluster, while the homegrown administration system that Diamanti ships with its appliance takes care of everything else. The startup’s platform allows users to manage the storage and network resources in their deployments, monitor activity and create reports about how much infrastructure is used at any given time. On the high end, the outfit claims that its system is able to achieve 90 percent utilization compared to the 15 percent or so organizations typically average with bare-metal gear.

As a result, customers need to buy less hardware for their container deployments, which can add up to a lot of savings in a large organization. Coupled with the potentially months of work that Diamanti’s pre-configured design eliminates, that significantly reduces the adoption barrier for everyday enterprises used to traditional virtualization software. This value proposition has helped the startup land deals with several major brands including NBCUniversal and attract the attention of the venture capital community in the process.

The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and three other investors injected $12.5 million into Diamanti’s coffers as part of a funding round announced in conjunction with the launch of the appliance. The startup will use the capital to increase its headcount, which currently stands at 30 according to TechCrunch, and spread the word about its system. 

Image via Huskyherz