1. A computer-implemented method, comprising: for each of a first virtual storage area network and a second virtual storage area network: receiving metadata defining at least one storage pool configuration and at least one virtual machine configuration: establishing the virtual storage area network by: allocating a virtual machine in accordance with the virtual machine configuration defined by the metadata received for the virtual machine: configuring the allocated virtual machine to represent to other virtual machines as a mass storage device an allocation of data storage at a communicatively-coupled physical block storage device, in accordance with the storage pool configuration specified by the metadata received for the virtual machine: and booting an operating system of the virtual machine, wherein the operating system is configured based at least on the metadata, wherein the metadata includes an entry for an I/O data rate for sending storage requests from the virtual machine to the storage pool, and wherein a network controller of the virtual machine is configured based on the entry.