Businesses seeking to optimize their operations with flexible and efficient IT solutions are increasingly turning to a new technology called hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), according to the Channel Futures article “Hyperconverged Infrastructure Growing in IT, SMBs Lead the Way.”
The majority (79 percent) of enterprises surveyed say they’re increasing their reliance on and use of this relatively new technology, according to a a survey of nearly 300 IT professionals conducted by Evaluator Group. Many small and midsize businesses have also adopted HCI during the past five years, Evaluator Group Senior Analyst Eric Slack told Channel Futures.
Why are so many organizations of all sizes drawn to HCI? If you’re wondering what all the hype is about and whether your organization should also get on board with HCI, here’s some essential background information to consider.
What is hyperconverged infrastructure and how does it work? HCI combines networking, computing, and storage in one system, according to the Network World article “What is hyperconvergence?” HCI platforms usually run on standard servers and have a hypervisor for virtualized networking and computing, as well as software-defined storage.
As for how it works, critical data center processes are run on an integrated software layer, as opposed to purpose-built hardware, according to VMware. HCI uses configuration, virtualization software and advanced management features to optimize operations and minimize the necessity of or eliminate the need for complex constructs and manual tasks.
How is hyperconverged infrastructure different from converged infrastructure (CI)? Although HCI and CI both use hypervisors, they’re distinct solutions, according to Channel Futures. CI typically includes servers, storage, and SAN networking offered together in a rack. On the other hand, HCI involves servers with built-in storage and an overall system that’s covered by a software-defined storage layer.
Why is hyperconverged infrastructure appealing to so many businesses? Overall, HCI is more flexible, scalable, and easier to manage than traditional infrastructure. The primary motivation for companies pursuing CI and HCI projects is the desire to consolidate and simplify their IT, according to the Evaluator Group study.
Overall, HCI offers the following business benefits, compared to a traditional three-tier architecture, according to VMware and our tech experts.
1. Easier to operate. One IT team can manage and monitor computing and storage resources.
2. Cost containment. Instead of relying on pricey purpose-built networking, the HCI architecture just needs industry-standard x86 servers, which are less expensive.
3. Great responsiveness. HCI can easily adapt to changing business requirements due to how quickly it lets you set up workloads and hardware and boost application performance.
4. More speed. There’s a need for speed and faster access to applications in the modern workplace. Millennials who grew up with faster internet connections at home expect similar speed at the office, whether they’re dealing with on-premise solutions, cloud or a combination of the two.
Additionally, clients who require faster access can leverage certain data centers to allow current infrastructure to connect to hyperconverged infrastructure, leading to faster interoperability. If you need help identifying which data centers can access these hyperscale solutions quicker, contact one of our technology advisors.
What are my options if I want to get HCI for my company? There are a number of HCI vendors out there, according to Gartner. However, before you start looking at specific offerings, it’s important to consider your company’s unique needs and goals. For instance, you’ll need to consider how you’ll integrate it with your current infrastructure, according to VMware.
If you’d like to learn more about IT infrastructure, please contact our team of expert techs. We work with various solutions from a wide range of vendors in our partner network, so we have in-depth knowledge of all kinds of IT offerings. Connect with us today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
