Hyper-converged Infrastructure (HCI) combines common datacenter hardware using locally attached storage resources with intelligent software to create flexible building blocks that replace legacy infrastructure consisting of separate servers, storage networks, and storage arrays. Benefits include lower total cost of ownership, increased performance and greater productivity within IT teams. This simplified solution uses software and servers to replace expensive, purpose-built hardware. With hyper-converged infrastructure, you will decrease data center complexity and increase scalability.

Hyper-converged Infrastructure converges the entire datacenter stack, including compute, storage, storage networking and virtualization. Complex and expensive legacy infrastructure is replaced by a platform running on turnkey, industry-standard servers that enable enterprises to start small and scale one node at a time. Software running on each server node distributes all operating functions across the cluster for superior performance and resilience.

• All critical data center functions run on a tightly integrated software layer, as opposed to purpose-built hardware.
• The virtualization software abstracts and pools the underlying resources, then dynamically allocates them to applications running in virtual machines or containers.
• Configuration is based on policies aligned with the applications, eliminating the need for complicated constructs like logical unit numbers and volumes.
• Advanced management features further reduce manual tasks and help automate entire operations.

Hyper-converged Infrastructure consists of two main components, the distributed plane and the management plane.

The distributed plane runs across a cluster of nodes delivering storage, virtualization and networking services for guest applications, whether they’re virtual machines or container-based apps.

The management plane lets you easily administer HCI resources from one place and one view, which eliminates the need for separate management solutions for servers, storage networks, storage and virtualization.

Enterprise IT teams today are looking for ways to deliver on-premise IT services with the speed and operational efficiency of public cloud services such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud. A comprehensive enterprise cloud platform bridges the gap between traditional infrastructure and public cloud services—and hyper convergence is at the core of an enterprise or hybrid cloud.

Making the switch from the complex legacy infrastructure to the simplicity of hyper convergence provides lower costs, improved performance and greater productivity in IT teams.